How do you judge whether a decorator really understands period properties or is just copying Pinterest boards?
Hey everyone, I've been trying to figure this out lately after a bit of a letdown last year. We bought an old Victorian terrace and wanted someone who could handle the quirky original features properly—like the wonky cornices and those deep skirting boards—without turning it into some generic shiny new look. The first decorator we had in basically just scrolled through Pinterest on his phone, showed me a bunch of modern colour schemes, and seemed clueless about why you can't just slap emulsion over original lime plaster without it cracking later. Felt like he was just chasing trends rather than understanding the house's character. How do you lot spot the real deal from someone who's only mimicking what's viral online? Anyone got any tell-tale signs during quotes or chats?
A while back I was in a similar spot with our place in Streatham—wanted proper care taken with the sash windows and original mouldings instead of a quick cover-up job. What helped me was asking detailed questions about prep work on uneven surfaces and breathable paints rather than just "what colours do you like?" The ones who really got period stuff talked naturally about things like using microporous finishes or respecting damp issues in older walls, not just slapping trendy greys everywhere. I've seen some solid work from painters and decorators south london who actually seem to live and breathe these older homes rather than treating them like blank canvases. It's all in how they describe past jobs—do they mention respecting original details or just "we made it look amazing"?