Are Ideal Clients becoming Extinct?

I wish clients understood that when they hire an interior designer, they have hired a professional.  This means they need to give up control as well as their DIY involvement. 

Although I do not consider myself a chef by any means, I’d like to use cooking as an example of how quickly a plan can go wrong. When following a recipe to make soup, let’s say I decide to substitute cinnamon for curry. My reasoning is they are both spices that start with the letter C and are similar in color.  What could go wrong?

When a client deviates from the overall design plan by altering selections that impact the function, feel, or flow – it is a recipe for disaster.  Success is in the details. There is a finesse within the many layers of design. When clients go rogue on even a few selections, they nearly always ruin our intent.  All the correct ingredients are overlooked and overshadowed by the mistake of one poorly chosen item.  All designers can relate to this problem, right?  The struggle is real!

Am I the only designer who wants to burn down the Houzz? Our clients are clicking on every home improvement website, getting drunk on design, and we are enlisted as their codependent partners.  I get exhausted trying to keep up with their ever-changing selections when they see some design photo on the Web that they want to show me.  This, of course, is occurring three weeks after they approved their design plan!

Our clients should know that once the design plan is approved, they should stop their manic online design activity of pinning and sending me helpful suggestions.  Certainly my ideal clients know this.  I find it so disruptive to receive texts all day and night with every single design thought that pops into their head.  Please stop the madness!

So, my advice is to be on the lookout for the ideal design client: 

They are realistic, informed, prepared, and have done their research. Their wish-list is in sync with their budget. They allow the designer to take the leadership role for the project.They comply with the design direction and selections without having to “see it first.”Once the design plan is approved, clients give up control & TRUST THE PROCESS! 

And if by chance you get one of these ideal clients, be sure to treasure them, and treat them like GOLD!  Because it sure seems to me like they are heading towards extinction.