How to check a designer can solve your specific layout issue

When a layout isn't working—a kitchen that forces you to walk around the island to reach the fridge, a lounge that feels cramped despite decent floor space, or a bedroom where furniture placement blocks the door—the impulse is to hire someone fast. But rushing into a designer without checking whether they've actually solved *your kind* of problem is how people end up with beautiful plans that don't fit real life. The check happens before the contract.

Ask directly: show me projects like mine

Don't ask a designer if they can handle your space type. Ask them to show you three to five completed projects that faced the same core issue you're facing. If your problem is a galley kitchen that feels disconnected from the lounge, you need to see how they've solved that tension in other homes—not just a gallery of pretty kitchens. If it's fitting a home office into a bedroom without it dominating the room, ask for work where they've done exactly that. When they show you these projects, ask whether the client reported the layout working in *daily use* after moving in, not just how it photographs.

A designer who hesitates to produce relevant examples, or pulls up work that's superficially similar but doesn't match your constraint (a spacious open-plan when you have a divided cottage, or a layout that looks tidy because the client has minimal possessions), is signalling they're either not experienced in your specific challenge or they're hoping you won't notice the difference.

Check their process for understanding your actual constraints

Before accepting a proposal, have them walk through how they'd approach *your* space. Not your style or colour scheme—your *problem*. A designer serious about solving a layout issue will ask about traffic flow, where you spend the most time, what activities compete for the same zone, natural light at different times of day, and how your household actually moves through the space. They should ask about furniture you're keeping (because those pieces often anchor the problem or the solution), not assume you'll replace everything.

If they jump straight to showing you mood boards or suggesting furniture without drilling into why the space doesn't work now, they're not verifying that they understand your constraint. A solid process means they sketch preliminary options and talk through them with you before spending time on finished drawings—that's the safety valve where you catch misunderstandings early.

Request references from clients with your problem type

Don't ask for generic references. Ask: do you have a client I can call who had a similar layout issue—open-plan that was too noisy, a narrow living room, a kitchen too small for two cooks—and can I ask them whether the solution actually worked? A designer confident in their work will have at least two clients happy to discuss this. When you call, be specific: did the flow feel natural once you moved in, or did you find yourself rearranging? Did it handle your actual routines, or only look good empty? Did they need a second round of adjustments?

If a designer can't produce a reference from someone who had your exact problem type, or if references describe tweaks and compromises rather than a solution that clicked immediately, that tells you they may not have deep experience in this area.

Verify their credentials and training in space planning

Check whether they're registered with a professional body—look for membership with the South African Association for the Advancement of Art, Architecture and Design, or similar registered design associations. Registration doesn't guarantee they'll solve your problem, but it signals formal training and a code of conduct. Ask how they learned space planning specifically (is it a formal qualification, years of apprenticeship, or do they claim it as a side skill?). A designer trained in interior styling alone may be excellent with aesthetics but less rigorous about the spatial logic your layout needs.

You're not hunting for a designer who claims they solve *any* layout problem. You're hunting for one who has genuinely solved *your* problem before, can explain how they'd approach it again, can prove it with references, and has formal grounding in the discipline. On Strove, you can review verified designers' portfolios and read client feedback on real projects—that's your starting point to filter for experience in your specific space type before you ever pick up the phone.