Everyday Living Interiors

Interview script — Round 3

Live website evaluation · Three-wave longitudinal study
June 2026 · Round 3 evaluation artefact

Total time: 25–30 minutes

Concept: Everyday Living Interiors — live website implementation

Format: One-on-one synthetic persona interview

Context: This is a third-round evaluation of a three-wave study. The personas have NOT seen the previous versions. They are encountering ELI for the first time through the live website description below. Do not reference prior interviews, previous versions, or prototypes.

Before you begin — Interviewer guidance

You are conducting a qualitative evaluation interview about a real, live interior design website and service. Unlike previous rounds where personas reacted to text descriptions, this round describes a fully designed website with real photography, real typography, and real visual identity. The goal is to understand how each persona experiences the actual implementation — not to validate a concept, but to discover how design choices, content placement, and visual identity affect perception and intent.

Key principles:

Introduction (2–3 minutes)

Goal: Establish rapport, set expectations, create safety for honest feedback.

Say:

"Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. I'm conducting research on behalf of an interior design service, and I'd love to get your honest perspective.

There are no right or wrong answers here — I'm genuinely interested in your reactions, even if they're negative or uncertain. Critical feedback is just as valuable as positive feedback.

I'll start by asking you a few questions about your current living situation and how you think about your home. Then I'll walk you through this service's website — a real site that's live right now — and ask for your reactions. The whole conversation should take about 25 to 30 minutes.

Does that sound all right?"

Interviewer note: Wait for confirmation. If the persona seems guarded, add: "Really, the most helpful thing you can do is be completely honest — I'm not the person who created this, so you won't hurt anyone's feelings."

Section 1: Context setting (3–4 minutes)

Goal: Understand the participant's current relationship with their home, their experience with interior design services, and their emotional baseline.

Questions:

  1. "Tell me a bit about your current living situation — your home, who you live with, and how you generally feel about the space you're in."

    • Probes:
      • "When you walk through your front door at the end of the day, what's the first thing you notice?"
      • "Is there anything about your home that frustrates you, or that you wish were different?"
      • "How much time and energy do you typically spend thinking about how your home looks or feels?"

  2. "Have you ever considered getting help with your home — from a designer, a service, a friend with good taste, or even an app? What happened?"

    • Probes:
      • "What stopped you, if anything?"
      • "When you hear the words 'interior designer,' what comes to mind?"
      • "Do you feel that interior design services are something that's available to people in your situation?"

Flexibility guidance:

Section 2: Website presentation (3–4 minutes)

How to present:

Present the website as a visual walkthrough — describe the experience of landing on a real, designed website. Emphasise the visual and sensory qualities: the typography, the photography, the layout, the feel. This is no longer a text description; it's a designed artefact.

Say:

"I'd like to show you a website for a service called Everyday Living Interiors. It's run by a woman named Sara de Abreu — she's originally from Lisbon, now based in Diemen, near Amsterdam. The website is live right now. Let me walk you through what you'd see.

The first thing that hits you is the typography. The logo — 'Everyday Living Interiors' — is set in a large, bold serif font, stacked across three lines like a magazine masthead. Below it, in small sans-serif: 'by Sara de Abreu.' The overall feel is confident — editorial, almost. Black and white, clean, minimal.

Below the logo, a warm photograph fills the screen — a real living room with natural textures, warm tones, and lived-in quality. Not a showroom. Over or near this image, a large serif heading reads:

'Your Home Should Support Your Life, Not Compete With It.'

Below that, Sara describes her belief that everyone deserves a home that feels like theirs, that interior design should be accessible and practical.

Scrolling down, you see a curated grid of interior photographs — real spaces with warm tones, natural materials, textiles, close-ups of styling details. Hands arranging objects. A stack of cushions in earthy tones. It feels like a lifestyle magazine, but these are real homes.

Then a transitional section appears:

'Whenever You're Ready, Styling Starts Right Here, Where You Are.'

This is a general invitation — welcoming, warm, saying wherever you're at is a fine place to begin.

Next comes the services and pricing section. Three service tiers, each with its name and price clearly visible:

Each service has its own detailed page with a clear structure: what it is, how it works, what you receive, and who it's for. The deliverables are specific — PDFs, shopping lists, follow-up emails, 3D renders.

Below the services, a section headed 'Real People, Real Results' shows portfolio previews — thumbnail images of completed projects. Then a section asks:

'Can't Find What Suits Your Situation?'

It invites you to get in touch and says Sara will help you choose what works for you.

The footer appears on every page against a warm blush-beige background. It shows: 'From Lisbon / Based in Amsterdam – Diemen Zuid,' her email address, phone number, Instagram and Pinterest links, and a newsletter signup.

That's the main website. Take a moment to let that settle."

Interviewer note: Pause here. Do not ask a question immediately. Let the persona process. Their first unprompted reaction is valuable data. If they remain silent for more than 10 seconds, gently prompt: "What's your first reaction?"

Section 3: First impressions and visual identity (4–5 minutes)

Goal: Capture first reactions to the designed website — particularly whether the editorial visual quality helps or hinders.

Questions:

  1. "What's your first, honest reaction to what I just described?"

    • Probes:
      • "What stood out to you most — positively or negatively?"
      • "Did anything surprise you?"
      • "How does this compare to what you expected when I said 'interior design service'?"

  2. "The website has a bold, editorial look — large serif typography like a magazine masthead, black and white design, warm photography. How does that visual style make you feel about the service?"

    • Probes:
      • "Does it make you feel like this is a premium service? An accessible one? Something else?"
      • "Does the design style match or contradict the message about being practical and affordable?"
      • "Would you describe this as a website for someone like you?"

  3. "Based on what you've heard, who do you think this service is designed for? Describe that person."

    • Probes:
      • "Do you see yourself as that person? Why or why not?"
      • "What specifically makes you feel included or excluded?"

What to listen for:

Flexibility guidance:

Section 4: Pricing and services (4–5 minutes)

Goal: Assess whether the pricing and service structure work in their visual context.

Questions:

  1. "The three services are: The Room Reset at €80, The Design Roadmap from €250, and The Living Space Plan from €540 per room. Can you tell me in your own words what each one involves?"

    • Probes:
      • "Which of these would be most relevant to your situation right now, and why?"
      • "Is there anything about these names or descriptions that confuses you?"
      • "Each service page lists specific deliverables — a PDF plan, a shopping list with links, before-and-after documentation. Does knowing exactly what you'd receive make a difference?"

  2. "What's your reaction to those prices?"

    • Probes:
      • "Before I walked you through this website, if someone had said 'interior designer,' what price range would you have assumed?"
      • "Do these prices make the service feel more accessible? Or do they raise any concerns — for example, that a website this polished couldn't really offer something for €80?"
      • "Does having prices visible on the website — right in the heading of each service page — affect your trust?"

  3. "There's a gap between €80 for a virtual consultation and €250 for a full design plan. Is there anything you'd want in between — something more hands-on than advice but less committed than a full plan?"

    • Probes:
      • "If there were a service where Sara came to your home and restyled a room using only what you already own — no new purchases — for around €150, would that interest you?"
      • "Or does the jump from €80 to €250 feel manageable?"

What to listen for:

Flexibility guidance:

Section 5: Emotional resonance and personal connection (4–5 minutes)

Goal: Evaluate the emotional content — both what's on the homepage and what's in the blog.

Questions:

  1. "The homepage has a section that says 'Whenever you're ready, styling starts right here, where you are.' How do you respond to that?"

    • Probes:
      • "Does that feel like it's speaking to you personally, or is it generic?"
      • "Is there anything about your own situation — how you feel about your home, where you're starting from — that you wish the website acknowledged more directly?"
      • "What if it said something more specific — like naming people who feel stuck, or embarrassed about their home, or who disagree with their partner about the space? Would that change how you felt?"

  2. "There's an About page where Sara introduces herself. She shares that she came from corporate marketing, that she's always been passionate about design, and that she started by helping friends and friends of friends before launching the business officially. She says she believes homes don't need to look like a magazine — they need to work for you. How does that land?"

    • Probes:
      • "Does knowing her background make you more or less likely to trust her?"
      • "Is there anything else you'd want to know about her before you'd feel comfortable hiring her?"

Transition to blog:

"Now, the website also has a blog with two posts. Let me tell you about one in particular.

It's called 'I Don't Design For Magazines.' In it, Sara writes about how social media and design blogs create unrealistic expectations — how every home makeover makes it look so easy, but real homes have real constraints. She says things like:

'Give me a cluttered pantry that nobody can find anything in, and I'll give you back your Tuesday mornings.'

'Give me your grandfather's antique old cabinet and your partner's IKEA shelf and I'll make them get along.'

She says she's not trying to create aspirational spaces — she wants to help people with their actual daily lives. She describes her service as being about helping people love their home today, not redesigning it from scratch.

How does that land?"

  1. "Hearing that blog post — does it change how you feel about the service compared to what you saw on the main website?"

    • Probes:
      • "What specifically in that blog post stood out to you?"
      • "If that blog content were on the homepage instead of in a blog post, would it change your experience of the site?"
      • "Would you have found this blog post naturally while browsing the site, or would you have left before reaching it?"

What to listen for:

Flexibility guidance:

Section 6: Portfolio and proof (3–4 minutes)

Goal: Assess whether the real portfolio builds enough trust.

Questions:

  1. "The website shows four real projects. One — a beach house in Portugal — shows clear before-and-after photos: tired, dated rooms transformed into warm, characterful spaces. The others show beautiful finished rooms but no 'before' images. How do you respond to that?"

    • Probes:
      • "How important are before-and-after comparisons to you? Does seeing only the 'after' tell you enough?"
      • "None of the case studies show budgets — you can't see how much was spent. Does that matter to you?"

  2. "One smaller project — a living room refresh in Ghent — describes working on a budget: 'a simple room refresh without spending much money or getting rid of the big pieces.' The client received advice over a 35-minute call and a shopping list within their budget. Does that specific example change how you perceive the service?"

    • Probes:
      • "Does knowing about a budget-friendly, quick project make the €80 Room Reset feel more real?"
      • "If every project showed the budget or constraints, would that help you decide whether this service is for you?"

What to listen for:

Section 7: Barriers and action (3–4 minutes)

Goal: Identify conversion barriers with the live implementation.

Questions:

  1. "Imagine you've just finished browsing this website on your phone. What would you do next — and be honest. Would you book a service, fill in the contact form, save the website for later, or close the tab?"

    • Probes:
      • "What's the single biggest thing holding you back, if anything?"
      • "Is there anything the website could add or change that would move you from 'maybe' to 'yes'?"

  2. "The contact page has a standard form — name, email, subject, message. There's no option to send a photo, no WhatsApp, no way to just ask a quick question without committing to a full enquiry. Does that affect your likelihood of reaching out?"

    • Probes:
      • "If you could send a photo of your room and get a quick, free first impression — no obligation — would that change anything?"
      • "Would WhatsApp make it easier than a form?"

  3. "The site doesn't have a FAQ section. If you had questions like 'Is it okay if my home is a mess?' or 'I don't have much budget — is this still for me?' or 'Do you work outside Amsterdam?' — where would you look for answers?"

    • Probes:
      • "Would having those questions answered on the site remove a barrier for you?"
      • "Are any of those questions ones you'd actually have?"

  4. "Would you share this website with someone else? Who, and why?"

What to listen for:

Section 8: Couples-specific questions (Tom and Priya only) (3–4 minutes)

Goal: Test the impact of the nearly absent couples positioning.

Interviewer note: This section is ONLY for the Tom and Priya interview. Skip for all other personas.

Questions:

  1. "As a couple who sometimes disagrees about design choices — did anything on this website feel like it was speaking to your specific situation?"

    • Probes:
      • "The Design Roadmap page mentions 'you and your partner want a shared direction you can both follow.' Did you notice that? Is one line enough?"
      • "What would it take for you to feel this service truly understands couples with different tastes?"

  2. "If the homepage had a dedicated section — something like 'Do you and your partner have different styles?' with specific language about helping couples find common ground — would that change how relevant this site feels to you?"

    • Probes:
      • "Would seeing a couples-specific portfolio example — showing how Sara helped a couple with conflicting tastes — be more convincing than a paragraph?"

  3. "Between Tom and Priya — who would be more likely to initiate booking this service? What would the other one need to see to agree?"

What to listen for:

Closing (2–3 minutes)

Questions:

  1. "If a friend asked you 'What is Everyday Living Interiors?', how would you describe it in one or two sentences?"

  2. "On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely would you be to recommend this website to someone you know who's struggling with their home? What would move that number up?"

  3. "And for yourself — on a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to actually take action after seeing this website? What would move that number?"

  4. "Is there anything we haven't talked about that you'd like to add?"

Wrap-up:

"Thank you so much for your time and your honesty. Your feedback is genuinely valuable and will help shape how this service evolves. I really appreciate you sharing your perspective."

Post-interview notes

Key things to capture:

Everyday Living Interiors · Interview Script v3 · June 2026