Tammy Hart, I.D.D.P, CAPS is a graduate and Tutor of Q.C. Design School and is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist from the National Association of Home Builders. She is the Owner and award winning designer for the Designer Chick Co. and is the Past Director on the National Board for DDA (formerly CDECA). She is a professional speaker, speaking at venues like IIDEXCanada and the Small Business Forum. She’s been featured in East in the City Magazine, as a guest on Daytime Durham, Rogers TV and has won the HOUZZ Service Award 2017. She works to empower young women to become successful future leaders and supports ocean clean-up efforts.
In the first unit of the QC Design School’s Interior Decorating course, we ask our students where they find their inspiration from and 9 out of 10 times it’s HGTV. We love HGTV just as much as you do! We love the inspiration. We love the befores and afters. We love the personalities. But how realistic is TV design and decorating compared to real-life interior decorating and design?
We’ve explored the differences between reality and reality TV to help you set realistic expectations for yourself and your clients so you can create successful projects.
The Couple
TV
Most of the shows portray the couples as being on the same page, having the same wants and wishes and don’t experience any arguments. The experience always appears fun and stress-free.
REAL LIFE
In reality, most couples aren’t on the same page and have different wants or wishes. Decorating and design, especially renovations, are very stressful for many reasons (ie. Money, time, differing opinions, lack of experience). Some clients will even argue in front of you. Awkward, I know. But as a designer/decorator, you need to be able to 1) Create a design concept that is cohesive and blends couples’ styles, and 2) Act as a sounding board for your clients to help them manage their expectations and sometimes act like a counsellor.
The Concept
TV
On the shows, you see beautiful 3D renderings that seem to come together in a few simple clicks of a mouse where the client can “walk through” their home and see it rendered with exactly the furniture you want.
REAL LIFE
Though in reality, you can create 3D renderings that are beautiful and comprehensive, it doesn’t necessarily happen in a few clicks. And quite often, you’ll end up with a rendering only to find that it has developed a few “hiccups” where suddenly a new floor has somehow appeared in a home that you didn’t draw in or a door is below a floor. Sometimes, it’s easier to hand draw a design and can save time while still communicating the concept. However, 3D renderings are fantastic for elevation drawings.
The Contractor
TV
These shows have incredibly reliable, talented and beautiful (just saying!) contractors that are authentic and honest.
REAL LIFE
But when it comes to reality, it’s difficult to find a contractor that is honest and authentic – one that wants to get your job done because they have pride in their quality, word and business. I love my contractors, but it has taken a long time to find the contractors that are willing to work cohesively as a team with the client’s best interests in mind and don’t over-book themselves.
The Demo
TV
It’s “Demo Day”! A team of 50 come storming in and demo in one day, cleanly, dust free, and goes super smooth without any surprises.
REAL LIFE
Real life demo day can be full of surprises, especially if you’re opening walls or lifting carpets. You never know what you’ll find. It will be dusty and dirty and usually doesn’t involve a crew of 50, rather a smaller crew over a few days.
Plan for demo and demo surprises. Consider what you could find behind a wall (ie mold) or under a carpet (ie. Warped floor boards) and talk to your clients about the “what ifs.” Make sure your contractor has a bin on site for demo materials and cleans up after he/she leaves at the end of the day.
The Shopping
TV
On TV, the designer/decorator shows up in a store and “VOILA!” all the shopping is done in minutes, easy peasy. The purchases show up to the client’s home all at the same time.
REAL LIFE
In reality, we have to shop at a variety of stores (some for trade only, some for public) to find the complete look we want, especially if you are looking for something that’s not cookie-cutter. And then there’s the delivery process. I made the decision to buy a truck so that I can transport furniture and heavy items like tiles (tiles are surprisingly heavy) to my clients’ homes. But when you order online from shops like Wayfair, multiple items in one order don’t necessarily get delivered on the same day. So, you have to plan for that and communicate with the client.
The Process & Budget
TV
In TV world, construction appears to happen in a day or at least a couple of days and is always finished on budget without any hiccups or changes in the process.
REAL LIFE
In the real world, clients can change their minds despite the best made plans – especially as the process continues along and the vision starts to come to life. And at the end of the day, you want your client to be satisfied. Hidden surprises can be planned for, but most clients hope for the best. Those surprises can increase the budget, and so can any changes.
Sometimes, your contractor will take on additional jobs which can shift their priorities from job to job, ultimately pushing deadlines. Most renovation projects will take weeks, not days.
We love all of our sources of inspiration that help us keep up with trends and expand our imaginations. What we do need to keep in mind is that shows for TV are made for TV, edited for TV and take clips of reality to produce a good show. In real life, we need to create plans, collaborate with strategic partners who have similar values, and consistently communicate with our clients for the success of our projects.
