Recently we have been contacted by a few people who are having difficulties with projects they started on their own. While the global supply chain issue is a new one, their problems have been of the older sort. Working with family is hard. What do you do when you and your spouse, child, or in-law disagree about design direction or finish selections?
First we always insist on a primary decision maker. You cannot proceed unless there is someone with final authority.
Next we refocus on the intention. What was the experience that we wanted to be able to have in the space and which of the options fulfills that purpose?
Finally we consider the alternatives. What was it that the other decision makers liked about their preferred solution, and are we able to incorporate the quality that they liked without sacrificing the utility of the optimum choice.
And if all that fails...good thing you hired us to be the bad guys.