Read This Before You Hire a Designer, XO Designers
What makes a dream design client? A soulful guide to collaboration, creativity and building a home that feels like you—from a designer’s perspective.
There’s an inside joke among interior designers that our work is part art, part therapy, part logistics coordination, and part magic. And while we don’t actually carry wands (though don’t tempt me to try to find a darling vintage one to keep on my desk), we do carry a deep love for what we do—and even more than that, a deep love for the people we do it with.
Yes, you, dear (potential) client. You are the reason we sketch late at night, hunt for hardware with the precision of an archaeologist, and have more paint swatches in our cars than groceries. Working with you is the heart of our work. But there’s a rhythm to it.
A Design Life, Lived Fully
Over the past 14 years of doing design work, we’ve had the joy (and sometimes the adventure) of working across a wide spectrum of projects. From residential homes full of family memories in the making, to commercial spaces buzzing with purpose. We’ve designed boutiques, restaurants, and lived-in living rooms alike. Along the way, we’ve collaborated with all kinds of personalities—each one bringing their own rhythm, stories, and point of view.
And truly, that’s what makes our hearts sing: the uniqueness of it all. No two clients are the same, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
A Love Letter to the Dream Clients
We’ve been lucky—so lucky—to have had some truly incredible clients. People who trusted us, invited us back over the years, and became part of the longer story. We’ve watched their lives unfold within the spaces we helped create. But we’d be lying if we said we hadn’t learned to spot a red flag—or even a beige one—from a mile away.
Experience has taught us what makes a working relationship thrive. And that’s really what this little guide is: a love letter to the dream clients, and a warm, hopeful nudge for anyone wondering how to have a successful design project.
Come with Self-Reflection
Before we dive into fabrics and floor plans, take a little time to sit with yourself. What do you want your home to feel like? What do you want it to say when someone walks in the door—not just about your taste, but about your spirit, your rituals, your joy?
The most fulfilling projects are never just beautiful—they're personal. They hum with the quiet details that only you can offer. We can absolutely help you shape and articulate your vision. But like any good journey, we need a map. And that map begins with you: your stories, your quirks, your childhood home that always smelled like toast, your favorite hotel in the South of France, the green velvet sofa you’ve had three near-death experiences trying to defend.
While we can do anything, we’d much rather do your thing. That’s the magic, after all: not a perfectly designed house, but a perfectly you home. Give us your starting point. Your reference points. Your daydreams. And then watch what we can build together.
Come with an Open Heart (and Mind)
You may have a Pinterest board a mile long, a saved Instagram folder that could double as a novella, and a love affair with brass fixtures—we love that! But know that the best projects happen when there’s space for creativity to bloom. Come to the table with ideas, yes, but also with an open heart and a mind ready to be surprised. Some of the most beautiful, soul-stirring details are the ones that weren’t part of the original plan.
Trust us when we suggest something a bit unexpected. The black-and-white checkerboard floor, the pleated silk lampshade, the vintage art installation that we know is going to be perfect. These are the moments where your space begins to sing, and where we can add that something special you couldn't have done on your own.
Trust the Process
Design is not instant oatmeal. It is more like slow-roasted chicken with herbs from the garden—something that needs time to be truly delicious.
There will be phases: inspiration, planning, sourcing, waiting (oh, the waiting), construction, and finally, installation. Each step has its place, and though delays can happen (hello, backordered tiles), we’re always shepherding the process with your best interests in mind.
When you trust us to guide the flow, the experience becomes more enjoyable for both of us.
Communication is Key—but So is Trust
We want to hear your thoughts. We want to know when something doesn’t feel quite right... But once we’ve established your aesthetic and you’ve approved the concept, we ask for your trust. Trust allows us to move through decisions efficiently, to keep the train running on time, and to make the hundreds of micro-choices that are needed to bring your vision to life.
A dream client shares their thoughts clearly and kindly, but also gives their designer the space to make magic.
Budget is Not a Dirty Word
We know it can feel awkward to talk money. But here’s the truth: transparency about budget is one of the most generous things you can offer your designer.
When we know what we’re working with, we can allocate funds wisely, avoid heartbreak, and get creative within the real parameters of your project. We don’t flinch at a high number, and we don’t judge a modest one. We just want to spend your money well and wisely. If you splurge on the handmade French range, we might dial back on custom drapery. If vintage art makes your heart skip a beat, we’ll find the frames at the estate sale. It’s all a puzzle we’re eager to solve—but only if we know the pieces.
Be Honest (and a Little Brave)
Tell us what makes you feel at home. If you hate overhead lighting or loathe velvet, let us know... The more you share about your daily rituals, your quirks, your secret love of ceramic frogs, the better we can tailor your space to feel like you. A brave client lets us in a little. They let the space become a reflection not just of style, but of story.
Understand That It’s Not All Glamour
Yes, there are fun parts. There are moments when we're picking out the perfect tile, or styling the final room and lighting the candle before your big reveal. But a great project also includes a lot of thoughtful coordination. There are timelines to manage, vendors to correspond with, and details to fine-tune behind the scenes. It's not always glossy magazine pages and mood boards—but we’re here for all of it. We know how to keep things moving forward with care, to navigate surprises with calm, and yes there are always surprises.
A dream client understands that the finished beauty comes from a foundation of planning and patience. That even the quiet parts of the process—the ones that don’t make it to Instagram—are just as essential to the story. We’ll handle the logistics, the follow-ups, the little pivots along the way. You just need to trust that we’ve got it in hand.
Because we do. We’ve done this many times before, and we know how to carry it from the first sketch to the final vase. No matter what bumps arise, we will always get the job done—and make it beautiful in the end. And when that final candle is lit, you’ll see: it was all worth it.
Let It Be a Living Story
Let the Space Evolve
The best homes aren’t built in a day—they come together over time, shaped by the way you live, the people you share it with, and the moments you want to hold onto. A good designer can give you a strong foundation, a beautifully styled reveal, or even a whole home that feels ready to embrace you. But the real magic? It happens long after the last rug is unrolled on the initial install.
We always tell our clients: this is just the beginning. A home is not a finished product—it’s a living, breathing thing. It shifts with the seasons of your life. Give yourself permission to grow into it. To change your mind. To add that painting you found on a summer trip. To rework a space as your family expands. To layer in new textures, new colors, new memories. The design is just the first chapter—the story continues in how you live inside it.
Some of our favorite clients are the ones we’ve journeyed with over many years—five, even ten. We’ve helped turn guest bedrooms into nurseries for babies prayed for and long-awaited. We’ve come back to add sconces over nightstands, to find the perfect bench for the end of the bed, to hang the art piece that finally found its way home. We’ve seen first apartments turn into first homes, empty nests turn into cozy new beginnings. We’ve added layers as they’ve collected, evolved, and settled deeper into themselves.
It’s one of the quiet joys of our work: being called back in. Being trusted again and again, not just to make a space beautiful, but to make it theirs. There’s something tender and sacred about returning to a home that already carries your fingerprint, and being asked to leave another. We can help set the foundation, and then keep collecting alongside you—spotting the perfect mirror for that wall we’ve never quite solved, or finding the just-right vintage piece that brings a room to life. We’re here for the big leaps and the little layering.
We also love helping where it really counts—finding clever ways to stretch a budget without sacrificing beauty, or sourcing thoughtful, soulful pieces that won’t make you lose sleep. We’ve been known to suggest where to splurge and where to save, which linen drapes will look like a million bucks but won’t cost it, and how to phase a project in a way that protects your sanity.
A dream client understands that design is a relationship, not a transaction. That beauty doesn’t mean perfection, and that the most soulful spaces are the ones that grow with you. We’re not here to create a showroom—we’re here to build the backdrop for your life. One layer at a time. And when you let your space evolve, when you invite us along for the unfolding, the result is something more than stylish. It’s timeless. It’s intimate. It’s yours.
The Intangibles That Matter
Kindness Goes a Long Way
We don’t expect our clients to send us flowers (though we’ve been known to cry over a handwritten thank-you note or unexpected text). But we do believe kindness is the quiet fuel that makes everything run smoother. The clients who greet tradespeople with warmth, who treat our team with respect, who weather the inevitable hiccups with grace—those are the clients we’d move mountains for.
Enjoy the Ride
This should be fun. Yes, it’s an investment. Yes, it can be stressful. But at its core, this process is about creating beauty, comfort, and meaning. You are building a space where your life will unfold. So take joy in the hunt for the perfect mirror. Light a candle when the paint goes up. Pour a glass of something bubbly when the first room is done. Celebrate the small moments, and trust that the big ones are coming.
And Finally, Know That We Care Deeply
We don’t take lightly the fact that you’ve trusted us with your home... You become a co-creator of something truly special.
So here’s to the ideal client. Not perfect. Not always patient. But open, honest, kind, and full of heart. The kind of person who makes our work feel like magic.
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