Should I Choose an Interior Designer Based on Their Portfolio or Their Personality?
It is one of the most common dilemmas homeowners face when embarking on a significant renovation, refurbishment or new-build project.
On one side sits the portfolio: the beautiful photography, the carefully considered spaces, the evidence of creativity and expertise. On the other sits the person behind the work: their judgement, communication style and ability to guide you through what can be a complex and deeply personal process.
Most people assume they have to choose between the two. In practice, neither is sufficient on its own – and the most successful projects are rarely the result of exceptional design talent alone. They are the product of a strong relationship between client and designer, built on trust, understanding and a shared ambition for the home.
Why founder-led interior design studios offer a different client experience
This is where the structure of a design practice becomes particularly important.
In many larger organisations, the individual whose work first attracts you may not be the person leading conversations once the project begins. Responsibility naturally passes between teams, departments and project managers.
There is nothing inherently wrong with that approach. However, for many clients, particularly those undertaking substantial residential projects, continuity matters.
In a founder-led studio, clients generally enjoy direct access to the individual whose vision and judgement drew them to the practice in the first place. Ideas are developed through ongoing conversation rather than filtered through multiple layers of communication.
The relationship becomes more personal, accountability becomes clearer and decisions can be made with greater confidence.
Most importantly, there is consistency. The person who understands the aspirations for the project from the outset remains actively involved in shaping it through every stage.
For many homeowners, that continuity is every bit as valuable as the design itself.
Should you choose a designer on portfolio or personality? The honest answer…
The answer is neither in isolation.
A portfolio should demonstrate expertise, capability and a level of work that resonates with you. But once that threshold has been crossed, the more important question becomes whether you trust the person behind it.
Interior design is not a transaction. It is a collaboration that often unfolds over many months and hundreds of decisions. The quality of that relationship will shape your experience as much as the finished result.
At Hill House Interiors, co-founders Helen Bygraves and Jenny Weiss have always believed that exceptional homes emerge when strong design and strong relationships exist side by side. Beautiful work may open the door, but it is trust, communication and shared understanding that carry a project from the first conversation through to the final detail.
Ultimately, the best designer is not simply the one whose portfolio you admire. It is the one whose judgement you trust when the photographs haven’t been taken yet.
Thinking about your next design project?
An initial conversation with our interiors team is the clearest way to understand whether the fit is right – for you and for the project. The first conversation reveals more than years of portfolio photography ever could.
