Top 3 Mistakes People Make When Hiring A Designer
- Judy Olson
- 7 days ago
- 6 min read
1. WAITING UNTIL THE SH*T HAS ALREADY HIT THE FAN
This is the big one. People, I’ve been known to work miracles now and then, but as a rule, don’t call an interior after plans are already drawn. Often I will get calls from folks who have already demo’d their space, some with a plan, and some without, expecting me to help them “pull it all together”. I’ve referred to this specific phrase many times in my articles because it is ridiculously consistent with clients who have either waited until it’s too late, or clients who have no intention of listening to their designer.
My point is, once the project is started, and the sh*t is starting to hit the fan, too many decisions have already been made and will be too expensive to override. Not to mention the contractor the client selected that fit into their idea of what a GC is supposed to cost is usually causing them a great deal of stress in one way or another, which of course I can’t do anything about.
The clients that end up the happiest with the best results for their money are the ones that hire a designer before anything else takes place, including contractor interviews. I cannot stress this enough. Call the designer FIRST. Even if it’s just for a one-time consultation to give you some clarity and personalized feedback.
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To learn more about WHY a designer should be the first one you call for your project, check out my blog.
2. SECOND GUESSING
When a designer has taken the time to listen first and discuss your goals and requirements in detail (because there are admittedly those that don’t) it is generally a safe bet that the design/layout/strategy they propose to you has a LOT of thought and obsessing that led up to it. They have looked at it six different ways before bringing you what is supposed to be their final proposal.
Designers are analysts. They are perfectionists. And they are artists. And when you reject an artist’s work, they are going to take it personally. Before you start picking apart their design, take a moment to breathe, and ask yourself these questions: Does this look nice? Does this serve my needs? Did I ask for something initially that my designer did not provide?
It is not uncommon to have the first presentation be met with a little push back on one thing or another, but unless you want to be quietly fired by your designer, make sure to be respectful of all the hard work that they have done for YOU. My design contracts allow for a single round of revisions, so if the client is looking for “more warmth” or wants to add a pot filler, or an espresso maker, or tile flooring instead of hardwood, that is all very doable and workable (assuming that money is not their biggest problem).
While I will admit to having a healthy designer ego, I am ultimately concerned with my client’s satisfaction. If a client has concerns, I prefer that they ask productive questions like “Did you account for x?”, or make reasonable requests like “I was really hoping for white cabinets instead of oak”, rather than attacks like “I hate it” or the more polite insult to my design, “Do you think it will work?” or “What if we did x?” before whipping out the tablet and launching a creative session with an AI assistant. This is one of the biggest slaps in the face to a professional interior designer.
Referring to inspo pics or using AI for ideas is fine in the initial discussion phase of a project. But if you whip out the tablet on me during or after a presentation, I will immediately take my expertise, resources, and care elsewhere. If AI can give you professionally finished results, please use AI and don’t waste my time.
3. HIRING A FREE DESIGNER, AND EXPECTING FREE AND EASY RESULTS
At this point just about every big box retailer selling residential products offers “free design services”. But what the retailers aren’t telling you is that these “designers” are actually trained salespeople who have interest in design. When hiring, retailers are primarily concerned with a person’s ability to close sales, and the design skill is a secondary requirement. They train their salespeople to close deals quickly, and to upsell wherever possible. The client walks into the showroom, says “Well I like this,” pointing to a display that appeals. The designated sales associate “designer” then books an appointment to measure at their home and writes the order. After that, the corporate engine takes over. Claims, technical questions, and status checks go through the 1-800 number, which is sometimes easy, sometimes not, but either way it’s a waste of your time.
Salespeople or free “designers” don’t get paid to care about fabulous finished results that are worth every penny. They don’t get paid to take care of you when the sh*t hits the fan. They get paid to finalize the order and run your credit card. And usually, the price is not cheap. Why? Because the sales associate “designer” has to get paid. Their boss has to get paid. They often receive benefits, which costs the company money. The showroom displays cost money, the showroom itself costs money, the multi-million dollar advertising budgets that reeled you in cost money. In the end, you are still paying a markup on product the way you would with a legit interior designer, but with less to show for it. The product is often lacking in quality because something’s got to give, and the finished results are often lacking in cohesiveness and design longevity. When you walk into a store and point to something you like, the associate assigned to you is trained to get your credit card as quickly as possible and place the order. They are not trained to ask questions like “Will it work in your space?” “Will it fit through your door?” “Will this allow room in your budget for all the other items that need to be purchased to achieve a finished and functional result?”
Umm, no. They get paid to get paid, and let you sort out any issues yourself later, which for many clients involves making mistakes, discovering mistakes, and going back to the showroom to attempt to resolve the mistakes by spending more money and dealing with the claims/returns process. The “free” designer method has actually cost you more time and frustration, and usually with nothing to show for it.
Another example…if you were to walk into Ethan Allen and say, “I want your best designer to come to my home and create a finished living room for me,” the designer assigned (because you don’t get to actually choose a designer unless you’ve ordered from that designer before) would look like they hit the jackpot, then would spend several hours kissing your butt, measuring, drawing, selecting, and proposing to you what would amount to around $50,000. You respond by swallowing your tongue, and then asking for them to break it down for you, which they do. You see each line item clearly detailed, and ask “Why is it so much? Do you ever have any sales? How much for just the sofa and chairs?”
The disgruntled “designer” then offers a polite brush off, annoyed that they have put in several hours of work only to encounter the classic sticker shock from a client who clearly had no idea what quality finished results cost. Or a more practiced salesperson might incentivize you with a special financing offer before you had a chance to leave and “speak with the significant other”.
I worked at Ethan Allen and Bassett Furniture (among other commission only positions) during my college years and understand very well the way these commission based “designers” work, and how projects tend to go with clients who rely upon these free services. My conclusion is that they are trying to get something for nothing, which never works. I found that ironically clients who hired me as an interior designer questioned my designs and recommendations noticeably less, paid noticeably faster, and enjoyed noticeably more impressive results. Why? Because they can tell that I’m not a salesperson. They can tell I’m interested in helping them, not just meeting a quota and satisfying the corporate agenda. Do I make money on product? Yes! Do I charge fees? Yes! And my client is paying for the certainty that I am on their team, and serving their best interests—not being influenced by the ever-mounting threat of being questioned by my sales manager, or being limited by a small selection of products that may or may not meet the client’s needs.
In my experience, what a client needs from their home is never as simple as a few pieces of furniture, or cabinets, or window treatments, even if they are nice quality. In order to give clients results that will serve them, you have to understand them. You have to understand their lifestyle. You have to care, and you have to take the time to ask the right questions and do the work. If you are looking for a designer who cares, and has a process for understanding and delivering finished results that work for YOU, visit my website and inquire for your project today.
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