Frequently Asked Questions
Every home begins with a different story, and every project comes with its own set of questions. Here are answers to some of the things clients most often want to know about working with Persimmon Design.
Working With Us
What types of projects does Persimmon Design take on?
We offer full-service interior design for renovations, new construction, whole-home furnishings, and select individual spaces, as well as landscape design.
Our interior work can encompass everything from space planning, architectural finishes, lighting, custom cabinetry, and millwork to furniture, art, accessories, and the final layer of styling. For landscape projects, we bring the same thoughtful approach outdoors, considering the relationship between the home, garden, materials, planting, and the way exterior spaces are experienced and used.
Whether we are transforming an existing home, beginning with a blank slate, or extending the experience of the home into the landscape, we consider every element as part of a larger, cohesive story.
What areas do you serve?
Persimmon Design is based in the Seattle area and primarily serves clients throughout Seattle and the Eastside, including Bellevue, Medina, Mercer Island, Kirkland, Redmond, and Sammamish.
When should I bring an interior designer into my project?
As early as possible.
For renovations and new construction, many important design decisions happen long before finishes and furniture are selected. Floor plans, window locations, lighting, electrical, plumbing, cabinetry, and architectural details all influence the finished space.
Bringing us in early allows these elements to be considered together and can prevent costly changes later in the project.
What does your design process look like?
Our process begins by getting to know you: how you live, what you are drawn to, what isn't working in your current home, and what you want the space to feel like.
From there, we develop the overall design direction and move through space planning, material and finish selections, lighting, furniture, custom elements, and detailed documentation. 3D modeling is an integral part of our process, allowing you to experience the design spatially and understand how the many elements work together before they are implemented.
Once the design is finalized, we coordinate procurement and work closely with the project team through implementation.
What happens during the initial consultation?
The consultation is an opportunity for us to experience your home firsthand and talk through your goals, priorities, challenges, budget, and overall scope.
We will walk through the spaces together, discuss possibilities, and identify the areas where thoughtful design could have the greatest impact. It also gives both of us an opportunity to make sure the project and working relationship feel like the right fit.
Investment + Design Fees
How are your design fees structured?
Our design fees are based on the scope and complexity of each project. Once we understand what your project requires, we prepare a detailed proposal outlining our services and associated fees before any design work begins.
If the scope expands during the project, we will prepare an additional fee proposal for your review and approval before beginning the new work. This keeps the scope and associated investment clear throughout the process.
How do we determine how much to invest in my project?
Every project is different. The appropriate investment depends on the size and scope of the project, the level of customization, and the quality of furnishings, fixtures, materials, and craftsmanship being considered.
One of the first steps in our process is developing a comprehensive budget based on these factors. We review the budget with you, discuss your priorities and where your investment will have the greatest impact, and together finalize the overall investment amount before we begin specifying products.
This gives us a clear financial framework from the beginning and allows us to make thoughtful, informed decisions throughout the design process.
Is my project investment separate from the design fee?
Yes. Your project investment covers everything required to bring the design to life, such as construction, cabinetry, lighting, plumbing fixtures, furniture, rugs, window treatments, art, and accessories, depending on the scope of your project.
Our design fee is separate and covers the professional expertise and work involved in developing, documenting, coordinating, and implementing the design.
How do you make the most of my investment?
We allocate your investment strategically, considering where quality, longevity, comfort, performance, craftsmanship, and visual impact matter most.
That may mean investing more in certain elements and making quieter choices elsewhere. Every decision is considered in relation to the whole, so your investment is directed toward the things that will have the greatest impact on how your home looks, feels, functions, and endures over time.
Our goal is to make thoughtful decisions about where your investment matters most.
The Design
Do you provide floor plans, 3D models, and construction drawings?
Yes. Space planning, detailed drawings, and 3D modeling are integral parts of our design process.
We use 3D models throughout the project to study proportion, circulation, furniture placement, cabinetry, lighting, architectural relationships, and material transitions. They also allow our clients to understand and experience the design spatially before it is implemented.
For renovation and new-construction projects, we prepare the detailed design and construction documentation required to clearly communicate the design intent to contractors and trades.
When permitting is required, we can also prepare permit-ready drawings and manage submission of the drawing set to the city.
If the project requires drawings or calculations stamped by an architect, structural engineer, or other licensed professional, we collaborate with the appropriate consultants and coordinate those services on your behalf.
Do you work with architects, contractors, and other trades?
Yes. Successful projects depend on a strong, collaborative team.
We regularly work alongside contractors, architects, structural engineers, cabinetmakers, fabricators, lighting specialists, installers, and other trades. We remain involved throughout implementation so that questions can be addressed and the details developed during the design process are carried through into the finished space.
Do you help select a contractor?
Yes. We recommend contractors and trusted trades with whom we have established strong working relationships and whose craftsmanship, communication, and professionalism we know and trust.
If you already have a qualified contractor or project team in place, we are also happy to collaborate with them. Either way, our priority is creating a team that communicates well and shares a commitment to executing the design with care.
How involved will I be in the design process?
You will be involved at the moments that matter, without having to manage the design yourself.
We want to understand what you love, what you don't, how you live, what matters to you, and how you want your home to feel. We then take that information and translate it into a cohesive design.
You'll provide feedback and make key decisions throughout the process, while we take responsibility for the research, sourcing, documentation, coordination, and countless details required to bring everything together.
What if I don't know my design style?
That's completely fine. Most of our clients don't fit neatly into a single design category, and we don't expect you to arrive with a label for your style.
Instead, we pay attention to what you respond to: colors, materials, art, architecture, places you've traveled, objects you've collected, and even memories that hold meaning for you.
From those layers, we begin to uncover a design language that feels distinctly yours.
Do you have a signature design style?
Our projects share a sensibility rather than a formula.
We are drawn to expressive materials, refined proportions, tactile surfaces, confident color, art, and moments of quiet drama. But we don't believe every Persimmon Design home should look the same.
The architecture of the home and the people who live there are always the starting point. The result should feel collected, soulful, and timeless, but unmistakably personal.
Can you incorporate furniture, art, and meaningful pieces I already own?
We love to.
A piece of art collected while traveling, furniture passed down through generations, ceramics made by a family member, or an object tied to a particular memory can give a home a depth that cannot simply be purchased.
We consider these pieces early in the design process so the new and existing elements feel intentional together rather than added as an afterthought.
Can you incorporate my cultural heritage into the design?
Yes, and we approach this thoughtfully.
Cultural references don't need to be literal to be meaningful. They may emerge through a material, craft tradition, color, pattern, artwork, form, or even the way a space is used.
We are interested in finding those quieter connections and translating them into a contemporary home that feels personal rather than themed.
Sourcing + Procurement
What is the best way to share my likes and dislikes during the design process?
We welcome your feedback throughout the design process. In fact, understanding why something does or doesn't resonate with you is incredibly valuable to us.
Rather than searching for replacement products yourself, tell us what you're responding to. Perhaps you'd like something more sculptural, less traditional, warmer, quieter, more colorful, or simply something that feels more like you.
That insight allows us to return to our resources and find an alternative that addresses your feedback while still meeting the project's requirements for quality, scale, comfort, performance, budget, availability, and overall cohesion.
Our role is to do the searching, researching, and vetting for you, so you can focus on telling us what feels right.
Why does Persimmon Design handle procurement?
Specifying a product involves far more than selecting something beautiful. We carefully research each piece for quality, dimensions, materials, finish, comfort, performance, availability, vendor reliability, and value before it is presented to you.
We source through trusted manufacturers, trade partners, craftspeople, and vetted retailers, and do our due diligence to ensure that we are purchasing from the most appropriate source at a competitive price.
Procurement allows us to maintain that level of oversight from specification through ordering and installation while protecting the integrity of the overall design. When similar-looking products are available for significantly less, there is often a corresponding difference in materials, construction, craftsmanship, comfort, or longevity.
Our clients trust us not only to find beautiful things, but to determine which things are worth investing in and where they should come from.
How do you approach sustainability and product quality?
We believe one of the most meaningful forms of sustainability is creating homes and selecting materials that are meant to last.
We consider durability, material composition, craftsmanship, performance, repairability, and longevity alongside aesthetics. Whenever possible, we look for opportunities to reuse existing pieces, work with natural and responsibly sourced materials, support quality craftsmanship, and avoid choices that are likely to need replacing in a few years.
A well-designed home should not only look beautiful when it is completed. It should continue to serve you well for years to come.
Revisions + Project Scope
What happens if I want to make changes to the design?
Feedback is an important part of our process, and there are designated opportunities to review and refine the design as it develops.
The most helpful feedback tells us what is or isn't resonating and why. That allows us to respond thoughtfully while maintaining the relationships between the many elements of the design.
Once a design direction has been approved, significant changes or a new direction may constitute an addition to the original scope of work. If additional design services are required, we will provide a fee proposal for your approval before beginning that work.
What happens if I decide to add another room or additional work to the project?
Projects sometimes evolve, and we are happy to discuss additional areas or services as they arise.
Because our original design fee is based on an agreed-upon scope of work, additional spaces or services are treated as an expansion of that scope. We will prepare a separate fee proposal outlining the additional work for your review and approval before we proceed.
This allows the project to evolve while keeping expectations, responsibilities, and costs clear for everyone.
Timeline
How long does a typical project take?
Timelines vary considerably depending on the scope and complexity of the project.
A furnishings project may take several months from design through installation, while a substantial renovation or new-construction project can extend over a year or more. Custom fabrication, permitting, construction schedules, product lead times, and the pace of client decisions can all affect the timeline.
At the beginning of the project, we establish a process and anticipated schedule so you understand what to expect along the way.
How do I know if Persimmon Design is the right fit for me?
Our best collaborations are with clients who want their home to feel deeply personal and are interested in creating something beyond a collection of beautiful products.
You may be a particularly good fit for Persimmon Design if you value thoughtful design, quality materials, craftsmanship, and longevity; appreciate color, texture, art, and meaningful details; and want a designer who considers both the beauty of a space and how it will function in everyday life.
You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what you want. That's part of what we're here to discover together.
What matters most is a willingness to collaborate, communicate openly, and trust the expertise and design process you have hired us to provide.
Because ultimately, we believe the most memorable homes aren't designed around a particular style.