The Interior Design Process & Services Offered
I offer a personalised, full service approach for both residential and commercial interior design, focusing on mid to high end residential projects, and small scale commercial spaces. This covers new builds, renovations and refreshes. Furthermore, I can seamlessly collaborate with your architect or building designer, to ensure a cohesive project and unified design approach.
My process is a creative journey that takes the interior design aspect of your project off your plate, allowing you to reclaim precious time.
I implement systems and processes that help manage the project design, budget and timeframe. To address all three key points of your design project, I not only focus heavily on the design aspects, I also have touch points for your budget and timeframe throughout the design process. The purpose of the process is to build upon ideas as I receive feedback from you, to ensure the final design package meets your expectations and results in a design that is both functional and beautiful. As we move through the process, the details become more specific but it all starts with a conversation and a concept.
Please feel welcome to complete a no obligation enquiry form:
When is the appropriate time to engage my services?
As soon as you have a new build, renovation or refresh project in mind. For new builds, I recommend reaching out to me either before or concurrently with contacting your architect or builder to ensure seamless professional collaboration. Read my blog: seven reasons why to engage my services early on.
What is the process?
• Phase One - Discovery and Concept
• Phase Two - Design and Documentation
• Phase Three - Implementation and Design Project Consultation
My services include selecting either Phase One and Two only, or selecting all three phases. You do not need to select Phase Three up front, as this can be decided upon towards the end of Phase Two.
What is involved in each phase of the process?
Phase One
DISCOVERY & CONCEPT
• Your initial inquiry via a short online questionnaire.
• Briefing: Complimentary, 30 to 45 minute phone call exploration, to discuss a brief overview of your project and determine if we are both a good fit to work on your project together.
• Consultation: Paid, in person, on-site (or Zoom) design consultation of approximately 2 hours, where we take a closer look at what your project entails, enabling me to compile your design brief and gain details of the scope of the project, including
• A further online questionnaire may be required after the design consultation, depending on the project.
• Design Proposal delivery: Complimentary in person or Zoom meeting, where I apply all of the details captured in our design consultation to present your personalised design and fee proposal, which outlines a summary of your project phases, confirmation of the scope of works, design fees, payments schedule, examples of work for each stage, agreement for signing and deposit invoice for payment.
• Once you feel comfortable moving forward and the design proposal is approved, we move on to the Concepts & Schematics stage. This is where extensive research is conducted to develop and refine the design concepts. The concept presentation is compiled, featuring an abstract overview of design ideas, including mood boards, concept images, initial schematic sketches and space planning recommendations.
• Concepts & Schematics delivery: In person or Zoom meeting where I deliver the project design concepts and schematic sketches.
• A further online questionnaire may be required after the concepts delivery, depending on the project.
• Once the design concepts and schematics are approved, we move on to the Team Intro & Design Program stage. This is where meetings between myself and your builder and any relevant contractors are held, to review concepts and validity, assess costs, and discuss any structural requirements and time frames. I may also visit the project site to take further detailed measurements and photos. For new builds, this will be collaborating with your architect or builder or simply acquiring all detailed plans already in place.
• Design Program delivery: In person or Zoom meeting, where I present to you a draft project investment forecast based on feedback from meetings with contractors (draft estimate, not quote), along with a draft design program based on estimated time frames.
Phase Two
DESIGN & DOCUMENTATION
• Once the design program is approved, we move on to the Design Development stage. This is where, based on the approved concepts and schematics, design developments are compiled, including 2D drawings, rendered 2D drawings to show material relationships, along with some 3D models. Details such as furniture, fittings, fixtures, appliances, equipment and materials (FF&E Schedule) are specified.
• Design Development delivery: In person meeting where I present your initial design development set of drawings, along with presentation of material and hardware samples. An updated project investment forecast and design program is discussed and design feedback noted. This meeting can be done via Zoom for projects out of the mid north coast area, where I will ship material and hardware samples to you prior.
• Once the design developments are approved, we move on to the Design Documentation stage. This is where finalised design documentation is compiled,
• Design Documentation delivery: In person meeting where I present your detailed design documentation package,
• At this point, you can elect to either take your design documentation package and manage the implementation yourself, or, continue to work with me through the implementation and design project consulting phase.
Phase Three
IMPLEMENTATION & DESIGN PROJECT CONSULTING
• Once the design documentation is approved, we move on to the Tender & Estimation stage. This is where design documentation packages are compiled for each trade, and tender documentation packages are provided to all relevant contractors and suppliers for quoting. The FF&E, project investment forecast and design program are updated.
• Tender & Estimation delivery: Tender documentation and investment estimates from relevant contractors and suppliers are presented to you, including final quotes for all items in the FF&E schedule.
• Once the tenders and estimations are approved, we move on to the Design Project Consulting stage. This is where any required updates to the design documentation are completed and any required design documentation packages are compiled for all relevant contractors. All tender and supplier contracts are signed and orders are placed for all FF&E items. Any relevant invoices are paid, including deposits to all contractors and full payment of all FF&E items. A review of the builder's timeline is conducted and an update of the design program is completed. Project consulting includes regular site visits by me to check on progress, with weekly progress updates emailed to you, as well as regular on-site meetings with you during relevant stages, depending on the project. Project consultation also includes review of all cabinetry shop drawings, as well as meetings and coordination of all relevant specialists for installation of all furniture and fixtures, such as cabinetry, tiling, window treatments, lighting, painting, wallpaper and other relevant decor pieces by suppliers and contractors.
• Once construction is complete, we move on to the Client Hand-over & Photography stage. This is where a final clean is organised by the builder and all remaining FF&E items are delivered and installed. I conduct a practical completion walk through with all trades and compile a defects schedule. The styling and photography day is then completed, to document the finished design project. A handover walk-through with you is conducted, for hand over of the design project, including a package with all relevant documentation.
• A Follow-up Meeting one month after hand over is conducted, which includes an update of any outstanding items.
What are the costs involved for each stage of the process?
Your initial briefing of the 30 to 45 minute phone call exploration is complimentary, giving us an opportunity
Your in person, on-site 2 hour design consultation is a flat fee of $495 incl. GST, which includes discussing details of the project to compile the brief and define the scope of works, measurements of all relevant spaces or discussion of architectural plans, along with compilation of the complete design and fee proposal.
Everything from the Concepts & Schematics stage through to delivery of the Design Documentation at the end of Phase Two is quoted at a fixed fee, for pre-payment of each stage,
Everything in Phase Three, Implementation & Design Project Consulting, is charged at a prepaid hourly rate, in blocks of 20 hours, all of which will be detailed in your Design Proposal.
Do you offer interior design service outside of the NSW mid north coast area?
Yes, I offer my interior design services in the following locations:
• In person services anywhere within 2 hours drive of Port Macquarie NSW
• A combination of remote and in person services anywhere within Australia, depending on the project and the location
• Remote services for international projects, which could possibly involve some in person visits, depending on the project and the location
All remote interior design services are considered on a case by case basis, depending on the project and the location. For further information, please email me at hello@elomouinteriors.com.au
I invite you to complete a no obligation enquiry form: