Between Inches and Centimeters: Designing Across Cultures
Growing up between American and Israeli worlds, interior designer, lector and founder of community for English speaking interior designers in Israel Yael Steinberger has built her practice on bridging gaps in cultural and design standards and expectations, helping English speaking clients and interior designers to navigate in Israel. In our conversation with Yael we spoke about differences in standards, mentalities and markets, about languages, importance of networking, professional support and trust. All that helps interior designers – olim chadashim – become successful in Israel.
Yael, you grew up in Israel in an American family and work in both Hebrew and English. How does this dual background shape the way you work as an interior designer?
As an Israeli-born tzabarit who grew up in an Anglo environment, I can truly understand both sides: what Olims expect as a standard and what will genuinely surprise them as the Israeli norm. There is a huge gap between “here” and “there,” and just as we learn to translate English to Hebrew, euros to shekels, or inches to centimeters, we also need to translate standards and expectations.
Where others get frustrated by asking, “Why isn’t it the same here as there?”- which, incidentally, goes both ways – I can help bridge that gap and align expectations from the very beginning.
You work with many English-speaking clients. How does working with American clients, in particular, differ from working with Israeli clients?
I work with the entire Anglo community: Americans, Australians, South Africans, British clients, and even people whose native language isn’t English but who function in English. When it comes to Americans specifically, I think they are the furthest from Israeli design standards.
So where does this gap actually come from?
Israeli design is very European, and scale plays a huge role. Everything in America is big: appliances, furniture, spaces. Add to that the metric system, and it becomes very confusing. An American client may look at an Israeli plan in centimeters and subconsciously imagine it in inches, thinking the space is much larger than it actually is.
Israelis, on the other hand, are used to small-scale living. They know that a “standard” bedroom is minimal, that dining tables are smaller, that spaces are tight. An Israeli standard bedroom (minimum eight square meters and 260 cm wide) is very small by American standards.
This gap creates confusion, not because clients are careless, but because expectations are fundamentally different. And meeting expectations is one of the most important parts of my work. Most disappointments don’t come from mistakes, they come from things that weren’t explained in advance.
Can you give a concrete example of how this plays out in real life?
For example, a “walk-in closet” in the US means shelves, hanging rods, and storage. In Israel, a cheder aronot might be a tiny empty space with or without a door, and no fittings included. When a client discovers that this is “normal,” it feels frustrating and alienating, especially for people who came to Israel for deeply emotional and ideological reasons.
Do you mainly work with English-speaking clients, or also with Israeli clients?
I work with both. I run a community of English-speaking interior designers, so many English-speaking clients approach me. Often, I try to see whether I’m the best fit or whether another designer, perhaps someone who made Aliyah from the same country would be more suitable. Israeli clients I usually take myself. Again, it’s about matching expectations. Sometimes it’s not about skills, but about shared cultural references and understanding where the client is coming from.
Do you think English-speaking designers in Israel should focus mainly on English-speaking clients, or also work with Hebrew-speaking clients?
That’s a great question. English-speaking clients can be people who arrived recently or people who’ve lived here for 20 years. I like the phrase, “It’s not a bug, it’s a feature.” Many designers feel they’re missing something by not working with Hebrew-speaking clients, but they often underestimate what they bring with them. The knowledge and experience that Olim designers bring can be incredibly valuable for Anglo clients. You only need basic conversational Hebrew and a small professional vocabulary (maybe 100 words) to work here.
Understanding the Israeli market, suppliers, and work culture is crucial, but designers who’ve been through Aliyah have a huge advantage: they understand both sides. An Israeli-born designer understands how things work here, but not necessarily where the client is coming from emotionally or culturally. There’s no shortage of English-speaking clients in Israel. There’s enough work for everyone.
From your experience, what are 3-5 key features of Israeli clients that non-Israeli designers should know?
First, Israelis are extremely trend-aware. They follow global design trends closely through travel, media, and social platforms. Often trends come through people rather than companies: “I was in Milan this weekend and saw this.”
Second, Israelis are very focused on cleanliness and durability. Materials need to withstand water, dust, and heavy cleaning. That affects everything: from why we don’t carpet stairs, to why kitchens must be made of plywood rather than particle board, to outlet heights, to sink details that allow water to be pushed directly into the drain.
Third, Israeli homes are small, but families are large and very hospitable. Hosting happens all the time not just on holidays. Dining tables must extend, kitchens need massive storage, and lighting must adapt to flexible layouts.
This also connects to kosher kitchens, with multiple sets of dishes and cookware, which adds another layer of spatial and storage complexity.
From a psychological and cultural perspective, what should non-Israeli designers keep in mind when working with Israeli clients?
Anyone who made Aliyah is incredibly brave. The personal challenges they’ve faced can help them professionally. Language is not the main barrier – it’s mentality. It’s often more important to learn Israeli suppliers, materials, and construction culture than to perfect Hebrew. Most Israelis speak enough English to get by. The real work is understanding how things function here.
Do you think Israeli clients are open to working with non-Israeli designers?
Yael: Yes, but not because the designer is an Oleh. Israelis choose designers based on style and recommendations. If a designer brings a fresh perspective or a style that isn’t common locally, and can communicate it well, ideally also in Hebrew, clients will be interested. Recommendations are crucial in Israel. One good project leads to neighbors, friends, and family.
You’ve built a strong and supporing professional community of English speaking interior designers. How important do you think community is for building a design career in Israel?
Word of mouth is the main source of work, but surprisingly, not only through clients but although through colleagues. Designers pass on projects they can’t take, and that requires trust. Communities, WhatsApp groups, meetups – these are essential. Real friendships form, and that creates professional opportunities. Today, most of my closest friends are designers. It’s a real supporting system!
You are also teaching, with many years of experience. Do you see a gap between design education and real-life practice in Israel?
Yael: Absolutely. Design school prepares you for your first project and that’s it. Real life is different: real clients, real budgets, real pressure. I teach my students tools, not answers. Trends change, materials evolve. What matters is knowing how to find information, ask the right questions, and learn on site from electricians, plumbers, installers. The first project is always the hardest, but expectations matter. Early clients usually understand they’re working with a beginner and adjust accordingly. It’s a mutual learning process.
What about business skills: contracts, pricing, running a studio? Is that taught?
Yael: Not enough. I bring in professionals: insurance experts, accountants, legal advisors. But the most important business skill is getting that first job. I make it a point to help my students find their first position, often in showrooms or design studios. That’s where confidence and practical knowledge really develop.
Finally, what goals do you set for the live meetings you organize for your community?
The goal is to strengthen the community. Sometimes that means learning about new materials, sometimes networking, sometimes simply being together. During COVID and the war, people just wanted connection. If the community is strong, everything else follows naturally. People help each other without needing structure or pressure.
Designer’s contacts:
Yael Steinberger, interior designer, lector and founder of community for English speaking interior designers in Israel
