Frequently Asked Questions

Laura Roberts Design is an Austin-based residential interior design studio working on projects in Texas and across the country. Our work includes ground-up custom homes, whole-home renovations, comprehensive furnishing projects, second homes, retreats, and significant interior transformations.

For ground-up homes and renovations, we can oversee the entire interior design scope — from space planning through architectural finishes, lighting, cabinetry and millwork, flooring, rugs, furnishings, art, and the final layers that complete the home.

We also consider single-room projects when the scope allows us to fully transform the space and bring our complete design approach to it.

We want a home to feel personal, collected, and connected to its architecture and setting.

We bring a strong design direction to every project, using our experience with color, scale, proportion, materials, furnishings, lighting, and art to create interiors that feel cohesive and considered.

We often combine new furnishings with vintage and antique pieces, art, custom work, and natural materials that become richer with age and develop a patina over time. We are less interested in following trends than in creating homes that continue to feel good to live in.

We want clients to walk into their homes and feel that the space is unmistakably theirs.

Some of the feedback that means the most to us is when a client tells us they feel seen and heard. We’ve watched people walk into a completed home and have an almost physical response — they feel good there. They feel like themselves there. We’ve even had clients tell us they didn’t want to go on vacation for a while because they simply wanted to stay home.

A home designed specifically for you should feel a little like something that fits exactly right. Nothing is pulling. Nothing needs adjusting. You aren’t thinking about why it works — it simply does.

That is the feeling we are always working toward:

This is me.
I can breathe here.
I belong here.

Experience, design leadership, and attention to the whole picture are central to our work.

Laura has more than 25 years of experience designing sophisticated residential interiors and works personally on every project. We think about architecture, materials, lighting, furniture, art, proportion, and detail as parts of one composition.

We are equally serious about the organization behind the design — documentation, coordination, purchasing, and the many decisions required to carry an idea through successfully.

Many of our clients have worked with us on multiple rooms, homes, and projects over the years, and those long-term relationships are something we value.

Whether we are working on a ground-up home, a major renovation, or furnishing an existing house, our role is to see the whole picture and make sure hundreds of individual decisions work together.

On construction projects, we coordinate closely with the architect, builder, fabricators, and other members of the team. We develop drawings, schedules, specifications, and documentation that communicate the design clearly, and we make site visits during construction to review the work, answer questions, resolve details, and help ensure the vision is executed as intended.

Experience also means knowing what questions to ask, what needs to be decided when, and what should be resolved before it becomes a problem in the field.

That same expertise is equally important when furnishing a home. A beautifully furnished room depends on far more than selecting attractive pieces. We consider scale, proportion, comfort, color, material, circulation, sight lines, lighting, and the relationship of every piece to the architecture and to one another.

The size of a mirror, placement of a sconce, width of a nightstand, height of a coffee table, scale of a rug, placement of art, and spacing between furniture all contribute to whether a room ultimately feels right.

More than 25 years of looking, sourcing, evaluating, and learning also gives us a broad frame of reference. Our studio has an extensive materials library, and we have long-standing relationships with showrooms, galleries, artists, makers, craftspeople, fabricators, and vendors.

The goal is not simply to select beautiful things. It is to know which things belong together, how they should relate, and how to carry a strong design direction through to a finished home.

Full-service design means we are involved in both the creative direction and the many details required to execute it.

Depending on the project, that can include space planning, architectural finishes, cabinetry and millwork, lighting, plumbing selections, flooring, furnishings, rugs, window treatments, art, custom pieces, documentation, purchasing, receiving, installation, and coordination with the architect, builder, and project team.

Our goal is to make hundreds of individual decisions feel like one coherent home — while taking as much of the complexity off the client’s shoulders as they want us to.

Yes. Ground-up residences are an important part of our practice, particularly when we can become involved early and work collaboratively with the architect and builder.

Interior design decisions affect the architecture in many ways — space planning, furniture placement, cabinetry, lighting, electrical locations, finishes, materials, and how rooms will ultimately function.

We consider those elements together so the completed home feels cohesive rather than assembled in separate parts.

The earlier the better. Ideally, we become involved while the architectural plans are still developing.

Early collaboration allows us to consider space planning, cabinetry, lighting, materials, furniture placement, and the way the home will ultimately be lived in while architectural decisions are still being made.

We can absolutely join a project after plans are further along, but early involvement creates the greatest opportunity for a cohesive result.

Yes. Collaboration is a major part of our practice.

We have worked with both local and national architects and builders and are very comfortable joining an established project team. Architectural collaborators have included Alterstudio, Pollen Architecture, Furman + Keil Architects, Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, LED Architects, Sidetracked Studio, and others.

Over the years, we have collaborated with architectural practices and project teams from New York and the East Coast to California and the West Coast, as well as throughout Texas.

Yes. We work on significant renovations and whole-home remodels as well as ground-up construction.

Our scope can include space planning, architectural finishes, flooring, lighting, plumbing selections, cabinetry and millwork, hardware, color, furnishings, rugs, window treatments, art, and custom-designed elements.

We begin by understanding what is already good about the house.

Rather than automatically replacing everything, we look at the architecture, original materials, proportions, setting, and character of the home and determine what should be preserved, restored, reconsidered, or added.

The goal is for new interventions to feel intentional and appropriate to the architecture while allowing the home to work beautifully for the way the client lives now.

Yes. We stay involved during construction and make site visits as the work progresses.

Questions inevitably arise in the field. We review the work, answer questions, resolve details, and coordinate with the contractor and project team so decisions remain consistent with the overall design.

Our involvement helps carry the vision from drawings and specifications through the completed home.

Absolutely.

Some of our best projects begin with a house that is architecturally sound but does not yet feel personal to its owners.

A comprehensive furnishing project can include furniture, decorative lighting, rugs, window treatments, art, accessories, custom pieces, color, and other layers that transform a house without requiring major construction.

We bring the same attention to proportion, scale, material, color, and detail to furnishing an existing home that we bring to a ground-up project.

Yes. This can be an ideal project for us.

A client may purchase a beautiful home that does not need significant renovation but still needs a clear design direction and the layers that make it feel personal.

Sometimes the house simply needs a lighter touch — new paint, updated lighting, a built-in or millwork element, or a few thoughtful architectural changes — and we can help determine what is worth changing and what is already working well.

From there, we can bring the home together with furniture, rugs, window treatments, art, accessories, custom pieces, and the other details that make it feel cohesive, collected, and distinctly yours.

We are also comfortable working with clients who are relocating to Austin while they are still living elsewhere.

Yes, when the room represents a meaningful transformation rather than a quick decorating update.

A single-room project might include furniture, lighting, art, window treatments, custom pieces, color, materials, and other elements that allow us to create a complete and cohesive space.

The important consideration is not simply the number of rooms, but whether there is enough scope to do thoughtful work. A single room can also be the beginning of a longer relationship, as many of our clients return for additional rooms, homes, or projects over time.

Yes. We regularly design custom furniture, cabinetry, millwork, rugs, and other one-of-a-kind elements when the project calls for something that cannot be found in the marketplace.

Custom work allows us to respond precisely to the architecture, scale, function, material, and character of a particular room or home.

Yes. We often do.

We like rooms that feel as though they have developed over time rather than being purchased all at once. Vintage and antique pieces can add history, character, and warmth alongside contemporary furniture, art, and custom work.

Very much so.

We are drawn to natural stone, wood, metals, textiles, leather, plaster, and other materials with depth and character.

We particularly appreciate materials and finishes that age gracefully and become richer through use — surfaces that develop a patina rather than needing to remain pristine forever.

Absolutely.

At the beginning of a project, we can inventory existing furniture, art, photographs, collections, and meaningful objects to understand what the client would like to bring forward.

We photograph and document those pieces and consider them in relation to the new design and the client’s priorities. Some may remain exactly as they are, some may find a new purpose or location, and others may no longer belong in the next chapter.

We do not assume that creating a new interior means replacing everything a client already owns.

Art is an important part of how we think about a home.

A meaningful collection can bring memory, identity, humor, beauty, and a sense of discovery to a space in a way that furnishings alone cannot. We consider art in relationship to the architecture, scale, light, materials, and furnishings rather than treating it as something to add at the end.

Sometimes we begin with a client’s existing collection. Other times we help clients discover new work and build a collection over time.

The goal is not simply to fill walls, but to find work that has meaning for the people who live there and gives the home another layer of individuality.

Absolutely.

We inventory and document the art and consider what should move forward into the new design based on the client’s priorities.

We look at scale, placement, sight lines, lighting, architecture, and the relationship between the artwork and the surrounding furnishings so the collection feels integrated into the home rather than simply hung within it.

Yes. We enjoy helping clients discover art and can assist with sourcing work, visiting galleries, evaluating pieces in the context of the home, and commissioning work when appropriate.

We also welcome collaboration with art advisors and see them as an important part of the larger project team. We have strong relationships within the art community and enjoy working alongside advisors, galleries, and artists to make sure the collection, architecture, and interiors support one another.

Some clients come to us with established collections and trusted advisors; others are just beginning to collect. We are comfortable with both.

We think art is one of the things that can make a home feel truly personal.

Furniture can make a room functional and beautiful, but art often reveals something more about the people who live there — what moves them, what they notice, where they have been, or what they want to live with every day.

When art, architecture, furnishings, and meaningful objects come together well, the home begins to feel less like a designed interior and more like a reflection of the people who inhabit it.

Yes. Clients do not need to arrive with a fully formed design vision.

Part of our role is to listen carefully, understand how you live, recognize what you respond to, and establish a clear design direction.

Our experience with color, scale, proportion, materials, furniture, lighting, and art allows us to narrow an enormous universe of possibilities into choices that work together.

Our goal is to give clients confidence in the decisions rather than overwhelm them with options.

As involved as you would like to be.

Some clients love design and enjoy looking at materials, visiting showrooms, discussing art, and participating closely in selections. We enjoy that collaboration and create a process that allows clients to participate meaningfully while we continue to hold the overall design direction together.

That works equally well.

Some of our clients have demanding careers or simply do not want their design project to become another job. They rely on us to establish the direction, narrow the options, make recommendations, document decisions, and manage the details.

Some clients never set foot in a showroom or sit in a chair before purchasing it. Others want to participate in nearly every decision. Most fall somewhere in between.

We are comfortable with all of those approaches.

Absolutely.

We identify the decisions that most benefit from your involvement and handle much of the research, coordination, documentation, and follow-through behind them.

Instead of presenting hundreds of possibilities, we edit and recommend so the process remains thoughtful but manageable.

Residential projects can last for years, particularly when architecture and construction are involved, so trust and communication matter.

We genuinely enjoy the relationship side of the work. Many of our clients have worked with us on multiple homes and projects over the years, and those long-term relationships are something we value.

Some clients enjoy a very collaborative and personal experience with us. Others prefer a more streamlined, business-focused relationship. We are a highly professional studio and comfortable with either.

In both cases, we want clients to feel well cared for, well informed, and confident in the process.

Yes.

Laura Roberts Design is intentionally a small studio, and Laura works personally on every project.

She establishes and oversees the design direction and remains involved throughout the process while working closely with the studio team on design development, documentation, coordination, purchasing, and execution.

Thorough documentation is one of the foundations of our practice.

Depending on the project, we develop floor plans, furniture plans, reflected ceiling and lighting plans, elevations, cabinetry and millwork drawings, finish schedules, plumbing schedules, lighting schedules, window treatment schedules, specifications, furniture and accessory documentation, art placement information, installation documents, and care and maintenance guides.

This gives the architect, contractor, fabricators, vendors, installers, and client a clear record of what has been selected and how the pieces of the project fit together.

Our Austin studio includes an extensive materials library with fabrics, stones, plaster samples, woods, finishes, hardware, and other resources that allow us to compare and evaluate possibilities together.

More than 25 years of experience in design has also given us a broad network of showrooms, galleries, artists, craftspeople, makers, fabricators, and vendors.

We are continually looking and learning, but years of experience allow us to introduce clients to materials, objects, and resources they might not otherwise encounter — and evaluate them within the context of the larger design.

On construction projects, the contractor generally purchases construction-related items such as appliances, plumbing fixtures, hardware, paint, and building materials based on our selections and specifications.

Laura Roberts Design purchases and manages items such as decorative lighting, furniture, rugs, art, and other furnishings procured through the studio.

We manage the process.

Laura Roberts Design places and tracks orders, coordinates receiving and storage, monitors items through production and shipping, and addresses damages, defects, or other issues when they arise.

Most furnishings are delivered first to a professional receiver, where they are received, inspected, and stored until the home is ready.

We then coordinate delivery and installation and complete the final styling so the house comes together as a whole rather than arriving piece by piece.

Design services are billed hourly.

Furnishings, decorative lighting, rugs, art, and other items purchased through the studio are billed on a cost-plus basis, with client pricing never exceeding the item’s retail price.

This allows us to source the appropriate piece in the right size, finish, color, and material while also managing the purchasing process on the client’s behalf.

Laura Roberts Design is based in Austin, Texas.

Our studio is located approximately 20 minutes from downtown Austin, and we always welcome clients to visit us there.

Yes. Although Austin is home, our practice is national.

We have completed projects in Austin and the Texas Hill Country as well as Colorado, Sonoma, California, and the Washington, DC/Northern Virginia area.

We have also collaborated with architects and project teams from the East Coast to the West Coast.

Yes.

We have experience with homes and retreats in the Texas Hill Country and particularly enjoy projects where the architecture and interiors have a strong relationship to the landscape.

Yes.

Second homes and retreat properties are a natural fit for the studio, particularly in places where architecture, landscape, and nature play an important role in the experience of the home.

We have worked in Colorado as well as the Texas Hill Country and are especially interested in continuing to work on mountain, wine-country, ranch, retreat, and other landscape-driven residential projects around the country.

Yes.

We regularly work with clients and project teams across different locations and are comfortable managing the design process when a client is not living in Austin full-time.

Clear documentation, communication, coordination with the architect and builder, and a well-organized selection and approval process are particularly important in these situations.

It usually begins with a conversation.

After an initial phone call, we typically arrange a meeting at your current home, the new residence, or the project site so we can understand the scope, architecture, priorities, and how you hope to live in the space.

Clients are also always welcome to visit us at our Austin studio.

From there, we can determine whether the project feels like the right fit and discuss the appropriate next steps.

You do not need to have everything figured out.

It is helpful to know the project location, general scope, anticipated timeline, and whether an architect or builder is already involved. Architectural plans are useful if they exist, but they are not required for an initial conversation.

Most importantly, we want to understand what you are hoping to create, what is working or not working in your current situation, and what would make the project successful for you.