Decorating a home is a complex and time-consuming process and the relationship between the client and Interior Decorator is a critical component to whether you achieve the final result that you're looking for. Sometimes, this relationship can go off the rails so it's helpful to know when it's not a good idea to hire a professional to help you with your decorating project.

You're confident in your own ability to decorate
An industry survey found that only 15% of adults have the ability to visualize colours and patterns in an empty room. If you're one of those lucky 15% who knows exactly what they want their space to look like and enjoy the agony and the ecstasy of searching for the right fabric and piece of furniture, liaising with the trades and managing the project from start to finish, then go for it!

As with any profession, accredited interior decorators have an expertise that clients pay for because they do not have the knowledge and expertise themselves. This is the value-for-money factor that is expressed with any service that's purchased. If you have the confidence in your own ability to decorate, then you won't see a positive value for your money, and this will lead to problems in the client-decorator relationship.

The trust factor
Trust plays a huge role in the relationship: the client needs to be able to feel confident that the decorator knows what he/she is doing in order to provide the authority to the decorator to manage the project. If you are not comfortable with the idea of relinquishing these responsibilities, then perhaps you should reconsider hiring a professional. Second-guessing, micro-managing and hyper-stressing have a negative impact on the relationship and consequently, the final outcome.

The best results are achieved from a mutually respectful partnership. The client must trust the decorator to fulfill his/her obligations based on their expertise. The decorator must trust the client to be open and honest when it comes to communicating likes and dislikes, desired outcomes and that a final decision is final.

TV design shows are not real life
If you think that a major decorating or renovation project can be finished in a weekend or even in a month and that the budgets on TV are achievable, then you are setting yourself up for a major disappointment. In addition, your expectations have a huge impact on how well the project goes. Depending on the availability of fabrics and a myriad of other purchases, and the schedules of installers and trades, the length of time to finish a project can stretch out to many months. Realistic expectations regarding objectives, budget and timing need to be established from the start and agreed to by both the client and the decorator.

In conclusion
Working with a professional Interior Decorator can be a positive, fulfilling experience. It's a partnership that is formed to create your own personal space, so knowing when not to enter that partnership is just as important as knowing when you should.