How Our Interior Design Process Works for Out-of-State Clients

We get this question a lot. Usually it comes from someone who found our work on Instagram or was referred by a friend. They love what they see, but they're building somewhere other than Oklahoma. And the first thing they want to know is: can this actually work if you're not here?

The short answer is YES. We've designed homes in 20 states and 3 countries, and our remote interior design services are more seamless than most people expect. The longer answer is what this post is about, because if you're considering a designer who isn't local, you deserve to know exactly how it works and what to expect.

Asheville, North Carolina

Technology Has Changed Everything

Between detailed drawings, specification documents, Zoom and FaceTime calls, photos, and email, we're able to communicate 90 to 95% of design intent without stepping foot on the job site.

The rest comes down to fielding phone calls with your builder as questions come up during construction. When you have the right team in place (a competent builder, your architect, usually a landscape architect, and us), that communication happens naturally, no matter where anyone is located.

Your builder is local. They're the boots on the ground every day, and as long as they aren't a novice, they'll know how to get things done. Our job is to make sure they have every piece of information they need to execute the design exactly as intended. We do that through documents so detailed that the answer is almost always already in there.

How We Get to Know You

Distance doesn't change the most important part of our process: understanding you. Before we ever talk about tile or fixtures, we spend real time learning about your family. Who you are, what you do, how you live, and how your home needs to work for you on a Tuesday morning and a Saturday night.

We also think about where you are in your phase of life, and where you're headed. If this is your forever home, we're not just designing for right now. We're thinking about how your life will look in 10 years, then 20, then 30. Storage solutions, organizational systems, and how each room flows and functions all get considered from the beginning.

Think of it this way. Instead of sending you to the all-you-can-eat buffet of design decisions and hoping you come back with something cohesive, we create a tailored menu. We pick a lane. We hone in on your personal aesthetic, then craft combinations of materials, finishes, and fixtures that feel complementary as you move from room to room. That's what our design presentation is: a plan built around your life.

Our Virtual Interior Design Process

For out-of-state clients, our design presentations happen over Zoom. Same level of detail, same thoroughness, just delivered through a screen instead of across a table. We walk you through every selection, room by room, so you can see how it all comes together. And if you’d rather see it all in person, you’re more than welcome to visit us in Edmond for your presentation!

We also send material sample boxes to our out-of-state clients, so you can feel the stone, see the wood grain, and touch the fabric in person. Some things you just need to hold in your hands. 

Sarasota, Florida

Handing It Off to Your Builder

This is where the process really comes together, and where our documentation does the heavy lifting. Before a project begins, we want to know your builder's allowances, preferred vendors, and any parameters they're working within. That shapes our selections and keeps everything moving without surprises.

Once we've worked through revisions with you and everything feels right, we put together a highly detailed digital builder's spec book which is a complete set of trade documents. Your builder uses them to bid, build, and execute the design. We send everything over and give them about two weeks to get acquainted with it.

Then we hold a design-to-construction meeting. We walk through the entire package together, document by document, so your builder knows exactly where to find the answer to any question. We also build in a cushion of project management hours to field questions and troubleshoot as construction moves forward.

If this process wasn't working, we would have adapted and moved it on-site. But so far, it works, and it works really well.

When Things Go Sideways (Because They Do)

Here's something people don't always want to hear: construction surprises happen on every project, whether your designer is local or not. The difference isn't whether problems come up. It's how your team handles them.

On one home, the architect hadn't allowed enough roof space for the HVAC ducting in a cathedral ceiling. We created an entry into the den from the great room, routing the passageway up and around to enclose the ductwork, and made the whole thing look intentional.

On another project, the plumber used an old set of plans and laid the ground plumbing for the kitchen island sink in the wrong spot. The clients wanted to know whether to cut into the slab and move the plumbing or adapt the design. We flipped the island instead. We weren't on-site for any of it. It was all handled over email.

Both of these are the kind of issues that come up on local projects too. And in both cases, the fix didn't require anyone standing in the room pointing at things. It required a designer who understood the design intent well enough to find a creative way forward.

When Boots on the Ground Make Sense

Site visits are available as a service, and some clients like having us there for key moments like electrical or tile walkthroughs. But only about 10 to 25% of our out-of-state clients end up using them. For most projects, the documentation and virtual communication are more than enough.

Where an in-person visit really matters is final measurements before furnishings. There's often a small difference between the floor plan and what actually got built. A couple of inches here, maybe a foot there, and that makes a big difference when you're choosing sofas and dining tables. We either take those measurements ourselves, send a representative, or give your builder or superintendent detailed instructions so they can send them to us.

And install? That's always in person, no matter where the home is.

Dallas, Texas

The Right Designer Matters More Than the Closest One

This is the part we feel strongly about. If you have a vision for how you want your home to look and feel, find a designer whose existing work already embodies it. Not just someone who happens to be nearby.

Trying to articulate the picture in your head to a designer whose portfolio doesn't match what you're after is an uphill battle. It takes more time, more revisions, and more frustration. When you work with someone who's already doing the thing you love, the process is smoother and faster, and the result actually feels like you.

That's the real argument for working with an out-of-state interior designer. It's not about geography. It's about finding someone whose work makes you think, that's it, that's how I want my home to feel. When you find that, distance is just a detail.

The Earlier You Bring Us In, the Better

Ideally, we want to be involved while you're still in the plans process with your architect, when there's time for one last round of revisions. That timing matters even more with long-distance custom home design. Once dirt is moving, it's harder. Not impossible, and at times we've been able to step in, but it depends on our schedule, and you may miss opportunities that would have been easy to catch earlier.

Whether you've hired your architect, found your builder, or are just starting to dream, we can help. One of the things we do best is help clients pull out what they're really looking for. You know you love that kitchen you saved on Pinterest, but is it the arched windows? The color combination? The easy access to the kitchen? We help you figure that out, build your wish list and mood board, and hand that direction to your architect and builder so everyone starts on the same page.

Hire your designer first. The earlier, the better. No one is going to advocate for you the way your designer will.

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Houston, Texas

Ready to Explore Remote Interior Design Services?

If you're building or renovating outside of Oklahoma and you've been drawn to our work, we'd love to hear from you. Distance has never been a barrier for us. It's just a detail we plan around, like everything else.

Book an inquiry and let's talk about what you're envisioning. We'll walk you through exactly what the process looks like for your project, your timeline, and your team.