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House Beautiful interviewed interior designers about traits that can help people succeed in the profession, beyond having good taste. They highlighted eight qualities, including curiosity, empathy, communication and problem-solving, while noting that design skill develops through practice and experience.
Interior designers interviewed by House Beautiful identified eight qualities they associate with strong design thinking, including curiosity, empathy, problem-solving and an appreciation for everyday beauty. The report argues that professional ability involves more than choosing attractive colors or furnishings: it also requires practical judgment, communication and attention to how a space works for the people using it.
The eight traits in the report are an appreciation of everyday beauty, natural curiosity, a defined sense of style, an ability to see how design elements work together, problem-solving skills, strong gut instincts, empathy and good communication. The list draws on comments from designers including Neal Beckstedt, Cheryl Luckett, Linda Hayslett, Michelle Gage, Sarah Lederman, Amy Studebaker and Phil Norman.
Several of the designers stressed that a strong eye is not simply about liking individual objects. Luckett said designers need to understand how color, texture, layout, scale, proportion and flow combine to shape a room. She described a personal style as a useful foundation, while cautioning that it should not prevent designers from responding to clients’ needs.
The report also emphasizes practical work behind the visual choices. Hayslett said projects can run into layout problems, sourcing difficulties and budget constraints, and that designers need to adapt. Norman and Lederman highlighted listening to clients and staying open to different approaches. These are expert views about professional practice, not a validated test for identifying who has an innate “designer eye.”
Design Skill Goes Beyond Good Taste
The advice broadens the idea of what it means to think like a designer. Someone may notice attractive details, but professional work also calls for judgment about function, constraints and other people’s priorities. That distinction matters to readers considering a design career, working on their own homes or trying to understand why a room feels cohesive rather than merely furnished.
The comments also frame design as a set of skills that can be strengthened. Gage recommends spending time in museums, home shops and other settings, as well as traveling and observing interiors in person. She says magazines and books can be alternatives for people with limited budgets, while cautioning that social media alone may not offer the same experience. The report does not establish that any one activity guarantees design ability; it presents them as ways designers suggest broadening one’s visual experience.
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How Designers Balance Conflicting Demands
Interior design combines creative decisions with the management of projects involving clients, budgets, deadlines and contractors. Beckstedt, founder of Neal Beckstedt Studio, described designers as needing to be “creative yet practical, free-thinking yet organized,” while also listening to clients and holding their own opinions.
That balance runs through the eight traits. A designer may need a personal point of view, but the work is client-centered; a quick instinct can help, but decisions still have to account for space and budget. The source is a House Beautiful report based on interviews with practitioners, rather than an independent study or formal professional standard.
“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
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What the Eight Traits Can’t Prove
The report offers professional opinions and examples, not research showing that these eight traits reliably predict success or identify someone as a designer. It does not explain how the qualities were selected, compare them with other skills, or define a measurable threshold for having a “designer eye.”
It also leaves open how much of design judgment is innate versus learned. The designers describe curiosity and instinct as useful, while also recommending exposure and practice. Readers should treat the list as a set of perspectives from working designers, not a diagnostic checklist or a guarantee of career suitability.
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Ways to Build a More Trained Eye
For readers interested in developing these skills, the designers’ suggestions include observing rooms and objects in person, visiting museums and home shops, traveling where possible, and studying books or magazines. Alongside visual exposure, the report points to listening, asking what a space needs to do and working through practical constraints as parts of design thinking.
House Beautiful’s report does not announce a formal program or next research milestone. Its takeaway is practical rather than predictive: noticing beauty may be a starting point, but applying that attention requires learning, flexibility and consideration of the people who use a space.
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Key Questions
What are the eight traits in the report?
The list includes appreciation of everyday beauty, curiosity, a defined sense of style, an understanding of how design elements work together, problem-solving, gut instinct, empathy and communication.
Does having these traits mean someone should become an interior designer?
No. The report presents designers’ views, not a career assessment. It does not test whether these qualities predict professional success or replace training and experience.
Can someone develop a stronger eye for design?
The designers interviewed suggest broadening what you observe through museums, shops, travel and print materials. The article presents these as recommendations, not guaranteed methods.
Why is empathy relevant to interior design?
Designers work with clients whose needs and preferred outcomes differ. Norman says listening and noticing needs clients may not state directly can help designers respond to those priorities.
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