Your Designer Wants You to Know / The Secret of Sourcing

Today’s blog is inspired by a short message I put out on Instagram this past week and I thought I’d expand a bit on it here.

Let’s chat about sourcing. From large pieces of furniture to artwork and smaller decor pieces, sourcing is a critical part of the design process. Finding the right pieces that pair well together and with the space itself is almost just as important as choosing a paint color or flooring.

I tend to get a lot of questions about sources for things in the photos I post on Instagram or projects we post on here. While we love being able to share our sources with you all and are so grateful for the loyal House Seven following we have built over the years, some things simply must be kept a secret. Let me explain.

There are a few reasons that come to mind when I think about this and why it can be such a frustrating request for designers. With that, let’s dive in.

Sourcing is a step of the paid creative design process. Included in most design projects is a phase where designers source for the client. This is included because it allows your designer to ensure the designer can choose specific pieces that compliment the foundational parts of the design best. When clients send us products they want or followers ask for sources of these things, it hurts our creative process and instead of being able to do what we are good at, we become order takers.

We work hard to give our clients a unique, personal design. When a client hires a designer, they hire us because they’re looking for a specific look and style. Part of our job is to create a home for the client that is unique to them and reflects their personal style. Even the smallest pieces like lamps or artwork aid in curating this unique design. If we were to begin handing out where we find pieces, we can no longer guarantee our clients that unique design they hired us to create for them.

If you’re a designer, we hope this gives you the confidence to protect your business where needed. If you’re a client of a designer, we hope this sheds just a little light on the sourcing phase and why it’s so critical to creating your personalized home and space. And if you’re simply a lover of home design or finds, we hope this provides a little explanation on why you may not get answers to all your questions. And to anyone else reading along, we hope this inspires a little appreciation for designers and their creative processes.