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House Beautiful spoke with interior design professionals about eight traits they associate with strong designers, from noticing everyday beauty to communicating well with clients. The experts describe these as useful qualities, not a formal test of design ability or a guarantee of success in the profession.
Interior design professionals interviewed by House Beautiful say the work calls for more than an eye for attractive furniture: curiosity, practical problem-solving, empathy and communication also help designers respond to the needs and constraints of a project. The report lists eight traits that may signal a person thinks like a designer, while presenting them as expert observations rather than a formal assessment.
The traits include an appreciation for beauty in everyday details and natural curiosity about how rooms look and function. Cheryl Luckett, founder of Dwell by Cheryl, says noticing small details can help someone recognize a space’s potential. Linda Hayslett, founder of LH.Designs, describes designers as attentive to how spaces feel and to details that might otherwise go unnoticed.
The report also names a defined but flexible sense of style, the ability to see how colors, textures, scale and layout work together, and confidence in resolving problems. Hayslett says projects can run into layout issues, sourcing difficulties or budget limits, and that designers need to adapt. Sarah Lederman of Sarah Lederman Interiors stresses that clients have different goals, making openness to alternative approaches useful.
The final qualities are strong instincts, empathy and communication. Amy Studebaker, founder of Amy Studebaker Design, says she relies on her instincts when choosing fabrics and making business decisions. Phil Norman of Norman Design Group says listening closely to clients, including noticing needs they may not state directly, can distinguish effective designers. The source’s headline promises eight signs; its descriptions also emphasize that these qualities work together rather than standing alone.
Design Skills Beyond Good Taste
The report’s central point is that design is both creative and practical. A room may look polished, but professional work also involves translating a client’s preferences into a functional plan, managing a budget and adapting when products, layouts or timelines do not work as expected. These demands explain why experts highlight organization, listening and problem-solving alongside visual judgment.
For readers considering a design career—or simply improving their own homes—the traits offer a way to think about the work beyond selecting attractive objects. They suggest that a designer’s value can lie in how choices fit together and how well the result serves the people using the space. The advice is descriptive, however: the article does not establish that possessing these traits predicts professional success.
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How Designers Develop Their Eye
The House Beautiful report says a sense of design can be built through exposure and practice, not only through an instinct for color or furniture. Michelle Gage of Michelle Gage Interiors recommends visiting museums and home shops, traveling and spending time around people engaged in design. She also suggests magazines and books for people with limited budgets.
Gage cautions that social media alone is not enough to develop a discerning eye, according to the report. Seeing spaces and objects in person can offer information about scale, materials and how a room feels that photographs may not convey. The article frames this as expert advice, not as a tested requirement or a substitute for professional training.
“Creative yet practical, free-thinking yet organized, and being a great listener yet opinionated are my top three must-haves.”
— Neal Beckstedt, founder of Neal Beckstedt Studio
Traits, Not a Career Test
The source does not provide a formal definition or measurement for the eight traits, nor does it report research comparing designers with people outside the profession. The list reflects comments from interviewed industry professionals, so it should not be read as a validated checklist for deciding who can become a designer.
It is also unclear from the supplied material whether House Beautiful’s report includes additional expert comments beyond the excerpts provided. The article offers general observations, but no data on how common each trait is, how much training contributes to it, or which qualities matter most across different types of design work.
Putting the Advice Into Practice
The report offers readers practical ways to explore the skills it describes: observe how rooms function, pay attention to details, seek out design in person where possible, and practice combining color, texture and layout. For anyone working with a client or redesigning a home, listening before choosing can help keep decisions connected to how the space will be used.
No follow-up study or professional guidance is announced in the source material. Whether these observations lead to further reporting is unknown; for now, the article presents the experts’ advice as a starting point for recognizing and developing design habits.
Key Questions
What are the eight signs described in the report?
They are an appreciation for everyday beauty, curiosity, a defined but flexible sense of style, an ability to see how design elements work together, problem-solving, strong instincts, empathy and communication skills.
Does having these traits mean someone will succeed as an interior designer?
No. The article presents expert observations, not a validated test or guarantee of professional success. The report also points to practical demands such as budgets, deadlines and client needs.
How can someone develop a better eye for design?
Michelle Gage recommends visiting museums and home shops, traveling, and learning from people interested in design. She also suggests reading magazines and books, and says social media should not be the only source of exposure.
Why does empathy matter in interior design?
Phil Norman says designers need to listen to clients and pick up on needs they may not express directly. That can help a design respond to the people who will use the space, rather than relying only on the designer’s preferred style.
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