Our Design Process

Your project begins with a Walk & Talk. Shenley comes to your home, walks the space with you, and talks through how you actually live in it — what's working, what isn't, and what you're hoping for. During the visit she captures the measurements, photos, and notes she needs to start designing, so nothing about the space has to be revisited later. By the end, you and Shenley decide together whether now is the right time to move forward. It's a shared decision, made in person with your real space in front of you.

Onboarding is straightforward, and it's usually settled during the Walk & Talk itself: a simple agreement and a retainer to reserve Shenley's time. The retainer isn't an added fee — it's credited toward the hours spent designing your project. If the work runs beyond those hours, additional time is billed monthly, so you always know where you stand.

With everything gathered at your Walk & Talk, Shenley gets to work. Your space is drawn up to scale and design schemes are developed around the way you want to live in it. Because everything needed was captured during the Walk & Talk, there's no second site visit to schedule — your design moves forward without waiting on you.

Once your drawings and schemes are ready, you'll meet with Shenley in the studio. Together you'll review the layouts, then select the exact cabinets, finishes, flooring, and fixtures for your space — from real materials you can see and touch in the showroom.

This is where it all comes together. Shenley presents your complete design — the layout, the materials, the finishes, and how every piece works as a whole. You'll see the design concept of what your finished space will look like before any work begins.

With your design approved and project purchased, we order your products. Most products carry lead times, so this is the phase where planning ahead pays off — ordering early and scheduling in advance keeps your installation on track.

Installation is where your design becomes real. Shenley works alongside your contractor and you from start to finish, keeping the work true to the design. A word on timing: good contractors are worth waiting for. The contractors SSID recommends are typically booked four to six months out, and a contractor who can start within a few weeks is usually a warning sign — it often means others have chosen not to work with them. Planning around a realistic contractor schedule protects both your project and your investment.