How to be a Good Design Client

Trust the process. Respect the work. And maybe... get the pink sofa(s).

May 23, 2025

We talk a lot about what makes a great designer. (A sharp eye, a sense of scale, the ability to say no to “just a little shiplap.”) But what makes a great client?

It’s not about having a perfectly curated Pinterest board or knowing your Benjamin Moore fan deck by heart. It’s about trust. It’s about curiosity. And it’s about knowing when to lean in—and when to back off.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, especially after wrapping a project with my dream unicorn client, Beth. She’s the kind of client who says, “I trust you,” and actually means it. She leaned in when it counted—and let go when it mattered most.

She didn’t second-guess every detail or send midnight links to the “Shein Home” version of the Restoration Hardware sideboard we were both drooling over. She understood that a bold, layered, joyful home doesn’t materialize through committee. It takes a little risk, a little faith, and a lot of letting go.

What happened when she trusted me:

We built a design plan rooted in her deep love of music and art (Prince and Dolly make appearances).
Bold wallpaper went into unexpected places—turning cabinetry into sculpture and quirky nooks into showstoppers.
One room exploded in technicolor; another simmered with dark, moody drama (hello, black ceiling).
We mixed decades, styles, and personalities—and somehow, it all sings in harmony.

Let’s be honest—designing your home outside of what everyone else is doing can feel vulnerable. You’re making permanent decisions with semi-permanent money. But when a client lets the process work, the results are anything but generic. They’re personal, expressive, and alive.

As I remind my daughters (often): look around and ask yourself—why would you want to blend in? The same goes for your home.

Beth didn’t want a catalog space. She wanted a story. And she let me help her tell it.

Scroll for a few highlights from her house—yes, including that pair of magenta velvet sofas and the most joyful cabinet styling I’ve done in a long time.

To the Beths of the world: thank you. You make this job feel like art.