Design Advice Worth Reading
Good design starts with good information, and the more informed you are going into the design process, the better you and your home will be coming out of it. Here we share honest, process-driven advice on interior design, renovation planning, and furnishing your home well. All written from the perspective of a designer with years of first hand experience.
Explore our series on navigating the contractor bidding process, dive into our The Considered Home series for deep dives on the features that set exceptional homes apart, or browse the full blog below.
Why Your Designer Should Set Renovation Allowances
Most homeowners don't think about allowances until the bids come in. By then, the numbers have already been set by the contractor, and they're almost never realistic for the finish level you're actually expecting. Here's why that single decision quietly drives more budget surprises than almost anything else in a renovation, and what to do about it.
Why You Should Hire an Interior Designer BEFORE Your Renovation (or Contractor)
Most homeowners hire their contractor first. It feels like the logical starting point: get the construction sorted, then bring in a designer to handle the finishes. But by the time a contractor is on board, decisions that shape the entire project have already been made, and not always in a direction that reflects what you actually wanted. Getting the sequence right protects your vision, your timeline, and your budget, in that order.
What Is Full-Service Interior Design? (And Is It Right for You?)
Full-service interior design is a term used often and explained rarely. Most people have a general sense that it means more than picking paint colors, but the specifics, what's actually included, what it costs, and what the experience of working with a full-service designer actually looks like, are less well understood. If you're considering a renovation or a significant furnishing project and wondering whether full-service design is the right approach for your home, this is where to start.
