Hiring an Interior Designer Means a Clear Process for Confident Decisions

If you have ever felt wildly inspired by Pinterest and then immediately overwhelmed by what to do next, you are in good company.

I recently had a Discovery Call with a lovely woman who found me on Instagram. She came prepared with thoughtful questions about how the process works, which is exactly the purpose of the Discovery Call. But it also made me realize something important.

Most people have never been shown what an interior designer actually does.

So they assume hiring a designer means paying someone to pick pretty things. Or worse, paying someone to tell you what you like. And when that is the assumption, it makes perfect sense that many homeowners try to do it on their own.

Halfway through our call, I shared my screen and walked her through the interior design process on my website, step by step.

By the time we finished, I could feel the shift. She went from curious to clear. From wondering what it might be like to work with a designer to actually seeing the full picture.

That call is the reason for this post.

What People Often Misunderstand About Hiring a Designer

Here are some of the most common assumptions I hear, especially from mountain home owners who are busy, often out of town, and trying to make a lot of decisions quickly.

You have to be wealthy to hire a designer.
A designer will force their style on you.
Design is mostly furniture and pillows.
Working with a designer means you have to replace everything you already own.
A furniture store can do the same thing for free.
Hiring a designer is an unnecessary expense… you should just DIY it.

A Pinterest board can absolutely inspire you. But it cannot manage the hundred moving parts required to turn inspiration into a finished home.

That is where concierge design comes in.

What Concierge Design Actually Looks Like

Concierge design is not just creative direction (although it is that). It is the planning, coordination, decision-making, sourcing, tracking, and execution that protects your time and keeps the project moving.

Below is our Signature Design Process, explained on my Design Process page.

Steps 1 to 3: Clarity first

We begin with a complimentary thirty-minute Discovery Call where we learn your needs, vision, and investment range, and answer your process questions so you know what to expect.

Next is the In-Home Consultation, a walk-through of your home so we can understand how you live, what is not working, and what you want this mountain chapter to feel like.

Then you receive a Design Fee Proposal, outlining the rooms and scope discussed, estimated design fees, and the overall strategy for bringing your spaces to life.

Steps 4 to 6: The plan becomes real

After your proposal is approved and paid, we enter the Designing Phase and get to work creating a cohesive direction for your home.

We then hold your Design Presentation, where we walk you through the proposed design elements, including furnishings, decor, layouts, elevations, and any visuals needed, and you share feedback and change requests.

If your project includes construction or remodeling, this is also when the Initiation of Trades begins, which may include work such as tile, cabinetry installation, and painting, managed either by you or by our team, depending on your agreement.

Steps 7 to 9: The behind the scenes work and the moment you want

Element Procurement begins after final approvals and payment, when we order the design elements included in your plan, track everything, coordinate deliveries, and warehouse items as they arrive until all pieces are ready.

On Installation Day, we install furnishings, hang art and window treatments, place rugs and lamps, and style and stage your spaces so everything feels finished and intentional.

Then comes The Big Reveal, when we greet you at the door and show you around your newly designed spaces so you can experience the full transformation all at once.

What You Are Really Hiring Me For

You are not hiring me to pick pillows. You are hiring me to protect your time, your budget, and your peace while your mountain home comes together beautifully.

You are hiring a calm, capable guide who handles the details so you can skip the second-guessing and walk straight into a finished home!

Ready for the Next Step!!

If you want concierge-level support from first call to final styling, book a Discovery Call and we will map out your best next step.

Until next time,

…be surrounded by beauty!
Christine