What Annoys Interior Designers: 8 Most Unpleasant Situations

As much as we love our jobs, we're sure that each of us has moments that push us to the limit. Every profession has its nuances and irritating factors. Today we decided to find out what annoys interior designers.

Vladislav Kislenko from Ky-de Architects compiled the most frustrating situations in designers' work.

Vladislav Kislenko - Visualizer, Interior Designer

Economy on Contractors

When a great project is made, but the client hires unscrupulous or unprofessional workers, the designer's entire work goes to waste.

There were cases where we had to explain on our fingers how to install a hidden skirting board and how to glue canvas fabric, not to mention proving that canvas fabric is a necessity. The client thinks that if he saves money on contractors, he will save on renovation, but unfortunately, a poor contractor ruins good materials, and you end up paying twice.

Can You Finish It by Tomorrow?

For some reason, many think that a project can be completed in just a couple of days. But we're here to disappoint you. Design is a long-term process that won't be ready tomorrow, next week, or even in a month (very rare exceptions).

Photo by Cottonbro: Pexels
Changes for Changes' Sake

After reviewing the project, it happens that the client calls and says everything is great, but the bedcover needs to be a bit lighter. At the visualization stage, color nuances don't play a big role, but still, changes extend the project timeline. At the implementation stage, paint is always done to finalize color choices.

Expert Evaluation

Sometimes when you visit friends and they immediately start: "We did a recent renovation ourselves, you're a designer, give your opinion, what do you think?" Believe us, it's very noticeable when a renovation is done without designer involvement. In such cases, we try to respond tactfully, but it still irritates.

Unclear Description

"I want a beige interior, in soft tones and in modern style," — this order says nothing. Everything is abstract and unclear. Classical, loft, minimalism — all can be imagined in a modern style. There needs to be at least some specificity. To understand the client's preferences, we have a detailed questionnaire. We also ask for several examples from the client with explanations of what they like about each specific example. If the client can't decide, we select based on our taste and during discussions remove what's unnecessary.

Photo by Thirdman: Pexels
Long Feedback Response Time

To keep the project on schedule, we ask clients to provide feedback within two days, but sometimes it comes after three months. The longest project lasted two years (this was only the design phase) — there's a suspicion that the renovation will take five years or more.

Call at Non-Working Hours

Despite clearly stating working hours in the contract and reiterating them, calls at 9 PM on Saturday are quite frequent.

Renovation Concurrent with the Project

This is a common request, but it's important not to give in to the client’s wishes, as changes may still occur during the design phase: if a wall is built and later it's discovered that something doesn't fit, everything has to be redone at the client's expense. My advice: start renovation only after project approval.