Our Interior Design Process

At Andrea Schumacher Interiors, relationships are everything. We always begin the process of creating your dream home by taking time for us to get to know one another. This time helps us determine the interior style  you will be comfortable and happy in and provide a great sense of pride. We’ll sketch out a vision, research contractor and furnishing options, meet with you as much as you need and may even take field trips to showrooms together. Our whole staff focuses on your project, budget, timely execution and have a desire to make the process enjoyable and exciting for you.

We offer full-service interior design, from the design concept to final installation. Our Denver interior designers will assist you with:

  • Budget and timeline definition
  • Design consultation – Interior design concept and development
  • Flooring, appliances, fixtures, and furniture evaluation and inventory
  • Space planning – needs assessment, field measurements and verification, block planning, furniture layout
  • AutoCAD – scope documents, digital presentations, millwork detailing, scaled floor plans, and 3D renderings
  • Furniture, furnishings, lighting, wallcovering and finish selections
  • Construction management,  documents and coordination – interacting with architects, builders, tradesmen, and staff to implement project goals and deadlines
  • Troubleshooting production issues and conducting job site visits to ensure proper installation within schedule
  • Budget management, order management, vendor interaction, shipping, inventory, storage, accounting, installation and coordination
  • Final installation

What to Expect Throughout the Interior Design Process

For starters, you can look forward to a creative, fun experience! Like an original piece of artwork, we create a space that is completely unique, rich with color, pattern, and texture. We focus on creating design that reflects our client’s personality, taste and style. 

The design process is often an organic one! Any one project has 1000 moving parts. A single custom sofa with accent pillows might include 5 different fabrics, all from different cities (and countries), so delays can be typical and some things might not go exactly to plan. It’s our job to handle these issues as they arise. Patience is a prerequisite for this process; the result will be worth it! Remember that this is not brain surgery…it’s just draperies and furniture, so have fun and enjoy the process!

As a prospective or new client of Andrea Schumacher Interiors, we want you to fully understand the design process from initial consultation to final install. 

How We Work / The Breakdown

STEP 1 >  Discovery Phase: Learning about you! Design Inquiry / Information Gathering

  • We conduct an in-depth interview at your house to find out how you live in your spaces and what changes you’d like to make.
  • Initial consultation, ascertain the scope of work, and discuss your budget and timeline
  • Site visit to gather measurements and collect your floor plans or take as-built measurements, survey setting and assets, take pre-project pictures and photograph and measureme furniture you want to keep and learn more about you!
  • Assess current floorplan and assets and discuss the aesthetic and functional needs for your space and desired changes
  • Explain our process and pricing
  • Confirm scope of work and obtain approval to proceed to Concept Phase

We compile this information in order to blend what you have with what you need before we meet again with an initial design concept. You will begin receiving weekly email updates and follow up phone calls from your designers, updating you on work in progress, design hours spent, and upcoming work plans. That way, you’re never in the dark on your project progress.

STEP 2 > Concept Phase: concepts, ideas and solutions

  • Detailed outline of the Scope of Work on your project
  • Draft initial design concept, space flow and furnishing layout in AutoCad, where we space plan your furniture layout or reconfigure the space.
  • Research and selection of materials, furnishings and finishes
  • Develop design intention visuals and plans
  • Estimate timeline for your project
  • Initial Design Concept Presentation to client for feedback and approval

STEP 3 > Design Development Phase: turning concepts into designs 

  • Finalize design feature and further develop graphics and interior design renderings
  • Guide construction contractor selection process and gather competitive bids
  • Complete furniture, finishes, materials, plumbing and lighting choices
  • Present final design, estimated budget, time frame to client for feedback and approval

Building on the initial conceptual decisions, the Design Development phase touches the entire project scope to fully develop and understand all of the interior spaces and how each will look and function together. Design decisions are made and items are priced for proposal review. 

Once the Design Development is complete and all pricing has been received, proposals are presented for final approval to purchase. Final drawings, space plans, elevations, and finish schedules are issued to contractors.

Purchasing Phase: bringing life to your project

  • Final documents complete and construction begins
  • Contractor coordination  and technical plan reviews – working closely with General Contractor to ensure all flooring, tiles, plumbing and electrical items get installed per plan, functions correctly and looks beautiful! 
  • Facilitate all orders and negotiate pricing
  • Procurement and vendor communication and coordination

All design details are cross-checked in this phase for complete accuracy. Orders are placed and tracked, and items are inspected as they arrive at our warehouse. Once we are updated with item arrival status, we will set a date for your project installation. 

Project Management Phase: staying on track

  • Continued communication with vendors and contractor coordination 
  • Managing project budget, accounting, purchasing and payments
  • Regular site visits to keep track of progress
  • Supervise overall progression of project completion

Installation Phase & Project Turnover: finishing touches and the big reveal!

  • Professional delivery and installation of furnishings
  • Ensure every task is completed
  • All is functional and beautiful and client is overjoyed with finished product

The Fun Part!

HGTV has nothing on us! It’s finally install day and months of patient waiting are over. You take a personal day away from your home while we do the work, coordinating with contractors and installers to get everything done. Prepare for the big reveal!

After all of the meetings, planning, and building, you finally get to see the finished product. Also known as “The Big Reveal!”, the project turnover is when we make sure every last detail is solidified, wrap up any last minute touch ups, move all of your brand new furniture with great care, cleaning and then hanging every last piece of wall art. After your new home is perfectly staged, we may take professional photographs and then walk you through the big reveal. The moment you enter your home and see your new spaces is one you will never forget. It is a very exciting and emotional day to look forward to!

Our Commitment to You

Are you ready to transform your home?  For more than two decades, we have worked with a wide range of residential clients throughout the continental USA.

Andrea and her team of Denver Interior Designers are personally committed to providing every client with stellar service and attention to detail. Our unique collaborative approach to design will help us create a living space that is unique to your particular needs. Our Santa Barbara Interior Designers create aesthetically exciting interiors and find innovative ways to bring the outdoors inside. Contact us today to begin the process of designing your dream home!

We service all areas in the Denver metro and surrounding areas in Colorado including Littleton, Cherry Hills Village, Bow Mar, Highlands Ranch, Greenwood Village, Parker, Lone Tree, Castle Rock, Boulder, Morrison, Ken Caryl, Golden, CO and Evergreen, Colorado.

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