ROH vs ROI: Why Your Return on Happiness is Just as Important as the Investment
When I speak with potential clients, they usually focus on the significant financial implications that come with hiring an interior designer, both the initial investment and their return on investment. While incredibly important, ROI is not the only acronym you should focus on when you’re weighing the decision to hire an interior designer. As we enter 2024, I encourage you to think about another incredibly important factor of redesigning your home - how happy it will make you.
Your Home’s Return on Investment (ROI)
It’s true, investing in home ownership is a huge financial decision. One that allows you to build equity, take advantage of tax benefits, and hold a valuable asset for retirement planning and long-term investments. Real estate has historically proven to be a safe investment, and over time, property values tend to appreciate. With each mortgage and property tax payment, your tax burden is slightly reduced and these savings can increase your overall ROI.
When you’re looking into partnering with an interior designer, you may feel inclined to focus on the ROI it can bring you. While this is absolutely a perk of bringing in an interior designer, I want to introduce you to a new acronym - ROH.
What’s ROH?
I love the term ROH because it encompasses the feelings clients have when their project is finally complete. ROH, or Return on Happiness, is simply the joy something brings you. When you start to prioritize ROH over ROI, you’ll end up with a home that truly resonates with your soul.
Your Home’s Return on Happiness (ROH)
It’s important to ask yourself how long you plan to live in a home before committing to major changes. If it’s more than 7 years or you live in a high-cost-of-living market (I’m looking at you, Oakland), you’ll likely end up staying long enough to take advantage of both ROI and ROH. This dual approach ensures not only a financially sound investment but also a home that encompasses you.
Elements That Align With Your Interests
Beyond the aesthetic elements you plan to incorporate, I encourage you to envision a space that aligns with your passions and interests. If you’re an artist, build an art studio. If you’re a wellness junkie, a spa with a cold plunge tub might be the way to go. For eccentric entertainers, add a tiki bar and game room. If you’re a bookworm, we’ll create a cozy reading nook. My job is to incorporate elements that align with your interests and enhance your daily life.
Building a Home That You LOVE
When you dive into the design of your home, ask yourself this, “Am I choosing to do this work and spend my hard-earned money on something I love, or am I making design decisions for a fictional person who may own this house at an undetermined point in the future?” If your answer isn’t the former, you aren’t maximizing your ROH.
Small changes, like a paint color or hardware swaps, can (and probably will) be done multiple times before you’re ever actually ready to cash out the equity in your home, so you might as well enjoy them while you can. It’s about the things that give you joy and make your life just a little bit easier. It may be robe hooks or a better towel holder, or you may choose to wallpaper a specific room (yes, we love removable around here), but sometimes a handful of small changes is what will truly maximize your ROH.
Trust Your Interior Designer
Your home may be a financial asset, but that’s not all it is. At its core, it’s a sanctuary, a place where you spend a big chunk of your life. It’s where memories are created, comfort is felt, and relationships are nurtured. Many of our clients realize this (especially after a short conversation with me), and make amazing design decisions that reflect their personalities. That being said, I wanted to remind you that the person living in the home you design is you. That future person you’re designing for? Well, let’s just say you may not be here when they come around.
Trust your gut, and more importantly, trust your design!
Susie