Question 1

I'm new to this whole interior designer thing...where do I start?

Accepted Answer

Feel free to reach out via phone or email with a summary of what you are wanting to accomplish with your new or existing home.  From there, we will get back to you and schedule a phone call to discuss your project in more detail.  If you and your project seem like a good fit, we will schedule a face-to-face consultation and take things from there.

Question 2

Other interior design firms say they offer "Full-Service Interior Design Services" like you do.  What makes your firm different from them and what does that term even mean?"

Accepted Answer

If only we had a dollar for every time we are asked this question... :-)
 
Anyhow, the term 'full-service interior design' should not be thrown around lightly since many design firms in the area and beyond don't actually offer this, but claim they do.  Most firms do not have the skillset, experience, or expertise to handle such a broad scope of extremely technical, detailed, and creative design services...let alone be able to implement them in real life. 
 
Enter KBG Design...
 
For KBG Design, a truly full-service interior design firm, this means that we take on a variety of projects and sizes, with an emphasis of whole-house designs from start to finish, inside and out.  Whole-house designs include much more than simply having an opinion or picking colors and accessories.  We provide real designs and solutions for new-construction, reconfiguring/ renovations, architectural planning, architectural drawings, furnishings, interior styling, and everything in-between.  You can see a list of our design services here, but note it is much more than the items listed. 
 
Also, note that everyone on the KBG Design team boasts degrees in this actual field (both interior design, architecture, and communications) while many other firms are lead by people without any formal training or related experience.

Question 3

What design services do you offer?

Accepted Answer

We offer a large range of services.  Check out our design services page where we list several broad categories that you may be looking for specifically.

In summary, we can assist you with something as small as putting together a paint package or we can design and draft your home from top to bottom, inside and out, including all applicable permit-ready drawings.  We almost always manage all our design projects from beginning to end to ensure that our designs are implemented correctly.

Question 4

Initial design consultation?

Accepted Answer

An initial in-home design consultation for 1-2 hours, with our Principal Designer, is $375.  Whether you're wanting to discuss a large remodel project OR are trying to space plan new and existing furnishings and accessories in your home, this is where we like to start with all our clients.
 
The purpose of the design consult is to meet face to face, see how you live, and walk through your home together while we ask site specific questions and suggest potential solutions to be explored. 
 
During this design consulation, we can discuss what it would look like to have KBG Design handle your project and move forward to create a design agreement specific to your project needs/requirements.

Question 5

How do you charge your clients?

Accepted Answer

All of our design projects are billed by the hour.  Although we are not an attorney's office, we do our best to track a detailed account of all design time spent on each project.  Clients then receive a detailed invoice statement (monthly +/-) that is then due upon receipt.

Question 6

Do you accept credit cards?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we accept all major credit cards.  In fact, we prefer to keep a client credit card on file to expedite purchasing products or paying time billing invoices.

Question 7

What's your design process?

Accepted Answer

We have three main phases in our design process:  design development phase, detailed design phase, and then - finally(!) - the construction phase.  
 
Design development phase would include site measuring, drafting existing and proposed options in CAD, furniture space planning, gathering concept images, concept sketches/ renderings, or essential 3D modeling of the proposed options.  Once a floor plan is finalized, we can move into the detailed design phase (a client favorite!).  
 
The detailed design phase is when the floor plan comes to life through detailed CAD elevations, CAD sections, material resourcing/ specifications, electrical layout design/ ceiling plans, millwork details, cabinetry design, flooring design, and refining the 3D drawings, etc.  This phase may also include gathering a Title 24 report and consulting with a licensed Structural Engineer to supplement our design drawings for permitting, prior to construction.  Once we have all structural drawings, calculations, and Title 24 report completed, we have a complete set of permit-ready drawings that can be sent out to bid by a General Contractor or Builder of your choice.  
 
During the construction phase, we assist with key site walk-thrus, purchasing of decorative items (i.e. lighting, tile, flooring, hardware, window coverings, etc), and making sure all designs are executed per our design plans.  Because unknown site conditions can affect our designs, we like to be ready to make necessary revisions so that our clients don't end up with a "whoops" situation when final details come to fruition.  Also, If you also want assistance with specifying and purchasing custom furniture, this is when we would finalize those details and place orders about halfway through construction.

Question 8

Can I pick out my interior finish materials on my own?

Accepted Answer

Material selections is a super fun, collaborative process and there are many selections to be made - even for the smallest project - i.e. a Powder Bath.  Ultimately, our clients have final say for their home finish materials (afterall, it is their home!), however, we stay extremely involved for all selections for the following reasons:
 
Functionality
Cohesive design and materials throughout 
Appropriate for their space or application
Meet any applicable codes
Proper size and scale for the area(s)
Proper finishes
Designs of the project as a whole
 
There can be even more factors at play, but we find it to be less design-time-consuming when we are able to specify all materials vs. doing piece-meal material selections.    
 
Our clients hire us for our intangible knowledge for all-things-design-related which means material selections as well.  Let us do what we do best! ;-)

Question 9

Can we schedule our design meetings or consults on evenings or weekends?

Accepted Answer

In general, no we do not, but there can be some exceptions. 
 
As much as we love our clients, the entire KBG Design team has family at home and our Principal Designer, Katelyn, highly values a good work-life balance which means not working evenings and weekends 99% of the time.

Question 10

Do you have GC's that you always work with?

Accepted Answer

Yes and no. 
 
It is not required that you work with any of our preferred General Contractors, but we do have several we can recommend.  It's quite common for our clients to have a GC already picked out or a list of GC's they know they like.  In the past we have also recommended our clients to ask local friends or neighbors for first-hand referrals - which is invaluable.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS