One of the most valuable characteristics of any great designer is their humility.
What do you hear people saying about Nate Berkus all the time? "He is so HUMBLE" When you watch his show, do you not want to hang out with him?
What do you hear people saying about Vicente Wolfe all the time? "He is so HUMBLE" He is a master, yet he knows he can still learn. That is true humility.
Great designers are great "people persons". People want to work with them because of who they are and how comfortable they feel with them, just as much if not more, than their desire to work them because of their talents.
Statements like these that lack humility get under my skin:
"You never want a family room that is consumed by a couch because everyone who comes over will think you are a couch potato. You don't want people to come over and think "does this girl ever get off the couch?!"
These designers give the rest of us a bad rap. They make comments that are insensitive and come off as very intimidating. I wouldn't blame people who hesitate to contact a designer for fear of humiliation and judgement.
Here is why letting insensitive and judgemental designers into your home is a not so smart idea:
First of all, designers have no business telling clients what their priorities are or what they should be. If a client's priority is watching tv, then so be it. What business is it of mine?
Second of all, I never put so much weight on the "thoughts of others". I care about the needs of my clients. Not the needs of imaginary people. I say "imaginary" because these "people" that we fear will be coming to our house to judge us, are usually imaginary people that are made up by our insecurities. If I were to play into these insecurities, I wouldn't be helping my client achieve a room that is the best for THEM.
It is unhealthy to worry so much about what others think of you. If you are a couch potato, who is anyone to say that is wrong? It is never a good idea to help a client feel bad about who they are and what they like to do.
If someone comes to your house, sees your couch, and makes a snap judgment about you, they don't deserve your company because they aren't willing to get to know the real you anyway. I mean, it's really simple.
Third of all, it's just plain rude. Just because you are believed to have exceptional taste, that doesn't mean it's ok to be rude. The end.
Fourth of all, as soon as you utter the words "you should never" or "that never looks good" you will be presented with an opportunity or situation where your statement will be debunked and you will have to eat your words.
The beautiful thing about design is that the options are endless and the doors are always open for a different interpretation. I would hate to have to eat my words.
NOW for some beautiful examples of rooms with exceptionally large couches, or rooms oriented specifically towards the television.
Most of these are by the fabulous Candice Olsen. Would you dare tell Candice that these are bad designs because of the couch size or orientation towards the tv?? I wouldn't!!! That girl is way buffer and taller than I am! They are beautiful rooms that function just as the clients wished. She is great because she listens, she doesn't judge the priorities of her clients, and she has a great personality. The perfect recipe for a design where everyone is happy in the end. Even the imaginary people are happy!!
What gets under your skin? This should be interesting!!
Kelle
xx
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