Interior Design
Services
Your home is your sanctuary. A space for all the favourite people in your life to come together & make memories.
But figuring out how to bring it all together as a personal reflection of you?
It’s not an easy job — it takes time, skill & creativity. And it's easy to make mistakes.
Lucky for you, creating dreamy spaces that feel as ‘you’ as they look is exactly what we specialise in.
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Art meets science
Our first focus is space planning and giving your layout and floor plan some love. We plan how the space needs to flow, work (effortlessly!) and focus on getting the foundations right before bringing in the creative side of design.
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Design that feels like you
We play detective to establish your budget, vibe & goals. Then we work to create and execute a space that feels welcoming, timeless, and unmistakably you.
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Making it easy
Hiring a team of contractors is one thing, but getting them to work together and in line with the greater vision is another skill altogether. We’ll collaborate with your builders, architect & landscaper (we’re fluent in tradie) to help the project run smoothly.
“Shelley has provided the "wow" factor to our house that will allow us to live here for many years to come.”
Jo and Michael Hartley
Client Review
“Our project encompassed every surface in our 330sqm house - walls, floors, bathrooms, doors, lights, hardware - nothing remained untouched. Taking a holistic approach to our project, Shelley provided us with exceptional flow and integration between our spaces.
Shelley was an absolute pleasure to work with, she has style and pazzaz that immediately made us feel confident in her decisions.
She was also respectful of our budget, Shelley knew where spending more would add a difference and when to hold back.”
Services Spotlight
Home Renovations
Whether it’s a house, bach or apartment — renovations are our thing. We love breathing life into tired spaces, particularly those in-built elements (like bathrooms, kitchen, storage areas) that don’t just add impact by way of visual aesthetic but immediate value to your home.
New Builds
Just like renovations, we can take care of all the key elements like custom furniture design, lighting and fixtures, soft furnishings, 3D drawings, space planning, cabinetry design and furniture sourcing. Unofficial marriage counselling is often thrown in as a bonus.
Furniture fit outs
Quality, longevity, purpose and style — we consider every detail when sourcing specific items or getting something custom made just for you. And rather than turning your garage into a storage unit for months on end, we can store everything for you before doing one large install.
“Shelley is great at communicating, creative with budgets giving the best advice on where to save and where to splurge, and an absolute goldmine of information for everything. The end result is the sanctuary we asked for and we wouldn’t change a thing!”
As well as being brilliant at editing all of my wild ideas and bringing a cohesive plan to the flow and feel of the house, Shelley became a true partner with our builder as we worked through all the little issues that cropped up.
— Jo and Dan Hempstead
How the magic happens
Your dream home in 8 simple steps
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Fill out this short questionnaire to get the ball rolling.
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We’ll jump on the phone to discuss the scope of your project , including what’s already in action, what needs to be done, what documentation you have, what type of building/era you’re working with, and if you have a budget in mind.
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If we decide we’re a good fit, I’ll come to your home for a consultation. This is to see the actual space and to chat through your vision for how you want the home to look and function. We’ll do a room by room walkthrough (where I’ll be trying to establish your personal style) and then I’ll send you through a proposal. Once that’s signed, we’re away!
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We’ll take full measurements, photos and videos of each area in scope, noting any existing furniture that will be incorporated into the design and requesting any building/architect/council plans. We’ll use this info to create a floor plan of the ideal layout. If we’re doing a renovation we’ll have a Space Planning Meeting before moving on. If we’re doing a furniture fit out, we’ll present the space plan and conceptual design together.
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Here’s where we envision your project from all angles and confirm ballpark budgets. We’ll make sure your spaces flow from one room to another, and that they fit your lifestyle, family, and architecture. Our Conceptual Design Meeting presents the top level design direction, including aesthetic, colour palette and top level selections. For renovations, this includes 3Ds of your spaces so you can visualise exactly how your room will look!
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Time to round out the details on all selections. We’re busy shopping, pricing, gathering samples and confirming that we’re on track with our investment target. We’ll have our Detailed Design Meeting to review all the details, including elevations and drawings for any built-in or custom elements. Once the design is approved and paid for, we start making this design come to life.
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This phase is dedicated to acquiring everything we’ve promised. We’re working with suppliers to source, order and buy all your dream pieces. If we’re renovating, we’ll be having site meetings to ensure feasibility, meeting with the trades and communicating with you on progress and timelines so you know where you stand.
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It’s the big day! We offer a turnkey service which means we can deliver all of your furnishings at once, rather than sending bulky deliveries to you ad-hoc (which you then need to assemble and store somewhere). We manage the entire install process, and make sure the whole thing comes together as planned.
Frequently asked questions.
Do you work with other trade professionals?
We sure do. It’s important we’re all on the same page with the overall plan and vision, so while we don’t hire trades on your behalf (this is something you need to do directly) — we’ll work closely with them from start to finish.
I don’t know what style I want – can you still help?
Absolutely, in fact, this is the beauty of getting us on board — we’ll take all the messy thoughts in your head and help you find a style direction that not only looks incredible but feels like you.
What cities do you work in?
We’re based in Auckland, New Zealand but we work on projects all across the country.
What does an interior designer do?
Most designers work in phases similar to these - Briefing: gathering information on you and the project; Concept Design: developing and presenting overall design concepts; Detail Design: selecting products, obtaining costs, confirming tradespeople; Documentation: translating approved concepts into workable plans; Construction: overseeing any required works; Execution: carrying out the final install.
What’s the difference between an interior designer and an interior decorator?
An interior designer does space planning, floorplans, cabinetry, hard finishings, lighting and flooring, and often does soft furnishings, furniture, object and art selections too. An interior decorator works with non-structural elements including paint colours, light fittings, window treatments, wall coverings, soft furnishings, furniture, art and objects.
When should I hire an interior designer?
When you move into a new home that needs updating, when you’re renovating or building, when you want a whole new look or when you’re short on time, patience and the ability to visualise. The earlier the better - interior designers can make a much bigger impact if they are on board before the structure is complete.
Do you have access to more products than me?
We certainly do. As trade professionals we have accounts with many suppliers that don’t sell to retail. This means we have access to more products, and the ability to customise more products so you get a more personalised, custom look..
Is there a contract?
There is an interior design agreement that needs to be signed by both parties. This includes information about the payment structure and the scope of work so it’s really clear for both of us what’s been agreed on. We like to be transparent about all parts of our process so this agreement aims to give you clarity on what to expect.
How can an interior designer save me money?
People often think of interior designers as a big ticket cost. While hiring a designer is an investment, we also save you time, stress and money. We have an innate sense of what will work for you and your home, know every product on the market, have the trade contacts to get work done right, and get discounts with suppliers that cover some of the fees.
What will our project cost?
This depends entirely on the scope of work we agree on carrying out. It really helps us if you have a ballpark budget, but we can also help advise you on what different areas may cost. You will always be given quotes of all suggested works that you get to sign off before proceeding.
HOW DO YOU CHARGE?
We usually charge an hourly rate, billed monthly. But in some cases where the scope is shorter and clearer we charge a set fee for design, and an hourly rate for any management of trades etc.
Do you charge for your first meeting?
We charge $350 for the initial consultation, where Shelley will come to your home and discuss your needs, wants and dreams for your home.
Do we need to use your contractor or architect?
Not at all. You’ll need to source your own experts as the contract for works needs to be between you and the tradesperson. However if you need smaller works done we can recommend tradespeople to help.
Can you manage the entire project?
We don’t project manage the entire renovation, however we work closely with the chosen tradespeople to ensure our vision comes to life as planned.
Do I need a designer if I only want help with new furniture?
Yes! Selecting styles and sizes from the endless options available is difficult, let alone getting the placement and scale correct. We can expertly create a furniture and accessories package for you that will completely transform your home.
How are purchases for the project handled?
Our business model is that purchasing goes through SF Studio in order to access the trade discounts. While we pass on part of the discount to you, we also retain part of it (depending on the level of discount). This is because we have worked hard to create supplier relationships and deeper discounts, and we need to create a sustainable business model.
