the process, step by step

Before we start design, we listen. This stage is about understanding how you live or work in the space, what’s working, what isn’t, and what you’re hoping for. We’ll also get to know the space by measuring and documenting the existing site and structure and researching the codes and requirements that apply. Think of it as gathering everything we need for the road ahead so there are fewer surprises later.

Your role: Share exactly how you use the space (there are no wrong answers here!) and any inspiration you’ve come across.

This is the fun part (or one of them!). We take everything we learned and start exploring: sketching options, testing ideas, and looking at your project from angles you might not have considered. No idea is a bad idea at this stage. Even the ones we set aside help point us toward the right one. By the end, we’ll have landed together on a design concept that feels like yours.

Your role: Share ideas and react honestly. “I love this” and “this doesn’t feel like us” are equally valuable.

For some projects, it makes sense to stop here and take stock before committing further. That’s why we offer feasibility studies — a smaller engagement covering just these first two phases. You’ll come away understanding what’s possible on your property, roughly what it might involve, and what a design direction could look like. It’s real information you can use to decide how (or whether) to move forward. No pressure, no obligation to continue. Some clients use it to get clarity before a big decision; many keep walking the path with us. Either way, you’ll know more than when you started.

With a concept chosen, the design starts to take on weight and detail. We work out dimensions, choose materials, and bring in the right consultants—a structural engineer, for example. This is the stage where the look and feel of your future space comes in the focus.

More decisions arrive at this stage than any other: materials, finishes, fixtures, details. We’ll help you keep them organized: what needs deciding when and why it matters.

For deeper support, this is where many clients choose to add an Interior Designer to the team! We love to collaborate with your favorite designer or can recommend designers we love working with.

Your role: Pay attention to the spaces around you and the materials you interact with. Bring the details that bring you joy or improve your experience to our conversations as start making the detailed decisions.

Now we turn the design into a detailed set of drawings. This becomes the documentation the city needs for permitting and the instructions your contractor needs to build it. It’s often the least glamorous stage and one of the most important. Thorough drawings now mean fewer questions and change orders later.

Your role: Really, not much. This one’s on us.

Here’s some straight talk: permitting timelines vary wildly. Some jurisdictions can approve projects in a day, others can take six months. What we can promise is that you won’t be navigating it alone. We handle the back-and-forth, answer the city’s questions, and adjust the drawings as needed until your project is approved and ready to build.

Your role: Patience, mostly. We’ll keep you updated to minimize any uncertainty.

This is the phase that many find the most stressful, but we won’t leave you hanging. When the time comes, we help you choose your team, visit the jobsite regularly, help you navigate contractor conversations, answer questions as they come up, and make sure what gets built matches the vision.

No construction project goes perfectly. There will be surprises and hurdles…there always are. We will work through them together with a plan.

Your role: Never be afraid to ask questions. Don’t understand what you’re looking at in framing? Seeing something in person and not sure you love it? Tell us! It’s always easier (and cheaper) to adjust things early rather than later. There are no silly questions on a jobsite.