If I Weren’t a Designer… But Thank Goodness I Am

Ever wonder what I’d be doing if I weren’t an interior designer? I have. Many times. And every time I play it out, it ends the same way: thank goodness I found design—because every other path sounds fun until I picture myself actually doing it.

Let’s explore the “almosts”—and why they were never quite it.

Wedding Planner

I love beauty, storytelling, and drama. I love romance. But you get one day to get it all right—and I do not enjoy that kind of pressure. I need time to think, shift, evolve. I want to build things that last longer than a weekend and don’t depend on the weather.

Fashion Designer

I gave this some real thought. Fashion is creative, fast, fun—but it felt too narrow. Too flat. In interiors, I get to play with light, layout, texture, material, color, shape, scale, and soul. Every project has thousands of layers, not just hemlines and fabric choices. I wanted more, and design gave me everything.

Teacher

I don’t love kids. I love tiny adults. There’s a difference. I have very high expectations, and I don’t think that would go over well in a classroom setting. Plus—I’m not built for crowds. Give me one-on-one, give me meaningful conversation, give me depth over noise. Teaching full time? Absolutely not.

Salesperson

Nope. Not me. I’m not a pitch-person. I’m shy in large groups, allergic to small talk, and absolutely not built for selling. I want to create, connect, and solve—not convince.

Accountant

Math is basically a foreign language I never learned. Excel gives me anxiety. Accounting is not my zone—and I have no interest in pretending it ever could be.

Shop Owner

Sounds cute in theory. A perfect little space with vases, candles, and people wandering in. But in reality? Stuck in one spot, same four walls, every single day. I’d get bored in a week. I need momentum, challenge, change—and a little chaos to keep things interesting.