Frequently Asked Questions
How does Lynne's design services work?
Typically after a brief phone discussion, a consultation appointment is set at your home or business. A consultation with Lynne or Valerie is $150 per hour with a one hour minimum. Design consultations typically last 1 to 2 hours or more depending on your project goals. During this meeting, they will get to know you, your space and all of your specific design needs by asking a lot of questions. At the end of the consultation, you will pay the designer the consultation fee. If not already discussed during the initial consultation, Lynne & Valerie will do some brainstorming and create a Scope of Work for the project. She will then discuss with you the Scope of Work for the project and fee structure, typically an hourly rate $150 per hour or project fee. This agreed to fee is how the designer will be compensated for their design ideas, aka, intellectual property. Please be sure to ask any questions and let know any concerns you may have. A deposit may be requested. Once you agree to the scope of work and the terms, the she will begin researching & sourcing your project.
In addition to the design work, I want to purchase items through Fresh Perspective and coordinate all the purchasing, scheduling, delivery, etc. Can you do it all for me?
Some of our clients have said they would rather eat bugs than handle the purchasing and scheduling. They want a more hands off approach which is perfectly fine. Majority of our clients actually save money by purchasing through Fresh Perspective because of our competitive pricing structure. Also, when agreeing to purchase everything through us, in most circumstances we waive our hourly or project fee on residential projects. The purchasing function of a project can take of as much as 60% of the time spent on the entire project. There is more going on behind the scenes than what most people think and purchasing can be very time consuming and similar to herding kittens. There are forms generated and completed for each order, dye lot confirmations, working with the workrooms, drawings, dealing with the receiver, handling and scheduling all the deliveries, handling any damage problems and/or returns, installation, billing, taxes, etc. If doing all these things yourself doesn't sound appealing or you don't have the time too, we would be happy to handle the design and the purchasing aspect of your project for you. The merchandise total is the deposit amount required for special orders. The shipping, receiving/delivery/installation charges, taxes, etc. will be due upon receipt of goods. If you like, we can give an estimate for these costs before making your purchase decision. A lot of time and responsibility comes with placing custom orders. We take all the responsibility off of your hands during this process, so if a problem should arise, we will take care of it.
I need only design advice, not purchasing assistance. Can you just give me ideas and tell me what I need to buy?
Absolutely! If you want to be fully in control of what you ultimately purchase and finding "the best deal," we would be happy to offer you just design advice and tell you what you should buy. To help with comparison pricing, we will provide you our pricing on items that are also available to purchase through Fresh Perspective. This gives you full buying power. You will ultimately be responsible for finding the best deal, ordering, shipping, receiving, scheduling delivery, assembly, handling returns, etc. If you just need ideas and love to shop around for the best price, order online, & shop around town, this is probably ideal for you. As discussed in the first question, a design service fee will be charged.
The "B" word. Do I really need to give you my budget?
Everyone hates the idea of the "b" word: Budget. It is in everyone's mutual interest to set a budget in the beginning. It is not our goal to sell you the most expensive items, but it is our goal to provide you with the best design within your budget. Lynne & Valerie cannot begin work on your project unless they have a clear understanding of what this is upfront. Additionally, there is such a wide spectrum of products available at all different price points. Did you know that fabrics can range from less than $20/yard to upwards of $800/yard? Custom sofas can range from $800 to upwards of over $15,000 (and no that's not a sectional). This is why it is important for us to understand what you are comfortable paying for different items. We don't want to presume what you can or can't pay and embarrass you by presenting you a $1,500 piece of art work when all you wanted to spend was $300. One person's idea of reasonable may not be yours. So rather than spinning our wheels, we want to be on the same page as you from the beginning. We work with a wide range of budgets and if you honestly don't have a budget, we can work together to figure out what amount you are comfortable paying for a particular item. If you realize that the entire project is more of an investment than you can spend at one time, consider doing the projects in stages. Just be honest with us upfront and tell us your concerns so that we can figure this out together.
What is your process for placing a custom order and how long should it take to complete?
Once your selection has been made, price and stock information has been confirmed and your deposit has been taken, the order will be placed. If a particular product is on backorder, we will notify you of the delay. We try to always check current price and stock information before presenting an option to you. Sometimes, if it takes a while for you to make a purchase decision, the item we presented could be discontinued or placed on backorder. If this happens, we will let you know and advise you of the delay and find an alternative option when necessary. Shipping dates are different depending upon the manufacturer and a variety of things such as whether it is in stock, shipping origination, how customized you are making it, if it’s being designed from scratch, or if it gets held up at the ports for inspection, etc. Typically, fabric can be delivered in as little as 3 to 5 days if being shipped from within the U.S. If it is coming from overseas, it could take 2 or 3 weeks. Furniture typically takes 4 to 8 weeks, however, it can take as little as 1 to 2 weeks for prefabricated items, but can take as long as 12 to 18 weeks for the most custom pieces. Art, accessories, lighting and wallpaper don’t always take as long as furniture and typically arrive in as little as one to two weeks. If an item is being shipped to the store, we will immediately tell you when it arrives. If it is something that needs to be received at the warehouse, scheduling a delivery is a fairly quick process. Most clients chose to have everything sent to the receiver and have everything be delivered at once.
Do you provide fabric sewing and reupholstery, or do I need to find someone myself?
While Lynne and Valerie don't do any sewing, we have trusted quality workrooms and artisans who can complete any custom order locally. If you wish to use your own trusted workroom or want to do the customizing yourself, that is completely up to you.
Do you do same day/emergency consultations?
In some cases yes! We can't tell you how many times we've been called by someone needing an emergency paint consultation. The painter is there with paint brush in hand ready to go and a you haven't decided on your paint color yet and your contractor is screaming at you to pick a paint color. As long as our schedule is clear, we would be happy to help same day.
Are your fees negotiable?
Not at all. Though we can modify the scope of work or phase of projects, we know the cost of doing business and we include a reasonable markup on our product and/or services. After all, this isn't our hobby, it's our career.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We will accept cash, checks and all major credit cards. (Yes, AMEX too)
Typically after a brief phone discussion, a consultation appointment is set at your home or business. A consultation with Lynne or Valerie is $150 per hour with a one hour minimum. Design consultations typically last 1 to 2 hours or more depending on your project goals. During this meeting, they will get to know you, your space and all of your specific design needs by asking a lot of questions. At the end of the consultation, you will pay the designer the consultation fee. If not already discussed during the initial consultation, Lynne & Valerie will do some brainstorming and create a Scope of Work for the project. She will then discuss with you the Scope of Work for the project and fee structure, typically an hourly rate $150 per hour or project fee. This agreed to fee is how the designer will be compensated for their design ideas, aka, intellectual property. Please be sure to ask any questions and let know any concerns you may have. A deposit may be requested. Once you agree to the scope of work and the terms, the she will begin researching & sourcing your project.
In addition to the design work, I want to purchase items through Fresh Perspective and coordinate all the purchasing, scheduling, delivery, etc. Can you do it all for me?
Some of our clients have said they would rather eat bugs than handle the purchasing and scheduling. They want a more hands off approach which is perfectly fine. Majority of our clients actually save money by purchasing through Fresh Perspective because of our competitive pricing structure. Also, when agreeing to purchase everything through us, in most circumstances we waive our hourly or project fee on residential projects. The purchasing function of a project can take of as much as 60% of the time spent on the entire project. There is more going on behind the scenes than what most people think and purchasing can be very time consuming and similar to herding kittens. There are forms generated and completed for each order, dye lot confirmations, working with the workrooms, drawings, dealing with the receiver, handling and scheduling all the deliveries, handling any damage problems and/or returns, installation, billing, taxes, etc. If doing all these things yourself doesn't sound appealing or you don't have the time too, we would be happy to handle the design and the purchasing aspect of your project for you. The merchandise total is the deposit amount required for special orders. The shipping, receiving/delivery/installation charges, taxes, etc. will be due upon receipt of goods. If you like, we can give an estimate for these costs before making your purchase decision. A lot of time and responsibility comes with placing custom orders. We take all the responsibility off of your hands during this process, so if a problem should arise, we will take care of it.
I need only design advice, not purchasing assistance. Can you just give me ideas and tell me what I need to buy?
Absolutely! If you want to be fully in control of what you ultimately purchase and finding "the best deal," we would be happy to offer you just design advice and tell you what you should buy. To help with comparison pricing, we will provide you our pricing on items that are also available to purchase through Fresh Perspective. This gives you full buying power. You will ultimately be responsible for finding the best deal, ordering, shipping, receiving, scheduling delivery, assembly, handling returns, etc. If you just need ideas and love to shop around for the best price, order online, & shop around town, this is probably ideal for you. As discussed in the first question, a design service fee will be charged.
The "B" word. Do I really need to give you my budget?
Everyone hates the idea of the "b" word: Budget. It is in everyone's mutual interest to set a budget in the beginning. It is not our goal to sell you the most expensive items, but it is our goal to provide you with the best design within your budget. Lynne & Valerie cannot begin work on your project unless they have a clear understanding of what this is upfront. Additionally, there is such a wide spectrum of products available at all different price points. Did you know that fabrics can range from less than $20/yard to upwards of $800/yard? Custom sofas can range from $800 to upwards of over $15,000 (and no that's not a sectional). This is why it is important for us to understand what you are comfortable paying for different items. We don't want to presume what you can or can't pay and embarrass you by presenting you a $1,500 piece of art work when all you wanted to spend was $300. One person's idea of reasonable may not be yours. So rather than spinning our wheels, we want to be on the same page as you from the beginning. We work with a wide range of budgets and if you honestly don't have a budget, we can work together to figure out what amount you are comfortable paying for a particular item. If you realize that the entire project is more of an investment than you can spend at one time, consider doing the projects in stages. Just be honest with us upfront and tell us your concerns so that we can figure this out together.
What is your process for placing a custom order and how long should it take to complete?
Once your selection has been made, price and stock information has been confirmed and your deposit has been taken, the order will be placed. If a particular product is on backorder, we will notify you of the delay. We try to always check current price and stock information before presenting an option to you. Sometimes, if it takes a while for you to make a purchase decision, the item we presented could be discontinued or placed on backorder. If this happens, we will let you know and advise you of the delay and find an alternative option when necessary. Shipping dates are different depending upon the manufacturer and a variety of things such as whether it is in stock, shipping origination, how customized you are making it, if it’s being designed from scratch, or if it gets held up at the ports for inspection, etc. Typically, fabric can be delivered in as little as 3 to 5 days if being shipped from within the U.S. If it is coming from overseas, it could take 2 or 3 weeks. Furniture typically takes 4 to 8 weeks, however, it can take as little as 1 to 2 weeks for prefabricated items, but can take as long as 12 to 18 weeks for the most custom pieces. Art, accessories, lighting and wallpaper don’t always take as long as furniture and typically arrive in as little as one to two weeks. If an item is being shipped to the store, we will immediately tell you when it arrives. If it is something that needs to be received at the warehouse, scheduling a delivery is a fairly quick process. Most clients chose to have everything sent to the receiver and have everything be delivered at once.
Do you provide fabric sewing and reupholstery, or do I need to find someone myself?
While Lynne and Valerie don't do any sewing, we have trusted quality workrooms and artisans who can complete any custom order locally. If you wish to use your own trusted workroom or want to do the customizing yourself, that is completely up to you.
Do you do same day/emergency consultations?
In some cases yes! We can't tell you how many times we've been called by someone needing an emergency paint consultation. The painter is there with paint brush in hand ready to go and a you haven't decided on your paint color yet and your contractor is screaming at you to pick a paint color. As long as our schedule is clear, we would be happy to help same day.
Are your fees negotiable?
Not at all. Though we can modify the scope of work or phase of projects, we know the cost of doing business and we include a reasonable markup on our product and/or services. After all, this isn't our hobby, it's our career.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We will accept cash, checks and all major credit cards. (Yes, AMEX too)