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Services

Feeling lost in the world of home improvement?  Don't know where to begin, or how to tackle a specific challenge?  I offer a range of services designed to help you transform your house into a beautiful and functional space that reflects your unique style.   I spend time getting to know my clients and their unique living arrangement and circumstances to ensure any advice I give is appropriate for them.  For details of how I calculate my costs go to payment options. All services start with a free 30-Minute Consultation over the phone to discuss your design dilemma.  You'll get an opportunity to understand how I work to ensure I can help.  I will discuss the likely cost, and propose a way forward.

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Here's how I can help you achieve your home goals, regardless of your budget:

Design Direction Session

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This is a broad service and normally consists of me coming to your home for an hour or two to go over the issue, with a follow up email including product suggestions and a summary of the plan for you to work from.


This service is perfect for:

  • Homeowners feeling overwhelmed by indecision.

  • Anyone feeling 'stuck' with home improvement projects.

  • Couples with differing design visions.

  • Anyone needing a fresh perspective and creative solutions.

  • Anyone that has a build up of small issues in their home and doesn't know where to start.

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Examples from clients using this service:​

  • Room layout confidence.  Repeat client Amber needed help deciding her living room layout and colour palette.  She had picked a bold wall colour and had been going round in circles researching furniture.  She was struggling to get moving and make decisions.

    ."...we had decision fatigue and were struggling with the finer details of how to finish off some of the spaces, particularly our family / TV room. So we called on Rachel again. She worked with us to establish how we were using the space so that we could figure out how to lay things out, and then helped us to make decisions about what furnishings to get. What I loved was that Rachel didn’t try to change our style - she fully embraced our quite distinctive, bold design choices! But helped us to determine the right size of rug, height of the coffee table, how to hang our pictures etc. The finished look is so good, and we just wish The Calder Consultancy had been up and running at the time we first purchased the barn. It would certainly have removed a lot of stress. Highly recommend.. "  Amber
     

  • Project Planning.  A regular client in Ely occasionally calls for help moving multiple house projects forward.  I work with her to decide the best order for the work to be carried out, the optimum room layouts based on their use, the scope of work and priorities taking into consideration budget.

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Design Plan & Coaching 

Empowering You from the Start:

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This service provides the initial roadmap and expert guidance you need to navigate a home renovation project yourself. Here's what you can expect:

  • Collaborative Planning Session: I'll work closely with you to understand your vision, budget, and renovation experience level. During this session, I'll develop a comprehensive plan that outlines the key steps, product selections, and potential challenges you might encounter.  I ensure that the right person is making the decisions in your project - you!  Often if details are missed in what you are asking your builder to do, they will make an assumption about what you want.  I'll help you define your style, and provide you with the tools you need to manage the project yourself.

  • Expert Product Recommendations: Making use of my extensive knowledge of furniture, finishes, and materials across all price ranges. I'll help you source high-quality, budget-friendly options that perfectly complement your design vision.

  • Access to design resources:  I have developed a number of design resources which I will make available to you for your project.  These include project management spreadsheets, design considerations for different areas in the home, product advice etc.

  • Ongoing Support & Q&A: My support doesn't end after the planning session. I'll be available to answer your questions throughout the project, ensuring you stay on track and confident in your decisions.

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This service is ideal for:

  • Clients who want to take control of their project and save on costs.

  • Budget-conscious homeowners seeking expert guidance to make informed decisions.

  • Those carrying out a renovation project for the first time and need some advice on the steps involved and the decisions they will need to make.

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Examples from clients using design and plan coaching:​

  • Large scale renovation.  Estelle and Rob had a budget for a large home renovation project and had particular areas in the home that they knew weren't working for them and needed attention.  They were struggling to define the scope of the work, what was possible in their budget, and what finish to select.  I sat down with both of them to understand the issues they were having with their home, what their style preferences were, and drew up a full project specification detailing work, materials and fittings, along with a lighting and heating plan.  I helped 'push' their style to make some bolder design choices.  After the initial work, Estelle and Rob largely managed the work on their own.  I got the occasional call when issues cropped up, to help them navigate round these issues and ensure that their project stayed on track.

    "Rachel has been a fantastic support throughout our renovation project! You can expect honest, reliable advice tailored to your personality and taste. Rachel takes the time to really listen to your ideas and then gently guides you as the project unfolds. I am so grateful to Rachel for her warmth, understanding, encouragement, and advice. The 3D interior design program she used was a fantastic tool which enabled us to visualise the final outcome before our renovation project commenced. Her spreadsheets and emails containing links to ideas and products, tailored to our budget, were extremely helpful, too. Rachel is a fountain of knowledge and I cannot recommend her more highly! Thank you so much Rachel! Our home is looking absolutely beautiful!"  Estelle - Shepreth
     

  • Holiday Home. This Cambridge based family needed to upgrade their Norfolk holiday home for their own benefit, but also to have a broad appeal to rent out as a holiday home.  Using my knowledge of holiday rentals, I recommended the best work to carry out within their specific budget.  I produced a mood board for each room, using some of the existing furniture and adding new curtains, headboards, rugs and soft furnishings to make a cohesive design that will look great in the holiday rental company photos.  The client managed delivery of all products and set up themselves.
     

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Full Service 

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Sit Back and Relax:

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For those seeking a complete, stress-free experience, my Full-Service takes care of everything. Appropriate for small and large projects. Here's how I'll make it happen:​

  • I'll get to know you and your family, to ensure everyone is represented in the final design solution.

  • Comprehensive Design Development: I'll work collaboratively with you to develop a detailed design plan that reflects your style and functional needs. This includes space planning, furniture selection, color palettes, and material specifications.

  • Project Support

  • Transparent Communication: We'll keep you informed every step of the way, with regular progress updates and clear communication.

This service is perfect for:

  • Busy professionals who value their time and want a streamlined approach.

  • Clients embarking on large-scale renovations that require professional oversight.

  • Those seeking a seamless and stress-free experience from design conception to project completion.

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Examples from clients using this full service:​

  • Whole house renovation. These clients had been remotely managing a large renovation at their home in Scotland.  They had appointed a builder and architect and were struggling to manage the project and make the decisions required to move the project forward.  I took a comprehensive client brief, getting to know the family, their budget and their specific needs.  I helped with the interface between the client, builder and architect, ensuring that all queries and client input required into the project were provided in a timely fashion in order to facilitate project progress, forming good relationships with all parties.  I made proposals to enhance the design and finish, helped resolve issues when things went wrong.   I produced a comprehensive specification for all finishes and fittings aligning with the clients budget and unique style preferences.

    “Rachel took all the pain out of the endless research and decisions needed for our house project. I can see the benefits of all her fantastic advice around the house - from the locations of plugs, decent looking bathroom fans to the kitchen layout and fabulous look and use of space in every room. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Rachel to anyone with a busy life who wants to take the stress out of a house project and create a beautiful finish!.”  Emma

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  • Home audit.   Clients that I have previously worked with on a large holiday home renovation project contacted me to help them deal with multiple issues building up in their home.  From sanitaryware that needed replacing, to new lighting, to a broken water softener and a few other issues I picked up on a walk around the house!  This was a mix of sensitive product selection to fit in with the character of the home, practical consideration of the busy family living in it,  and full management of the work to ensure that the clients experience was stress free as possible.  
     

  • New Kitchen. This Cambridge couple wanted to reconfigure their kitchen to increase storage, make the position of key kitchen features more logical,  and relocate the dining area.  I recommended a kitchen company I use regularly designed them a kitchen in 3D, with their input, and taking account of their style and budget I recommended appropriate kitchen cupboard doors, handles, tiles and fittings.  The couple are keen gardeners - I suggested lowering the kitchen window so that the garden could be viewed from the dining table, this ended up making a big difference to the room.  I found them a kitchen fitter, electrician and plumber and helped supervise the work.

Payment Options

We understand that every project is unique, and our fees reflect that. We offer flexible payment options to suit your needs, including:

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  • Hourly Rate: My hourly rate is £50, ideal for smaller projects or consultations.
     

  • Monthly Retainer: For ongoing design development and project management, we offer monthly retainer packages tailored to the scope of your project.
     

  • Project Fee: For defined projects I can provide you with a one off project 'fee'.  

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