People often ask about our design process - some because they aren’t familiar with how a design project works, and others because they know my team has a reputation for being efficient and effective and they want to learn more about how we work. So I thought I’d give you a behind-the-scenes peek at the general process for most projects. Let’s take a look!

Exploratory Phase

During our initial meeting with a new client, we are on a fact-finding mission. That can include asking clients to fill out detailed questionnaires about their likes and dislikes, taking measurements in their homes, and walking through the scope of the project space by space. We’ll also collaborate with clients through shared Pinterest and inspiration boards to better understand style goals for their dream homes. The more information we can gather during this period, the more successful we’ll be at developing a look our clients love.

Design Phase

Once we have all the information we need, I start to pull together a design scheme for each room. These are very detailed and will include everything from wallpaper to furniture to the grout between tiles.

Often I’ll use something from my client as inspiration - it could be a piece of jewelry, something they inherited from their grandmother, a favorite destination, or something they’ve collected. These details help me define interiors that will be personalized for my client, and that will help them tell their family’s story. This is the time for us to layer in custom pieces that have a lot of meaning. Our creative process takes 4-6 weeks as we order samples, fabric swatches, and develop design schemes for your home.

Client Presentation

This is one of my favorite steps in our design process! After pouring our hearts and souls into a project’s design, we’re able to show the results to our clients. We offer a multi-dimensional presentation in order to wow our clients and to show them that we understood what they needed for their home to function for them.

I also want every presentation to be a special moment for our clients, so we ensure that we have treats on offer to celebrate this exciting step toward the home of their dreams.

A successful presentation last week included the gorgeous watercolor rendering above by Becky Clodfelter. These are such beautiful presentation tools so our clients can envision exactly what their spaces will look like when we install the design. I’m proud to say that we have a fantastic track record of very, very few changes once our clients have seen the presentation, and that’s all due to the diligent work we do to understand their needs and their dreams for their home.

Work Zone

This is when we pull final selections, oversee renovations, and work as a liaison for our clients, architects and custom builders, guiding the overall aesthetic of the house. We’ll order furnishings, develop custom looks with our proprietary trades, and keep our clients up to date on the progress we make each week. All items for your custom design will be procured and managed by our office. Our warehouse will receive all items and check for any damages at the time of arrival. All issues will be handled by our office prior to installation.

I also make a lot of job site visits to ensure everything is being done on schedule and adhering to the design concepts we worked out with our clients. The house above in Pigeon Forge is one that we visited several times before completion. When working on out of town builds, we rely heavily on FaceTime and constant communication with our construction team from the architect to the builder and even landscape designer.

Installation

Finally, it’s time to unveil the gorgeous interiors to our clients! My team ensures that every single item is in place before we do a walkthrough with our clients. We want them to have a “big reveal” that showcases all the hard work and thought that went into their beautiful spaces. Above is an installation of a clients’ home office we recently completed and I cannot wait to show you the final reveal soon!

We love to celebrate with our clients, especially with a glass of bubbly! Delivering their dream home is a huge accomplishment, and we want to share the excitement with them.

You can learn more about our services here. Also, we've heard the requests and have added virtual design services to our business. If you want to start with one room at a time or if you’re doing a refresh of the whole home, we want to serve you! With the virtual design option, we present mood boards, a shopping list, and so much more! ⁣So far we've completed a bedroom redesign in Wyoming and a custom storage/millwork plan for a New York City apartment, just to name a few. We are having so much fun connecting with new clients across the country.

Whatever your design needs are, reach out to us today to learn how we can help you!

All the best,

Kara