FAQ: Interior Designer
HOPE AND SETH LOEB
Your Most Asked Interior Design Questions—Answered!
Whether you're starting a renovation, designing your dream home from scratch, or just giving your space a little facelift, you've probably got questions—and you're not alone. At Soulhouse, we hear a lot of the same ones, so we figured it was time to answer them all in one place. Bookmark this post, share it with your design-curious friends, and dive in!
1. When should I hire an interior designer?
Short answer? The sooner, the better. Here’s why:
For an Airbnb: Ideally before you open your calendar for bookings. Design has a huge impact on your listing photos, nightly rate, and guest experience-so it’s best to get us involved early to maximize your investment (and your 5-star reviews).
For a Coffee Shop or Commercial Space: Honestly? As soon as you start dreaming it up-even before signing a lease. We can help assess potential spaces to make sure the layout, light, and vibe work for your concept, saving you major headaches (and money) down the line.
For a Home Refresh: Anytime! Whether you're craving a new sofa, better lighting, or a full-on glow-up, we can jump in at any stage to make it feel like you again.
For New Construction: As soon as you hire your architect (or even before). Designers help with everything from floor plans to finish selections, and making key decisions early keeps your build smooth, cohesive, and within budget.
2. Do I need a big budget to work with a designer?
In full transparency—yes, interior design is an investment. It’s not always cheap, but it is worth it. And here’s why:
For businesses (Airbnbs, coffee shops, boutiques): Aesthetic matters. The right design makes your space memorable, Instagrammable, and inviting-so guests come back, tell their friends, and leave glowing reviews. We want your space to be busy, booked, and profitable. That means purchasing quality pieces that look good and last. That doesn’t always mean expensive-but sometimes, it does.
And here’s the part people don’t always see: the hours poured into curating every inch of your space, finding the exact right pieces within budget, and making sure every detail works in real life-not just on paper. Our current team is just the two of us, so we’re doing it all: invoicing, sending contracts, space planning, measuring, sourcing, ordering, and installing. It takes a lot of time to make things feel effortless.
For your home: We tailor the process to your lifestyle and goals. Only have a few thousand to spend? Great-let’s use it wisely. We can build a long-term design plan you can refer back to, helping you shop with intention over time instead of buying random things that don’t work (and then replacing them).
Design done right saves you money by reducing mistakes, increasing function, and creating a space you love the first time around.
3. What does the design process actually look like?
Our process is always evolving to be more efficient, personal, and clear as we grow-but at its core, here’s what working with us typically looks like:
Discovery Call: A quick, complimentary call to get a feel for your project and make sure we’re a good fit.
Paid Consultation: This is where we really dig in-tour the space, talk through your needs, goals, and budget, and help you prioritize.
Design Plan or Full Scope:
For smaller projects or refreshes, we often move forward with a design plan that includes mood boards, product links, and a plan you can implement at your pace.
For full-scope projects, we start from the ground up. That usually looks like:
Mood boards and concept development
Floor plans and layout planning
Gathering material samples and creating a full budget
Sourcing and ordering furnishings, finishes, and decor
Installation and styling (aka the big reveal!)
That’s the very short version-sometimes this process takes years (especially for new builds or big renovations), and sometimes it’s a fast turnaround depending on scope and timeline.
Either way, we guide you through every step so you’re never left wondering what’s next.
4. Can you work with pieces I already own?
Yes-absolutely, and we’d love to!
We believe great design doesn’t mean starting from scratch. We love incorporating pieces you already own, especially if they hold meaning or have a story behind them. Whether it’s a vintage dresser, your grandmother’s lamp, or a sofa you still love, our job is to work within your life-not come in and change everything just for the sake of it.
We’re big fans of blending old with new, and we never want our clients to feel like they have to repurchase something they’ve already invested in. Thoughtful design honors what you already have and builds on it to create something that feels fresh, functional, and you.
5. What if I don’t know my style?
That’s totally okay-that’s our job!
Most people don’t walk into the design process with a perfectly labeled style, and honestly? We prefer it that way. We like to walk through your space, talk through your life, and find that one piece that sparks joy. Maybe it’s an old book, a painting you picked up on a trip, or a table you can’t stop talking about. Those are the clues that help us figure out what lights you up.
You don’t need to know your style-you just need to know what you love. We’ll help with the rest.
6. Is hiring a designer really worth it?
We truly believe it is.
The space around you has a huge impact on how you feel. It can make you feel relaxed, inspired, motivated-or on the flip side, stressed, overwhelmed, or totally blah. For businesses and Airbnbs, this is especially important. Your space needs to tell a story, draw people in, and make them want to stay (and come back).
But for everyday homes? That matters just as much.
We don’t think you should hire a designer to impress your friends-we think you should do it because you want to feel something new in your home. You want to walk in and feel calm, happy, organized, and surrounded by beauty that actually means something to you.
It’s not selfish to want a home that serves you. You spend so much of your life in your space. You rest there, host there, grow your family there, and make countless memories within those walls.
Our job isn’t to create something for Instagram-it’s to create a home that serves you better. That reflects who you are and helps you live the life you actually want.
7. What areas do you serve?
We’re based in beautiful Blue Ridge, Georgia, and love serving the surrounding areas like Ellijay, Canton, Roswell, and Chattanooga-but we’re not afraid of a little drive (or flight!).
We also offer virtual design services through our e-design package, so no matter where you are, we can help bring your space to life. Whether you’re around the corner or across the country, we’d love to work with you.
8. How long does a project typically take?
It totally depends! Every project is different-but we always aim to be as efficient and organized as possible.
New builds: These can take months or even years depending on the scope, builder, and decision-making process. We’re in it for the long haul with you.
Airbnb refresh or refurnish: We move quickly here because we know time is money. The sooner we can make your listing shine, the sooner you can start seeing returns.
Personal homes: We like to spend the most time in the planning phase, making smart, intentional decisions-then install everything as quickly as possible. Because living in a renovation zone? Not exactly the dream.
We always prefer to have plenty of time, but if you need a quicker turnaround and we have the capacity, we’ll do our best to make it happen.
9. Do you help with Airbnb or commercial spaces too?
Yes-we sure do!
We specialize in creating memorable, functional, and guest-friendly spaces for Airbnbs and small businesses like coffee shops, boutiques, and wellness studios. Whether you're looking to boost bookings, create a space that people want to share on social media, or make your shop feel like the place to be-we’re here to help.
We understand what makes a space both beautiful and profitable, and we tailor each project to support your business goals while reflecting your brand’s personality.
10. How do I get started?
Easy! Just head to our website and fill out the inquiry form. Once we hear from you, we’ll set up a quick call to chat about your project, answer any questions, and figure out the best next step.
We keep it simple, approachable, and fun-because creating your dream space should feel exciting from the very beginning.
