Why should I hire an interior designer from OVOLO? Our interior design services offer several benefits that go beyond just making a space look good. Here are some key reasons:
Professional Expertise: We see the big picture—spatial planning, color theory, lighting, scale, and architecture—while also paying attention to the details.
Saves Time and Money: We can help you avoid costly mistakes, make informed decisions faster, and often have access to trade discounts on furnishings and materials.
Customized Design: We translates your vision, tastes, needs, styles, and ways of life into a cohesive and personalized space that functions well, looks great, and feels right.
Project Management: We can coordinate with contractors, suppliers, and vendors, helping your project run smoothly.
Access to Resources: We have connections with trusted professionals, sources for unique or custom pieces, and insider knowledge of products and materials.
Creative Problem Solving: We bring creative solutions to awkward layouts, storage issues, or outdated spaces, often thinking of options you wouldn’t have considered.
The main difference between an interior designer and a store associate or contractor designer lies in their scope of work and level of customization. Here's a breakdown:
We here at OVOLO offer custom and personalized designs using our expertise by blending aesthetics with functionality; we also are familiar with building codes, city requirements, materials, and more. A store designer often works as a sales associate or stylist with product knowledge and basic design guidance. A contractor designer often ties their designs to what’s practical and cost-effective to build, but may not be personalized or customized.
We offer comprehensive design services, from conceptual design to space planning, custom furniture layouts and designs, material selection, and construction observation to ensure installation goes according to plan; we can source materials from a wide network of suppliers, showrooms, stores, and artisans. A store designer is usually focused on helping you choose products sold by their brand and their suggestions are limited to what's in stock or available through that retailer. A contractor designer will usually provide a design that is often practical and construction-driven, not style-focused; some will not help with material selection at all.
We create customized designs tailored specifically to you often mixing sources, finishes, and custom elements, all within your budget. A store designer has less flexibility for customization or mixing products from different brands. A contractor designer may choose only what's popular and not what is to your exact taste or style.
We here at OVOLO can provide you with a personalized design solution that is perfectly tailored to your space.
There are some limitations and potential downsides to using an online designer depending on what you're looking for. Here are the main criticisms:
Lack of Personalization: Online designers often rely on templates or pre-set styles; they may not fully capture the nuances of your space, lighting, or personal habits/ way of life.
Limited Spatial Awareness: without visiting your home, they rely on photos, measurements, or 3D models you provide—these can be inaccurate or incomplete; they can't fully understand sight lines, scale, light sources, or architectural quirks, which all effect the outcome of the design.
Generic Product Recommendations: many platforms push products from partner retailers, which might prioritize affiliate revenue over best fit or quality; this can lead to “cookie-cutter” designs that lack uniqueness, customization, or personalization.
Hands-Off Execution: you’re usually responsible for sourcing, buying, assembling, and arranging the items yourself; if something arrives damaged or doesn't fit, there's little recourse or help.
Communication Challenges: you may not get the same rapport or understanding as with in-person collaboration; iterations can take longer due to asynchronous communication.
We here at OVOLO can overcome all of these challenges through our design process, which is in-person and locally based.
Below are answers to some other frequently asked questions:
We work on your schedule! The exact timeline of a project is highly variable between different projects and is determined by factors such as the size of the space, the complexity of the design, and the level of customization required. Furthermore, since our clients are trusted partners in the design process to create a personalized and custom design for each home, we ensure that our clients can take the time they need to make decisions, which may effect the overall timeline of the project. For example, some clients can add inspiration, send feedback, select their favorite material options, and/or complete other tasks in just a day or two while other clients may take a week or two. Typically, we aim to respond to any communication within one business day and we also aim to send deliverables within about a week.
Absolutely! It would be nearly impossible to provide you with an expert level of service and design without seeing your space in person. In fact, for most projects, if samples are available, we love to present them to you in your home so that you can see how the materials will look in your own space. These materials can range from fabric or leather samples for furniture to wood species to tile and countertop samples for a full remodel project. Virtual online design does not offer this level of detail and service to ensure that every corner of your home receives careful attention and thoughtful design so that each space is not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional and harmonious with the rest of your home.
Yes, we can help you in two ways: a Virtual Consultation or Extended Location Service.
1) Virtual Consultation: Please note that the experience would not be as ideal since so much in design requires in-person attendance. For example, paint and fabric colors will look different depending on the time of day, the compass orientation of the room, and do not look the same through the lens of a camera. Thus, we can not guarantee the same quality design as with a standard in-person design process where we can visit your home.
2) Extended Location Service: OVOLO works outside of the Bay Area to include all areas in California and around the country. In fact, we completed several projects in Coronado, CA, including a beautiful Contemporary Coastal Living Room design. We provide the same quality designs elsewhere in these Extended Location Services as we do in the Bay Area. However, due to the long distances and time required to travel, project meetings and site visits located outside of Santa Clara County are subject to additional fees depending on the location of the design services.
We work not only with homeowners, but renters as well. We can recommend small, non-permanent fixes to decor changes that don't involve changing wall colors or light fixtures. Overall, we can still transform your home by blending aesthetic appeal with functionality, ensuring that your home is not only beautiful but also truly yours.
By working with us, you'll automatically receive our designer discounts to many furniture and remodel material suppliers, stores, and showrooms. When you're ready to make a purchase, we'll apply any trade discounts and manage the ordering process on your behalf. Our designer discounts help us align with your financial goals, maximize value without compromising on style or quality, and offer creative solutions that make the most of your budget so that we can deliver a beautifully designed space that fits both your vision and your financial needs.
Some furniture and remodel material suppliers, stores, and showrooms do not offer designer discounts. When you're ready to make a purchase, we'll create a personalized shopping list for you, featuring recommended furniture items tailored to your space; this list will include the items, links, sizes, materials, colors, and other specifications. Then, you'll make the purchase yourself when ready. Optionally, we can manage the ordering process on your behalf for an additional small fee.
Yes, most definitely! Every space tells a unique story, and by incorporating an heirloom or meaningful piece, or even by just staying within your financial goals, we can help you tell your story by incorporating your existing furniture. We like to provide in-person hands-on design at your home so that we can offer this opportunity to you. Just let us know which items you'd like to keep so that we can document the items with notes, photos, and measurements so that they'll be included in the design of your home.
Our design process provides you with the flexibility to make purchases at your own pace. We can assist you with purchasing materials and/or furniture and incorporate your existing items into the design. Our trade discounts are also available at your pace. However, please note that if items are purchased over time, there is a chance that a store or supplier may discontinue an item, which would then require an item substitution. Overall, You have the freedom to make purchases at your convenience with no pressure.
Life can get busy; we completely understand that. If you need to put your project on hold for any reason, please contact us to let us know. We'll be happy to restart your project at a later time.