+ What Is The Design Process Like?

1. Once accepted, you can start looking and pin some images into a Pinterest board and share them with me. Just pin anything that catches your eyes, rooms, colour, furniture, anything.
   Don't have to put too much thought into it, I'll refine and ask questions to drill into it further. This is useful to get a sense of the general mood and aesthetic you're drawn to. The reason for this is that words/descriptions like Scandinavian, modern, etc mean different things for everyone, so a collection of images will better describe the aesthetic and visual language for the project.

2. We'll schedule a 15-minute discovery call (scroll to bottom of page to book) to discuss your needs, the process, and how I typically work with clients. After the call, we’ll schedule a meet up in person to have further discussion and I'll take up some measurements of the space.

3. I'll start sourcing and list down a few options for each furniture piece, and send those to you after I have the complete measurement of the space. Here's an example of how it will work (I'll give a few options for each piece of furniture, after I get a sense of your style/inspiration while working within your budget, and you can pick the ones you like or don't).

4. Afterwards, I'll create a mood board mixing and matching from the furnitures you've picked, then we can start making the purchases. Decor pieces will go last once all the big pieces are confirmed/ordered.

5. Most furniture take 2-4 weeks to arrive upon ordering (some can take months, but I'll let you know about that before finalising). We'll then proceed with installing once everything/majority arrives. I'll be filming during the whole install/makeover process, so it'd be great to get access during the day (Whole apartment will likely take a couple of days, so I'll simply return the access at the end of each day, and repeat). There may be instances where install is spread out to weeks/months (depending on product shipments, and your availability).
   If you work from home, we can easily schedule around that, or I can work on separate rooms if doing install during weekdays.

+ How Much Does It Cost?

For the House To Home series, most of the design cost is free, however, there are some areas which I have to charge a fee to cover for time, commute, and expertise.

While I would love to keep it 100% free, there has unfortunately been past instances where clients went missing after countless hours spent in consult and design concept.

The fee below is mostly to cover overhead cost, and I do not make any profit out of it. The goal of this series is to showcase creative ideas and solutions around the home, making it a more comfortable, beautiful, and functional space, while keeping it accessible for a range of budgets.

Stage 1
Online Consultation & Onboarding - Free
In-Person Consult + Site Measurements - $85

Stage 2*
Space Planning:
2D floor plan sketch - Free
Design Concept - Free
*For every subsequent Iteration/additional queries - $75/hr

Stage 3
Sourcing (Furniture Choices) - Free first 3hrs
Mood Boards - Free
Every additional hour - $75/hr

For reference, sourcing a single furniture (i.e. sofa) typically takes 30mins-1.5hrs depending on style and requirements.

Stage 4
Purchasing & Vendor Communications - $75/hr*

*Capped at $450

Stage 5
Custom Install - Free
Hardware Install - Trade Dependent
Flat-Pack Install - $75/hr or DIY
Decor & Styling - Free

Generally, you can expect anywhere between $500-$2k for a whole apartment project, depending on how much back-and-forth, purchases, and installation.

+ What Is The Standard Market Rate?

You’d be surprised to learn that it actually cost much more to even hire a junior designer straight out of school.

Below is a standard market rate for a 2 small room project (living, dining, and TV). Broken down into two hourly rates ($75/hr for friends/family, and junior designer) and ($182/hr for average price of designers).

Courtesy of Emily Henderson

While the rate above may seem excessive to some, remember that you’re paying for more than their time, knowledge, and expertise. Many designers are typically small-business owners with overhead costs such as office, software subscriptions, accounting, supplies, etc. Freelance/business owners also do not receive paid/sick leave and superannuation, so all that has to be accounted for.

+ What Is A Realistic Budget?

There are a lot of variables that affects how much it cost to decorate/furnish a room or a home. Some things to consider: The size of the room, whether you have existing furniture that can be incorporated into the new room, and if you need to get any work done (i.e. window treatments).

Generally, you can expect anywhere between $9-$12k to furnish a 1-bedroom apartment from scratch, excluding appliances and electronics, and using mostly budget or flat pack furnitures.

Of course, the range above no longer apply if you have your eyes on that designer coffee table that cost $2,000 (which is totally okay!).

To give a better illustration, let’s take the following calculations:

Bedroom
Mattress - $900
Bedframe - $900
2x Bedside Table - $400
2x Lamps - $200
Total = $2,400

Living Room
Sofa - $2,500
Coffee Table - $300
Rug - $600
TV Unit - $700
Floor Lamp - $200
Total = $4,300

Dining Area
Dining Table - $800
4x Dining Chairs - $600
Sideboard/Buffet/Console - $400
Total = $1,800

Extras
Curtains - $2,000
Study Desk - $500
Desk Chair - $200
Mirror - $300
Total = $3,000

Just using the above estimate puts us at a total of $11,500 - excluding decor (plants, books, vases, cushions), trade/install, and various delivery fees.

+ How Do You Make Money?

Most of the income will be generated from my video content (Google Adsense, Brand Partnerships), commissions from affiliate links, and markups on some pieces as we have trade access (most of the time, you’ll end up paying the same, or less than the standard retail price).

+ Do You Pass On Trade Discounts?

Any trade discounts are shared between you and me. The amount of discounts off the recommended retail price (RRP) varies between products and suppliers, and so do the savings that can be passed on.

+ Who Gets The Final Say On Furniture Pieces?

I’ll work with you to help decide what works best for your space and get a cohesive look, but you’ll always have a final say before purchases are made.

Sometimes, you might have a piece or two that you have your eyes set on, but may not result in the most cohesive look for the space. That’s okay! I’m always more than happy to work around it and find a solution to make your home uniquely yours.

+ How Are The Purchases Made?

Most of the time, I’ll handle all the purchasing for you, once the pieces are approved by you. Invoices will be sent prior to production (for custom-made products), or after stock is secured for regular furnitures.