I have had potential clients say to me upon receiving my contract for interior design services: “I know and can order from people who sell furniture. My wife knows how to buy furniture.”. So, what’s the point? So, what does such information have to do with the designing of an interior?  In reality – nothing. Furniture is only about 7 % of a designed residential space. And yet, so many people think interior design is the buying and selling of furniture. To them, if they have new furniture, they have a new space.  In viewing the inside of such a house, you will often find a few pieces of furniture in other wise bare rooms, but they can tell the world how savvy they are because they got “such a deal” on the furniture purchase and how much money they didn’t spend.  So what about the other 93 % of the space? Doesn’t it count for anything? How does such behavior reflect their priorities, life style, and personality? Their doing such is much like their saying we don’t eat out because my wife knows how to buy groceries.

So, you say, your wife knows how to buy furniture. Does that mean that she has training and experience as a purchasing agent? She knows how to deal with manufacturers, shipping companies, and delivery firms?

She is familiar with the selection, grading, treatment, construction, assembly, and finishes for wood furniture?

She knows what is good design in the style of furniture?

She knows all of the various materials available, types, and methods in padding upholstered furniture, how such relates to comfort and longevity, and which is best for each individual piece of furniture? What are standard features and what are special or custom made?

She is familiar with all of the fibers, weaving, patterns, colors, and weights of fabrics and which are appropriate for what type of furniture and how they are to be seamed, finished, and treated.

And, of course, she knows what is the best design of furniture to fit into the composition of the room for the best aesthetic results.

So, if you have all of these contacts for furniture and your wife has all of this knowledge, experience, and savvy, why are you contacting an interior designer for just one element of a designed interior?

And, what does  buying furniture “wholesale” have to do with the planning, selection, and types of lighting used for natural and man made light in the room,  the construction, materials, and finishing of wall floors, and ceilings,  the designing, selection, materials, placement, and installation of windows, doors, and other construction features, the size, selection, placement and finishing of moldings, trims, et cetera, the treatment of windows, choosing the fiber, weaves, colors, patterns, and installation of floor covering, the genre, quality, and selections of the art and accessories in the room, knowing how to use line, form, mass, color, and texture for everything in the space to plan and execute a complete aesthetic composition for the room.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating and not in the price. You usually get what you pay for. Why should you go to a fine restaurant where you can select, be served, and enjoy eating a delicious meal ( and you don’t have to do the planning, shopping, cooking, cleaning, or dishes) when you can go to a grocery store?

Food for thought.