Designing a home is about far more than choosing paint colors or placing furniture—it’s about creating a space that reflects your life with clarity, comfort, and beauty. Whether you’re renovating a historic co-op in Manhattan or building a new home in the Hamptons, hiring a full-service interior designer is an investment in both beauty and clarity.

But what does the process actually involve? How long will it take? And what can you do as a client to make it smooth, collaborative, and truly rewarding?

Here’s what to expect—and how to get the most from your design experience.

*A custom bar designed to conceal wine storage and serve as a tea bar during the day. Stone is a pale blue calcite marble.*

It Starts With a Conversation & Understanding

Our first priority is to understand you—how you live, what you value, what isn’t working, and what you hope your space will give back to you.
We ask questions like:

What does your day-to-day look like at home?
What moments do you want the space to support—quiet mornings, entertaining, family time?
Are there pieces that hold sentimental value?

This early phase becomes the foundation of everything that follows. It’s not just about aesthetics—it’s about alignment, lifestyle, and vision.

Who Should You Hire First—an Interior Designer or an Architect?

If you haven’t started your project yet, our honest advice: hire your interior designer first.

While architects focus on the building envelope, zoning, and structure, a full-service interior designer is equally critical to early spatial planning—how rooms are used, where millwork lives, how light moves through the space, and what the experience of living there will actually feel like.

At Libarikian Interiors, we often lead the early design vision and help clients interview and select architects and builders who align with their style, scope, and personality. Starting with the designer means:

Your interior flow and functional needs are considered from day one
You build a team around a shared aesthetic and process
The final result is more cohesive, efficient, and tailored

So if you’re just starting to dream up your home—start with your designer. We’ll help guide you from the very first step.

A curated apartment in Soho with floor to ceiling built-ins for display and storage.

The Design Process Is Phased, Intentional, and Collaborative

Full-service design unfolds in carefully structured stages:

Discovery & Concept Development (2–4 weeks): We review your architectural plans, survey the space, and create a conceptual framework.
Design Presentation (4–6 weeks): You receive a fully visualized design package—floor plans, finishes, fabrics, furnishings, lighting, and pricing.
Procurement & Construction Documents (8–12+ weeks): We handle detailed construction drawings, source custom pieces, and coordinate with trades.
Project Management & Site Coordination: We collaborate with architects and builders throughout construction, ensuring every detail aligns with the vision.
Installation & Styling (1–2 weeks): Our team installs, styles, and reveals a cohesive, finished space—down to the art, accessories, and window treatments.

Yes, We Handle Construction Drawings—and So Much More

As a full-service design firm, we prepare interior architectural drawings, including:

Custom millwork and cabinetry
Electrical and lighting plans
Finish schedules and material specs
Elevations and detailed renderings

During construction, we’re an active part of your professional team—collaborating with the architect and contractor, answering RFIs, coordinating material deliveries, reviewing shop drawings, and solving site issues before they become costly delays. This coordination is key to keeping the project on track—and on vision. We’re collaborators, and that cohesion often makes the difference between good and exceptional.

A layered pied-a-terre on the Upper West Side, effortlessly blending modern and antique pieces.

The Benefits Go Far Beyond Aesthetics

Working with a full-service interior designer brings extraordinary value—some visible, some quietly behind the scenes:

✦ Time-Saving

Most of our clients are busy professionals. They don’t have time to check site conditions, research hundreds of vendors, or chase shipping delays. We take that off your plate—managing the process, troubleshooting problems, and keeping everything moving forward so you don’t have to.

✦ Clarity and Confidence

Design decisions can be overwhelming—there are too many choices, too much pressure to “get it right.” We act as trusted advisors, guiding you toward thoughtful decisions that balance form and function, timelessness and personality.

✦ Uniqueness

We never repeat designs. Every project is completely tailored to your architecture, lifestyle, and taste. You’ll never walk into someone else’s home and see your living room.

✦ Access to Exceptional Resources

We work with trade-only vendors, artisan workshops, custom upholsterers, and boutique makers that most clients would never know to look for. That means access to pieces, finishes, and capabilities far beyond what’s available at retail.

✦ Holistic Thinking

We design every space in context—with light, architecture, proportion, and movement in mind. That ensures consistency, coherence, and a home that feels quietly complete, not pieced together.

A kitchen designed for a chef on the Upper West Side, featuring durable quartzite stone counters.

Good Project Management = On-Time, On-Budget

Design is only as good as its execution. We maintain:

Clear communication with all trades and collaborators
A centralized specification list and purchasing schedule
Transparent invoicing and order tracking
Ongoing site visits to verify details before it’s too late to fix them

When project management is done well, design feels effortless—even when it isn’t.

How To Be a Great Client

Great design is a collaboration—and the best results happen when clients are:

Honest about budget. It’s not awkward—it’s empowering. We can guide you better when we know the real parameters.
Open to guidance. You hired a designer for a reason—let us take the lead on the big picture and protect the overall vision.
Responsive and available at key moments. We don’t need your input on everything, but we do need your voice when it counts.
Excited, but patient. Custom design takes time. Trust that the wait is always worth it.

Working with a full-service interior designer is about more than the end result—it’s about the journey. It’s about knowing that someone is managing the details, protecting your time, and designing something singular, considered, and personal. It’s about having a partner who’s thinking ten steps ahead—so you can simply enjoy the transformation.

At Libarikian Interiors, we believe that luxury is not just about appearance—it’s about experience. And a well-designed home should reflect your life in a way that feels effortless, layered, and lasting.

Curious about starting a project in NYC or the Hamptons?

We’d be happy to have a conversation—no pressure, just clarity.

How to Work With a Full-Service Interior Designer: What to Expect