How we work
Our process
Michelle describes a project as a journey, with her as your navigator. She knows the turbulent stretches and how to steer around them, so the ride is as smooth as it can be. Our process comes from more than twenty-five years of practice: systematic, personal and honest about what works. And when we reach the end, life in the new home is only beginning.
The process
From the first call to the day you come home
Every selection is presented for your approval. The best rooms are made side by side.
The discovery call
We begin with a complimentary discovery call by Zoom. Tell Michelle about the house, how you want it to look, feel and work, and what is not working now. A project is a relationship that often lasts a year or so, and it matters that we get along.
Getting to know you
In our first meetings, Michelle listens. The way you live, the things you treasure, the art you own, the rooms that frustrate you. She studies the house too: its architecture, its light and its age, whether it is a 1920s bungalow or a downtown condo.
Space planning and concept
Layouts come first: architectural space planning, furniture plans and any built-ins, so each room works before it is dressed. Then a direction takes shape, with a palette, materials and a balance of pieces, often starting from a piece of art you already love.
Selections
For a renovation, Michelle lays out a systematic plan through flooring, tile, plumbing fixtures and lighting, turning endless options into a short, considered list. For furnishing, she presents furniture, fabrics and art, including original work from local galleries, for your approval.
Ordering and status updates
We handle everything behind the scenes: ordering, tracking, receiving and returns. On renovations, Michelle sends regular status updates, so you know where things stand.
Installation day
All of the furniture is delivered on one day, under Michelle's direction. Art is hung, accessories are placed and candles are lit, so your home is ready to be lived in when you walk through the door.
Interior design services
Some homes need new kitchens and baths. Some need furniture, art and a finished look. Some need only an honest second opinion before a big decision. Each service answers one of those needs, and Michelle leads every one herself.
Full-service renovation
For houses where the walls, floors and fixtures all need rethinking.
- What it includes
- Architectural space planning; flooring, tile, plumbing fixtures, lighting and finishes; cabinetry and custom built-ins; and, if you wish, furniture, art and accessories once the work is done. Michelle lays it all out as one systematic plan, so every choice is made in the right order.
- Who it is for
- Owners remodeling a house they already love, buyers ready to make a new house their own, and clients building new. If online shopping, showrooms and Pinterest have left you overwhelmed, you are not alone.
- How it runs
- Michelle starts from the house as you have it and plans the changes with you, one selection at a time. Through construction she sends regular status updates. Bayshore in Tampa, in our portfolio, shows a kitchen and two baths designed together.
Kitchen and bath design
For the rooms that work hardest, and are used every single day.
- What it includes
- Layouts and cabinetry; counters, backsplashes and tile; sinks, plumbing fixtures and hardware; lighting, vanities, mirrors and storage, down to a fitted jewelry cabinet. Each choice is made for daily use first, and for beauty right alongside it.
- Who it is for
- Clients updating a dated kitchen or primary bath, and those rebuilding after a storm. Brightwaters, Belleair and Yacht Club Estates in our portfolio show the range, from a white kitchen under a coffered ceiling to a walnut and white quartz bath.
- How it runs
- Michelle measures and plans the room, then presents cabinetry, stone, tile, fixtures and lighting for your approval, with a clear plan for every decision. She follows the work through installation, so the details on paper are the details you live with.
Full-service decorating
Every room furnished, every detail handled, all on one day.
- What it includes
- Living, dining and bedroom design; furniture plans; upholstery and custom pieces; rugs, lighting and window treatments; original art and accessories. Michelle presents the options, then handles everything behind the scenes, from ordering and tracking to receiving and returns.
- Who it is for
- Busy families and working professionals who want an expert to handle the details. Newly built and newly bought homes, condominiums, and households moving to St. Petersburg from somewhere else.
- How it runs
- After you approve the furniture, fabrics and art, we order, track and receive every piece. Everything is delivered on one day under Michelle's direction, and when you come home the art is hung, the accessories are placed and the candles are lit.
Custom built-ins and furniture
When the right piece does not exist, we design it.
- What it includes
- Built-in cabinetry, shelving, media walls and banquettes; custom tables, chairs, headboards and upholstery. Each piece is drawn for its room, its proportions and its use, with finishes and hardware chosen to suit the house around it.
- Who it is for
- Rooms with awkward walls, collections that deserve a proper home and clients who want something no showroom carries. A recent St. Petersburg built-in was designed around the clients' art collection.
- How it runs
- Michelle measures the space, sketches options with you and refines the design, finishes and hardware until the piece is right. It is then made and installed, as part of a larger project or on its own.
Design consultation
An experienced eye, before the big decisions.
- What it includes
- A focused session on the questions in front of you: a layout, a paint color, a tile or a fixture, a sofa, a piece of art. Michelle brings more than twenty-five years of experience and an honest view of what works and what to avoid.
- Who it is for
- Homeowners taking on much of the work themselves, buyers weighing a new house, and anyone about to make a costly choice who would like a professional eye first.
- How it runs
- It starts with a complimentary discovery call by Zoom. From there, Michelle meets with you and gives clear, candid recommendations you can act on, on your own or with her help later.
St. Petersburg
Rooted in St. Petersburg
Michelle is a third-generation St. Petersburg resident, and the city runs through everything she designs. For clients moving here from somewhere else, she is a designer and a guide at once. For clients planning a project from afar, her systematic approach keeps the house moving forward while you are away.
The city, past and present
While she designs your home, Michelle can tell you about St. Petersburg as it was and as it is now, and help a new city begin to feel like your own.
The historic neighborhoods
Old Northeast, Snell Isle, Shore Acres, Brightwaters, Bayou Grande and downtown each have their own character, and their own houses, from 1920s bungalows to downtown condos.
Restaurants, boutiques and art
The restaurants and boutiques worth knowing, the museums to see first, and the local galleries Michelle works with when she curates original art for her clients.
The schools
Families relocating get an insider's view of the school systems, from a designer whose family has called the city home for three generations.
Planning from afar
A systematic approach to working remotely means fewer trips to the job site. The discovery call is by Zoom, and decisions can be made from wherever you are.
Regular status updates
You hear from Michelle regularly, with clear updates on the work, so you have the peace of mind that everything is being carried out according to plan.
You may be new to St. Petersburg. Your designer is anything but. Whether you are across town or far away, regular updates keep you close to the work.
Inquire
Wherever you are starting from
Share a little about your home, your timing and the feeling you are after. Michelle will set up a complimentary discovery call by Zoom, from wherever you are.
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