The Design Process

I always tell potential clients that hiring a designer is not advised unless you are truly ready to invest in your home and place your trust in a professional's hands. This may sound obvious, but if you are not clear around your budget & what you are prepared to invest, then design decision paralysis can take over and we'll reach the end of our hours deposit with nothing to show for it. I hate when this happens, because no one wins!

Generally, all purchases on our clients behalf will ship directly to our local receiver. Once an item is received, their white glove team will unbox, inspect product for damages and quality, notify our team of its status, and safely store your furniture until it's time for installation. The receiver is typically also the same moving crew that will handle installation. On a case by case basis, some products can ship directly to our clients, but most trade vendors require that merchandise is shipped to a commercial receiver. We charge a retainer fee to cover all receiving and storage fees at the onset of the project.

Nope! All of the items sourced for our clients are sold at the suggested retail price, no hidden markups.

Every design business is different in how they structure their pricing. Our pricing model is based on our hourly design rate + our income from trade purchases. On a case by case basis, there are times where an item will be discounted depending on the vendor. Additionally, if something is coming from KCo.'s inventory, more often than not, it will be discounted from suggested retail price.

All over! We prefer to source through mostly to the trade vendors depending on the project needs and client budget. This ensures that you're receiving great quality furnishings and customer service all around. We also love sourcing unique pieces from craftsmen and women, and antique vendors from all over! The relationships we have with our vendors and our access to their products is one of the many benefits of working with a Designer.

At this time, we do not require a furnishings retainer, however, we are happy to accommodate clients who prefer that model (which tends to be much more efficient all around). We do not purchase anything on behalf of our clients without receiving their approval and payment in full for each proposed item. If we have a retainer set-up, then that process tends to move quicker than having to receive multiple, one-off invoices.

This is entirely dependent upon the scope of work involved, and how well we build our working relationship from the onset of the project. The more information (likes, dislikes, preferences, pain points, budget, etc.), the more efficient we are able to use your design deposit. Generally speaking, 20 hours will not fully complete one room, but it generally will get us through to the procurement phase. Although revisions are a part of the design process, the more requested revisions, the more design time is spent. Clear, open and honest communication is the key to maximizing our time working together.

Yes. If a design project includes any construction work, we prefer to have that work is completed prior to moving into furnishings. For example: if we are doing a small remodel in your living room (built-ins, fireplace, paint), that design concept and those material selections need to be made prior to any furnishing selections.

Once we hit that threshold, clients have the option to go hourly or submit another deposit. There are pros and cons to both, so it truly depends on your specific design needs. If clients switch over to hourly, they are subject to our teams availability since there is no 'locked in' time allocated for those hourly design needs.

While we don't ever want clients to feel like they can't buy for their own home (which can be such a joyful process!), we do ask that for the spaces you have hired us for, that we be the ones doing the sourcing and purchasing for all items identified in our initial scope of work. It can get a little messy when we have two parties purchasing, (too many cooks in the kitchen!).

This is completely dependent on the item purchased and where it's coming from. If it's in-stock & ready to ship, typically that will arrive at our receivers within 3 weeks. Given that much of our work involves upholstery and custom items, the lead time can be anywhere between 3 to 6 months. We always advise prioritizing selections on those longer lead time items in order to ensure you aren't waiting on furniture for 10 months. Unfortunately, we have little to no control over how long things take, but we do our very best to communicate those lead times to our clients and provide regular updates on the status of their orders.