We meet you where you are. Michael Howells will come to you for an initial consultation (at no charge). Our goals are to look, listen, and learn from you and your home. This session is one of mutual discovery. We welcome any questions you have for us. Next, we send a proposal. If we're a good fit, we enter into a contract.

We document every detail. We gather information on your site and measure existing buildings. Then we draft a plan and work closely with you to fine-tune the program. After we establish the design direction together, we present you with realistic renderings. We also assemble palettes of materials, finishes, and fixtures for your consideration. With your feedback, we tweak the design and develop it further, moving from conceptual design to a comprehensive construction documents package, ready for pricing, permitting, and construction.

We make it happen. We are far from done when the drawings are. We solicit pricing from qualified general contractors on your behalf, and you make your selection. When it comes to permitting, our clients don't do any legwork. We will ensure your submittal to the county goes smoothly.

A note on general contractors: We like to recommend contractors we trust, but we do not engage in what is sometimes termed a “design-build” or in-house relationship with contractors. This means no divided loyalties or potential conflict of interest. Simply put, if you work with us, we work only for you.

We service the vision. We believe the designer's presence during construction is crucial. We monitor your project closely, with regular site visits. We are also on call for you and the builder to ensure rigorous adherence to the documentation, solve problems, represent your concerns, and take as much stress off you as possible. We consider our job done when you've moved (back) in and are satisfied with outcome. Even then, many clients retain us for help with furnishings.