How Do We Organize an Interior Design Project?

Initial Consultation
Once we are contacted by a prospective client, an appointment is set up to review the project with the client, discuss the client’s objectives, and determine the scope of the project, the timetable, the budget and the client’s expectations. Our designer will explain how we might see the project progress through the design phases. We discuss our fee structure and the Purchase Management option. The meeting generally lasts about an hour and there is no charge for this initial interview.

Letter of Intent & Retainer
Following the initial meeting, Burlingame Interiors submits a letter of intent briefly describing the project and client expectations, specific services to be rendered and the fees to be charged. The letter also requests a retainer which will be credited to monthly fee billings.

Gathering Information
Once the signed letter and the retainer are received, the designer meets with the client to specifically address functional requirements, space allocations, furniture and furnishings needs, aesthetic, and design considerations. We request blueprints or plans of the spaces to be designed, and if none are available, arrangements will be made to measure and produce plans. Existing equipment or furnishings will be inventoried and photographed.

Design Phase
Following the accumulation of information necessary to begin the design process, we proceed to draw plans, evaluate space requirements, determine storage needs, layout furniture and furnishings, and select and coordinate materials lighting, floor and wall coverings. Depending on the size and scope of the project, there may be meetings with the client’s architect or contractor. There may also be sketch and/or tear sheet presentations of various options available to the client prior to completing the design.

Presentation of Design
Once the design phase is complete, there will be a final presentation to the client which includes:

• plans
• drawings and sketches
• presentation boards with photos of furniture, lighting, and equipment
• samples of materials, wall coverings, floor coverings, and finishes
• price quotes and estimates
• specifications for non-furnishing materials and finishes
• itemized listing of all furniture and furnishings including manufacturer’s name, stock numbers and wholesale cost.

The final presentation includes everything we feel is necessary to ensure that the client thoroughly understands our design proposal.

Revisions
At that point, the proposal is usually generally accepted, sometimes with minor revision requests. The revisions are made, the documentation is adjusted to reflect those revisions and the project is ready to proceed.

Purchase of Furniture & Furnishings 

If the client wishes Burlingame Interiors to manage the purchase of furniture and furnishings, an invoice for manufacturer required deposits is forwarded to the client. Furniture and furnishings will be ordered upon receipt of our signed proposal and deposit. Burlingame Interiors keeps track of the orders, acknowledgements, and projected shipping dates. As various pieces of furniture are ready for shipment, they are shipped to our installation coordinator’s warehouse and collected until all furniture has arrived.

We coordinate with various contractors and suppliers to be sure wallcovering, floorcovering, and window treatment installations are completed before delivery and installation of furniture and furnishings. Since the terms of payment are those extended to us by the manufacturers, invoices will be sent to the client immediately after we receive them with added service charge and sales tax. Invoices are due upon receipt