One of the most significant aspects of a successful project is understanding precisely what the client wants; and that isn’t always an easy task. As design professionals, we live and breathe the ins and outs of interior design every day—however most of our clients don’t. When it’s not part of daily language, one should not expect a client to express exactly what they want if they don’t know what to ask for!
Throughout our design education, we were taught to present, sell, and communicate our ideas, as we do in the professional world. It’s in our blood to fight to the death to make sure our design ideas are made into a reality for each project…ok, it’s not that extreme. But we do possess a determined and passionate mindset for the work we do! Explanation is essential in relaying the specific value of design, yet designers can sometimes get caught up in this part of the process and fail to place equal emphasis on listening. Listening is key when it comes to our ability to create a space that truly meets the client’s needs.