Common questions.
What I hear on most first calls. Pricing, timeline, geography, and the awkward questions, answered up front.
What's the minimum project size?
There isn't a hard minimum. The first 15-minute call usually tells us both whether it makes sense to keep going. I've designed full home renovations, and I've spent half a day picking the right hallway paint.
How much does a full design cost?
Full design starts at $12,000 for a multi-room scope. The total comes from furnishings, materials, and trades; we set a realistic floor and ceiling on the first 15-minute call, before any concept work begins. You see every line item before anything is ordered.
What about a single-room project?
E-design is the simplest option for a single room: $1,800, fully remote, with mood, palette, layout, and a sourcing list delivered in three to four weeks. A colour consultation ($850, half-day on site) is the right call when the question is paint or finishes.
Do you charge for the discovery call?
No. The first 15-minute call is free, with no obligation. If we're not the right fit, I'll say so on the call.
Do you mark up suppliers?
I'm transparent about supplier relationships and trade pricing on full design projects. The design fee covers my time; the trade savings on furnishings often offset a meaningful portion of it. You see the line items before anything is ordered.
How long does a project take?
A colour consultation is one visit plus a follow-up. E-design runs three to four weeks. Full design, from first call to final install, is typically four to six months for a multi-room project, and longer with structural renovation. You'll have a real timeline at the end of the first 15-minute call.
How does the discovery call work?
It's a 15-minute call. We talk through the home, the brief, and the budget reality. No charge, no obligation. Most projects move forward; some don't, and that's fine.
Do you do drawings and floor plans?
Yes. Full design includes space planning and floor plans. The documentation phase produces a complete pack: floor plans, finish schedules, sourcing lists, and trade-ready drawings. You see every line item before anything is ordered.
Do you handle the trades?
On full design projects, yes. I coordinate the trades and oversee install day. You unlock the door to a finished room. For colour consultations and styling, the trades are usually already in place, and I work alongside them.
What's included in install day?
Furniture placement, art and ceramics styling, the soft-styling final pass, and a walk-through with you. Photography is optional (but encouraged).
Where do you work?
I work from a Cabarita Beach studio (Tweed Coast) across Northern Rivers, Byron Shire, the Gold Coast, and Brisbane. E-design is fully remote, so the brief can come from anywhere in Australia. Full design outside the four core regions is case-by-case.
Do you charge a travel fee?
No travel fee inside the four core regions: Tweed, Byron, Gold Coast, Brisbane. For projects outside that, travel is built into the proposal.
Is E-Design really delivered remotely?
Yes, fully remote. You send measurements, photos, and the brief. I send back a mood board, palette, layout, and sourcing list within three to four weeks. The brief can come from anywhere in Australia.
Can you work across state lines?
Yes. Half the core regions sit either side of the New South Wales / Queensland border. Tweed is in New South Wales; Gold Coast and Brisbane are in Queensland. State lines aren't a constraint for full design, e-design, or styling. Councils and trades vary, and that's part of scope.
Do you only do bold-colour homes?
No, but it's the work I'm known for, and most clients come to me because they want a home with personality. A quiet, neutral home is also work I'm happy to do well. The first 15-minute call usually surfaces which way the brief is leaning.
Do you work with strata or heritage overlays?
Yes. Strata bylaws and heritage overlays are part of the brief, not an obstacle. I review the relevant rules early so the concept is realistic before any decisions are locked in.
Do you take on commercial projects?
Studio LaLa is residential. Small-scale short-stay or hospitality briefs are welcome when the design problem is residential-adjacent. Larger commercial fitouts aren't my specialty.
When can we start?
Most projects begin within 30 days of the first call. If your timing is tight, I'll know by the end of the call whether the calendar can hold it.
Do we need our own photographer?
For full design projects, I encourage professional photography at the end. It's optional, but you'll want it. I can recommend trusted photographers in each of the four regions.
How do testimonials and case studies work?
Photography at the end and a written testimonial work for both of us: the home gets documented properly, and Studio LaLa gets to share the work. You decide whether the project is published, and how much identifying detail (suburb name, surnames) is shared.