You might think that good taste and an innate ability to know exactly what size rug will fit in a room are the qualities that would most likely make you a great interior designer. But design talent alone is not enough to succeed in the industry. Rather, successful interior designers often boast “several contradictory characteristics at the same time,” says Neil Beckstead, founder of Neil Beckstead Studio. His nomination for complementary characteristics? “My top three requirements are to be creative yet practical, free-thinking yet organized, and a good listener yet opinionated. ”
We asked a variety of interior designers what they think are the qualities needed to excel in the interior design world. Here’s what they told us:
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Appreciation for (ordinary) beauty
It’s not hard to know that an English garden or museum-quality painting is beautiful. Seeing beauty in everyday life will help you get the most out of your room. “Having an innate appreciation for beauty allows you to see potential in every space,” says Cheryl Luckett, founder of Dwell by Cheryl. This quality allows it to take space from good to great. “When you learn to appreciate beauty naturally, you start to notice the details that make a room feel really special,” Luckett adds. “This deep aesthetic sense helps us design spaces that are not only functional, but also inspire and bring joy to the people who live in them.”
natural curiosity
An inquisitive mind is a characteristic of many designers. “Successful designers tend to develop a curiosity about their environment from an early age,” says Linda Hayslett, founder of LH.Designs. “They have a heightened awareness of how a space feels and functions, and notice details that others might overlook. This attentiveness allows them to understand which elements make or break a space. can be understood intuitively.”
brian wetzel
Living space designed by Michelle Gage.
Developing insight can take time, but Michelle Gage recommends doing so by “looking for opportunities to stretch yourself beyond what you normally see.” Michelle Gage Interiors founder says: Get out and travel. Be around others who do the same. You have to spend time. ” Are you on a budget? Gage suggests flipping through magazines and books or browsing design stores. “Scrolling through social media has a purpose and can certainly be inspirational, but if you really want to sharpen your eye and become a ‘gifted’ person, you have to come out from behind the screen. ” she says.
clear sense of style
Developing and understanding your own style is the difference between knowing what looks good and creating a great space for yourself. “Having a clear sense of style brings clarity and confidence,” says Luckett. “Understanding your style allows you to create a space that is consistent and true to your vision, while also allowing your client to trust your direction.” Of course, you don’t want to be too formal. “Rather than sticking to a particular style, it’s important to have a strong foundation to guide your choices and help you blend your client’s needs with your expertise.”
strong intuition
Interior designers know how to make their decisions quickly and with confidence. “I’ve always had a strong intuition,” says Amy Studebaker, founder of Amy Studebaker Design. “Whether it’s choosing fabrics, guiding clients, building a team, or deciding what’s next, I often follow that feeling,” she adds. “That trust and confidence in myself and others leads me in the right direction and keeps me on the right path as a designer and business owner.”
Problem-solving skills and adaptability
Confidence is also important when it comes to being able to solve problems that arise during the design process. “No design project will ever go 100% smoothly,” Hayslett says. “Whether it’s an unexpected layout problem, sourcing difficulty, or budgetary constraints, skilled designers are adaptable and successful at solving problems. They see obstacles as challenges to be overcome with creativity. Masu.”
Lauren Taylor/Design: LH. Design
Space designed by Linda Hayslett.
Sarah Lederman, founder of Sarah Lederman Interiors, agrees. “At the end of the day, business is customer-centric,” she says. “Even if[clients]understand your aesthetic, they all want different results, so being open and trying different approaches will take you far. ”
love of learning
Great interior designers are also lifelong learners. “Even before I got into this field, I was always trying to learn about vintage items, antique items, new showrooms, etc. Cetera,” Liederman says. “I read a lot about design and it made me want to put real energy into making this a viable career.”
empathy
“The quality that has furthered my career as a designer is my ability to empathize with my clients and their wants and needs,” says Phil Norman, founder of Norman Design Group. “Being a good listener and picking up on things they might not be telling you is the hallmark of a good designer.”
lauren taylor
Kitchen designed by Norman Design Group.
Understand how elements are combined
It’s great to be able to choose a nice sofa and cute pillows, but it’s important to be able to understand how the different components fit together. “It’s not just about knowing what looks good, it’s about understanding how color, texture, and layout create harmony and evoke emotion,” Luckett says. This also means having a solid understanding of scale, proportions, and flow, she explains. Tanya Nayak, founder of Tanya Nayak Design, added that a good designer can use their eyes to “calculate scale and size almost as big as a tape measure.”
Ability to convey vision
Designers need to be able to look at an empty room and envision a world of possibilities. “When you look at a space, you can immediately visualize exactly what it’s going to look like in your head before you start,” Nayak says. But having the ability to sell that vision to others is just as important, says Sarah Fleischer, founder of SRF Interiors. “Even if you have the best design sense and style, if you don’t have the confidence to communicate that vision and opinion to your clients, you won’t be very successful,” she says.
Sometimes, realizing your vision requires pushing your client outside of their comfort zone, and that requires good communication skills, says Cheri Echelek, founder of Cheri Echelek Interior Design. Echelek Martin says. “If you don’t have solid communication skills, your project won’t succeed, no matter how creative you are,” she says.
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Living room designed by Cheri Etchelecu Martin.
Attention to detail
People who value order and direction will find a good fit in the world of design. “Many experienced designers have Type A personalities, meaning they value precision and control,” Hayslett says. “Not only do you notice big things like the layout and color scheme of a room, but you also notice things others may have overlooked, like whether a screw matches the finish on a fixture or whether a light bulb is wrong or looks out of place. It is important to notice even the smallest details.”
