Things I Don’t Like in the Interior Design Field  

Now, I don’t want to come off negatively on this blog, I did not start this blog for that intention. But, I do want to keep it real and thought maybe this topic would be helpful in some way to someone. If you are thinking of working the interior design field, I think it might be helpful to hear from a designer about the not-so-great things about the industry. 

I have touched on this topic before, Read The Truth About The Interior Design Industry.

I’ve been working in the interior design field since 2017, so although I’m not one of those designers who has been in the game for 20 years, I do have enough experience to speak on the interior design field as it has been for the last little while. Before I get into what I don’t like about the interior design industry, I just want to say there are far more things I DO like than don’t. 

5 things I don’t like in the interior design field 

1. Pressure to be active on social media 

Ok, so this one may or may not be surprising. And this may be relatable for other types of entrepreneurs/ business owners. But I find keeping up with social media to be pretty exhausting and demanding. Between running a business, staying active, cooking, cleaning, relaxing and watching hours upon hours of YouTube videos I find it such a hassle to post regularly on all platforms. There are so many social media platforms we are expected to keep active on.

There seems to be this pressure for entrepreneurs to pursue being social media influencers. And honestly I just want to be a designer and not an influencer!! Working in the interior design field is very competitive, if you don’t keep up, you can very easily sink. So there is always this pressure of posting, networking and growing your online following and it never seems like enough. I get that that’s part of growing a business, but it just feels like you always gotta keep up with the Joneses. 

2. Interior design reality shows 

I actually grew up watching interior design reality shows. For my Canadians reading this, you may know the channel the W Network which had shows like Divine Design and Colour Confidential. In recent times, the show Property Brothers and Love It Or List It has gained plenty of popularity. These shows are amazing to gain inspiration for your future home reno.

The reason why I don’t like these shows anymore is because they totally lie about the budget and timelines. Point, blank period. The budgets and timelines are fake and unrealistic. What this does is give people a skewed perception of how much things actually cost and how long renovations actually take outside of reality TV. Because of these shows some people think they can renovate a whole 3000 sq ft house for $40,000.00 and in 2 months. Sorry to bust your balls, but that’s not possible. Well, at least not in Toronto, Canada where I run my business. I ain’t no Property Brother, but I can tell you that they can’t do that either. They sure as heck will make it seem like they can, but it’s not the reality in the real interior design field. 

3. The cost of furniture and materials 

Furnishing, decorating and certainly renovating is expensive. So expensive in fact that it is just not accessible to everyone. Renovating and furnishing your home to a certain standard is a luxury and honestly, that’s something I don’t like about the interior design industry. I think everyone should live in a space that they feel really good in. It makes a world of a difference living somewhere that makes you happy and reflects your personal home decor style.

Luckily, in the interior design industry we are seeing a shift to make interior design services more accessible to a wider range of people with eDesign. However, even with more affordable online interior design services, the cost of furniture and goods can still be pretty expensive. Even if you go with less expensive options like second-hand furniture, things still add up. The key to making things affordable is setting a budget that is realistic for you, doable and being very intentional with what you buy and reuse in your space. 

4. Project deficiencies 

I would put my money on the fact that every designer’s No.1 thing they don’t like about working in the interior design field is dealing with project deficiencies. When doing a remodel, A LOT can go wrong. Even when hiring qualified tradesmen, there’s a chance of deficiencies. It’s just the nature of the business and everyone’s human – we all make mistakes and miss the mark sometimes.

The process of identifying deficiencies is disheartening, no one wants to see scratches, dents and flaws in their newly renovated space. So, when it comes to the time I do a walkthrough and come out with a long excel spreadsheet list of deficiencies, it sucks. It sucks for me, the tradesmen and the client. It just sort of dims the light on the freshly renovated space. Of course, the deficiencies will be fixed, some with ease and others with a lot of fine tuning needed. 

5. Out of stock furniture items

This problem has become more prevalent since Covid. Read How The Pandemic Changed Our Homes.

As a designer, my aim is to always present the client with the best available products. But sometimes, (well PLENTY) of times, I come across items that are discontinued, out of stock or have ridiculous lead times. No one wants to wait 6 months for a mirror. I understand that this is just the way things came to be with manufacturing and all. But, it is still super frustrating and that’s why it makes my list of things I don’t like in the interior design field. this problem prevenst me from presenting certain options to my client. I don’t want the interior design to be limited by product availability.

Sometimes I go on a hunt for furniture and come out with little to nothing because barely anything is available within a reasonable amount of time. Of course, some pieces may be worth the wait. But, in this day and age, people like things fast and available, I get it. 

So there you have it folks, 5 things I don’t like in the interior design field. I don’t want to be a negative Nancy, but hey we all like to complain sometimes, right? I heard complaining that it releases dopamine in the brain or something.