“Now THAT was unexpected!”So what? When it works, it works.Offering the unusual choice is often the best alternative for you; especially when your client says they want “Something different”, but are unable to articulate their vision. In such a situation, your imagination will become the key to that realization. This is understandable of course, since your client will have little idea of what is possible, much less of what is practical.In a way, doing the unexpected is a critical element in what you do as an interior designer; offering solutions that may not occur to a home owner or business owner, or they could have done the work themselves. While you rarely, if ever, want to take a plunge “Off the deep end”, innovation in both style and substance will be an element you can put to use for the benefit of your clients, and for yourself and your business.To help inspire you further, let’s take a look at some unusual choices that have been made by other interior designers.This is NOT your grandma’s kitchenBorrowed from Home-Designing.com, the images below reflect just those qualities; combining bold thinking with an original style of presentation, while still remaining fully functional. 
“If you are looking for inspiration for a sophisticated kitchen design and decor, then this array from Armony Cucine harbors quite a few. There are some here that have just a slightly different touch, to add just the right amount of interest to your stylish cooking space without going overboard.”
Your library is where?As described at the InteriorCollective.com, putting the things you most love in a place that speaks to you exhibits a sense of style and obvious passion in both the designer and the home owner.
“Noted novelist, Michael Cunningham, is proud of his library. It just so happens that his library is located in his bathroom. Perhaps this is a smart choice for him, but it’s the kind of thing that I could never do in my home. Keeping books so close to water just doesn’t sit right with me for some reason. But more power to him.”
In all of the images above, originality and functionality have been combined to create truly unusual spaces that make statements about the homeowner and designer alike. It’s just these kinds of choices that will enable you to satisfy the client who says, “I know what I want but I can’t seem to express it”.
Focus Your Business Vision
What is your vision for the future of your interior design business?Obviously, one of your goals as an interior designer is to help your clients realize their vision of any space they wish to repurpose, reimagine or create from the ground up. In fact, helping them to do so may be your most important function as their interior designer. As a business owner however, that same talent may be just as important – creating and realizing your own vision of your design business.Creating a vision for your business involves generating a vivid mental image of what you want your business to be at some point in the future, based on your values, goals, and aspirations. Having a strong vision of your hoped-for future will give your business a clear focus, and can stop you heading in the wrong direction.
Begin with a Vision Statement
The Vision Statement for your design business should focus on the potential you see for your future, or what you intend that future to be. While your Vision Statement might contain references to how you plan to turn that future into reality, the “how” you will do so is really part of a “Mission Statement”, while your Vision Statement is more a description of the “what” you hope to do; meaning, what the you intend your design business to become.The clearer you’re able to hold the mental image of the future of your business, the more effective your Vision Statement will be, and the more focused your actions will become. Generalizations and vague goals will not work well for you. Rather, think in terms of definitive statements that reflect your values, which will help you outline a path toward your long-term business goals.
What will success look like?
Here are four steps you can take to articulating a Vision Statement for your design business:
- A typical Vision Statement will be brief and succinct; saying much in just a few words, so those words must be very carefully chosen.
- The key to a good business Vision Statement is to think of things in a long-term, broad sense, without sounding generic.
- If you're too specific, you will limit your vision and it won't be applicable ten years down the road: for example, if your current goal for your business is to move into a larger space, that's a vision for the future but it's not the vision for the future of your entire business. It's too narrow in focus.
- On the other hand, if you say that you want to achieve success – well, any business in the world could say that. It's too generic. The best statement will be clear about who you are as a company as well as who you wish to become.
Here is an example of a possible Vision Statement:“In five years, I want to bill $10 million annually, with a client base of “A-listers”, and a staff of 5 designers and design assistants, located in a home that we have completely renovated in my favorite styling.”The beauty of this statement is that it is very specific, contains realistic goals, and includes a values-based outlook.We’re all familiar with the type of client who says they know what they want, but simply cannot put their vision into words. Of course, since they have you and your training, experience, and talent to fall back on, that’s not an insurmountable obstacle for them. As a business owner however, you have no one to fall back on – you ARE the “last resort” in this situation – with your image and vision of the future of your design business being your only guide.