The Project That Made Me Add “Please Behave” to a Legal Document
(a story about instincts, promises, and why contracts now have feelings)
Every designer has one story.
This is mine.
The setup
I said no.
We were busy. Properly busy. The kind where you know taking on one more project is a bad idea for everyone involved. So I did the responsible thing and declined.
She cried.
Actual tears.
And said, “I promise I will be your best client.”
Now, in that moment, there are two paths.
Stay strong. Or… be human.
I was human.
I said yes.
The beginning
At first, everything felt fine.
Excited emails. Big ideas. Energy that makes you think, maybe I got this one right.
Then little things started to feel… off.
A tone that didn’t quite match the moment.
A reaction that felt slightly oversized for what was happening.
You tell yourself it’s nothing. Everyone has a day.
The unraveling
It was not nothing.
The first vendor call came in.
“Hi Nikki… quick question… is there any way I could… not go to the house?”
I laughed. It sounded dramatic.
It was not dramatic.
Within a week, it became a pattern.
Electrician suddenly “unavailable”
Tile installer asking if someone else could go
Cabinet guy texting me like we were coordinating something classified
And then, my personal favorite
“I’ll go, but can you stay on the phone with me?”
At this point, you start to reassess your life choices.
The office mood
Then the client calls started.
The office would go quiet in a way that felt almost rehearsed.
Someone would look at me.
Someone else would whisper, “it’s her.”
One person would stand up and leave the room like they didn’t want to be involved in whatever was about to happen.
I would take a deep breath and answer like a very calm, very composed version of myself.
All for things like… a drawer.
The moment
There is always a moment where your brain just goes, enough.
Mine was watching a very kind vendor being spoken to in a way that made absolutely no sense for the situation.
And I thought, no.
Not happening again.
Not to my team. Not to our vendors. Not on my projects.
Because these people matter. They are the reason anything gets built.
Also, I like them. I would like them to continue liking me.
We finished
And yes, the house turned out beautiful.
Because we always deliver.
But behind the scenes, I was already rewriting how we operate.
The contract enters the chat
Next project. Updated contract.
Right there, quietly included like it had always been there
A code of conduct.
Simple expectations
Be respectful
Be professional
Treat people well
Nothing aggressive. Just clear.
The plot twist
Since then
Everyone is lovely
Vendors show up willingly
My team answers the phone without a moment of silence beforehand
Install days feel like they’re supposed to feel
Now I don’t know if
People read it and think, noted
Or if I got better at spotting the early signs
Or if something about seeing it in writing makes people pause for a second
But I am not asking questions.
If I could really add anything to a contract
and people actually followed it
Here is what would make life wildly better
1. If you open with “I trust you,” it has to last longer than a week
Not until the next screenshot arrives.
2. Pinterest is inspiration, not instruction
We are not recreating a stranger’s house with different ceilings and different light and a completely different life.
3. No one is allowed to discover their personality through grout
Choose it. Live with it. Grow as a person.
4. Vendors are to be treated like the highly skilled professionals they are
Because they are. And also because they are the ones holding the tools.
5. “While we’re here” should come with a warning label
That phrase has never once stayed small.
6. Decisions are not a revolving door
We make them. We move forward. That is how projects get done.
7. If something doesn’t fit, it’s not a surprise twist
The room did not shrink overnight.
8. Storage is not optional, it is a life strategy
You will have things. The things need a plan.
9. Comfort is not negotiable
At some point, someone needs to sit down and enjoy the house.
10. Everyone remains a nice person from start to finish
A simple concept. Surprisingly effective.
Final thought
The best projects are the ones where people actually enjoy the process.
Where vendors want to show up. Where the team feels good walking into the house. Where conversations feel normal and productive.
That energy shows up in the end result. You can feel it in the space.
So yes, we design beautiful homes.
And now, we quietly make sure the experience feels just as good as the outcome.
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