Interior Design: Are You Waiting For a "Good Feeling"

When I started my business, I wanted to incorporate empathy and understanding into every project. A good designer is both an artist and a therapist. Through the project journey, we learn about the likes and dislikes of our clients and combine colors, materials, and solutions to make a beautiful space. But completing a design requires a lot of decisions by the designer and client alike. When I work on a project, I'm as invested in the final product as my client is. I keep my eye on the goal, making decisions and pivoting as necessary until we get there. We’re in it together.

But decision-making can be complicated as each person approaches a project from a different perspective and personality.

In an article published on Psychology Today this week, doctors Martin Seif, Ph.D., and Sally Winston, Psy.D. discuss the supposed rationale and cost of being indecisive. The most frequent issues I encounter in this industry are an aversion to risk and perfectionism. But there's one other doozy, and that’s waiting for a feeling or the “I’ll know it when I see it” fallacy.

Today’s world of endless product options and How-To videos makes the design process seem accessible, fun, and easy. It’s assumed that if we comb through enough ideas we will stumble upon something that gives us a warm and fuzzy feeling. Instead, by the time they reach out for professional assistance, many clients report feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. Hour-long home shows distill the long project process into a few high points and a beautiful finished product. Consequently, clients can sometimes assume they’ll know the right choice when they see it, like being hit by cupid’s arrow. Note: this is basically the experience they’re having seeing the full transformation at the end of the home show. Maybe you will, but without putting some parameters in place it’s highly unlikely.

Now, I'm not telling you to completely buck your feelings in favor of whatever a designer presents. Educated designers and decorators should know how to plan the space and select finishes appropriately, but they aren't mind-readers. Part of the design process includes providing constructive feedback to the designer to help finesse the final product (often unseen on design shows). A good designer will adjust their selections to stay in your design realm while maintaining the principles of design. But even the best designers can't promise good feelings. Some of the most famous designers and architects pushed their clients well past their comfort zones to create unique spaces. Frank Lloyd Wright, anyone?!

Working with a professional you trust can help you minimize the risks associated with design and renovation projects. And any residential designer worth their salt will provide you with carefully curated options that lead to something beautiful, but it's up to you to create the feelings around it.

If you find yourself dragging your feet on something because it doesn't feel right yet, try being objective and offering counterarguments to any worrisome thoughts. If you end up hating it, can you replace it? Will the cost to replace it bother you more than the frustration you feel by not making a decision? Or my personal favorite, what's the best choice out of the best three options? If you want to make a change, it will require being decisive. Your level of comfort in doing so is what will net you that "good feeling."

And one final thought. Unless you are someone who regularly experiences these thunderbolts of YESness it’s highly unlikely that you will experience them even with a professional designer. The people who get these kinds of pings are generally intuitive and intuitive people are also, you guessed it, decisive. Womp, womp…