A potential client would love for their home to be a place they can be proud of, one they love coming home to. They really want our assistance & have expressed that they realize an experienced designer can help them achieve a home that is both appealing to the eye and functional.
On the flip side, the other spouse feels they can continue to purchase home decor items on their own, mostly from the internet or discount stores. Their purchases do not consider all the criteria good designers consider, such as SIZE, SCALE, STYLE, SHAPE, DURABILITY, QUALITY, PRICE, FUNCTION, COLOR, NOT TRENDY, COMFORT, etc. --- We get the feeling this spouse either loves to shop - or - they'd like to be able to say they did it all on their own?
We really feel for the spouse who knows it's best to have an overall plan and feels they need guidance. Any communication ideas you can suggest?
PRO
I think since you have obvious disdain for the partner who does not want a designer and his/her tastes, this is not a job you should take.
PRONo disdain! Have only spent a short time with them, in that time they seemed like a really fun, nice person.
It's actually the husband who likes to shop, not the wife.
Through the years it often starts out this way, then they both end up happy in the end, it's hard to tell in the early stages.
Use Houzz for its original purpose. Get the aloof spouse to trawl the photos on Houzz and save to appropriate ideabooks. It could make a huge difference.
Judy Mishkin