Back-to-Back Readers’ Choice Awards Confirm Living With Lolo as the Valley’s Most Trusted Interior Design Studio

For two consecutive years, Living With Lolo has been named Best of the Valley Interior Design Firm by Phoenix Magazine, a testament to our community-driven approach, desert modern expertise, and unwavering commitment to creating personalized, luxury spaces across Arizona.

This recognition isn’t just a win, it’s a reflection of our clients’ trust, our team’s consistency, and our role as a leading force in the Phoenix and Scottsdale interior design scene.

Why Phoenix Magazine’s Award Matters

Unlike editorial or panel-selected honors, Phoenix Magazine’s “Best of the Valley” winners are chosen directly by the people, residents who have experienced our work firsthand. That’s what makes this back-to-back award so meaningful: it’s a genuine vote of confidence from the community we’re proud to serve.

2024: Establishing Design Authority

In 2024, Living With Lolo earned our first Best of the Valley title, recognized for redefining that desert modern can be livable, layered, and undeniably luxurious. That win celebrated:

• A skyrocketing portfolio across Scottsdale and Paradise Valley
• A design process rooted in function, not just flair
• Rapid brand recognition thanks to referral-based growth and social media visibility
• Arizona-specific problem-solving baked into every design decision

2025: Proving it Wasn’t a Fluke

Winning again in 2025 solidified what our clients already know: this isn’t a trend, it’s a standard. The second win proves:

• Scalable service without sacrificing quality
• A refined, repeatable process that works for large-scale builds and small-space updates alike
• A team built to serve more clients while maintaining a boutique-level touch

Continued leadership in Arizona’s evolving interior design market

Arizona Expertise That Makes a Difference

From UV-resistant materials and cool-touch surfaces to HOA compliance and desert-adapted landscaping, we know what works here, and what doesn’t.

We leverage:

• Top-tier partnerships with local trades and vendors
• Smart systems that reduce energy usage and enhance comfort
• A vetted contractor network that delivers with integrity

What Readers and Clients Love the Most

• Hands-on creative leadership from Lauren throughout the entire process
• Proactive communication, because clients should always know where things stand
• Design education and empowerment, so every decision feels informed, not rushed
• Flexible service offerings, from full-home builds to room refreshes

Portfolio Highlights That Drove the Wins

Scottsdale New Construction

• Mountain view-forward layouts in Troon North, DC Ranch
• Seamless indoor-outdoor transitions with luxury finishes
• Tech-integrated systems optimized for desert performance

Historic Home Revivals

• Mid-century and adobe homes in Old Town Scottsdale and Historic Phoenix
• Preserved charm paired with modern convenience
• Outdoor additions and spa baths that feel like resort living

Elevated Family Homes

• Kid- and pet-friendly designs that still feel elevated
• Built-in storage with a designer touch
• Multifunctional spaces supporting work, wellness, and entertaining

Compact Urban Luxury

• Space-maximizing design for high-end condos
• Private outdoor escapes with soundscaping and fire features
• Lighting, art placement, and storage that elevate smaller footprints

Signature Design Features Phoenix Residents Recognize

• Desert modern aesthetic that respects the region, without falling into cliché
• Layered neutrals + natural textures for timeless sophistication
• Performance fabrics + smart finishes built for long-term beauty in the desert
• Strategic color psychology for cooling effect and visual calm

ROI Backed by Design Excellence

Our clients typically see:

• 30 to 40% property value increases after full renovations
• Faster market sales due to distinctive, memorable design
• Elevated lifestyle satisfaction from spaces that finally work

Impacting Arizona’s Design Landscape

Back-to-back Best of the Valley wins have a ripple effect:

• Raising client expectations across the market
• Supporting local trades and artisans
• Attracting investment to high-end Phoenix and Scottsdale developments
• Inspiring new design talent and building a stronger creative community

What It Means to Hire a Two-Time Award Winner

• Proven consistency in design excellence
• Systematized service delivery across all project scales
• Clear client feedback loop for ongoing refinement

Established trust that gives clients peace of mind in high-stakes investments

Ready to Work with Phoenix Magazine’s Best of the Valley Winner?

Our firm is built on repeatable excellence, trusted process, and client relationships that last well beyond install day.

Why Convenience is Just the Beginning and Long-Term Value is the Real Story in Arizona Luxury Homes

When most people think about hiring a full-service interior design firm in Scottsdale or Paradise Valley, the first thing they feel is relief:

“One team, one contract, no more managing ten vendors.”

And while yes, that’s part of the appeal – it’s only the surface. At Living With Lolo, our design-build model isn’t just about simplifying the process. It’s about maximizing the return on your investment at every level: time, budget, emotional energy, and long-term value.

Here’s how we do it, and why it matters for discerning homeowners throughout Arizona.

Time Saved = Decision Fatigue Eliminated

In a traditional setup, you’re the middleman. You bounce between your architect, builder, interior designer, and window treatment specialist. That’s dozens of emails a week and hundreds of decisions made in isolation.

With us? We run your Scottsdale home renovation or Paradise Valley new-build as one unified team. Design, construction, procurement – it’s all connected, coordinated, and moving forward in lockstep.

Client ROI: 60–100+ hours saved. Countless headaches avoided.

Budget Protected by Design-Driven Planning

Ever heard the phrase “It costs what it costs”? We don’t like that answer either.

Our process starts by aligning your design goals with a realistic construction budget. Because we handle both in-house in our Scottsdale-based team, we see cost implications before anything is built. That means fewer change orders, no sticker shock, and more control.

Client ROI: Clients across Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Paradise Valley see 15 to 25% fewer budget overruns compared to the industry average.

Discover the hidden ROI of full-service interior design in Paradise Valley & Scottsdale – from saving 60 to 100+ hours and avoiding costly budget overruns, to boosting resale value by $350K and enjoying peace of mind throughout your remodel.

Cohesive Design, Executed Precisely

When your designer and contractor are separate, ideas get diluted or missed. That’s how you end up with awkward ceiling heights or finishes that clash.

With our integrated Arizona design-build team, what you see in the renderings is what gets built.

Client ROI: Fewer compromises. No miscommunications. Total vision fidelity.

Peace of Mind Is the Real Luxury

Our clients aren’t just busy, they’re discerning. They don’t want to manage a project. They want a partner who can lead it.

Client ROI: Peace of mind, from start to finish.

So, Is Full-Service Worth It?

If you’re comparing hourly rates or contract scope line by line, full-service might look more expensive. But when you measure total ROI on time, stress, quality, resale, and budget protection, it’s a different story.

We don’t just make things easier. We make every decision work harder for your time, your budget, and your long-term value.

Frequently Asked Questions

Work With Scottsdale’s Trusted Luxury Design Team

If you’re a Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, or Phoenix-area professional ready for a home that works as hard as you do (without the endless to-do lists), we’d love to help.

Serving Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and nationwide luxury clients. Schedule your consultation today.

📞 Call us at 480-702-1189 and book your consultation.

At Living With Lolo, we don’t believe in fluff. We believe in finish. That means guiding our clients through design decisions that are both beautiful and smart, rooted in their goals, lifestyle, and what they want to feel every time they walk through the door.

If you’re wondering how to think about your investment for a full-service interior design project in Scottsdale or Paradise Valley, let’s reframe the conversation. Our clients across Phoenix, Cave Creek, and the Valley trust us to align their homes with their lifestyle, not just their furniture checklist. Whether you’re in North Scottsdale’s desert foothills, the heart of Old Town, or nestled in Paradise Valley’s mountainside estates, the right design investment isn’t a compromise. It’s a strategy that transforms how you live in your space every single day.

This is a Home, Not a Shopping List

Our Scottsdale and Phoenix area projects don’t start with a cart. They start with clarity. From that first design consultation in your Paradise Valley home or Cave Creek estate, we anchor the entire experience around your goals, what feels good, what needs to function better, and what would truly elevate your day-to-day living in the Arizona desert.

That’s why our minimum furniture investment starts at $75,000 for three or more rooms, not including construction. This is the baseline for creating a cohesive, high-functioning space where every piece plays a role, not just fills a corner. Whether we’re designing a contemporary home in the McDowell Foothills or a traditional estate in Arcadia, it’s about curated quality that makes sense for Valley living.

The Truth Behind Interior Design Budgets in Phoenix

Clients often come to us after trying to DIY or piecemeal their way through a Scottsdale home renovation. It’s exhausting. It’s expensive. And it rarely delivers the polish or personalization they were hoping for, especially in the competitive Paradise Valley and North Phoenix markets where homes need to feel both luxurious and livable.
When we talk about investment for Phoenix area interior design, we’re really talking about intention:

Quality Over Quantity: In the Arizona climate, buying fewer things and making them count means selecting pieces that can handle intense sun, dust, and the indoor-outdoor lifestyle that defines Valley living.

Durability: This is especially crucial in high-traffic, family- or pet-friendly homes throughout Scottsdale and Cave Creek, where spaces need to function beautifully for active lifestyles.

Design That Lasts: We focus on styling homes that still feel like you in five years, not just five months. This approach serves our Phoenix clients well, as the investment protects against the constant cycle of replacing pieces that weren’t chosen strategically.

And yes, that includes lighting designed for Arizona’s unique natural light, custom window treatments that handle our intense sun, wall finishes that complement desert landscapes, rugs that work with our sandy environment, art that reflects the Southwest aesthetic, accessories that capture Valley sophistication, and every thoughtful detail that turns a house into a cohesive, deeply livable home.

Every investment is tailored for timeless style and lasting value in the unique Sonoran Desert environment. Our approach ensures that whether you’re updating a contemporary home in the McDowell Mountains or transforming a traditional estate in Arcadia, your investment delivers both immediate impact and enduring satisfaction.

Confidence Through Clarity in Scottsdale Interior Design

We know interior design is a luxury. And we don’t take that lightly. But when it’s done right in your home, the result is more than beautiful. It’s functional, timeless, and deeply personal. That’s what we’re here to deliver throughout the Phoenix Valley.

So if you’re in the early stages of dreaming about transforming your Cave Creek estate or North Scottsdale residence, let us help you build a roadmap rooted in honesty, beauty, and your own best life at home in Arizona.

This isn’t about splurging for the sake of it. It’s about making every dollar meaningful in creating a space that works with the Valley’s unique lifestyle demands. Whether you’re planning a full home renovation in Paradise Valley or refreshing key spaces in your Phoenix area home, let’s move forward with confidence.

Ready to discuss your design investment strategy?
Contact Living With Lolo to schedule a consultation for your home.

The Result? Spaces That Feel as Good as They Look

When Colin stepped into our Scottsdale project, his words, “creativity, calm, and connection” summed up our goal perfectly. We design for the feeling you want to live in every day: whether that’s focused, relaxed, inspired, or all of the above.

What Our Scottsdale Clients Say

Frequently Asked Questions About Interior Design Investment in Scottsdale

Selecting a luxury interior designer is a significant choice. It creates a home reflecting who you are, compatible with your lifestyle, and retains its value. Done incorrectly, it can be costly, and there can be a lot of stress. This guide enables you to verify credentials, determine if a designer’s style suits you, prevent mistakes, and discover a designer who can deliver.

Credentials, Portfolio, and Project Scale

• Licensing & Affiliations: Not all interior designers in Arizona must be licensed, but most of the best in the industry are members of ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) or IDS (Interior Design Society) and are rated by the BBB (Better Business Bureau). When you are having construction done, ensure the business has a licensed contractor involved with them or part of their staff.
• Portfolio Depth: Search for at least 5 to 10 projects of a similar size, budget, and style to yours. Having multiple projects indicates various skills, but similar projects indicate expertise.
• Project Scale Match: A designer who would otherwise work on new 1,000 sq ft condos might not be ideal to work on a 7,000 sq ft estate renovation. Even bigger companies might not be willing to do small projects.
• Credibility: Examine work printed in publications such as Luxe Interiors + Design, Modern Luxury Interiors, or Phoenix Home & Garden. When the industry and media acknowledge work, it indicates they are reliable.

Process Clarity and Procurement Capacity

• Process Mapping: A good designer can articulate each step from concept to install and how they handle drawings, approvals, purchasing, and site coordination.
• Procurement Capacity: Luxury projects involve dozens (sometimes hundreds) of line items. Ask about vendor network, warehousing, delivery inspection, and damage resolution. If they lack in-house procurement, who manages it?
• Timeline Management: Large projects can take 6 to 18 months. The designer should present realistic schedules and explain how they track milestones. Ask about the design timeline with installation timeline.
• Project Tracking; A top-tier interior design firm relies on project management software to keep projects on track, monitor orders, and maintain complete oversight at every stage. They ensure a smooth process from start to finish, seamlessly managing installations and addressing any deficiencies or punch lists with precision and care.

The Wrong Designer Can Cost You More Than Money

When you’re spending a lot of money on your home, a poor choice of design professional can mean additional expenses, delays, and poor work requiring expensive repairs. In Scottsdale and Paradise Valley’s competitive design market, having neat portfolios and pretty websites doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll do good work.

The most costly mistakes happen early in the relationship, often during the consultation and contracting phase. Warning signs are easy to miss, but they become much harder to recover from as time goes on. 

Red Flags

• Vague Budgeting: If they can’t give ballpark ranges after a consultation, be cautious.
• Limited Vendor Access: Relying only on retail sources often means less customization and weaker trade pricing.
• Poor Communication: Delays in early responses can foreshadow project management issues.
• No Clear Contract: A lack of scope definition puts you at risk for scope creep and disputes.

Treat Designer Selection Like Any Major Hiring Decision

You wouldn’t hire a brilliant leader without a clear method of interviewing them, and selecting your inside designer requires the same scrutiny. When you are spending money and time on your house, simply relying on your gut and flipping through pretty pictures isn’t enough. Good interviewers are not necessarily good designers, so you must ask thoughtful questions to observe how they work, what qualifications they possess, and what red flags exist.

A step-by-step method enables you to examine potential candidates objectively and select the individual who would handle your investment and deliver satisfactory results.

Interview Script and Scoring Sheet

Questions to Ask:

1. What types of projects do you specialize in?
2. How do you structure your fees?
3. Who will be my point of contact day-to-day?
4. How do you handle procurement, storage, and installation?
5. Can you share references from recent clients with similar budgets and timelines?

Scoring Sheet Criteria:

• Style alignment (1–5)
• Communication style (1–5)
• Process clarity (1–5)
• Budget transparency (1–5)
• Vendor network depth (1–5)

Know What to Expect Before You Sign

A professional design process should feel predictable, not chaotic. When you understand each phase upfront, you can hold your designer accountable to clear milestones and avoid the confusion that leads to budget overruns and timeline delays. The best designers will walk you through their entire process during the initial consultation, explaining exactly what happens when, who’s responsible for what, and how decisions get made along the way.

Process Diagram: From Consult to Completion

1. Initial Consultation – Define goals, style, and budget.
2. Proposal & Agreement – Scope, fees, and timeline confirmed.
3. Concept Design – Mood boards, layouts, initial selections.
4. Design Development – Finalize drawings, specs, materials.
5. Procurement – Orders placed, logistics managed.
6. Construction Coordination – Site visits, issue resolution.
7. Installation & Styling – White-glove delivery and final touches.
8. Handover & Follow-Up – Warranty info and care guides provided.

Credentials Matter When the Stakes Are High

In luxury design, portfolio photos only tell part of the story. Real expertise shows up in industry recognition, project volume, and client outcomes that go beyond pretty rooms. When you’re investing significantly in your home, you want a designer whose track record demonstrates they can handle complex projects, manage substantial budgets, and deliver results that exceed expectations. The proof is in the performance.

Living With Lolo

Awards: Luxe Interiors + Design’s Next in Design 99.
Projects: Over 200 luxury residential projects completed in the Phoenix metro area.

Results Speak Louder Than Promises

When evaluating designers, ask to see specific project outcomes, not just beautiful photos. The best professionals can walk you through real client scenarios with concrete details about scope, investment, timeline, and measurable results. A single detailed case study reveals more about a designer’s capabilities than dozens of portfolio images, showing you exactly how they handle projects similar to yours and what kind of outcomes you can realistically expect.

Project: Paradise Valley Remodel, 8,500 sq ft
Scope: Full-service interior design + furnishings
Budget band: $$$$
Timeline: 8 months
Highlights: Indoor-outdoor integration, custom millwork, fully automated lighting and shade systems.
Result: Featured in Modern Luxury Interiors, with homeowners reporting increased home value and lifestyle satisfaction.

What Our Scottsdale Clients Say

Frequently Asked Questions

Work With Scottsdale’s Trusted Luxury Design Team

Ready to work with a designer who gets it right the first time? Schedule your consultation with Living With Lolo and experience the difference that true desert expertise makes.

📞 Call us at 480-702-1189 and book your consultation.