Our Interior Design Process
Three weeks for the design,
then the waiting is furniture
Each room is booked with a three week design window, running from your kick-off call rather than from the day you pay, since we can only start once we have your measurements and photos. Where clients come back to us quickly, rooms regularly finish well inside it.
| Discovery call | Half an hour, usually within a few days of asking |
| Booking to kick-off | Around a week, sooner if you need it |
| Design window | Around three weeks per room from the kick-off call |
| Furniture lead times | Four to twelve weeks for most made-to-order pieces, running after the design rather than alongside it |
The design is rarely what holds a project up. Most made-to-order upholstery takes four to twelve weeks to arrive, bespoke joinery six to twelve, and a made-to-size rug up to ten. That is why we would rather you knew the timings before you start than discovered them at the point of ordering. If a date matters to you, say so on the discovery call and we will tell you honestly whether it is achievable.
The window runs both ways. We commit to delivering inside it, and we ask you to keep pace with your designer, since time spent waiting on decisions counts within it rather than extending it. Larger rooms, open plan spaces and anything structural need longer, and your designer will agree a realistic date with you before starting.
Step 1 - Start with a free consultation
Tell us what you’re working on.
Share your goals, timeline, budget comfort zone, and what you want the space to feel like. We’ll advise on the best package and next steps.
You’ll need: A rough room list + a few inspiration images (Pinterest is perfect).
What we will Deliver: A clear plan of action + the right service recommendation.
Step 2 - Send your room details
Upload measurements, photos, and a simple video walkthrough so we can understand the space properly.
Options:
You measure using our guide (quick + simple)
Or book a professional survey / site visit (where available)
You’ll need: Measurements + photos + a video walkthrough.
Whatwe will deliver: Confirmation we have everything needed to begin.
Step 3 - Your concept + mood direction
We set the aesthetic and the “rules” for the room.
We create a cohesive direction for colour, finishes, key furniture pieces, lighting vibe, and styling — based on your lifestyle and taste.
Whatwe will deliver: Mood board / concept direction (collage-style one-pager).
Outcome: You’ll know exactly the look we’re building toward.
Step 4 - Layout / space plan
The layout comes first — everything else follows.
We test furniture placement, flow, function, and how the room works day-to-day.
Whatwe will deliver: A floor plan showing furniture placement (one room at a time).
Outcome: You’ll feel confident the room works before you buy anything.
Step 5 - The design presentation
This is where it all comes together.
We pull the full scheme together: furniture, lighting, textiles, colour, and styling — all designed to feel cohesive and realistic for your budget.
Whatwe will deliver: (Depending on package chosen):
Design board / room visuals
Clear item selections (with alternatives where sensible)
Notes on finishes + styling
Step 6 - Shopping list (with links)
A practical list you can actually use.
You’ll receive a clear shopping list with items, sizes, quantities, where to buy, and direct links — so you can purchase in your own time.
Whatwe will deliver: Digital shopping list + guidance notes.
Check before you buy!
Akiva shares trade discounts via a large network of known well known brands and some trade exclusives - Just ask!
Step 7 - Revisions + final handover
We refine, then lock it in.
Your package includes revision rounds so we can tweak layout, choices, or finishes until it feels right. Then we issue the final pack for implementation.
Whatwe will deliver: Final design pack + final shopping list + next steps.
Step seven is where most
design services stop
You have a final design pack and a shopping list, and plenty of clients take it from there perfectly happily. If you would rather not manage the rest yourself, three services carry on from that point. None of them is assumed, and each is quoted separately.
Buying it
We place and manage the orders across every supplier on your list, with trade discounts passed on in full and the invoices raised in your name so the warranty stays with you. Your account stays open for six to twelve months, so you can buy in stages.
Furniture conciergeBuilding it
On-site visits or video calls during the works, coordinating with your contractor, checking deliveries as they arrive and solving what comes up. We can also introduce tradespeople we have worked with for years.
Post-design supportFinishing it
Once everything has arrived, placement and arrangement: what sits where, how things group, what height the art hangs at. In person, or as a styling guide written for your rooms.
StylingFurniture rarely arrives on one day. Orders placed together can land weeks apart depending on stock and lead times, and a room styled piece by piece as things trickle in often looks disjointed until the last item appears. That gap, between a finished design and a genuinely finished room, is what these three services exist to close.
Not sure which you need, or whether you need any of them? Book a free discovery call and we will tell you honestly, including if the answer is none.