Frequently Asked Questions

We are asked this question a lot! While every project is different each has the same process. It can be difficult to let go of control and trust us and our process but this is how you will get the best results! Please visit our services page and click on each service to learn more.

It’s often quite intimidating and many don’t know what to expect, so I am so glad you asked! The most important thing to remember is that you are hiring a Designer for a reason and please trust us — we have done this many times before and many often feel like they want to retain control but this is the moment to sit back, relax and let us take care of everything.

Here is the step-by-step overview:

1. An initial Discovery Call (15-30 minute) phone conversation to discuss scope of work
2. A paid consultation is scheduled to view the space and review the scope of work
3. You’ll receive a Welcome Guide complete with a proposal and information to help in the decision making process
4. Upon acceptance of the proposal, the agreement is signed and payment is submitted

AND THEN THE FUN BEGINS! I’ll be in touch about the particulars of your project and the next steps!

This depends on a number of factors and the timeline has changed greatly since COVID. While most furnishing projects used to take up to 6 months with supply chain and quality control challenges we are seeing projects lasting up to 18 months. Projects that include construction vary based on scope and their availability (remember: we do not control the contractors schedule, they are separate from LHI). It is also important to note that we currently have a waitlist so projects are not beginning immediately. Once we do begin working together we will set expectations on how long each phase will take — it’s important to remember that we have more than one client at a time so while some tasks seem quick and easy nothing should be expected to be turned around within 24 or 48 hours.

Unfortunately, this is not a service we currently offer. The majority of our projects are larger scale design and/or furnishing full rooms.

You can find information on Lisa Hicks Interiors and our designs by visiting the website here, Facebook (although we don’t keep FB as up-to-date as one would like), Instagram, and Pinterest accounts.

Additionally, Lisa Hicks Interiors been featured in a published book and magazine. You can access these articles directly by visiting here.

Typically the in-store decorators are sales people with minimal training in design and/or decorating aspects and they only offer you product selections from their featured retail lines. My team and I are not only experienced in important aspects of decorating such as color theory, design concepts, drawings and rendering we also have established relationships with many vendors (the same vendors from your go-to retail store and more!) and work hard to source the right items at the right price for your project – often with custom features. If you opt to hire an in-store decorator, please be sure to ask for their qualifications to determine if they’re the right match for you.

Not only have I renovated many homes from top to bottom my family and I have recently undertaken the project of a lifetime. We have purchased a 9400sqft estate that we have lovingly restored from inside out. I am familiar with the pains and frustration that come with construction and the countless hours and sleepless nights obsessing over the right white for the foyer. Having this first hand account has helped me truly relate to clients.

It happens. Unfortunately reducing the scope is more challenging because we have already agreed to the terms. Increasing scope within the same project will incur an hourly fee. If the increase is a whole new space then we will propose a new scope of work for that particular area and we will treat it like a new project.

I currently service northwestern Massachusetts and surrounding counties. I have also worked remotely with clients residing outside of this area within the United States.

This is a really great question! It is ALWAYS best to communicate through email so we can more easily keep track of things. While we all love texting it should be limited to immediate moments like “I’m running late, be there in 5”. When a client texts us at 6am or 9pm and says “No need to respond now” we can’t help but think about it and it is interrupting our time to recharge and we need to stop what we are doing and send ourselves a reminder to follow up during business hours. You can imagine that if all our clients did this our phones would be buzzing and beeping away all the time! Email is always best!

This question is one that I get asked the most. Please check out our blog post for a detailed explanation. But the the short answer is depending on the scope of your project, the rule of thumb many designers use (remember level of customization, quantity of pieces, etc. can greatly impact this) is:

Renovate + Design – $250 per square foot

Full Furnishing Design (meaning you are starting with an empty room!) – $150 per square foot

Partial Furnishing Design (you have some items to include in the overall design) – $100 per square

For a detailed list of our services and pricing please visit our services page. We have worked to find a sampling of flat fee projects to help guide you on what the investment would be to engage us. Many projects are not one-size-fits-all so we do have a consultation for all projects to define scope and present the right flat-fee rate for your needs.

I’m sure you have heard of some designers “sharing their discount” with clients. However, it is important to understand that your design fee covers the hours to design and source product for the space. We act as a retailer for your furniture purchases and therefore do not share our discount with clients — with the exception of Full Service design clients who receive the best pricing available (often just below retail) — because this markup covers the business expenses of product procurement, tracking shipments, quality assurance, install and accessory shopping. Think of it this way, when you walk into Restoration Hardware do you ask them to sell their merchandise at cost or to share their “discount” with you? Rest assured, we do our best to provide you competitive and often lower than MSRP price points.

To obtain an estimate or proposal for any service, you may book directly at your convenience by clicking here to schedule a Discovery Call. This is required prior to booking an Initial Design Consultation. Following the consult we will prepare a proposal for your approval with estimated fees.

For all services, we accept checks made payable to Lisa Hicks Interiors or a secure bank transfer. We are sorry but at this time we do not accept Venmo, PayPal, Zelle or any major credit cards. Please note: furnishings are not purchased until funds are cleared.

Typically, all design fees are paid in full before any work begins. If we are doing multiple rooms or a full house then we may discuss phasing the payments. Your proposal will list payment options if applicable.

LHI asks that you provide us at least 24 hours notice if you need to cancel an appointment with us. Appointments cancelled within 24 hours incurs a $150 charge. Design fees are non-refundable. Please see your signed Letter of Agreement for more details.

We require an initial phone conversation to get a brief overview of what you’re looking for to ensure we’re the right fit for each other. This call is approximately 15-30 minutes long and we will discuss with you our waitlist (if there is one at the time), timeline, budget, explain our process with you and answer any questions you may have.

You can book your Discovery Call directly by clicking here.

We require an initial consultation so we can meet in your home and dig a little deeper to provide the proper scope of work, answer any questions and get to know each other a little better. It is vitally important that both you and your team and me and my team are all comfortable with each other before signing on to work with each other.

There are a number of things you can do to prepare for your consultation. I’ve created a simple, easy to follow guide to help you. Please click here for more information.

After the consult if you have not received our Welcome Kit it will be sent to you via email. In this guide you will get more information about how Lisa Hicks Interiors works in order to assist you with the decision making process. Generally, within a week you will receive a design proposal that outlines the scope of work, proposed timeline and fees. If this meets your satisfaction you will receive an invitation to our client portal where you will find the letter of agreement under the contracts section. Once the contract is signed an invoice will be sent. Work will begin once the invoice has been paid in full.

We source our products from a wide variety of places including online stores, wholesale companies, local stores, trade showrooms and catalog retailers as well. The majority of our products come from trade-specific vendors that are available to design industry professionals. Sometimes this scares people because they think it will be more expensive but this is a myth. Factors such as quality, durability, location of items, client’s lifestyles, etc. will be taken into consideration when sourcing products.

Unfortunately, we are not a showroom and the ability to sit-test products in advance is unlikely. That being said, Lisa and her team have undergone extensive training to learn the ins and outs of upholstery to cater to your level of comfort without ever sitting on it. We attend trade events like High Point Market to see all of the products and sit and touch everything that is out there!

We invest in trade vendors who offer top-of-the-line products with varying comfort levels and will make recommendations based on your lifestyle needs, questions you’ve answered in the questionnaires, and other information. There are a lot of technicalities, but we’ll work with you to find the right fit.

Yes, absolutely. If you have a favorite piece of furniture, accessory or something that holds sentimental value, please let us know at consultation or while filling out your questionnaire so we can include it in the design. Please send photographs of each individually for design purposes. Sometimes, we even work to refresh those loved pieces to have them fit perfectly in your newly designed space.

All purchases, whether it be for furnishings, accessories, window treatments, wall-coverings, etc. are ordered through Lisa Hicks Interiors utilizing trade sources. There are a few exceptions where Contractors are concerned but the purchasing is not on you. Once you begin your engagement with us your shopping trips end and we will handle all of the details!

All items and products are sent to you for approval prior to purchasing. The decision is always yours. We ask that you make a request for a revision within 5 days of the design presentation. If you have concerns about an item, please address them right away as cancellations aren’t always allowed. I encourage open and honest communication and appreciate your cooperation.

You’ll have an opportunity throughout the Design Phase to review every product for your space, including color, style, investment and will have ample time to provide feedback and request revisions. This detailed process ensures your satisfaction well before products are ever ordered or installed in your home.  Many products will be custom or special order so taking the time before we purchase is imperative because often canceling orders is not possible.

We ask that you take a week to review your design and request any revisions. Once the invoice is sent to you, prompt payment is appreciated. Pricing may change the next day due to the instability of the current supply chain and we cannot guarantee the price we quoted you. Product sourcing for other rooms will not begin until the invoice has been paid and items have been purchased.

For Full Service Design clients we handle everything. Your items are delivered to our receiver for white glove delivery. They will handle unpacked, inspected, assembled and then safely delivered to your home on install day (during COVID times we sometimes have two install days to accommodate the unpredictable timelines). You don’t have to lift a finger! Our design team does it all.

We do get asked this a lot and we always discouraged our clients from this. We can not guarantee the quality and have run into many challenges in the past and have learned from these experiences. The only way we will shop these retailers is if the items go through our receiver because more often than not the pieces arrive broken and needing assembly. We will not order any retail products for you that will be delivered directly to your home with the expectation of us being responsible for them.

Also, you are hiring a designer for a reason. We will provide you with more custom furnishings that not everyone can get off of Wayfair and the likes.

You get to approve your design and have several opportunities to provide feedback throughout the whole process. I encourage open and honest communication to avoid this from happening. If this is the case for you, please contact me immediately. Your satisfaction is my top priority and I’ll happily work with you come to a resolution. This is your space and YOU have to LOVE it!

I’m also happy to say that this has never happened before — so, we have a pretty good track record!

Often, clients come to me needing a team. I do have a network of vetted architects, contractors, kitchen designers, electricians, plumbers, painters, flooring specialists, wallpaper installers plumbers that I offer to establish a relationship for you through my Construction Manager. She will take our design and pull together the appropriate team, procure the investment for your project and project manage it seamlessly from start to finish. But, it is important to note that the Construction Manager, contractors and sub-contractors are not members of my team and I am only facilitating a relationship. Sometimes their timelines are long and have no control over that. We are not a design-build firm so you are welcome to use your own contractors.

At this time, our Construction Manager has a waitlist. New construction and renovations are accepted on a limited basis. Please contact me early on in the process to discuss availability, services and timeline. As stated above, it is important to note that the Construction Manager, contractors and sub-contractors are not members of my team and I am only facilitating a relationship. Sometimes their timelines are long and have no control over that. We are not a design-build firm so you are welcome to use your own contractors.

If your project involves changing structural load bearing walls, or adding square footage, an architect and/or structural engineer will need to be part of our team. They’ll provide the necessary drawings and structural calculations required by your local building department to ensure your safety and welfare, as well as pass building code inspections. I’d be happy to refer you to someone who could assist you with this

We do not provide Construction Drawings. We will design the space accurately to size for design intent and provide any relevant design specs for your contractor but we do not provide construction or build drawings.