After getting a degree in interior design and space planning, I knew I was in the right church, but the wrong pew. It seemed too easy and boring to start from square one with a client, and have them purchase whatever new furnishings I deemed appropriate. Where is the creativity in that? Most homeowners are pleased with most of their furnishings, but not how they’re placed. That is why interior redesigners are being hired to solve decorating, spatial and functional challenges.

This facet of interior decorating/design challenges you to find solutions that are not obvious, and are not for sale.

One of my most memorable jobs was for couple who worked long hours and wanted to enjoy their spacious home. We started with an in-home interview to determine what they like and don’t like about their rooms, how they function in the space and how they envision their “ideal” room.

The first interior redesign for this couple included the entry, which needed warmth, color and to function more efficiently, and the family room, which is where the couple read and watched TV. This couple enjoyed buying items from model home sales, so there was a little bit of everything available to me when I “shopped” their home, garage, basement, attic and outdoors.

Their entry needed a more substantial piece than their brass and glass console table, which looked cold on the marble floor. I found a three-drawer black chest in the garage. The drawer fronts had been hand-painted with an architectural motif in gold and had round brass pulls, resembling a designer piece. So what if it was being used for his tools? The chest was moved to the entry and became my inspiration for the space. Another shopping trip through the home turned up an area rug, artwork and a brass lamp  that looked great with the drawer detail, as well as a few accessories and greenery. The space took on new life without buying a thing. The top of the chest was a lovely space for display, and the drawers were used for storage.

The homeowner decided to replace the black chest with a Bombay chest (she couldn’t quite get used to the idea of tools previously being in it), but, if I had merely told her she needed a chest, it may never have happened. It is helpful to see something that is needed in the space. This gives the homeowner a blueprint for future purchases. There’s no anxiety about what’s needed because the time-frame and budget is up to the homeowner — although redesigners are always happy to shop for or with a client.

Unless a home has been designed by the homeowners, most have dilemmas about the functionality of rooms. In most homes, I find there are rooms that go unused for most of the year, or some rooms that are the wrong size for their functions. Long ago, I realized that a room did not need to be used the way the builder intended.

With the entry and family room redesign completed, this couple lamented that they never used their sparsely-furnished living room; and they did not enjoy entertaining in the dining room because it was so cramped. To me, it was apparent that the living room should become the dining room. The couple was willing to give it a try. As it turned out, there was room enough to angle their dining table, showing off its lines and carving. The china cabinet took on more prominence with some breathing room around it, and being placed under the peak of pitched ceiling. A matching credenza could now be used for buffet serving. The room looked and felt as though it should have always been the dining room.

And what became of the conventional dining room? This small room became a cozy retreat where the husband could have his friends over for some quality guy time. I recommended a pub table and stools, a couple of comfortable leather chairs, a dart board and a small TV.

Although this problem had been easy to solve, the homeowners were thrilled with the metamorphosis of each space

Ruthanne Hatfield is an interior designer and a certified interior redesign and staging professional. Her work has been featured on HGTV’s “Decorating Cents.” She can be reached at (877) 441-2844 or www.interiorplacement.com.