Top 4 Things to Expect When You Hire a Cutting-Edge Interior Designer
Top 4 Things to Expect When You Hire a Cutting-Edge Interior Designer
on November 07, 2025
If you’ve hired a cutting-edge interior designer, congratulations—you’re already halfway to having a space that actually makes people feel something. But here’s the thing: if you’ve chosen someone known for their vision, you can’t expect them to play it safe. Great designers don’t tiptoe around ideas. They lead with instinct, color, and courage—and sometimes, that involves art that surprises you.
So, if you’re working with one of these fearless designers, here’s what to expect (and why you’ll thank them for it later).
1. They’ll choose art that demands attention.
Forget “nice” art. Forget “safe.” The best designers use pieces that stop you in your tracks—bold, colorful works that pull you into the room. A strong abstract expressionist painting doesn’t politely blend in; it sets the tone. You might not see the full vision at first, but trust me, they do.
Sawyer | Berson (Architectural Digest)
2. They’ll make you rethink what “cohesion” really means.
Color harmony doesn’t have to mean sameness. The top designers know that tension—the dialogue between a lively, colorful canvas and a calm, neutral wall—creates energy. It’s not chaos. It’s chemistry. When everything matches perfectly, you lose the spark.
3. They’ll challenge your comfort zone.
Cutting-edge designers will ask you to take risks. Maybe it’s a huge, vibrant painting when you pictured something smaller and subtler. Maybe it’s a pop of color you’d never choose on your own. Great design lives just beyond the comfort zone—embrace the discomfort!
Robert Stillin (Architectural Digest)
4. They’ll create a space with personality and edge.
A cutting-edge designer’s goal isn’t to make your space look like everyone else’s. It’s to make it unforgettable—to reflect you in a way you never expected. Bold art, unexpected pairings, and strong visual statements are the tools that make that happen.
So, when your designer proposes something daring, lean in. The best spaces aren’t built on beige—they’re built on bravery.
Pete Stein Founder, Galerie Stein Montreal
Galerie Stein will be presenting more contemporary abstract expressionist artists in the future, both virtually at GalerieStein.com and in our gallery. Contact: Pete Stein at peter@GalerieStein.com.
Robert Stillin (Architectural Digest)