How to Translate Your Client's Style Into Your Signature Aesthetic

Original Article posted on Design Manager.

Describing interior design as a profession presents its defining paradox: On one hand, it is the absolute self expression of an artist. On the other, it is the unwavering deliverance of client service. Successful interior designers are those who develop a tried-and-true formula to solve this challenging equation and achieve equilibrium. This article will outline how an interior designer can determine their clients’ stylistic expectations and deliver a final result that doesn’t compromise the designer’s signature aesthetic. 

Establish Boundaries

Brand integrity is a cornerstone of a successful interior design business. Developing a signature style is a large part of building a brand, and you’ll want to apply that vision to every project you’re working on, while simultaneously incorporating the client’s taste and desires. This will be impossible if a designer has a drastically different vision from what their clients are envisioning. 

For this reason, designers should determine a prospective client’s style at the first meeting, before either party decides to move forward. Of course, a client and designer will rarely have the exact same vision to begin with, and working with clients who have a different style is to be expected, especially at the beginning of one’s interior design career. But it is important to make these discoveries at the beginning of the design process so that all parties can establish clear communication and a plan for addressing all expectations. 

Suss Out Your Clients’ Style

How does a designer suss out their clients’ taste? One method is to bring a design exercise to the first meeting, such as this:

  • Assemble images that represent three fundamentally different styles, one of which represents your signature aesthetic.

  • Ask the clients to choose which they like the most. 

  • Encourage a discussion around their answer to understand why they like that style, and what in particular they are gravitating towards in the favored image. 

  • If the client does not choose the image depicting your aesthetic as their favorite, ask them what they think of that image and what they like and don’t like about it. 

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