Frequently Asked Questions.
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We've spent over 30 years designing homes for families just like yours, and we still care just as much about getting it right as we did on day one. Here's what you can expect when you work with us:
We specialise in busy family homes. We understand what real family life looks like, and every design we create is built around it.
We're genuinely friendly and easy to work with. No jargon, no overwhelm, just honest advice and a team that actually listens.
We always work within your budget. And we can shop from absolutely anywhere to get you the best result.
Every design is completely personal to you. We bring the style, the experience, and the eye, and you bring the wishlist. Together, we create something that feels beautiful, liveable, and completely you.
We have over 30 years of design experience. You're in safe, expert hands from the very first conversation.
We're rated Excellent on Trustpilot. Don't just take our word for it.
We care about getting it right. Really right. The kind of right that makes you stop in the doorway and just smile.
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Quite a lot, actually. Here's what makes working with us a little different:
We're completely independent. We have no trade accounts, no brand affiliations, and no agenda. Every single thing we recommend is chosen because it's right for you and your home.
Everything happens online. No home visits, no strangers on your sofa, and absolutely no need to tidy up. We work entirely remotely, and it works beautifully.
Appointments fit around your life. Lunch break, nap time, after the school run. You choose a time that actually works for you.
Flat fee pricing, no surprises. Our services are priced by room size, so you always know exactly what you're paying. Nothing hidden, nothing added on later.
You won't be waiting around. Most clients receive their finished design within around four weeks of their video call. Clear, actionable, and ready to shop from.
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Online interior design is exactly what it sounds like - expert design support, delivered entirely remotely. No home visits, no disruption, and no compromise on quality.
At The Living House, we've built our services around the reality of family life. From your very first video call with Catherine, Becky or Sophie, we take the time to really understand your home, your family, and what you want your space to feel like. That conversation is where everything begins.
From there, we get to work. Whether you're starting from scratch or finally tackling a room that's never quite come together, our Complete Room Design service is a proper investment in your home - one that gives you a beautiful, considered, and completely bespoke design to take forward with confidence.
All delivered online. All built around you.
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This is probably the thing we hear most, and it's exactly what we're here for.
Most of our clients come to us with a feeling rather than a fixed vision. They're drawn to homes that feel warm, layered, and full of character. Spaces that look considered rather than decorated. Rooms that feel like they've evolved over time, not been plucked straight from a catalogue.
If that sounds like you, you're in the right place.
We're skilled at taking the things you're instinctively drawn to and shaping them into something cohesive, personal, and genuinely beautiful. Through our initial questionnaire and video call, we get under the skin of your taste, your home, and your family, and from there we build something that feels completely and unmistakably yours.
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We do hear this often!
Different tastes don't have to mean compromise and conflict. More often than not, there's a middle ground that neither of you had quite imagined yet, and finding it is something we're really good at. We listen to both sides, look for the threads you have in common, and weave them into a design that genuinely feels like both of you.
The homes we love to create are warm, layered, and full of personality. Not show-home perfect, but real and considered and lived-in in the best possible way. Within that, there's enormous room for your individual taste to shine through, and we'll make sure it does.
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The more we know, the better your design will be - it really is as simple as that.
Once you've booked, we'll send you a thoughtful questionnaire to complete before your video call. This covers everything from how you use the space day-to-day, to your budget, your timeline, and the things that aren't working for you right now. There are no wrong answers, and the more honestly you fill it in, the more we can tailor the design to your family's real life.
Before your video call, we will need a few things from you:
Photos of your room as it is now, taken in good natural light if you can
Your rough measurements or floorplan if you have one
Any images you've saved that made you think "yes, that feeling"
From there, we take care of everything. You don't need to come prepared with a brief or a vision board. Just come ready to have a good conversation, and we'll do the rest.
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We offer three ways to work with us, depending on where you are with your project and what you need most right now.
The Layout Fix. Struggling to make your room actually work? Send us your floorplan and a few details about your space, and we'll do the thinking for you. You'll receive a to-scale layout, ideal furniture dimensions, and a personal video from your designer walking you through their decisions. All done by email for £180.
The Power Hour. A focused 60-minute video call with Catherine and Becky at a pivotal point in your project. Whether you have architect's plans you're not sure about, a renovation decision you can't make, or an extension you need expert eyes on before the builders move in, this is where you get real clarity, fast. For £475, you'll walk away with a recorded session and a written action plan so you know exactly what to do next.
The Complete Design. Our most comprehensive service, and the one most of our clients choose when they're ready to properly transform a room. You'll work with two dedicated designers, Catherine and Becky, who between them bring 35 years of design experience to your project. You'll get a full layout plan, a personalised design dossier with 2D visuals and renders, a meticulously curated shopping list spanning the full market, and two weeks of post-design support to make sure everything feels exactly right. Pricing starts from £2,400 for a room up to 20sqm and is confirmed during your free discovery call based on the size of your space.
Not sure which is right for you? Book a free discovery call and we'll point you in the right direction.
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Absolutely, and we'd love to work with you on it. That said, our honest advice is to start with two or three of your most-used rooms rather than tackling everything at once. It keeps the process enjoyable, lets each space get the attention it deserves, and means you're not making dozens of decisions all at the same time.
Our services are priced per room based on size, so it's easy to work through your home gradually and at your own pace. Many of our clients come back room by room, which also means you get to see and feel the results before moving on to the next space.
Drop us a line at hello@thelivinghouse.co.uk and we can talk through the best place to start.
Pre-Project
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Once your design is complete, we'll send everything through to you by email in a clear, beautifully presented design dossier. Your designer will also record a personal video, talking you through the thinking behind every decision so nothing is left to guesswork.
Your dossier will include:
A scaled floorplan showing your layout and furniture placement, so you can see exactly how the room will work before you buy a thing
2D visuals and moodboards that bring the overall look and feel to life
3D renders so you can really picture how the finished room will look
A full shopping list with direct links, so there's no searching involved - just click and buy when you're ready
Finish and material recommendations covering paint colours, flooring, fabrics, and anything else relevant to your scheme
After your dossier lands in your inbox, you'll have two weeks of follow-up support included, so if anything raises a question or you need a steer on a swap or substitution, we're still right there with you.
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Every item in your design comes with a direct shopping link, so ordering is as straightforward as it gets. You shop at your own pace, in your own time, and completely on your own terms. There's no pressure to buy everything at once, and you're always in control of what you spend and when.
One of the things our clients really value is the freedom this gives them. Because we're completely independent and don't hold trade accounts with a select group of suppliers, we're never limited to shopping from a fixed pool of brands. We have no commissions to earn and no relationships to protect, which means every single item we recommend is chosen purely because it's right for your home.
In practice, that means we shop the whole market. From well-known high street names to independent makers, antique dealers to specialist suppliers, if it's the right piece, we'll find it and link it up for you. You might find items from five different places in your shopping list, or fifteen. What you won't find is anything that's there for any reason other than being exactly what your room needs.
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From your video call, you can expect to receive your completed design dossier in around four weeks. We know that might feel like a little while when you're excited to get started, but it's the time we need to do the job properly.
A lot goes into those four weeks. Your designers are working through your layout, building your moodboards, sourcing across the full market, pulling together your shopping list, and making sure every element of the design coheres before it lands in your inbox. Good design takes thought, and we'd rather take the time to get it right than rush something out that doesn't truly serve your home.
That said, we always try to be as responsive as we can, and if you have a particular date in mind, such as a building project starting or a room that needs to be ready for a specific occasion, just mention it during your discovery call and we'll do our best to work around it.
Once your design arrives, remember you also have two weeks of follow-up support, so you're never left to figure things out alone once the dossier is in your hands.
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We put a huge amount of care into understanding your home, your family, and your taste before we put pen to paper, and that's precisely why most of our clients are delighted with their design from the very first look. But we also know that seeing everything come together can sometimes prompt a question or spark a thought you hadn't considered before.
That's why your relationship with your designers doesn't end when your dossier lands in your inbox. You'll have two weeks of dedicated post-design support, giving you the time and space to sit with your design, review it with fresh eyes, and come back to us with anything you'd like to revisit. Within that period you'll have one round of professional refinements, so you can feel completely confident that everything is exactly right before you start shopping and making decisions.
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Honestly? Anywhere and everywhere.
We don't have a go-to list of brands we default to, and we don't have trade accounts or commission arrangements that nudge us towards particular suppliers. We're completely independent, which means every single thing we recommend is chosen on its own merits.
Our designs tend to draw from a broad and considered mix of sources. You might find pieces from well-known retailers sitting alongside finds from smaller independent makers, or specialist suppliers. We're drawn to things that have a bit of soul to them, quality materials, craftsmanship, and a sense that they'll look just as good in ten years as they do today. That sensibility runs through everything we source, whatever the budget.
We take the time at the start of every project to understand your taste and what you want to spend, and then we go and find the best possible products within both. The result is a shopping list that feels personal, considered, and genuinely reflective of your home rather than something that could have been put together for anyone.
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Absolutely. Some of the best rooms we've designed have been built around a beloved sofa, an inherited piece of furniture, or a rug that a client couldn't bear to part with.
Working around existing pieces you love is just good design. It adds character, tells a story, and means your home feels genuinely lived-in rather than like everything arrived on the same delivery lorry. During your initial questionnaire and video call, we'll ask you to share the pieces you're keeping, and from there we design around them thoughtfully, making sure everything we bring in feels considered and cohesive alongside what's already there.
So if you have something with sentimental value, something you've invested in, or simply something that still works beautifully, hold onto it.
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Don't worry at all - this is very common. A hand-drawn sketch with your key measurements works perfectly well, and we'll guide you on exactly what to measure so nothing important gets missed.
If the idea of measuring up feels daunting, it's worth checking whether a previous estate agent listing for your property is still available online, as these often include a ready-made floorplan you can use straight away.
What we do need are some accurate measurements of the space, not because we're being particular, but because getting the scale right is fundamental to a design that actually works. The last thing we want is to specify a sofa that doesn't quite fit, or miss an opportunity to make better use of the room than you might imagine is possible. Good measurements are where that all starts.
During the Project
WE’D LOVE TO TRANSFORM YOUR HOME
We Create Homes Designed To Be Lived In Now And For Years To Come.
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