From moodboards to FOAID rituals—here’s what fuels the creative spark behind the scenes.
Architects and designers are known for their precision, creativity, and innovation. But beneath the deadlines, client meetings, and technical drawings, there are undeniable little joys that every design professional secretly loves—even if they’d never admit it in a boardroom.
Here are 10 oddly specific things that architects and designers are low-key obsessed with. Let’s see how many you relate to!
1. Moodboarding Like It’s a Form of Therapy
There’s nothing more satisfying than a moodboard that just clicks. Whether you’re building one on Canva, Pinterest, or the studio floor with actual swatches—it’s your creative playground. The textures, tones, and storytelling are how ideas come to life before the work even begins.
2. That Perfectly Symmetrical Layout
A flawless grid. Balanced visuals. Perfect alignment. It’s a designer’s version of inner peace. Symmetry might go unnoticed by the average eye, but for an architect? It’s like hearing your favorite chord progression.
3. Getting Lost in Rendering Details
You zoom in. Then zoom in again. Just to adjust that shadow or tweak the lighting for the fourth time. Will anyone else notice? Probably not. Will you sleep better knowing it’s right? Absolutely.
4. Turning Into a Photographer After Every Project
Once the space is done, you’re not just an architect anymore—you’re a full-blown interiors photographer. You adjust the angle, wait for golden hour, and snap that perfect frame because let’s face it… Your design deserves a moment.
5. Sketching for Fun on Fridays
No client brief. No deadline. Just a notebook and your ideas running wild. These spontaneous sketches are often the ones that lead to your best concepts and remind you why you chose this career in the first place.
6. Watching Construction Like It’s a Live Show
From drawings to dust to reality. There’s something deeply fulfilling about seeing your design slowly take shape—brick by brick, beam by beam. Even if it takes years, it never gets old.
7. Traveling for Design Inspiration
Every vacation turns into an architectural deep dive. You notice window frames in Spain, wall textures in Japan, or how light falls in a London café. Travel isn’t just escape—it’s design research.
8. Playing the Color Theory Game
Choosing “the right” shade of white? A full-time job. Finding the perfect neutral that works across seasons and light conditions? Gold. Color theory might be complicated, but that aha moment when the palette finally feels right? Pure magic.
9. Furniture Shopping (Even When You’re Not Buying)
Wandering through design stores or flipping through catalogues isn’t just for sourcing. It’s for sparking ideas. A new shape. A curved leg. A surprising material combo. For designers, it’s less about shopping and more about discovery.
10. The Annual FOAID Ritual
Let’s be real—FOAID is more than a conference. It’s where you reconnect with the community, discover fresh trends, meet your design heroes, and leave buzzing with ideas. It’s the creative reset every architect and designer excitedly looks forward to.
So, What’s Your Secret Design Joy?
Every architect and designer has that one quiet obsession—maybe it’s the smell of freshly cut wood, the satisfying click of a pen on tracing paper, or the thrill of a perfectly scaled drawing. These small, often unnoticed moments are what make the creative process so personal and fulfilling.
In a world driven by deadlines and deliverables, it’s these little joys that keep the passion alive—reminding us that design isn’t just a profession. It’s an experience.
