Many people believe that having a good sense of design is a key element of being a good client. Not at all! Your designer can help you with anything related to design.

The most important characteristic of being a good client is self–awareness.

Indecisive? Not a problem as long as you know you are indecisive. Not good with change? Not an issue as long as you know you have hired someone to make changes for you, so you will need to work through the process. Stuck in your ways? No problem. A good team will present a range of ideas to you and not force you into a decision that you do not like.

Other topics that are key to being a good client:

Practicality / Being Realistic. I know that the practical topics can be less exciting to consider in the design process, but they do create important parameters. We do not want to fight those parameters, we want to embrace them, and it is incredibly helpful when clients do not push against the practical. Example: If you live in the city, the view out of the house will not be of the woods; remember that context when requesting all of those windows.

Professional Courtesy. Everyone on your team wants to support you. They also have work and personal matters that are not connected directly to your project. Meeting within business hours, recognizing that it may take a moment to reply to a message, and paying invoices promptly are always appreciated. Example: Saying thank you is always nice.

Understanding the Current Market. Just as real estate has a market, design has a market. Labor is in extremely high demand; lead times for materials are longer than ever; and everyone who works in the industry has been impacted negatively by the constant interruptions that the pandemic brought to sourcing. Example: No member of your team controls the global supply chain; we do not want your materials delayed any more than you do.

Committing to Decisions. Taking your time to make a decision is always a good idea, and no decision should be final without your approval. The key with being decisive is staying with that decision once it is made. Adjustments will occur as needed throughout a project, of course, but changing your mind just to change it will cost you time and money. Example: Changing a decision to avoid a structural problem? Great. Ordering new tile after the initial selection has been installed? Not ideal.