At Your Service: Online Interior Design and Virtual Consultations
The clocks have changed, the days are a little longer and warmer weather is right around the corner. If you’ve been giving some thought about starting your interior design project, it’s a great time to get everything planned out. If you love to start a project and see it through, then this post is for you! Today we’re talking about virtual consultations, e-design, my philosophy on design, and how we can make the dreams you have about your space a reality!
1. How long have you been a designer; tell us about your education, how you discovered design and what inspired your career?
I’ve been a designer for close to 20 years. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interior Design from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia. Design is truly in my blood—I decided at age three that I’d be a designer, following in the footsteps of my mother, a Northern VA-based interior designer turned landscape designer. I interned for several commercial firms during college and after graduation worked for a hospitality firm in Southern California coordinating design and documentation of retail projects and then moved into hotels and other hospitality spaces. I moved back to DC to work for a firm contracted with various federal and local agencies, government contractors, associations, and multi-family residential clients. I opened Lush Interior Design in the spring of 2014 and haven’t looked back.
2. Your design philosophy
I believe form follows function. It can come off somewhat minimalistic initially, which is what a lot of office and commercial interiors are at their core, making space for circulation, egress, and the like. Yes, beauty helps to enhance an already good design, and I want to ensure that a space is designed for the best use of the client, whether it’s a living room, kitchen, or a hair salon.
3. Where you find inspiration?
It may sound a bit trite because a lot of designers say they find inspiration in the world around them, which is very true. It may be a set on a TV show or in seeing how the natural rhythm of waves that create a pattern. Clients have come to me with a specific mood or vibe they want to achieve, or they’ve taken inspiration from a place they’ve visited that they want to recreate. Further development of a design takes time and isn’t just picking things out.
4. What are your favorite project types to design?
Projects with big transformations are my favorite types of projects because clients realize the most amount of improvement and change through them.
5. Moving into designing remotely, we’ve all gotten very familiar with this idea over the past few years, so how would you say virtual consultations differ from a client hiring you for a full-service engagement?
Virtual consultations offer professional guidance without the full-service commitment. Perfect for motivated homeowners or renters who want to elevate their space but need expert input. A 25-minute session can cover color selection or a gallery wall concept. For more in-depth help, our 55-minute sessions can be bundled for project continuity—from helping you define a mood to sourcing to installation tips. You’ll leave with clarity and confidence, and most of all, a completed project you can be proud of.
6. How can you capture a client’s style and vision with virtual consultation engagements?
My approach to this is the same as with in-person work. People open up very quickly about areas of frustration and about the possibility of bringing ideas they’ve seen elsewhere into their space. I ask a lot of leading questions that help me define the look they want to achieve, so it’s a collaboration.
7. What types of clients or projects are well-suited for virtual consultation services?
These sessions are best for clients looking to refresh or reimagine a single room or smaller space—like a living room, powder room, or guest bedroom. Whether it’s paint, wallpaper, lighting, or furnishings, we can help you refine the design, decide where to source materials, and even guide you in working with contractors.
Note: Virtual sessions are not ideal for major remodels like kitchens or complex unfinished basements. For those, ask about our full-service design offering.
Here is a link to a previous post on virtual consultations.
8. Lush Interior Design offers both brief (25-minute), regular (55-minutes), a package of five regular length live, on-screen meetings; and a full-scale online design add-on. What are the advantages to hiring a designer for a series of virtual meetings?
A single session can solve a specific design dilemma. A series of sessions offers professional guidance throughout your project. If you need full visual support, our online design add-on includes a complete presentation and curated shopping list. We’ll even coach you through how to hire installers and execute the plan. It’s expert support on your schedule.
Why wait for the new year to start your project? It’s time for your fresh start.
Book your virtual consultation today —or gift a session to a friend, partner, or new homeowner. Want a more tailored experience? Let’s talk about full-service design.
Book here! Need more intensive design guidance? Become a client.
Lush Interior Design LLC is a Hospitality, High-end Residential, and Commercial interior design firm located in the Washington, DC area. Lush specializes in elevating brands through beautiful and functional interior design to make the most impact on guests and users of each space. If you are a restauranteur, hotelier, creative brand, or association and want the Lush team to manage your interior design project, book a complimentary call to discuss how we can help!
Interviewed by Emilie Kyle
