How design and remodeling projects actually work — what to plan for, what things cost, what goes wrong, and how to avoid it. Every guide is written and reviewed by Jan Revels, ASID, American Society of Interior Designers, from nearly three decades of Dallas and Park Cities projects.
Most people arrive with one of three questions: do I even need a designer?, what will this cost?, or how long will my house be a construction site? Those three are answered in what an interior designer actually does, how designers charge, and what a remodel timeline really looks like.
The difference between a designer and a decorator, what the fee actually buys, and when hiring one is worth it.
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Where the designer/builder split goes wrong, what one point of responsibility changes, and which model fits your project.
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Layout and clearances, the right order to make decisions in, and the errors that only show up after the tile is set.
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Clearances, waterproofing, ventilation, tile and storage — and the invisible work that decides whether it lasts.
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Flat fee, hourly, cost-plus, percentage and retail — what each rewards, and what to ask before signing.
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Realistic durations, the sequence trades work in, and how to actually live in the house while it happens.
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How to read the two drawings that decide a remodel, and what they catch before anything is built.
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When custom is worth it, when stock will do, how to specify it, and how to judge a cabinetmaker's quality.
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The major styles defined, how to read your own saved images, and how to brief a designer properly.
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What tends to be behind the walls, how to budget for it, and how to modernize without losing the character.
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The master plan, what order to tackle rooms in, and the decisions you must make before phase one begins.
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The clearances and sizes that decide whether a room works — living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms.
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The three layers, correct hanging heights, color temperature, and the switching you must decide before drywall.
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Why paint comes last, how orientation changes a color, undertones and sheen, and how to sample properly.
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Which treatment suits which room, correct hanging height and width, lining, and what Texas sun demands.
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Performance fabrics, rub counts, cushion fill and frames — how to specify seating that lasts.
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Sizes for every room, materials that survive traffic, pile and construction, layering and pads.
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Shelf composition, mantels, coffee tables, gallery walls, and the hanging heights that are always right.
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What needs a permit, how the three jurisdictions differ, what inspectors check, and how trades are sequenced.
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Why budgets drift, what a change order must contain, allowances, contingency and payment schedules.
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Where the television belongs, designing built-ins around a fireplace, cable planning and acoustics.
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Layout and flow, the bed wall, lighting and sound, the bathroom relationship, and closet planning.
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The inventory method, hanging and shelf dimensions, mudrooms, pantries, and whole-house storage planning.
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Codes and accessibility, contract-grade specification, landlord approvals, and phasing around an open business.
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Booking timelines, tree scale, garlands and mantels, tablescapes, lighting, storage and takedown.
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Shade and orientation, cooling, materials that survive sun and rain, outdoor kitchens and lighting.
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Where to look, what to ask, how to read a proposal, and the warning signs worth walking away from.
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Where a designer saves money rather than adds to it, and where the fee is genuinely optional.
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What to bring, what you will be asked, and how to leave the meeting with something useful.
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Where the budget actually goes, which parts flex, and how to compare two proposals fairly.
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Why lead times run the schedule, what happens between order and delivery, and how to protect the install date.
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Seating groups, clearances, the focal-point problem, lighting layers and what to buy first.
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Table sizes by seat count, the clearances that decide everything, and chandelier heights that always work.
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Door swing and clearances, what has to land somewhere, lighting, and scale in a two-story foyer.
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Desk placement, video-call lighting, acoustics, storage and power for a room that gets used all day.
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What to build in, what to keep changeable, and how to plan storage that survives a teenager.
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Shaker, inset, overlay and slab — how door style changes the look, the price and the maintenance.
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What each material actually does in a working kitchen, and which suits the way you cook.
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How big is too big, the aisles that decide everything, and what an island should actually hold.
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Galley, L, U, peninsula and island layouts — which suits your room, and the errors that repeat.
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Sizes and clearances, ventilation that works, panel-ready decisions, and gas versus induction.
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What each room is really for, the dimensions that make one work, and why open plans need one.
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Where tile starts and stops, materials that survive, grout that stays clean, and layouts that behave.
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Non-negotiable clearances, where the toilet goes, wet rooms, and the order decisions must be made in.
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Whether to remove the tub, what it does to resale, and which tub suits which room.
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Slip resistance, which materials belong in a shower, grout, sealing, and layouts that set out cleanly.
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Clearances for a very small room, lighting for a mirror, and why this is the room to take a risk in.
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Heights and depths, drawers that clear the plumbing, mirrors, sconces and what actually has to fit.
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Curbless showers, blocking, lighting and clearances — done so nobody can tell it was planned.
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What opening up actually gains and costs — noise, smells, furniture placement, and the middle options.
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How to tell if a wall is structural, what a beam really requires, and what it does to the schedule.
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When an addition is right, when reworking wins, and how to compare the two honestly.
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What survives Texas humidity, slab foundations, dogs and children — and where each material belongs.
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What can be changed without rebuilding, the code rules that govern it, and where runners help.
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Wainscot, board and batten, applied molding, beams and coffers — heights, proportions and detailing.
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What a GC is responsible for, how registration and insurance work here, and the cost of going without.
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What to verify, references worth calling, how to compare bids, and the answers that end a conversation.
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Scope, allowances, payments, change orders, warranty and liens — clause by clause.
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Contractor liability, workers' compensation, your own policy, vacancy clauses and what to check first.
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What to document, how to raise a problem, when to stop paying, and how these situations resolve.
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Dust control that works, a temporary kitchen, pets and children, and when moving out is right.
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What a few hours can realistically fix, how to prepare, and when it beats a full engagement.
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Who decides what, who instructs whom, and how to stop things falling between two professionals.
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How to read a plan for what it does not show — clearances, storage, lighting and blocking.
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The order to decide in, what a finish schedule contains, and how to stop the same question recurring.
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Shelf depths and spans that will not sag, lighting, and what separates built-in from bolted-on.
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Seat heights and depths, table allowance per person, storage that opens, and cushion construction.
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Wet versus dry, plumbing and refrigeration, dimensions and storage, and the lighting that sells it.
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Machine clearances, folding counters, drying and hanging space, sinks, and combining with a mudroom.
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The first ten seconds, accessible counters, seating people can get out of, acoustics and lighting.
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Reading the lease, allowances, landlord approvals, permitting, and phasing around an operating business.
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Seat counts against service flow, acoustics that decide whether people stay, and durable specification.
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The town's own permitting, lot constraints, period character worth keeping, and the usual surprises.
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The town's own permitting, what the housing stock is like, and where the extra space usually is.
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Long single-story plans, rooms that defeat normal furniture, indoor-outdoor living, and phasing.
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Two-story rooms, upgrades worth making at the design center, and what to do before you close.
8 min read →Try a broader word — kitchen, bathroom, budget, lighting, storage — or clear the filters to see every guide. If you can’t find what you need, ask Jan directly.
Bring them to a consultation — Jan will give you straight answers about your rooms, your budget and your timeline.
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