THE FULL SERVICE DESIGN PROCESS
Our full service design process creates cohesive, fully detailed rooms and is ideal for people who want a magazine worthy home. We elevate their everyday living through our proprietary process to efficiently and effectively achieve their desired results with LAVA in the lead to both create their customized home and oversee its project management. All projects in our portfolio are a result of the full service design process.
The full service process takes a project from inspiration through installation over the course of five main steps:
Research, Planning, Procurement, Construction Administration, and Styling.
“We could never have done this without you!”
- Joel
1 | RESEARCH
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Once the Standard Agreement with your project’s Proposal is signed, and the first installment of the Design Fee is paid, we hold a Project Kick Off meeting in our New York City design studio at 1133 Broadway in the heart of Manhattan.
During this meeting, we review all of your inspirational imagery to capture your aesthetic goals. This meeting is scheduled once we receive all the digital files of our client’s inspiration.
We also hand select a group of materials we feel will be a good starting point for consideration in your project, and empower you to select your favorites, which begins to develop your own personal aesthetic story during this first meeting. You will have free reign of our sample library, and we will discuss the application, quality, and uses for the various materials we use to create custom interiors.
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A site survey is required to obtain the dimensions of the space to then draft as-built drawings in AutoCAD. These drawings allow us to create scaled furniture and floor plans to ensure the product and design specifications are both functional and aesthetically informed.
We will also visually document the scope by capturing each room with photography for our files.
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We require each client to accompany us on a shopping trip to visit various fabricators and vendors. This allows us to both educate our clients with the range of product available in assessing their level of investment, and to also allow us the opportunity to understand our client’s own personal style.
We discuss the different levels of quality when it comes to fabrication, and refine the aesthetic goals of the project.
The ultimate goal is to guide our clients in selecting the first handful of items for their project, which we then assess as to which rooms those items can live in. Our job is to then create a cohesive design around these initial items for each space.
2 | PLANNING
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The goal of Conceptual Design is to define the overall conceptual imagery for each space, the furniture and floor plans, and the corresponding line item product budget.
Conceptual Design consists of one Presentation to develop two furniture and floor plans for each space to discuss the options for function. An itemized high low budget for product is presented for the corresponding furniture plan, and imagery for each space is reviewed to develop the overall aesthetic look and feel.
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The goal of Schematic Design is to select all product and define the design details, as well as the actual furniture and floor plans to scale based on the actual product specifications, and the corresponding line item product budget with estimates for the actual product.
Schematic Design consists of one Presentation to develop design boards for each space showing the proposed product, along with the itemized budget showing the estimated actual cost of each product. We strive to develop cohesive spaces that are intentionally designed with one option per item, but occationally up to three options will be presented for the client to consider. Hard samples like fabric, stone, wood, and paint accompany the design boards to fully detail the design intent.
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A FF+E Specification Book and Schedules with drawings and schedules required for construction to fully specify the details of the design. This allows Contractors to accurately bid on the scope of work.
The documents that may be included are:
Wall Finish Schedule
Floor Finish Schedule
Cabinetry Finish Schedule
Stone Finish Schedule
Door Hardware Schedule
Cabinetry Hardware Schedule
Wall Mounted Hardware Schedule
Decorative Lighting Schedule
Plumbing Schedule
Appliance Schedule
Door Schedule
Window Schedule
Window Treatment Schedule
Tile Schedule
Floor Finish Plan
Reflected Ceiling Plan
Decorative Lighting Plan
Sections
Elevations
Millwork
Detail Drawings
3 | PROCUREMENT
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Following Schematic Design once the client has signed off on all product, we obtain pricing from vendors to compile a Proposal for all product. Payment in full is needed for us to place orders with each vendor.
We also obtain payment for the estimates of taxes, and the two components of shipping: Freight and the Receiving Warehouse.
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Once funds have cleared for all product, we place orders with each vendor for the approved items.
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Paperwork is needed to define the specifications of the product, including custom details, CFAs (cutting for approval), and any other details needed for accurate order placement.
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We work closely with all vendors to obtain accurate lead times for all product. This includes regular correspondence with each vendor to understand updates with the timeframes in order to accurately predict when product will be shipped, and therefore schedule rolling deliveries once items are ready to be delivered to site, and coordinate any trades needed for installation.
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Damage claims are a regular part of the process with issues that occur during shipping and/or delivery. We file paperwork and coordinate with vendors and artisans to complete the necessary steps in getting the product issues resolved.
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Reselections may be necessary for items that are discontinued, out of stock, or can no longer be fulfilled for any reason. We will notify you of these deficiencies as they occur and a new option will be presented for consideration and approval.
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All decorative product is shipped to our trusted Receiving Warehouse with a commercial loading dock to receive, unwrap, inspect, document, rewrap, and store each item until delivery to site takes place. Ideally one day of installations takes place, but two or three may be needed based on varying product leadtimes or issues with damage claims that extend the installation timeline further than the main group of deliveries.
4 | CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION
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Up to three bids will be obtained for any construction scope of work based on the design details. We meet the contractors on site to walk through the construction intent and field questions to obtain written bids, which are presented and reviewed with our client. The client will decide which Contractor they would like to engage with under our guidance.
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Review of the drawings, schedules, and other documents provided by Contractors, Manufacturers, Consultants, and any other party responsible for providing materials and equipment to be installed on site which demonstrate how the design intent will be accomplished.
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Weekly Status reports are issued on Fridays to communicate the status of open items, and regular site visits are held to ensure the design intent is upheld. The design documents are updated and issued as needed to communicate modifications needed along the construction process.
Within the Weekly Status issued on Fridays, we include a scheduling link for you to book time with us on Mondays for Client Check-in calls as needed throughout the management process. This regular communication keeps forward momentum for the project, and the client consistently informed.
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Reselections may be necessary for items that are discontinued, out of stock, or can no longer be fulfilled for any reason. We will notify you of these deficiencies as they occur, and present a new option for consideration and approval.
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Status Reports are issued on most Fridays to communicate the status of open items, and regular site visits are held to ensure the design intent is upheld. The design documents are updated and issued as needed to communicate modifications needed along the construction process. Within the Status Report, we include a scheduling link for you to book time with us on Mondays for Client Check-in calls as needed throughout the management process. This regular communication keeps forward momentum for the project, and the Client is consistently informed.
5 | STYLING
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Once the furniture and lighting have been delivered and installed, we work in tandem with an Art Consultant to select the locations for the art, as well as the art and sculpture itself. Mirrors will also be finalized as we define the necessary objects needed to complete each space.
A professional installer is used to hang any items on the wall to ensure they are securely fastened.
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Once Art has been installed, we will finalize each room with accessories - or smalls - to complete each space. This may include decorative tabletop items, a side table, a lamp, or any items we feel are needed to complete the last layer of design. This takes place immediately before photography.
Any items brought to site without approval and payment first, will be considered on loan for consideration. The client will have the option to purchase anything used, with payment due to retain the items, otherwise they will be picked up within a few days.
We would love to explore your project with you. Please submit requests for a complimentary phone consultation here.