When most people plan a luxury remodel or new construction project in Scottsdale, they assume the process works like this: hire an interior designer to create the vision, then hire a general contractor to build it. Two separate professionals, two separate contracts, two separate conversations happening at the same time. 

This is one of the most expensive mistakes you can make.

At Living with Lolo, we do something most firms in Arizona cannot: we hold both an interior design credential and an active Arizona Registrar of Contractors general contractor license. It is a core difference in how your project gets managed, and it has a direct impact on your budget, your timeline, and the final result.

This post explains what that difference actually means for you as a homeowner, why it matters in the Scottsdale and Paradise Valley market specifically, and how to verify you are working with a firm that is properly licensed before you sign anything.

What Most Homeowners Do Not Realize About Remodels

Here is what typically happens when a designer and contractor are hired separately.

The designer develops a vision. Renderings get approved. A material palette gets selected. Everyone is excited. Then the contractor reviews the plans and the change orders start. The tile the designer specified requires a different 

substrate than what was budgeted. The custom cabinetry dimensions do not account for the HVAC duct that runs through that wall. The lighting plan calls for fixtures that require electrical work the original bid did not include. We see it all too often: general contractors spin out a project, and their goal is to come in as low as possible so they win the project over another general contractor. They don’t take into account actual prices of high-quality tile, etc.

Every one of those moments costs money and time. And when something goes wrong, each party points to the other. The designer says the contractor should have flagged it. The contractor says the designer should have known. You are stuck in the middle writing checks.

It is the most common source of budget overruns and timeline delays on residential remodels and it is almost entirely preventable when design and construction are managed by the same licensed team.

What It Means to Hold A GC License and Be An Interior Designer

In Arizona, a general contractor license is issued by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors. It is not easy to obtain. It requires proof of experience, financial responsibility, passing a trade exam, and ongoing compliance with state regulations. Many interior design firms in Scottsdale do not hold one, which means they legally cannot manage construction work directly. They can recommend contractors. They can collaborate. But they cannot hold the contract, pull the permits, or be accountable for the build.

Living with Lolo holds an active ROC license. You can verify this yourself at the Arizona Registrar of Contractors website by searching our license number. We are not just design-adjacent. We are legally and operationally responsible for both sides of your project.

What that means in practice:

We pull the permits. We manage the subcontractors. We are on site. We are the single point of accountability for every decision made from demolition through final install.

And because the same team designing your space is the team building it, the decisions that get made in the field every day reflect both the design vision and the construction reality simultaneously.

Real Projects, Real Results

Bronco Revival, Scottsdale

This whole-home remodel and furnishing project required close coordination between our design team and our construction crew throughout. Because we managed both, finish selections were made with full knowledge of what was structurally possible and what was being built around them. The result was a cohesive space with zero aesthetic compromises made for construction convenience. Read more about Bronco Revival →

Oasis Retreat, Scottsdale

Our clients on this 4,408 square foot renovation were based out of state. They needed a single team they could trust to make decisions on their behalf without requiring constant input on logistics. Because we held both the design and construction responsibility, they had one point of contact, one schedule, and one firm accountable for the outcome. There was no back-and-forth between a designer and a separate contractor happening without their knowledge. Read more about Oasis Retreat →

Victory Retreat, Phoenix Metro

A new construction interior design project where we were brought in during the build phase to manage all finish selections, fixture specifications, and furnishing from the ground up. Our contractor license meant we could coordinate directly with the builder’s team on structural decisions that affected the design, rather than submitting requests through an intermediary. Read more about Victory Retreat →

The Three Places This Model Saves You Money

1. Change orders go down significantly.

Change orders are the silent budget killer on every remodel. They happen when design decisions conflict with construction realities. When the same team holds both responsibilities, those conflicts surface during planning, not during the build. A specification that would generate a $4,000 change order in a siloed process gets caught and resolved in a five-minute conversation when design and construction share a brain.

2. Your timeline compresses.

On a typical project with separate firms, information has to travel between two businesses, two schedules, two sets of priorities. Approvals take longer. Submittals bounce back and forth. Questions that should take an hour to resolve take a week. On a Living with Lolo project, the designer and the contractor are the same entity. Decisions happen faster because there is no translation layer.

3. The finish level stays consistent from plan to reality.

One of the most common disappointments in a remodel is the gap between the renderings and what actually gets built. That gap almost always happens in the field, when a contractor makes a practical decision without design input. On our projects, every field decision is made with design intent in mind, because the people managing the construction are the same people who created the design.

What to Look for When Hiring in Scottsdale

If you are evaluating firms for a luxury remodel or new construction project in Scottsdale or Paradise Valley, here is a short checklist:

• Ask for the ROC license number and verify it. Any legitimate contractor will give this to you without hesitation. Go to the Arizona Registrar of Contractors website and confirm the license is active and in good standing.
• Ask who pulls the permits. If the answer is “our contractor partner” or “the builder,” you are working with a design-only firm that will hand construction management off to someone else. That is a different relationship than a true design-build model.
• Ask to see completed projects at a similar scope. Not renderings. Completed work, with photography, in homes comparable to yours in size and finish level. We have seen a lot of general contractors on the market that use other people’s work as project images, not their own. 
• Ask how change orders are handled and how they are communicated. The answer tells you a lot about how a firm operates when something unexpected happens, which it always does.

Ask specifically whether the interior designer will be present during the build phase, not just the design phase. On our projects, Lauren is involved from the first client conversation through the final styling appointment. That continuity is rare and it shows in the result.

Why This Matters More in Scottsdale Than Almost Anywhere Else

The Scottsdale and Paradise Valley market has a high concentration of luxury properties with specific expectations around finish level, material quality, and project management. Clients here are often busy, frequently split time between multiple residences, and have limited tolerance for the kind of project mismanagement that is common when design and construction are not aligned.

The standard for what a home should look like and feel like is high. Meeting that standard requires a team that can hold the design vision and the construction execution simultaneously, all the way through to the final accessory placement.

That is what we do. And it is why clients who have worked with separate designers and contractors before consistently tell us the Living with Lolo model felt different from the first conversation to the final install.

Thinking About a Project in Scottsdale or Paradise Valley?

If you are planning a whole-home remodel, new construction interior design, or full furnishing project and want to work with a team that is licensed for both the design and the build, we would love to talk.

Learn more about our services →

See our portfolio of completed projects →

Book a complimentary discovery call →

Transitional interior design is one of the most searched and most misunderstood terms in the design world. Clients come to us saying they want something transitional all the time, but when we ask what that means to them, the answers vary wildly. Some mean modern but not cold. Some mean traditional but updated. Some just know they do not want anything too trendy or too stiff, and transitional feels like the right word for what they are imagining.

They are not wrong. Transitional interior design lives exactly in that space between extremes. It is the style that borrows from both traditional and contemporary design without committing fully to either, and when it is done well, it produces interiors that feel timeless, livable, and genuinely elevated.

This guide covers what transitional interior design actually is, what defines it, how we approach it on projects here in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, and what it looks like room by room.

What Transitional Interior Design Actually Means

The word transitional refers to the transition between two design languages: traditional and contemporary. Traditional design draws on historical European influences, ornate details, symmetry, rich wood tones, and layered textiles. Contemporary design leans into clean lines, minimal ornamentation, neutral palettes, and the absence of visual clutter.

Transitional interior design takes the warmth and craftsmanship of traditional style and pairs it with the simplicity and restraint of contemporary. The result is a space that feels grounded and comfortable without feeling dated, and feels clean and modern without feeling sterile.

In practical terms, transitional design often looks like this: a room with a tailored, straight-lined sofa in a warm neutral fabric, paired with a coffee table that has some organic texture or natural material, on top of a rug that has a subtle pattern without a strong traditional motif, in a space with clean architectural details that hint at classic proportion without heavy molding or ornate trim.

It is a balancing act and it’s also the art of intuition. Many of our clients don’t know how to exactly describe the style they’re looking for, and we are gifted at using our intuition to pull out the details and come up with a style that is unique for our clients. 

The Key Characteristics of Transitional Interior Design

Understanding what defines transitional design helps you recognize it and helps you brief a designer accurately when it is the direction you are after.

• A neutral but warm color palette. Transitional spaces tend to anchor in warm whites, soft taupes, greiges, warm grays, and creamy off-whites. These backdrops are calm and flexible, allowing furniture and materials to carry the visual weight without competing with a bold wall color. Accents tend to be muted rather than saturated. Think dusty blues, aged brass, warm terracotta, and natural linen rather than cobalt, chrome, or neon.
• Clean lines with soft edges. Furniture silhouettes in transitional spaces are simplified compared to traditional styles. No carved cabriole legs or tufted medallion backs. But they are also not the hard, rectilinear forms of strict contemporary design. A transitional sofa has a straight profile but a generous seat cushion. A transitional dining chair has a simple frame but an upholstered seat in a textured fabric.
• Mixed materials with cohesion. Transitional spaces layer materials thoughtfully. Wood, stone, metal, and textile all live together, but they are chosen with a unifying thread. Warm-toned woods pair with unlacquered brass. Honed stone pairs with linen. Aged leather pairs with a shagged natural rug. The materials feel curated rather than matched.
• Texture over pattern. Where traditional design relies heavily on pattern, transitional design relies on texture. A lumpy bouclé, a ribbed velvet, a chunky knit throw, a hand-knotted rug with a tone-on-tone weave. Pattern is used sparingly and subtly, often in a geometric or organic form rather than a floral or historical motif.
• Layered lighting. Transitional spaces use lighting as a design element. A statement chandelier that nods to classic form but has a simplified silhouette. Sculptural table lamps in ceramic or stone. Recessed lighting kept minimal and supplemented by layered sources at different heights. Lighting in a transitional space is never purely functional.
• Timeless over trendy. This is perhaps the most defining characteristic of transitional interior design. It is explicitly designed not to look dated in five years. The choices are deliberate and grounded in quality and proportion rather than what is trending on social media. Clients who choose transitional design are often those who want to invest once and live with it for a long time.

Transitional Interior Design in the Scottsdale

Transitional design is particularly well-suited to the Scottsdale and Paradise Valley market, and we work with this style often. 

Here is why. The architecture in this market tends to blend desert contemporary and soft Mediterranean influences. Homes have clean lines, open plans, and indoor-outdoor flow, but they also have warm stone, natural wood, and an expectation of comfort and texture that purely contemporary design does not always deliver. Transitional design bridges those elements naturally.

The climate matters too. In Arizona, you want interiors that feel cool and calm without feeling cold. The warm neutrals and natural materials of transitional design do exactly that. Linen drapery filters harsh light beautifully. Stone and tile are both practical and appropriate to the setting. Wood tones warm a space that is otherwise flooded with white walls and bright desert sun.

And the clients in this market tend to want longevity. Scottsdale and Paradise Valley homeowners are often investing in primary residences or high-value second homes. They are not looking for a space that feels current for two years and then needs to be redone, they want a home that will stand the test of time. 

What Transitional Interior Design Looks Like Room by Room

• The living room. A transitional living room anchors with a large, tailored sectional or a sofa and chair arrangement in a warm neutral. The coffee table is substantial, often in wood, stone, or a combination. Lighting comes from a statement overhead fixture and at least two table or floor lamps. A large-scale area rug grounds the seating area, ideally hand-knotted or natural fiber. Art on the walls is edited, with one or two large-scale pieces rather than a crowded gallery wall. We completed a living space in this direction on the Bronco Revival project in Scottsdale. The palette was warm cream and natural oak with organic shapes in the accessories, grounded by a large-scale abstract piece above the fireplace. The result reads as contemporary in its restraint but warm in its materiality. That is transitional at its best. See the Bronco Revival project →
• The kitchen. Transitional kitchens balance clean, shaker-style cabinetry in a warm white or soft greige with natural stone countertops and hardware that has some patina or warmth. Unlacquered brass, aged bronze, or matte black all work. The backsplash tends toward a simple tile with some texture, a handmade ceramic subway or a honed stone slab, rather than a dramatic pattern. Open shelving, if used, is edited and styled rather than loaded with objects.
• The primary suite. The bedroom in a transitional home is a study in calm. An upholstered bed in a textured fabric, a pair of nightstands in a warm wood or lacquer, layered bedding in linen and cotton, window treatments that soften the light. Nothing should feel precious or fussy. The goal is a space that feels like exhaling. On the Oasis Retreat project in Scottsdale, the primary suite direction was elevated southwest with organic luxury. The bed was upholstered in a warm greige performance fabric. The nightstands were a natural cerused oak. The lighting was aged brass with linen shades. It is a textbook transitional approach adapted to the Arizona context. See the Oasis Retreat project →
• The dining room. A transitional dining room often features a rectangular or oval table in natural wood or a stone-topped frame, paired with upholstered chairs in a durable fabric. The overhead fixture is a moment, often a linear or round statement piece in metal with some warmth to it. A sideboard or buffet grounds one wall. Window treatments and a rug complete the space.
• The bathroom. Transitional bathrooms use clean-lined cabinetry, natural stone tile, and fixtures in a warm metal finish. Freestanding tubs work well in transitional spaces. So do walk-in showers with large-format tile and frameless glass. The hardware and fixtures unify the palette throughout.

How Living with Lolo Approaches Transitional Design

We do not approach any project by labeling it a style and checking boxes. But when clients come to us describing spaces that feel warm but not heavy, modern but not cold, timeless but not boring, what they are describing is transitional, and it is a direction we work in constantly across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and the greater Phoenix metro.

Our starting point is always the architecture and the light. Scottsdale homes have specific proportions, specific light quality, and specific relationships to the outdoors that inform every material and furniture decision we make. A transitional approach that works in a New York brownstone does not automatically translate to an open-plan Arizona home with twelve-foot ceilings and south-facing glass.

From there we build the palette, establish the material hierarchy, and layer in furniture, lighting, and accessories in a sequence that ensures the space feels complete at every stage rather than half-finished until the final piece arrives.

We also hold an active Arizona Registrar of Contractors license, which means that when a transitional remodel involves construction, cabinetry, tile, or finish work, we manage that directly. The design vision does not get lost in translation between a designer and a separate contractor. Learn more about our design-build approach →

Is Transitional Interior Design Right for Your Home?

If you find yourself drawn to spaces that feel relaxed and livable but also feel intentional and elevated, transitional is likely your direction.

It works particularly well for whole-home projects where you need a cohesive thread that can carry through every room without feeling repetitive. It works for clients who want their home to feel welcoming to guests but also genuinely comfortable for daily life. And it works for the Scottsdale market in a way that feels authentic rather than imposed.

If you are planning a remodel, new construction project, or full furnishing in Scottsdale or Paradise Valley and want to talk through what a transitional direction could look like for your specific home, we would love to connect.

Book a complimentary discovery call →

See our portfolio of completed projects →

Learn about our full-service interior design services →

It is one of the first questions we hear on almost every discovery call. Luxury interior design in Scottsdale is a significant investment, and most firms make it nearly impossible to find real numbers before you commit to a conversation.

At Living with Lolo, we believe you should have a realistic sense of what things cost before you ever get on a call with us because the best client relationships start with honesty. When you come to us already understanding the investment, the conversation is better for everyone.

So here it is. Real numbers, real projects, real scope. Updated for 2026.

First, What Are You Actually Paying For?

Before we get into numbers, it helps to understand what luxury interior design fees actually cover, because the answer varies significantly depending on the firm and the scope.

At Living with Lolo, a full-service interior design project includes concept development, space planning, finish and material selection, furniture sourcing and procurement, vendor coordination, project management, delivery oversight, and final styling. For projects that include construction, we also hold an active Arizona Registrar of Contractors general contractor license, which means we manage the build directly in house vs sending you to someone else to manage construction. 

That last point matters more than most clients realize. When design and construction are managed under one roof, change orders go down, timelines compress, and the gap between what was designed and what actually gets built disappears. It is a structural difference in how the project runs, and it is one of the things that makes Living with Lolo different from most design firms in Scottsdale.

For scope purposes, our services fall into three main categories:

• Full-service design and construction, which we call design-build. This covers everything from concept through final install including all construction management.
• Full-service interior design with furnishing only, for homes that do not need structural work but need a complete interior transformation.
• New construction interior design, for clients building from the ground up who need a design partner from the finish selection phase forward.

We will break down all three below.

How Luxury Interior Design Fees Are Structured in Scottsdale

Design firms charge in different ways. Some charge a flat fee. Some charge hourly. Some charge a percentage of the total project cost. Some charge a combination of a design fee plus a markup on furnishings and materials.

At Living with Lolo, our fee structure is transparent and tied to the project scope. We are happy to walk through exactly how our fees work on a discovery call. What we can tell you here is that for the projects below, the numbers we share represent total client investment including design fees, construction costs where applicable, and furnishings. Typically, we have a flat project based fee, we have a procuement fee on products and materials and we have a construction management fee for construction. 

We present it this way because that is the number that matters to you. Not the design fee in isolation, but what you actually spend to get the finished result.

Real Project Cost Examples

Project 1: Bronco Revival, Scottsdale

Scope: Whole-home furnishing Square footage: 6,000 sq ft Design direction: Refreshed Desert Modern with Organic Warmth Total investment: $600K

This was a full-service furnishing project. The entire home was furnished from scratch including custom upholstery, art curation, window treatments, lighting, and accessories.

What drove cost on this project: the custom millwork throughout, the luxury lighting and the depth of the furnishing package. This was not a home that got a few new sofas. Every surface and every space was considered and executed intentionally.

See the Bronco Revival project →

Project 2: Desert Oasis, Scottsdale

Scope: Home renovation and furnishing, managed remotely by out-of-state clients Square footage: 4,408 sq ft Design direction: Elevated Southwest with Organic Luxury Total investment: $1,000,000

This project added complexity in two ways. The square footage was larger than average for our market, and the clients were based in the Midwest and managing the project remotely. That meant our team needed to serve as the eyes, ears, and decision-makers on site without requiring constant client availability.

Because we hold both the design and contractor license, the clients had a single point of contact throughout. They were not coordinating between a designer and a separate GC from another state. One team, one contract, one person accountable.

What drove cost here: the square footage, the level of finish consistent with a Scottsdale luxury property, and the level of high end furnishings. 

See the Oasis Retreat project →

Project 3: Desert Interlude, Scottsdale

Scope: Furnishing only, full condo Square footage: 2,396 Design direction: Clean Lines with Soft Desert Palette Total investment: $450,000 Completion: January 2026

This project is the clearest example we have of what furnishing-only actually costs at a luxury level. The clients were based in Wisconsin and purchased a Scottsdale condo as a second home. There was very light construction such as installing light fixtures and painting. The entire scope was furniture, lighting, window treatments, rugs, art, and accessories, sourced, procured, delivered, and installed by our team before their first visit.

This is the project we walk clients through when they say they just need a few pieces. A fully furnished home at a luxury level is not a small investment even without a single nail being driven. The clients arrived to a complete, styled home. That is the value of full-service.

See the Desert Interlude project →

Project 4: Victory Retreat, Phoenix Metro

Scope: New construction interior design Square footage: 2,236 sq ft Design direction: Warm Contemporary with Desert Organic Total investment: $250,000

This was furnishing project for Canadian clients using the home as a seasonal retreat in the Phoenix metro. We were brought in during the build phase to select all finish selections, fixture specifications, cabinetry, tile, flooring, lighting, and furnishing from the ground up.

New construction design is a different kind of project than a remodel. There is no demolition, but the decision-making is intense and time-sensitive because finish selections have to be made in sequence with the build schedule. A delayed decision on tile can push back an entire phase. Our team managed that sequencing directly with the builder.

What drove cost here: the furnishing package for a complete home and the coordination complexity of managing a project for clients traveling from another country.

See the Victory Retreat project →

What Luxury Interior Design Costs by Scope in Scottsdale

Based on current market conditions and our own completed projects, here is a realistic framework for 2026:

These are starting points based on real projects. Your number will depend on the size of your home, the finish level you are targeting, and the scope of work involved.

One thing we will say directly: if you are expecting a full-home transformation at a luxury level in Scottsdale for under $75,000, that is not something we can deliver honestly. We would rather tell you that now than take a project we cannot execute at the standard you deserve.

The Number Most Clients Get Wrong

Most clients have no idea what it costs to furnish a home. This is most often the area clients underestimate, and we see this consistently when we talk to clients for the first time. 

A client may have a realistic sense of construction costs from a previous project, but then set aside $25,000 for furniture on a 3,500 square foot home. At a luxury level, a single sectional from a quality trade vendor runs $12,000 to $22,000. A primary bedroom package including bed, nightstands, dresser, lighting, and window treatments runs $30,000 to $60,000 or more.

Multiply that across every room in a home and you understand quickly why furnishing budgets need to be set realistically from the start.

We have a signature process where we do a furniture investment guide with clients before we start sourcing a single product, so that we can make sure we’re aligned on the quality, overall investment, and general client expectations so clients are never surprised. If the budget does not support the scope, we say so early and adjust the plan rather than letting expectations outpace reality.

Why the Firm You Choose Changes the Final Number

Hiring a firm that holds both a design credential and a contractor license does not cost more than hiring two separate firms. In most cases it costs less, because the coordination waste that happens between two separate businesses disappears.

We have written about this in detail here. Change orders, timeline delays, and field decisions made without design input are the three biggest drivers of budget overruns on a remodel. All three are dramatically reduced when one licensed team holds both responsibilities.

For clients in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley who are investing $450,000 or more in their home, this makes all the difference. 

What to Do Before You Set a Budget

Before you decide on a number, do two things.

Walk your home and write down every space you want designed and furnished and what you want to results to be in each one. Be honest about the scope. If you want the kitchen, primary suite, two guest rooms, living room, dining room, and outdoor space done, that is a different project than just the kitchen.

Then have a real conversation with a firm that will give you honest numbers. So often we see firms and contractors giving unrealistic low number just to land a job, so do your own research to make sure you are getting accurate information upfront. 

Ready to Talk Through Your Project?

Living with Lolo is a full-service luxury interior design and design-build firm serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro. We hold an active Arizona ROC general contractor license and an interior design credential, which means we manage your entire project under one roof.

If you are planning a remodel, new construction project, or full furnishing and want honest numbers before you commit to anything, book a complimentary 15-minute discovery call.

Book Your Discovery Call →

See our completed projects →

Learn about our services →

If you have started researching a whole-home remodel in Scottsdale or Paradise Valley, you have probably noticed that almost nobody publishes real numbers. You get vague ranges, disclaimers, and a lot of “it depends.”

Every project is different so we understand why, but we also know that a client comes to us without any frame of reference, the conversation is harder for everyone. So this guide was made to give you honest numbers based on what we actually see on projects in the Scottsdale and Phoenix metro market in 2026.

We are Living with Lolo, a full-service luxury interior design and design-build firm based in Scottsdale. We hold both an interior design credential and an active Arizona Registrar of Contractors general contractor license, which means we manage both sides of a remodel under one roof. That perspective gives us a clear view of where money goes, where it gets wasted, and what drives cost up or down on a high-end project.

The Honest Answer: What a Luxury Remodel Costs in Scottsdale in 2026

For a full-home luxury remodel in Scottsdale that includes construction, finish selection, and furnishing, most of our clients invest between $200 and $500 per square foot, depending on scope, materials, and complexity.

That means:

• A 2,000 sq ft whole-home remodel: roughly $400,000 to $1,000,000
• A 3,500 sq ft remodel with full furnishing: roughly $700,000 to $1,750,000
• A 4,500 sq ft remodel at a high finish level: $900,000 to $2,250,000+

These are not worst-case numbers. They reflect what luxury actually costs in this market right now, accounting for current labor rates, material costs, and the level of finish that Scottsdale and Paradise Valley clients expect.

If you are working with a lower budget, that does not mean you cannot remodel your home, it means the scope needs to match the investment. A furnishing-only project for a home that does not need structural work starts at a different number entirely, typically $75,000 to $150,000+ for a full home depending on the size and finish level of furnishings selected.

Where the Money Actually Goes

One of the most common surprises clients experience is how the budget breaks down. Here is a realistic split for a full remodel and furnishing project:

Construction and labor: 40 to 50 percent of total project budget. This includes demolition, framing, plumbing, electrical, drywall, flooring installation, tile work, and finish carpentry. Labor in the Phoenix metro has increased significantly over the past three years. Skilled trade costs are real and yes, you can find someone cheaper, but work quality is not always the same and they might not show up to your project. 

Cabinetry and millwork: 10 to 15 percent. Custom cabinetry is one of the largest single line items on most remodels. Semi-custom runs less but still adds up quickly across a full kitchen, primary bath, and built-ins.

Fixtures, appliances, and plumbing: 8 to 12 percent. A luxury kitchen alone can run $50,000 to $100,000 in appliances before you touch a single cabinet.

Furnishings, art, and accessories: 20 to 30 percent. This is the number that surprises people most. Fully furnishing a home at a luxury level, meaning furniture, rugs, lighting, window treatments, art, and accessories, costs more than most clients initially expect. A single living room done properly can run $40,000 to $80,000 or more.

Design fees and project management: 10 to 15 percent. This covers design development, drawings, vendor coordination, procurement management, and on-site oversight.

Real Project Examples

Bronco Revival, Scottsdale

A whole-home remodel and furnishing project in Scottsdale. The scope included a full kitchen remodel, primary suite renovation, updated bathrooms, and complete furnishing of all living spaces. The design direction was Refreshed Desert Modern with Organic Warmth. Total investment fell in the [INSERT RANGE] range for approximately 3,200 square feet.

What drove cost on this project: custom cabinetry throughout, high-end stone selections, and a full furniture package that included custom upholstery and art curation.

Oasis Retreat, Scottsdale

A whole-home remodel and furnishing project in Scottsdale. The scope included a full kitchen remodel, primary suite renovation, updated bathrooms, and complete furnishing of all living spaces. The design direction was Refreshed Desert Modern with Organic Warmth. Total investment fell in the [INSERT RANGE] range for approximately 3,200 square feet.

What drove cost on this project: custom cabinetry throughout, high-end stone selections, and a full furniture package that included custom upholstery and art curation.

Desert Interlude, Scottsdale

A furnishing-only project for out-of-state clients who purchased a Scottsdale condo and needed it fully furnished before arrival. No construction. The entire scope was furniture, lighting, window treatments, art, and accessories. Completed January 2026. Total investment: [INSERT RANGE].

This project is a good example of what furnishing-only actually costs when done at a luxury level. Clients often assume it will be significantly less expensive than a full remodel. It is less. But fully furnishing a home with intention is not a small investment.

What Most Clients Underestimate

The single most underestimated cost category is furnishings.

Clients who have done construction projects before often come in with a realistic sense of what tile, cabinetry, and labor cost. But the same clients will frequently set aside $30,000 for furnishings on a 3,500 square foot home, not realizing that a single sofa from a quality trade vendor can run $8,000 to $14,000, and that a home of that size needs dozens of individual pieces.

The second most underestimated category is scope creep. What starts as a kitchen remodel often becomes a kitchen and primary bath once the walls come open. Building a contingency of 15 to 20 percent into your budget from the start protects you when this happens.

Why Hiring a Licensed GC and Interior Designer Together Saves You Money

This is worth its own section because it is genuinely one of the most important decisions you will make on a remodel.

Most homeowners hire a general contractor and an interior designer separately. That means two contracts, two schedules, two sets of drawings that may or may not align, and two professionals who may never have worked together before. When something goes wrong, and something always requires a decision mid-project, each party looks to the other for accountability.

At Living with Lolo, we hold both credentials under one roof. Lauren Lerner leads both the design and the construction, which means the person specifying your tile is the same as the one managing the crew installing it. The person selecting your cabinetry is coordinating directly with the carpenter. There is no translation layer, no miscommunication between trades and designers, and no change orders that stem from a designer specifying something a contractor later says cannot be built.

In practical terms, this saves our clients money in several ways:

Fewer change orders. Change orders are one of the most significant hidden costs in a remodel. They happen when a design decision conflicts with a construction reality. When design and construction are managed by the same team, those conflicts are caught before they become expensive. We use historical numbers to help our clients with an investment guide for construction and furniture before we start designing a single thing. There is nothing worse than designing a house, pricing it out, and our clients having sticker shock.

Faster timelines. Coordination between a designer and a separate contractor adds weeks to a project. Approvals, submittals, and revisions that pass through two separate businesses slow everything down. With one team, decisions happen faster.

Single accountability. If something is not right, there is one call to make. No finger-pointing between your designer and your contractor about whose fault a problem is. 

Better finish-level alignment. A contractor without a design eye will make field decisions that are structurally correct but aesthetically compromising. A designer without a contractor license will specify things that are beautiful but impractical or over budget. Our team holds both perspectives simultaneously, which means the decisions made on site every day reflect both the design vision and the construction reality.

Questions to Ask Before You Hire Anyone

Before you sign a contract with any firm for a luxury remodel in Scottsdale, ask these questions:

1. Do you hold an active Arizona ROC general contractor license? Ask for the license number and verify it at the Arizona Registrar of Contractors website.
2. Who specifically will be on site managing my project day to day?
3. How do you handle change orders and what is your process for communicating scope changes?
4. Can you show me completed projects at a similar scope and budget to what I am planning?
5. What does your fee structure include and what is billed separately?

So, What Should You Budget?

Here is a simple framework based on what we see in the Scottsdale and Paradise Valley market in 2026:

These are starting points. Your project may fall above or below these ranges depending on the size of your home, the finish level you are targeting, and the complexity of your scope.

The best thing you can do before setting a budget is have an honest conversation with a firm that will tell you what things actually cost, not what you want to hear.

Ready to Talk About Your Project?

Living with Lolo is a full-service luxury interior design and design-build firm serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and the greater Phoenix metro. We hold both an interior design credential and an active Arizona ROC general contractor license.

If you are planning a remodel, new construction project, or full furnishing and want a realistic conversation about scope and investment, we would love to connect. Book a complimentary 15-minute discovery call and we will come prepared.

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Related Post: Living With Lolo Named a Top Scottsdale Interior Design Firm by AD PRO 2025

Living with Lolo is a licensed interior design and design-build firm serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area. Arizona ROC License 347577.