Home interior design projects run into problems; it’s a rare project that doesn’t run into at least some issues. Some interior design issues can’t be avoided. For instance, it’s no one’s fault, if the bathroom tiles are hiding a buildup of mold caused by leaky pipes.

Other interior designer issues can be avoided, if the interior designer and homeowner are willing to communicate and work together. Learn about some common interior designer issues you may face while completing home interior design projects.

Not Listening to Your Interior Designer

This is one of the major interior design issues. Some people hire interior designers and then proceed to question everything the designer does. It’s like hiring a painter and then critiquing every brush stroke.

If you’re constantly questioning or criticizing every move your designer makes, it could be that the two of you aren’t a good fit. This constant conflict will easily frustrate both of you, damaging the client/designer relationship.

Letting Interior Designers Run the Show

Yes, homeowners hire interior designers for their expertise. Yes, they know much more about home interior design that most people. But the home they’re working on isn’t theirs–it’s yours. If you really don’t agree on what an interior designer proposes, speak up.

It’s the designer’s job to learn about you, your dreams, needs and daily activities, and to translate that into a home interior design you’ll love. Don’t be railroaded into a design you don’t like.

Not Checking Interior Designer Credentials and References

Some interior designer issues are more serious than others. Homeowners who don’t bother to check interior designer credentials and references have only themselves to blame if the designer turns out to be a dropout from, say, Big Jim’s School of Home Decorating and Body Piercing.

Always remember, just because a potential designer claims to be a qualified interior designer, this doesn’t make the claim true. Check all credentials and phone all references.

Home Interior Design without Planning

While not one of the more serious interior design issues, hiring a designer without any idea of what you want is, at the very least, going to cost you time and money.

Homeowners should do some interior design project research before hiring interior designers. You don’t need to have your entire project visualized–if you did you wouldn’t need an interior designer–but you should have some idea of your likes and dislikes. Otherwise your designer will have to start from scratch, which will cost you more money.

Not Having a Interior Designer Contract

This may well be the most disastrous of interior designer issues. Without a contract, you have no recourse if things go wrong. Any attempt to recoup your losses through the legal system would be seriously impaired without a detailed contract outlining the interior designer’s responsibilities.