Most of what people believe about luxury interior designers comes from television and magazines. The reality is quieter, more practical and, I hope, more useful to the client.
After more than thirty years of practice, I hear the same assumptions at almost every first meeting. Some are flattering, some are not, and nearly all of them get in the way of a good decision. Here are the seven I hear most often, and what I would say in reply.
Myth one: a luxury designer will impose their own style
A good designer has a point of view, but the house belongs to the client. Before I design anything for a family, I spend time in their present home as it is really lived in, and I speak with each member of the household separately. People say different things alone than they do in a group. The result should feel like the client at their best, not like my portfolio.
Myth two: it is only about expensive furniture
Furniture is the visible part. Most of the work lies in planning, proportion, lighting, materials, joinery, coordination with the builder and the hundreds of decisions that make a house work. An expensive sofa in a badly proportioned room is still a badly proportioned room.
Myth three: hiring a designer costs more
A designer's fee is a real cost. But a well-run design process usually saves money elsewhere: fewer changes on site, better buying, avoided mistakes and a house that does not need redoing in five years. The honest comparison is not the fee against nothing; it is the total cost of a well-designed project against the total cost of a poorly designed one.
Myth four: the client loses control
The opposite should be true. A clear process gives the client better control: approved drawings, sample boards, budgets and a programme. The client makes the important decisions, with good information, at the right time. What they are spared is the daily noise.
Myth five: luxury design means more
The finest interiors I know, from the great palace hotels of Europe to the quietest private houses, are defined by restraint. Fewer, better things, chosen with conviction. Excess is easy. Discipline is the luxury.
Myth six: a designer with famous clients will not have time for you
A royal residence and a single apartment deserve the same care, and in a well-run studio they receive it. The right question is not who else the designer works for, but how your own project will be led, who you will speak to each week, and how decisions will reach you.
Myth seven: discretion is a marketing word
For many of my clients, privacy is not a preference; it is a security requirement. Discretion means non-disclosure agreements, careful handling of drawings and photographs, and never naming a client or project without permission. Some of the work I am proudest of will never be published, and that is exactly as it should be.
What a serious practice actually does
- Listens to the household before proposing anything.
- Plans the house around how it will be lived in.
- Designs every detail with the builder in mind.
- Manages budget, procurement and programme transparently.
- Protects the client's privacy throughout and after the project.
To discuss a commission in confidence, contact kenneth@bhli.us or call +1 (310) 467-5635.
Frequently Asked
Will a luxury interior designer impose their own style?
A good luxury designer brings a point of view but designs for the client. Kenneth Bordewick observes each household's home as it is lived in and interviews family members individually before any design is proposed.
Is hiring a luxury interior designer worth the cost?
Usually, yes. A professional design process reduces changes on site, improves purchasing, avoids costly mistakes and produces a home that lasts, which often offsets a significant part of the design fee.
Do luxury interior designers only work on very large projects?
Not necessarily. Beverly Hills Luxury Interiors discusses project scope privately with each client rather than publishing a minimum, and also offers a virtual design service for clients who want guidance remotely.
How do luxury interior designers protect client privacy?
Through non-disclosure agreements, careful control of drawings and photographs, and never naming clients or projects without permission. For many high-profile clients, discretion is a security requirement as well as a courtesy.