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What is the design process?

It begins the moment you think you want to make a design change.

• Scope of service
  The more completely you define the scope, the better the process will be. Every project has scope changes. You will want to budget for that.
  • Turn-key design with concierge-level service.
  • Complete design through specifications with oversight of the contractors and subcontractors (these first two options are our forte).
  • Design through complete specifications and construction documents – you take it from there and contract all work on your own.
  • Master plan with general budget information.
  • Design suggestions or color consultations – hourly basis only and payable at the time of service.
  • Maybe you really want to do it yourself after careful consideration – we encourage you to try it yourself if you feel confident in your skills. Where many people have difficulties is with space planning, scale of furnishings, accessorizing, hanging artwork, designing for renovation or new construction, draperies, lighting and custom furnishings. Many of these items are very costly, and to make a mistake can be very expensive.
• Your homework
  Take some time to do your homework prior to calling – here are a few suggestions:
  • Cut out pictures or use sticky notes to mark what you prefer – if there are two of you making the decisions – use different colored sticky notes and make notes on them.
  • Think about your budget – try to do some homework online or visit retail stores to get a general idea of what you want and what that might cost.
  • Think about the colors and patterns you prefer.
  • Think about what colors and patterns you do not like.
  • Think about how you would like to work with a professional – every designer has a different process, style and personality – it is a very personal process, so you need to be sure you are comfortable with the person you select. Chemistry is important.
• When to call us
  Please call us when you are ready and after you've met with the other design professionals you are planning to interview.
  
• Beginning of our design process
  • The first meeting is at our office and will last no more than an hour. We will discuss the scope of your project and give you a general idea of how we work. Defining and reviewing the scope is done on an hourly basis. If you want to bring your drawings and information for comments or suggestions in the initial meeting, that time will be billable by the hour and will be payable at the end of the meeting should you find that the information we provided was helpful.
  • The next step is for you to request and complete a Personal Design Assessment (PDA™) and forward it to us for review prior to meeting at your home.
  • We will bring a letter of agreement to our next meeting and we will review all of the details. If you would like to review our standard agreement prior to meeting us, just call us. Once we agree on the process and scope of work as well as budget, we will review the PDA™ with you. (The standard designer lingo for the PDA™ is programming.) We will also request a retainer at the time of the meeting that will include the fees for this meeting as well as the initial scope of work through the initial design concept. Our typical retainer and first phase of work ranges from $2,500 - $20,000.
  • We will explain your personal project process once we define the scope of work. Each job is different, so the fees and structure for them vary.

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