Questions Worth Asking Before You Hire a Designer
Most people have the same questions.
Here are honest answers.
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More than most people expect. An interior designer figures out what your home should be, specifies every material and finish required to get there, and manages the process of making it happen. That includes space planning, finish selections, furniture and lighting design, contractor coordination, and procurement.
On a full-service project, I'm involved from the first architectural decision through installation day. The scope varies by project, which is why the services are structured in tiers, but the through-line is always the same: someone who holds the full vision and makes sure every decision moves toward it.
Read more here. -
A decorator works with what's already there; furniture arrangement, accessories, styling.
A designer works from the architecture outward, including structural and finish decisions that happen before any furniture is selected.
I have an architectural minor and work directly with contractors on construction documents.
Some designers do both. I do both.
They're different scopes, and the distinction matters when your project involves anything structural or involves decisions that need to be made before construction starts.
Read more here. -
A GC manages construction. They don't manage design decisions, and on most renovations, the design decisions are where things go right or wrong. Material selections, layout choices, finish specifications, furniture planning, these happen in real time during a project, often under pressure, and without someone whose job it is to know the answers.
Clients who manage their own design frequently end up standing in a half-finished kitchen making expensive decisions they're not equipped to make. That's the gap a designer fills. -
No.
Your point of view is the starting point, not an obstacle. I'll push back if something won't perform well in your light, won't hold up over time, or won't work with the architecture, that's the expertise you're paying for. But the goal is always a home that feels like you, not like me.
Clients who arrive unsure of their style are also in good hands, figuring that out is part of what the process does.
Read about figuring out your style here.
UNDERSTANDING INTERIOR DESIGN
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The short version: if your project involves structural changes, whole-home coordination, or you want someone managing the full complexity, that's residential design.
If you need professional design for a defined scope (a kitchen, a bathroom, finish selections for new construction), that's partial services.
If your home is structurally finished and needs the furnishing and styling layer, that's furnishings and styling.
If you need expert input on a specific decision and you're ready to execute yourself, that's a consultation.
If you're not sure, reach out and I'll tell you honestly what makes sense. -
Full-service means I manage the entire project; from architectural planning through final installation. I'm on site regularly, coordinating with your contractor, managing procurement, and present on installation day.
Partial services covers a defined scope: a kitchen, a bathroom, material selections for new construction. You manage procurement and contractor relationships; I deliver the design direction and specifications. The rigor of the design process doesn't change, the scale of the commitment does. -
Yes, and it happens often. The $500 consultation fee credits toward any service within 60 days. Some clients use the consultation to get unstuck on a specific decision and that's the whole engagement. Others use it as a first step toward a larger project. Either is a complete outcome.
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Yes. I collaborate effectively with clients' preferred contractors and have working relationships with contractors throughout Centennial, Littleton, Highlands Ranch, and Castle Pines.
If you're starting fresh and need contractor recommendations, I'm happy to make introductions once the design direction is clear. -
Yes, and the earlier the better. The most successful new construction projects I've worked on started before construction starts (at the planning phase), when finish selections, millwork profiles, lighting rough-in, and plumbing locations are still decisions rather than corrections.
I offer finish selection packages for new construction through Castle Pines and South Denver, as well as full design services that carry through furnishings and final installation. -
No. All consultations are in-person. My practice is built around being genuinely present; in your home, on your job site, in the room when decisions get made.
That's not possible remotely in a way that produces the same result.
SERVICES AND FIT
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It depends entirely on scope. A consultation is two hours plus a few days for written notes.
Partial services projects typically run four to twelve weeks from kickoff to design delivery.
Full-service residential projects run eight months to two years depending on the scope of construction.
I'll give you a realistic timeline at the outset and keep you informed throughout. -
Me.
Jamie House.
I take twelve projects (full and partial design) a year specifically so that I'm genuinely present for each one, not delegating to a junior designer or managing from a distance.
Every site visit, every contractor meeting, every significant decision point involves me directly. -
You hear from me at minimum once a week on active projects; not only when you ask, but as a matter of course. Status updates, upcoming decisions, anything that needs your input.
You're informed, not chasing information. I'm also reachable by email and phone between sessions for questions that come up. -
Something always comes up; backorders, site conditions that weren't visible until demolition, manufacturer discontinuations, contractor questions that need immediate answers, the wrong paint gets used.
My job is to solve those problems while keeping the overall vision intact. You'll be informed of anything that affects decisions or timeline, and I won't make significant changes without your approval.
The value of having a designer on a project is most visible in those moments. -
On full-service projects, yes; furniture, specialty lighting fixtures, fabrics, reupholstery, art and accessories are all procured through my office, coordinated with the construction schedule, and managed through delivery and installation. Items such as plumbing, basic lighting, tile are selected by me but procured by the GC.
On partial services projects, procurement arrangements vary by scope and are defined at the outset.Consultations deliver design direction and specifications; procurement is the client's responsibility.
PROCESS AND WHAT TO EXPECT
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Centennial, Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Castle Pines, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, and Cherry Hills Village; all within approximately 20 minutes of my Centennial home.
This is an intentional constraint. Designing well requires knowing the area the houses live in, and I know this specific housing stock, these contractors, and these neighborhoods in a way that takes years to accumulate. -
No.
My practice is hyperlocal by design.
I don't take projects outside South Denver suburbs, and I don't make exceptions; not because I couldn't, but because geographic focus is what makes my design work better. If you're outside my service area, I'm happy to refer you to designers I trust.
GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE
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If you have a project coming up that involves significant decisions; a renovation, a new build, a room that needs to finally come together, you're ready.
You don't need to know your style, have a clear vision, or have a contractor lined up. Those are things the process helps you figure out.
The only thing that's required is a willingness to engage in the process and follow through on the decisions it produces. -
Nothing formal.
A general sense of what you're trying to accomplish and a rough idea of your timeline is enough to start a conversation.
If you're booking a consultation specifically, you'll complete a questionnaire and send photos of the space before we schedule, but that comes after you reach out, not before. -
I'll respond within two business days. We'll have a brief conversation about your project; what you're working with, what you're trying to accomplish, and which service makes sense.
From there, if it's a good fit, we'll move forward with a proposal or schedule a consultation. -
Tell me about the project and I'll tell you honestly what makes sense. I'd rather spend five minutes helping you figure that out than have you book the wrong thing.
GETTING STARTED
Portfolio Projects
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![House remodel with bold bunny wallpaper in the dining room]()
Down the Rabbit Hole
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![Gallery wall in Designer's own living room]()
The One I Kept
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![White kitchen design with navy island in house remodel]()
Navy and Wit
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![Custom built-ins and draperies reflected in a mirror after full house renovation]()
Empty Nesting
AWARDS AND PRESS
