DISCOVERY PHONE CALL

Let’s Begin the Conversation

The Discovery Call is our first opportunity to explore your design vision and discuss how we can bring it to life. This 30-minute phone consultation allows us to gain insight into your project, understand your needs, and determine the best path forward. It’s also a chance to learn more about each other and ensure we’re the right fit for a successful collaboration.

Schedule your Discovery Call today, and let’s start shaping your space with purpose and sophistication.

ELEVATED ESSENTIALS

Refined Interiors with a Hands-On Approach

Our Elevated Essentials service is ideal for clients who value beautifully curated interiors and high-quality furnishings but prefer a more hands-on approach to project management. This service is best suited for projects with a smaller scope and minimal construction.

Unlike our Full-Service Design, clients are responsible for coordinating secondary trades (such as contractors, painters, electricians, and window treatment installers). However, we provide the resources needed to guide this process and can check in as needed.

We still handle budgeting, sourcing, and procurement, ensuring a seamless experience from concept to completion. While most meetings are conducted virtually, local clients have the option for in-person touchpoints. Please note: We only design full rooms—no partial rooms.

The Key to Exceptional Design: Our Signature VIP Experience:

Our Signature VIP Experience is a meticulously crafted, three-phase project management strategy designed to deliver magazine-worthy interiors—on time and on budget.

At Dane Austin Design, we believe our role extends beyond creating beautiful spaces; it is about enhancing and elevating the way you live.

From the very first conversation, this is your opportunity to dream without limits. You are our inspiration and muse, while we serve as your trusted advisors and design guides. Our expert design/build team brings clarity, confidence, and creativity to each phase of the journey, ensuring a process that is as seamless as it is enjoyable.

With a refined approach and an unwavering commitment to excellence, we transform your vision into a home that is both stunning and deeply personal.

PHASE 1. DEFINE

GET ACQUAINTED, REVIEW & DEFINE

First, the design vision is defined. To begin our journey, we meet to understand your goals, challenges, needs, wants, and wishes. We discuss the project scope, share ideas, and decide how best to move forward together. The Timeline, Project Scope, and Budget are confirmed. If construction is required, our design/build team is established, or we collaborate with your own teams. With a strong foundation, we can build (practically) anything.

PHASE 2. DESIGN

CONCEPTUALIZE, SPecify & PRESENT

Next, The design vision is conceived. We create a detailed plan of action and develop the design concepts that will inspire the spaces. Space planning, elevations, floor plans, millwork, kitchens, baths, furniture, fabrics, finishes, lighting, and artwork will all be considered. We present the finalized design vision along with color palettes, selections, and architectural features for your input and approval at every benchmark.

PHASE 3. DELIVER (and follow-up)

PURCHASE, PROCURE & INSTALL

Finally, the design vision becomes a reality. Our team works closely with you and the many specialized trades involved with implementing the plan we have created together. We transform your space into a thoughtfully curated design — beyond your expectation and imagination.

Resolve, Finalize & INsure

That’s a wrap. Now that everything is in place, we walk through the completed design, focus on any outstanding areas in need of attention, and promptly address them. Our project comes to a celebrated closure, and we provide the necessary documents to ensure your investment is well protected.

Together we create inspired interiors for living well.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS & HELPFUL INFORMATION

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTERIOR DESIGN AND INTERIOR DECORATION?

If your project includes just the furnishings, light fixtures, and some accessories, then “decoration” is the appropriate service for your needs. Many trained designers also offer interior decorating services. If your scope of work includes new construction specifications, or you are working on a renovation of your existing home, meaning--an overall plan that takes into account a concept, a budget, and construction, you are looking for an interior designer who has received training. The decisions you make, whether with a decorator or designer lead to a comprehensive design concept and specifications, and it’s all in pursuit of one result: your stunning home.

WHEN SHOULD I HIRE AN INTERIOR DESIGNER?

We suggest hiring an interior designer before or around the time of hiring an architect, builder or general contractor. Knowledgeable designers are able to enhance the project and ensure that you receive the end result that is in your dreams. It's best to have all contacts on board from the start. We’re here to guide you and be your advocate through the process. Think of us as your trusted advisors, acting on your behalf, to guide you through making all of the design decisions required to build or redesign your home. We draw upon the relationships we’ve fostered with multiple architects and builders over the years and help select the right team for your project.

WHAT’S THE REASON FOR BRINGING IN A DESIGNER EARLY IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR DESIGN PROCESS?

Let’s look at what happens when you don’t bring in a designer first--it’s like making a movie without a director; there’s no one holding the full vision and no one sharing information with the team in a way they are used to processing the information. With a designer on board, you will have someone taking charge of all the decisions, someone who knows exactly how all of the pieces in your very large project puzzle impacts the next, and someone who can, and will, take all those pieces and create a home that is breathtaking in every way

WHAT ROLE DO YOU PLAY IN OUR PROJECT?

Our team is your unbiased expert resource - your advocate who is the liaison between all your various services: architect, builder, contractors, and trades people. We communicate the information on the who, what, where and how of your home to the appropriate parties.

HOW DO WE EXPRESS YOUR STYLE?

We dig deep before we start because we want to get to know you on a deep and intimate level. To get there, we set up meetings with the intention of establishing direction through inspirational elements. In those meetings, we ask many questions and listen deeply to your answers–because your answers tell us who you are, and what you care about. Your answers tell us what you love, what’s sentimental to you, and what you want to express about yourself. After we get to know you, and through detailed consideration, we integrate images that communicate our ideas into a new vision for your home.

CAN WE SHOP TOGETHER?

That’s generally not part of the equation when we work with clients. Our experience has shown us that the key idea of working with an interior designer is to have one person steering the ship. This lets the original design vision be executed seamlessly, effectively and in a way that is truly service oriented for the client.

WHAT IF I SEE SOMETHING ONLINE THAT LOOKS SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SPECIFIED FOR LESS MONEY? CAN I BUY THAT MYSELF?

Imagine baking a cake and having someone else trying to add ingredients at the last minute or frosting it in a style that isn’t in keeping with the original intent. The cake won’t be as the baker, or in this case, the interior designer intended. It’s tempting to do your own shopping to save money, but in the end, we find that it costs our clients in scale and quality mistakes which means that they end up buying items twice and experiencing frustration from the extra costs. If you prefer to do your own purchasing, we may not be the right designer for you as we offer full interior design services.

If you want to do your own purchasing, that is fine as long as we know that prior to beginning the project. We ask that you show us your selections before purchasing, and if we don’t believe the item fits, we’ll let you know. You are responsible for delivery, installation, freight damages and time spent coordinating all of the services.

NOW THAT I’M THINKING ABOUT RENOVATING, I OCCASIONALLY WATCH HGTV SHOW; DOES YOUR PROCESS OVERLAP WITH WHAT I’VE SEEN?

Calling it “Reality TV” is really a bit of a misnomer, because it’s not “reality.” You’re seeing results, not a process, and the process is a big part of any design practice. Reality shows are based on months and months of pre-planning, which is probably the only place where the processes do overlap, but they can’t show that prep work in thirty minutes. So, what you see is the big, flashy and fabulous reveal. But it’s not real-time and it’s not real life. For your home to have the big wonderful reveal certainly is possible, and it certainly is our goal but based in real-time, which is often six months out, or more. Someone else is paying the salaries, design fees, and materials used in the project.

HOW DO YOU SET A BUDGET?

The budget is where the realistic picture of your project begins, and we won’t start a project without one; budgets typically start at $150-350/ft for furnishings, accessories, and design fees. A budget is a map that shows us how we can do the best job for you. We will walk you through the process of budgeting based on our extensive experience with interior design. We find that our clients may know how much they want to invest, but may not know what is a reasonable budget for furnishings and fees for a project like yours. We guide you through this process. Here’s a link to a website that provides resources about interior design so that you can be more aware of typical budget guidelines. What you choose to invest in is your choice. Perhaps your comfort level is less than what Home Trust suggests. Our goal is to work within your investment range with a reasonable scope-of-work.

WHAT IF I WANT TO DO MOST OF THE WORK AND JUST NEED AN OVERALL PLAN?

We’re happy to help you with a Master Plan for your project. Depending on the room size and other details, we can provide a proposal for you.

HOW DO YOU COMMUNICATE WITH CLIENTS AND HOW MUCH TIME AND EFFORT IS NEEDED FROM ME, THE CLIENT? 

Communication is everything. Expect status updates and progress reports regularly. Our weekly memos allow us to share information in an organized fashion so you have the project status information available at-a-glance. For high-profile clients who prefer only to be involved in the “big picture” ideas, our firm works closely with your Private Family Office Advisors, Management Team, or Relocation Specialists to streamline the process of collaboration.

HOW LONG DOES THE PROCESS TAKE FROM CONCEPT TO COMPLETION?

Each project will vary based on the individual scope of work. For interior decoration and minor renovations, the general timeline for project completion is approximately six to nine months from the initial Design Consultation to the Big Reveal. New construction and extensive renovation projects may take one to two years to build.

WHERE ARE YOU BASED? 

We work with clients internationally from our Boston and Washington, DC-based interior design offices. It's all in the details. Our signature VIP Experience, a 15-Step Project Management Strategy, is a highly organized plan of action we follow together, so you always know where we are in the process. Much of our work is facilitated by online software that helps keep our collaboration organized and timely. Our clients often invite us to work on second and third homes as a result.

We’ve consulted on design installations in the United States and abroad for a range of international clientele living as far as Europe and the Middle East.

Boston metro and surrounding area projects include Arlington, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, The Berkshires, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Cape Cod, Chatham, Chestnut Hill, Concord, Fort Point, Lincoln, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Martha’s Vineyard, Milton, Nantucket, Newport, Newton, Osterville, Providence, Provincetown, Seaport, South Boston, and Weston.

Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia metro area project locations include Alexandria, Annapolis, Bell Haven, Baltimore County, Bethesda, Capital Hill, Chevy Chase, Cleveland Park, Dupont Circle, The Eastern Shore, Forest Hills, Foggy Bottom, Foxhall, Garrett Park, Georgetown, Great Falls, Kalorama, Logan Circle, Massachusetts Avenue Heights, McLean, Old Town Alexandria, Palisades, Phillips Park, Potomac, Spring Valley, Upper Northwest, Vienna, Wesley Heights, and the West End.

Other locations include Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, LA, Manhattan Beach, Miami, Naples, New York City, Palm Beach, Phoenix, Puerto Rico, San Antonio, San Francisco, San Miguel de Allende, Shelter Island, Toronto, and Venice Beach to name a few.

WHAT IS THE DANE AUSTIN DESIGN ETHOS?

We elevate your ideas - through our lens - to a level beyond your expectations and imagination. We don't assign a cookie-cutter look because each client has different tastes and different requirements for the lifestyle they envision. We ask: "Is it special? Is it interesting? Is it unique?" Not every item specified needs to be custom or one-of-a-kind – but we believe a few key pieces should be made especially for your home. We provide the guidance required to allocate your design dollars wisely and strike a balance of ready-made and custom designs based on your needs, wants, and wishes.

I ALREADY HAVE FURNITURE, ARTWORK, FAMILY HEIRLOOMS, AND ACCESSORIES THAT I LIKE. WHAT WILL BECOME OF MY CURRENT PIECES IF WE WORK TOGETHER?

That's fantastic! We love reusing or re-purposing pieces you already own and love. We'll take inventory of the furnishings and art in your collection and factor these items into our new design plan. Then, we supplement the design with new furniture and accessories in order to create a home which truly reflects you and your family.

ARE YOU WILLING TO DO JUST ONE ROOM?

Many projects begin with just one or two rooms. We don't mind -- it's an excellent way to ease into the design process and build trust with our clients. It doesn't take long for our clients to realize we are always on your side as trusted advisors and design guides.

We look forward to the invitation to design other spaces in your main home and your vacation properties. Some clients complete updates and renovations in phases. We begin our design journey, working hand-in-hand with you over time, ready for each new milestone.

WHAT IF I WANT TO DO MOST OF THE WORK AND JUST NEED AN OVERALL PLAN?

We’re happy to help with a Master Plan for your project. Depending on the room size and other details, schedule a design consultation, and we’ll provide a proposal for review.

If you’re ready to take the next step, please fill out the following information sheet/website form so we can be prepared for our conversation. We look forward to working with you!

Sincerely,

Dane and The DADI Team