Faq

Q: I don’t care for the look of “eco-friendly” finishes, can you still help? A: Abso-tutin-lutely! If you have specific material choices in mind, I can definitely work with that and I pinky swear I won’t try to convince you to use anything you don’t love. (Although you may be surprised by how beautiful some sustainable options are, just saying.)

Q: We really want to use sustainable finishes, but don’t they cost more? A: Sometimes yes, sometimes no. There are some really beautiful, eco-friendly choices that are very budget friendly; there are also options that are quite spendy. I will work within whatever your budget may be, as long as it is realistic, and we can go for the best choices you can afford, green or otherwise.

Q: Can we go shopping with you to make the selections? A: It is much better if I make selections on my own to show you because I find that homeowners are often very overwhelmed by the thousands of options available to them and it can really slow the process down. I can quickly determine what works and what doesn’t, put together a few potential design schemes, and eliminate your overwhelm by presenting fewer choices to you.

Q: What are the benefits of having you select colors and finishes for my remodel project? A: Where I provide value is that you know your selections will be right the first time which saves money. There are nuances to selecting materials that work well together (no clashing undertones), that are within your budget, and that meet your desired style. There is an added benefit to helping the environment if we can include one or more sustainable choices in the design.

Q: Will I have to get rid of all of my existing stuff? A: Nope! If you have something you love and wish to keep, we can incorporate it into a new design plan. It’s worth noting that sometimes you may want a new style and your old piece may not quite fit in, but I’m okay with that if you are. What I want most of all is for you to love your space!

Q: How much does each room cost? A: Most rooms start at around $2,100, but the cost depends on the scope of each individual project. I prefer to charge a flat fee per space so there are no surprises about cost. My fee is based on an hourly rate of $140 x the number of hours I estimate it will take to complete your project; you will know the design fee before agreeing to hire me.

Q: What do I receive as a part of the design plan? A: It will depend on the scope we agree upon, but project deliverables may include: floor plan(s), visual board(s) of the room scheme showing all selections, a detailed shopping list with prices and clickable URLs, and notes on how to implement the plan. I do not purchase any products or manage projects, those will be up to you.

Q: Even with your shopping list and design plan, I am still not confident I can pull this off on my own— can you come over and put my space together for me? A: I do not provide styling as part of the Comprehensive Design Plan service. However, if requested, I will provide styling help on an hourly basis to existing clients only. Mostly I’d love for you to gain the skills and confidence to pull your space together on your own and am happy to teach you!

Q: Where does the name “Tavish” come from? A: Tavish is a Scottish word that means “son of Thomas” or “twin.” Another casual use of the word Tavish is for “tall cute boy” and it was my dad’s nickname as a youngster. My dad passed away in 2010 and I use Tavish as an homage to him.

Q: So what’s the deal with the whole tree hugging thing? Are you some kind of hippie? A: Yeah, I’ll fess up to being some kind of hippie. I mean, my name is Summer and I was born in the 60s (hello, hippie parents); it’s not a big leap from that to tree hugger. Plus, I think trees are way cute. Oh, and I think we need to be socially responsible stewards of the planet, so there’s that too. But I’m a highly practical tree hugger and fully understand that sometimes the best choice for me (or you or a project) isn’t necessarily the greenest choice. I can live with that.

Q: What does your house look like, I bet it looks like it belongs in a magazine. A: HA! No friggin’ way does my house look like a magazine, I’m human just like y’all, with unfinished projects and all kinds of evidence of a life well lived. We have dust bunnies and dog hair and stacks of mail and, for whatever reason, there is always an overripe banana on my kitchen counter. It all cleans up pretty well though, and it’s perfect for us, mess and all.

Q: Were you born in the summer? A: That would be awfully neat and tidy if I were, eh? But alas, I’m an autumn child, born in October (my mom was told she was due in August, can you imagine?!).