What's Included in Full-Service Interior Design? From Planning to Installation
When people hear the term full-service interior design, they often think it means hiring someone to select furniture, choose finishes, and make their home look beautiful.
And while that's certainly part of it, full-service design goes much further.
At Maya Axt Interiors, full-service means we're involved from the initial planning stages through the final installation. We develop the design, coordinate the details, manage purchasing, and work alongside your contractor and trades when construction is involved.
The goal is to create a home that feels cohesive, functions beautifully, and reflects the way you live, without leaving you to manage every detail along the way. As the owner and principal designer of Maya Axt Interiors, Maya is personally involved in every design decision, leads every meeting and attends all crucial walkthroughs ensuring that each project receives her attention and that the design vision is carried through from start to finish
So what does that actually include?
It Starts With a Comprehensive Design Plan
Before we select a single piece of furniture or material, we take the time to understand how you live, what you need from your home, and what you want it to feel like.
During our Conceptual Design phase, we establish the overall direction through space planning, inspiration imagery, mood boards, and color palettes.
From there, we move into Developmental Design, where the details come together. Depending on your project, this may include:
Furniture layouts and selections
Flooring, tile, countertops, and other finishes
Plumbing fixtures, decorative lighting, and hardware
Custom cabinetry and millwork design
Window treatments, wallpaper, and wall finishes
Detailed elevations, technical drawings, and 3D renderings when applicable
Rather than making individual selections in isolation, we consider how every element relates to the others. This is what creates a home that feels thoughtfully designed from room to room.
Full-Service Design for Renovations and New Construction
For homeowners building a custom home or planning a major renovation, our involvement begins well before construction.
We work alongside your architect, builder, and contractor to develop the interior design while important architectural and construction decisions are still being made.
This allows us to consider furniture placement, lighting, cabinetry, electrical locations, and other functional details before they become expensive or difficult to change.
We also prepare comprehensive construction drawings and specifications, giving your contractor and trades a clear roadmap for executing the design.
Throughout construction, we remain involved to answer design-related questions, coordinate details, review substitutions, and help resolve issues as they arise.
Your contractor manages the construction. We oversee the design and help ensure the finished result reflects the original vision.
For a closer look at this relationship, read our article on How Interior Designers Work With Builders.
Full-Service Furnishings and Styling
Not every full-service project involves construction.
For clients furnishing a new home or refreshing existing spaces, we provide the same comprehensive approach, with a focus on creating beautifully furnished and fully finished interiors.
We develop furniture plans, source furnishings, rugs, lighting, artwork, window treatments, and accessories, and consider everything from scale and proportion to comfort and durability.
This isn't about filling a room with beautiful pieces. It's about creating spaces where everything works together and feels right for the people living there.
And once the design is approved, our work is far from over.
We Handle Purchasing, Deliveries, and the Details in Between
One of the biggest advantages of full-service interior design is having someone manage everything that happens after the selections are made.
Furniture purchasing alone can involve dozens of vendors, varying lead times, shipping arrangements, damaged merchandise, and delivery schedules.
Our team manages the procurement process, including placing orders, tracking shipments, coordinating receiving and storage, and addressing damages or deficiencies.
Instead of having deliveries arrive at your home over several months, furnishings are received, inspected, and stored until we're ready for installation.
It's a significant amount of behind-the-scenes work, and it's one of the reasons full-service design can make such a difference in the overall experience.
Installation and Styling Are Part of the Experience
This is where everything finally comes together.
We coordinate furniture deliveries, installation, and the finishing touches that make a house feel like a home.
From placing furniture and hanging artwork to styling shelves and adding accessories, we consider the details that give each space its personality.
Rather than leaving you with a beautiful design plan and a list of things to finish, our goal is to deliver a space that's ready for you to enjoy.
We also complete a final walkthrough to identify any outstanding items and make sure the project is brought to a thoughtful conclusion.
What Does the Client Need to Do?
Full-service doesn't mean you give up control of your home.
You'll still be involved in the important decisions, reviewing design presentations, providing feedback, approving selections, and making choices about your investment.
What you won't have to do is manage every vendor, track every furniture order, coordinate installation schedules, or become the go-between for your designer and contractor.
We take on those responsibilities so you can focus on the decisions that matter most to you.
Is Full-Service Interior Design Right for You?
Full-service design is especially valuable if you're:
Building a custom home or planning a significant renovation
Furnishing multiple rooms or an entire home
Looking for a cohesive design rather than making selections one at a time
Busy and prefer to have a professional manage the details
Wanting a completed, professionally styled home rather than a design plan to implement yourself
For homeowners who want professional design guidance but prefer to manage purchasing and implementation independently, our Design & Plan Service may be a better fit.
You can also read our comparison of Full-Service vs. Design & Plan to understand the differences.
A More Thoughtful Way to Design Your Home
At Maya Axt Interiors, we believe the best results come from considering the entire home, not just the individual pieces within it.
Whether we're designing a new construction home in Paradise Valley, renovating a home in Scottsdale, or furnishing a residence in Arcadia, Phoenix, or Tucson, our approach is centered on creating interiors that are beautiful, functional, and personal.
Full-service interior design is about more than the finished space. It's about having an experienced design partner who understands your vision and sees it through to completion.
Considering a project? Explore our Full-Service Interior Design offering or schedule a complimentary Discovery Call to discuss your home and how we can help.