The Structure Behind Good Design
Good design isn’t only about how a room looks. It’s about how decisions are made, how the process unfolds, and how the process works for you.
At Chic On The Cheap, our services are structured around judgment, time, and execution rather than product sales or hidden margins. You pay for guidance and expertise, with full visibility into where your investment goes. The result is thoughtful design, clear communication, and a process that respects both your taste and your time.
The strongest projects take shape when homeowners remain connected to the decisions that shape their space. Ideas develop with context, selections build on one another, and the work moves forward with intention. When that rhythm holds, the result is a home that feels cohesive, durable, and quietly resolved.
Initial Consultation
A focused conversation with a seasoned designer, ideal for untangling design questions, refining layouts, or bringing clarity to color and material choices. You’ll leave with clear recommendations, an organized plan, and the confidence to move forward without second-guessing. $400. Travel time included.
À La Carte Design
A flexible way to bring a seasoned designer into your project when guidance matters most. Whether you’re selecting finishes, rethinking a challenging space, or testing ideas before committing to them, we’re there to offer perspective and direction.
$195 per hour, with a 25-hour minimum. Travel and design time are both included.
Before we begin, we outline how your hours are used and how long they remain valid, so you always know where things stand.
Paint Color Consultation
Selecting the right colors can shape how an entire space feels. In this focused 90-minute session, Amanda Patella brings a trained eye for nuance and balance, helping you choose colors that feel natural with your light, your furnishings, and the architecture of your home.
You’ll leave with a clear color plan ready for you or your painter to implement.
$500 flat. Travel time included.
Ideal for refreshing a single room, preparing a new build, or giving a home the final polish before listing.
Design Done Right
Good design rarely happens by accident. It’s the result of clear thinking, thoughtful decisions, and a process that allows those decisions to build on one another.
At Chic On The Cheap, each home is shaped around the people who live there. The goal isn’t to impose a style, but to develop a direction that feels natural for the house and the way it will be lived in. Our process keeps that work organized, transparent, and collaborative from the first conversation through the final installation.
The initial consultation serves two purposes. First, it gives us an opportunity to understand how you live in your home, your preferences, and the overall scope of the project. Just as importantly, it allows both sides to determine whether the working relationship feels right. From there we outline the design scope and present the structure of our design fees.
Once the direction is clear, we begin shaping the vision for the home through concept boards and early material and furnishing selections. These initial ideas establish the tone of the project and guide the larger design decisions that follow. Client feedback during this phase is essential. The conversation helps refine the direction before moving further into detailed design.
With the overall concept established, we develop the full design plan. Furniture, lighting, materials, and architectural elements are finalized and documented through drawings and specifications when needed.
These materials help communicate the design intent clearly to contractors and trades, while also ensuring that every selection works together as part of the whole.
As the project moves into construction or installation, we remain involved to help guide the process and maintain the integrity of the design. In many cases we recommend trusted contractors and trades, though homeowners may choose to work with their own vendors as well.
Throughout the project we maintain open communication with both the homeowner and the project team to keep work moving smoothly and decisions aligned.
Once construction and major deliveries are complete, the home begins to take its final shape. Furniture, rugs, lighting, and artwork are installed and placed with care so the space feels balanced and resolved.
The final layer comes through styling and accessories, where smaller details bring warmth and personality into the rooms.
At the end of the process, the goal is simple. The home should feel natural, comfortable, and fully your own.
The work is finished. The house is ready to be lived in.