Our Process
Our design process is collaborative and efficient. We align with your vision early on, focusing our time & energy on creating the space you’ve been dreaming about.
Claire oversees and manages the design process for the project in collaboration with the Architect and Contractor. She develops the design vision and guides the creative process to achieve your goals.
Claire is a firm believer that every space tells a story. Her unique style paired with her passion for clean, creative and luxury design has become her design aesthetic’s trademark.
Process FAQs
Here are answers to the questions we hear most often. Still not sure about something? Contact us here and we’d love to help.
There is typically a waitlist, so the earlier, the better! When we're brought into a project at the beginning stages, we're able to work hand-in-hand with the Architect and Contractor and provide expert insight to ensure your creative vision is fully realized. We collaborate with the project team on space planning and designing the building with your aesthetic and functional needs prioritized. We're also able to encourage communication and timeliness to help the project stay on course.
We focus on gaining an understanding of our clients wants, needs, aesthetic and lifestyle desires. Then, we work hard behind the scenes to develop a design that interprets their vision and delivers the home or commercial space they desired.
We have an ever growing list of trade-only design accounts that we use in addition to many other sources we have gathered through our years of experience. From vintage finds to custom-made, we make sure to find the perfect pieces for your project.
We structure our pricing based on the scope of your project. Before our work together begins, we provide an estimate of the hours it will require. It is always our goal to stay within that range, but sometimes that is not possible due to unforeseen factors. Our estimate should give you an idea of what to expect and we will share updates on hours accrued throughout the project.
After accepting our estimate and signing your contract, we collect a 50% retainer. The remainder of the fee is divided into monthly installments.
To manage project timelines and budgets, we start with a detailed plan based on the client's vision and budget, breaking it down into key categories. We track costs closely, providing cost-effective options while maintaining quality. We build realistic timelines with buffer time for revisions and ensure clear communication with clients, vendors, and contractors to stay on track. If issues arise, we proactively solve them and keep the client informed, ensuring the project stays on budget and on schedule.
All purchase orders are managed through our team to ensure a seamless experience from purchase through delivery and installation. We charge you the full retail and associated freight costs plus a mark-up fee.
We provide a minimum of 2 design options which we share through DesignFiles, a program that offers our clients the ability to provide feedback in real time on all aspects of the design concept.
When the project is in the beginning phases, we typically connect weekly. Once we are in the Design Development and Construction phases, we are in constant communication. Having said that, we still like to conduct structured weekly or bi weekly meetings to make sure everyone is on the same page.
We aim to be responsive, transparent and collaborative when communicating with our clients, vendors and members of the project team. We believe that clear communication is key for success! Our standard business hours are Monday–Friday 9AM–5PM CT. Any calls, texts or direct messages outside of business hours will be answered solely at the team's discretion and billed at a premium of 20% above the standard Designer hourly rates, with a minimum of ¼ hour per response.
Complete a Project Inquiry to begin
I have used Claire for 3 big projects now (2 residential and 1 commercial) and I absolutely love working with her, and the design is always incredible and exactly what I wanted. She truly cares about your project and does everything in her power to make sure it comes together properly, whether that’s monitoring the tile installation quality or following up endlessly with vendors. Her dedication and industry knowledge are top notch, and there’s no one else I would work with. It’s fun to work with her, too!
It has always been wonderful working with Claire. She designed my salon remodel, as well as the most recent new build location. She has also designed various projects in my personal home and each experience is better than the last. As her team has grown I still get the same personal touch I did when it was just Claire—although now you feel like you have a team of people all supporting you to reach your goals.
Claire helped us with a full remodel of our main living space, bathroom, guest bedrooms, and kitchen. We loved working with her and the end result was absolutely beautiful. Later when we sold the home, we ended up receiving the highest price per foot on record in our neighborhood. Would highly recommend working with Claire if you get the chance!
We have had the pleasure of working with Claire on several projects and are always so impressed with her professionalism, attention to detail and positive attitude. As a designer, her work is fresh and modern, and incorporates beautiful detailing. Would highly recommend working with her!
This is my second Expert session with Claire and just wow! Each session feels like a Matrix style download of all of her awesome pearls of wisdom. We even get to my "we won't have time, but I wonder what she thinks about X, Y, and Z" questions. I don't just leave our sessions informed, but also feeling very encouraged about how to realize our goals for our home. I plan to continue meeting with Claire throughout our reno and love the Expert!
I just love how it all came together. It can be really hard to visualize the end product and also trust that it will look as incredible as you envision in your mind. We ended up with our dream kitchen and I am just so pleased with how each detail blends seamlessly into the next and it all worked together to create the perfect space.
Claire was a wealth of knowledge and a joy to work with! Highly recommend booking a session with her.
Claire is fantastic! Incredibly talented, engaging, nice, and effective. We covered a tremendous amount of ground in just one hour thanks to her wisdom, breadth of knowledge and practical advice on specific brands, materials and measurements. I got so much out of our session that I immediately booked another one. She is the exact person you want to make your home beautiful, collected and harmonious. Highly recommend!
Working with Claire was such a joy! She was responsive, understood the direction I wanted to go, and offered so much helpful context and additional perspectives when we felt stuck or weren't sure what our options even were.
There are so many micro decisions to make along the way and having Claire there to guide us in both the big decisions in the beginning (design, architecture, flow of space, cabinets, paint colors, etc.) all the way down to the tiny decisions like baseboard and trim, exact cabinet hardware, how to deal with an awkward corner, etc. was so invaluable. Our kitchen turned out better than I could have ever imagined when we started the project and I'm so grateful for Claire's patience (it was a long process!) and attention throughout.
Claire was so wonderful to speak with and extremely helpful with tips and suggestions for all facets of my project. It's actually amazing how much you can accomplish in the allotted timeframe; not to mention the helpful follow-up product links and summary of the consultation. I ended up booking another meeting with Claire to jump into more elements of our project(s).... and definitely hope to get more time with her in the future!
Claire was amazing! Her suggestions were exactly what I wanted but was unable to create myself. I'd recommend this to anyone needing a fresh set of eyes on their space.