2 min readDesigning your home starts with a vision, a mood board, or an aesthetic. When working in our personal spaces, it can be tempting to chase perfection by planning down to every detail, but for interior designer Dana Ferraro, founder of the Connecticut-based studio Molly Patton Design, micromanaging can seriously kill your vision. Below, she shares the tactic she relies on to ensure each room she creates feels visually interesting, liveable, and—more importantly—done.
What is the 15 Percent Rule?
Ferraro and her team have adapted the “15 percent rule,” a design method that leaves a room partially unfinished until the day of installation. If you’re more Type A, that thought might drive you crazy, but while the tactic might seem chaotic to some, Ferraro says the rule is now a core part of her design process.
“It’s something that sort of naturally evolved,” Ferraro says. “On installation days, we started coming in with a haul of pillows, lamps, accessories, and smaller found accent pieces. Now, I tell clients that we leave that last fifteen percent to our own judgement to ‘go rogue’.”
That’s not to say that she’s going in without a plan. The 15 percent rule is reserved for items that Ferraro knows she can source if the eclectic method falls through. She is providing a top-of-the-line service after all, so her spaces are fully designed—with room to adapt. Her team carefully selects pieces they can source for that extra-special touch, whether it’s a weathered accent cabinet or a vintage lamp. Her designs are anchored in the original vision and budget discussed with clients, adding an extra layer of reassurance and trust for those who prefer to feel a bit more grounded. Ferraro, however, lives for the thrill of a good find, highlighting the ambiguity as one of her favorite aspects of the design process.
“I think that [sourcing special pieces] is the fun part. I mentally have the entire room decorated, so I have already clocked the ‘holes’ that we need to fill. I am constantly keeping my eye out,” says Ferraro.
How to Implement the 15 Percent Rule
So, how can you apply the rule to your own home? Well, you can start by thrifting. The 15 percent rule works best with smaller pieces—think lamps, rugs, and throw pillows—which Ferraro and her team regularly scour antique shops, flea markets, Facebook Marketplace, and fabric store bins for. When hunting for that missing piece, you’re looking for a level of character and charm that’s only sometimes found in retail. But this rule isn’t for the wavering faith or those working a hard deadline.
“The 15 percent [rule] works best when you have time on your side to find the special pieces,” says Ferraro. “Take 15 minutes to pop into the local antique store and check out Facebook Marketplace daily.”
If you want this rule to work for you, you’ll need both time and persistence to peruse and procure the perfect piece.
