FAQs

We start with a phone conversation to gather initial information and determine if Beautiful Habitat may be able to meet your design needs. If we both agree to move forward, we will schedule a Home Design Review. This is a 90-minute in-home consultation to assess your needs and provide direction for your project. We will discuss your wants, needs, wish list, goals and budget. I’ll give you design direction and ideas for your home. If we both agree that it is a good fit and there is more work to do, Beautiful Habitat will present a proposal for the design work.

Once a contract is signed, work begins. Depending upon the scope of work, we will lay out specific timelines, steps, and expectations.

Before the meeting, have an open dialog between household partners. Discuss the scope of work, priorities and goals and ensure there is agreement on the points that are important to each partner. Make a list to discuss with us to ensure nothing is forgotten in the excitement of the moment during our meeting.

It’s not essential, but capturing visuals of rooms, design elements, colors, or pieces that you like or are drawn to is really helpful. Pinterest and Houzz are both great tools for capturing ideas for your project. You can also pull ideas from magazines and books. Sharing these with us during the meeting is beneficial.

Have a discussion about budget and know what you are willing to invest in the project. Ensure you are both in agreement on that amount. Most marriages have a spender and a saver, so it is very important to have this discussion prior to our initial meeting.

Early in the process, I will discuss the Target Budget with our clients. The Target Budget is the amount that you hope to spend for this particular project and scope of work. At the same time, we are collecting everything that you want to achieve as your design Wish List. Sadly, the Wish List and the Target Budget rarely align. So how does Beautiful Habitat handle this?
First, we ask questions to assess your spending comfort level. For example, we need to know if you are comfortable with a $10,000 sofa or a $5,000 sofa. Once we understand your comfort level, we design to the Wish List, by selecting items at the appropriate comfort level. We work to solve any problems and frustrations with the space, make it beautiful and create the perfect design for you, your family and your home.
Then we present the whole room or home design, along with the budget, at the Design Presentation. When we go through the entire design and budget, you’ll see that line by line our selections are really reasonable. But once all of the pieces are added together, it very often is above the Target Budget. It’s a problem of the volume of items needed to complete the space.
We also design to the full wish list so that our clients can make the value decisions once they have all of the information. Sometimes we decide eliminate items, or replace with a less expensive alternative. Sometimes the project is separated into phases. You choose what is right for you.

We can work with you in different ways, from consultancy to concierge level service.  We typically classify projects as Remodel/New construction or Interior Furnishings & Décor and many plans encompass both.

We provide 3 levels of Service: Full Service, Design-Only or Consultation.

Remodeling: Remodeling projects involve construction; Kitchen or Bathroom design through to additions and full home remodels or new construction. We create the detailed plans for the products and finishes that will be installed into your home: flooring, cabinetry, plumbing and smart lighting plans. We work with the necessary team including architect, engineers, and contractors to create the full remodel and construction plans.

Interior Furnishings and Decor: Selecting furniture, fabrics, window treatments, colors, art & accessories, even flooring and wall treatments. We pull together a comprehensive plan and work with the appropriate craftsmen to bring it to life.

Most projects are full service design, meaning we create a comprehensive design plan and follow through the implementation of the plan. For design-only, we create a comprehensive design plan and our clients handle the purchasing and working with the contractors and installers. Design only plans cab be in-person or an e-design package.

In addition, we offer Color and Design Consultation; design advice, tips and color analysis for the adventurous Do-It-Yourselfer or for smaller projects.  The consultations range from the 90 Minute Home Design Review to a full VIP Day. We arm you with the information and direction and you execute the project on your own.

See our Services and Process pages for more information.

When you purchase interior design services, you are purchasing the expertise that comes from education, years of experience, and natural abilities. In many ways, you are purchasing peace of mind. We save you time, money and headaches while bringing your dream home to life.

Working with Beautiful Habitat will

• Save you money by avoiding costly mistakes and bad purchases
• Save you time by doing the legwork for you, and accessing our knowledge and resources
• Create innovative and unique solutions to your specific problems, needs, and desires
• Spend time focusing on the details, which is the difference between a room that is OK and a room that is stunning
• Help you make decisions with confidence based on our expertise, detailed specifications and drawings
• Make you aware of unique choices available and give you the confidence to try something new
• Make the most of what you already have
• Have access to products beyond the chain retail stores, and tried and tested contractors and craftspeople
• Provide you with access to an international selection of products and vendors
• Communicate the design vision and expectations with contractors, installers, vendors and craftspeople to ensure the construction and implementation go smoothly and with less stress

In addition, Tennille Wood provides a unique edge to Colorado clients. Her International education has given her a broader approach to design solutions, along with a pool of European products and vendors.

Tennille Wood is the Principal Interior Designer and Owner of Beautiful Habitat and she is supported by Jennifer Ognibene,  Designer, and with help in administration, accounting and expediting. The Beautiful Habitat team is rounded out by some of the region’s top contractors, installers, craftspeople, drapery workers, cabinetry makers, and other specialists. We also have a strong relationship with showrooms and manufacturer representatives who help us to get the best service on products that are ordered.

Read more about Tennille and Jennifer on the About Us page.

Beautiful Habitat uses different drawing programs based on the specific needs of the project. Drawings may be done in Sketchup, Minutes Matter or 20-20 Designs. Sketchup is a 3D program and preferred for remodeling projects, including kitchen or bath designs, space planning and furniture layout. Minutes Matter is the best program for designing window treatments and furniture pieces or arranging artwork groupings.

We run a 14 step process for every job, which we call the Satisfaction by Design process. This process has grown out of a decade of experience and learning from every problem we’ve seen along the journey. Using all that we learn from every past project, we’ve built a system to anticipate and avoid the more common problems as well as resolve the less expected problems that may arise. As part of our Satisfaction by Design process, we include steps for identifying and resolving deficiencies and problems.

We have built strong relationships with local showrooms, vendors, craftspeople and installers. These relationships are instrumental in achieving resolutions to the issues that may arise on an interior design project.

When a problem is brought to our attention, I will produce at least 1 solution before presenting the problem to you, my client. You’ve hired us to design and implement this project so you can focus on the things you enjoy. We’ll ensure that problems are handled with minimal disruption to you.

Before we begin work, we ask a lot of questions about your investment amount. Not only the specific dollar amount you have to invest, but also your comfort levels within that amount. For example, if you have $40,000 to invest, are you comfortable with spending $15,000 on one piece? Would it make you nervous to have a piece that expensive?

We discuss your wish list and investment amount. If those are out of alignment, and they often are, we discuss what CAN be achieved within your desired budget. We discuss and agree on the priorities of the design to ensure the budget is allocated toward the priorities.

For more detail, read our article on How to set an Interior Design Budget.

We like to say the relationship between Beautiful Habitat and our clients is a marriage, not a date. We are going to be working together for a while and we’ll get to know quite a bit about each other.

In general, remodeling projects can take six months or longer to complete, while a decorating project will take closer to 3-4 months. The duration of the project is not set in stone and hinges on many factors. If you make decisions quickly, if you are available and responsive, the project will be completed sooner. If you need a little bit more time to mull things over or have limited availability, it could increase the time necessary to complete the project.

It is best to contact us as early as possible to discuss your potential project.

I often hear clients say they are looking for a designer that “matches their style”, meaning they look at portfolios and choose designers that have rooms with a “look” that the client wants. What I’d like them to know is that a good designer can design in any style. What is more important is choosing a designer based on a good personality fit and comfort level. This is a long term relationship and you want to ensure you can work well together.

We only accept credit card payment for the initial Home Design Review, as credit card fees really add up for a small business. For the remainder of the project, we accept an ACH bank transfer, safely facilitated through Stripe. Each project requires an initial deposit to begin work.

Beautiful Habitat has been in business since 2006, and in Colorado since 2007. It’s been over 15 amazing years and we look forward to many more!

Great question – it can look intimidating.

Tennille is pronounced Ten – ee-el