The Downside of Being a Designer (And Why My Eye for Detail Is Exactly What Your Home or Workspace Needs)
- Natalie Williams
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
If you have ever wondered what it is really like to be an interior designer, here is the honest answer: you never stop noticing things. I don't mean the big things, I mean the tiny, easy-to-miss details that most people walk past without a second thought. Recently, I have realised just how deeply this habit runs, and although it can be a downside in everyday life, it is also one of the biggest strengths I bring to my clients and their spaces.
Designers See the World Differently
As an interior designer, my brain automatically analyses every environment I walk into. Buildings, products, bathrooms, restaurants, my mind instantly starts evaluating lighting, layout, materials, finishes and how the space makes me feel. It is not something I can turn off, even when I am off the clock.
A perfect example: yesterday I popped to the toilet at a networking event and instantly noticed that the wallpaper wasn't matched properly. Within seconds, I found myself mentally redesigning the entire room, changing the ceiling finish, rethinking the taps, adjusting the layout and the funny thing is, I did actually like the current design, but designers always see how it could be improved or how they would do it differently.
Holidays, Restaurants and the Curse of Over-Awareness
For me, booking a holiday becomes a full design investigation. I spend weeks looking at room photos, comparing layouts, checking lighting, reading reviews, and working out which rooms actually correspond to the photos online. If I end up in a poorly designed space, it will quietly irritate me the entire time I am there and if it is really bad, it can genuinely affect my mood and how I feel about the holiday.
This is design psychology in action. Our environments influence how we feel, even if we do not consciously notice the details. I am just someone who can always feel if something is off.
Restaurants are no different. The food could be outstanding, but if the lighting is harsh, the layout is cramped or the chairs are uncomfortable, I probably won't return. Most people just sense that “something feels off,” but I understand why it feels off and how it could be improved. This constant awareness can make day-to-day life more complicated, but it is also the reason I am able to create functional, calming and well-designed spaces for my clients.
The Upside: This Level of Detail Is Exactly What Helps My Clients
Here is where the “downside” becomes a major advantage.
My habit of noticing every detail means I can walk into a home or workspace and immediately understand what is not working. I see things others overlook, the poor lighting choices, awkward layouts, mismatched proportions, visual clutter, or materials that do not support wellbeing. These seemingly small details have a huge impact on how we feel in our environment.
Most people cannot quite articulate why a room feels stressful, uncomfortable or uninviting. They just know something is wrong. My job is to identify those issues and design spaces that support comfort, productivity and wellbeing.
So, Is It Really a Downside?
Sometimes. It definitely makes it harder to switch off or experience spaces the way other people do but it also means that when I work with clients, I bring years of instinct, training and an almost obsessive attention to detail because I know how much these small decisions affect how you feel in a space.
If your space doesn't feel right but you can't quite work out why, book your consultation below and lets cut through the noise together.
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