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Living with Lolo Named One of the Fastest-Growing Interior Design Firms in the Southwest | Inc. Regionals 2026

Living with Lolo Named One of the Fastest-Growing Interior Design Firms in the Southwest | Inc. Regionals 2026

by | Mar 31, 2026 | Interior Design Tips, Modern Interior Design Ideas, Press & Awards

2 min readMarch 2026
On March 31, 2026, Inc. named Living with Lolo to its Regionals 2026: Southwest list, which recognizes the fastest-growing private companies across Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The official press release marks the first time a Scottsdale interior design and licensed general contracting firm has appeared on the list. You can view the full Inc. Regionals Southwest list at Inc.com.

What the Inc. Regionals List Recognizes

Inc. Regionals is one of the most respected measures of business growth in the country. The list is not based on revenue size, brand recognition, or longevity. It is based purely on verified revenue growth over a three-year period. Companies that make the list have demonstrated consistent, compounding growth at a time when the residential design and construction industry was navigating higher material costs, longer lead times, and significant shifts in how clients approach major home projects.
For the 2026 Southwest region, 949 companies earned a spot on the full national list, with Southwest honorees collectively adding 9,633 jobs and $5.2 billion to the regional economy. Living with Lolo was one of a very small number of firms in the residential interior design and design-build category to earn inclusion.

Why This Recognition Matters for a Design-Build Firm

Most growth awards in the design industry are based on peer nominations or editorial selection. The Inc. Regionals list is different. Every company submits financial documentation that Inc. verifies independently. That means the growth is real, not self-reported or chosen by a committee.
Living with Lolo operates as a full-service interior design and licensed general contracting firm in Scottsdale, Arizona. Lauren Lerner LLC holds ROC 347577, the firm's active Arizona Registrar of Contractors license, which means the team manages design, permitting, procurement, and construction under one contract. The growth that Inc. measured reflects what happens when clients no longer have to coordinate between two separate firms for a single project.

What Has Driven the Growth

Over the past three years, the firm has expanded the scope and complexity of projects it takes on. Projects that once centered on furnishings and styling have grown into full remodels, structural renovations, and new construction builds. Clients across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the wider Phoenix metro have hired Living with Lolo to lead projects from concept through construction completion.
This integrated approach drives a different kind of client relationship. Rather than managing multiple vendors and timelines, clients work with a single team that controls design decisions and construction execution. That structure allows the firm to take on more complex projects and deliver them more efficiently, which is reflected in both client retention and referral volume.

A Note from Lauren

"Being recognized by Inc. is meaningful because it reflects what our team has built, not just the projects we have completed. Growing a design and construction firm the right way, with real licenses, real accountability, and clients who trust you with their homes, takes time. This recognition confirms that the approach is working."

What This Means for Clients

For homeowners in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley who are evaluating firms for a major renovation or new build interior, the Inc. Regionals recognition offers one additional data point. A company growing at this rate, with verified financials, is a company that is operating efficiently and delivering results that generate referrals. Growth at this level does not happen without a strong repeat and referral base.
If you are early in the process of planning a renovation or new construction interior and want to understand what working with a design-build firm looks like, the Living with Lolo Process page walks through how a project moves from the initial consultation through final installation. You can also book a call directly to talk through your project scope.

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Being named to the Inc. Regionals list means our growth is independently verified, not self-reported. We grew because our clients referred us and because the design-build model we built creates better outcomes than the traditional design-then-hand-off approach. The recognition is a measure of what our clients experienced, and that is what I am most proud of. — Lauren Lerner

Want to work with a firm that has been recognized for consistent, verifiable growth?

A discovery call is 30 minutes. Let us talk about what your project needs and whether we are the right fit.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Inc. Regionals list?

Inc. Regionals is a list published by Inc. Magazine that recognizes the fastest-growing private companies in specific regions of the United States. Companies are ranked by revenue growth over a three-year period, and the list is independently verified rather than self-nominated.

Is Living with Lolo a boutique or large firm?

Living with Lolo is a boutique design-build firm. We intentionally work on a limited number of projects at a time so our clients receive direct attention from Lauren and the core team throughout their project. The Inc. Regionals recognition reflects the quality of our work and client referrals, not a high volume of projects.

Ready to Transform Your Home?

Lauren Lerner and the Living with Lolo team work with clients across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.

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The growth described in this post is built on a model that most design firms in Scottsdale cannot replicate: holding both an interior design credential and an active Arizona general contractor license under one roof. If you want to understand what that means for your project, read about what licensed design-build actually covers and what these projects cost in the Scottsdale market.

Lauren Lerner, principal interior designer at Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner

Principal Designer, Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner is a luxury interior designer based in Scottsdale, AZ and the founder of Living with Lolo. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Vogue, Martha Stewart Living, The Wall Street Journal, and GQ. She specializes in high-end residential design across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.

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Do Interior Designers Handle Permits in Arizona?

Do Interior Designers Handle Permits in Arizona?

by | Mar 19, 2026 | Modern Interior Design Ideas, Scottsdale Interior Design Projects

3 min readMarch 2026
The short answer is: most interior designers in Arizona do not and legally cannot pull permits. Permits in Arizona are pulled by the licensed general contractor on a project. An interior designer who does not hold an active ROC general contractor license cannot sign off on a permit application, take legal responsibility for the permitted scope of work, or manage the inspection process that follows.
This is one of the most important distinctions between hiring a design-only firm and hiring a licensed design-build firm. It shapes who is actually accountable for your project from a legal and practical standpoint , and it affects your timeline, your budget, and your risk exposure when something unexpected happens during construction.

What Requires a Permit in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley

Arizona municipalities require permits for most work beyond cosmetic updates. In Scottsdale specifically, the following typically require a permit: structural changes including wall removal and additions, electrical panel upgrades and new circuits, plumbing modifications including relocating fixtures or adding new lines, HVAC changes, window and door replacements that change the rough opening size, decks, covered patios, and pool work.
Work that typically does not require a permit includes painting, flooring replacement, cabinet refacing (not replacement), fixture swaps where the rough-in location does not change, and most furniture and lighting changes. But the moment you are moving a wall, relocating a sink, or upgrading electrical service, you are in permitted territory.
Paradise Valley has its own permitting office and its own requirements, which differ in some respects from Scottsdale's. Chandler, Tempe, and other Valley municipalities each have their own processes. There is no universal answer that covers every city , which is one of the reasons having a licensed contractor who works regularly in these jurisdictions is valuable. We know the requirements and the review timelines for each municipality we work in.

What Happens When Work Goes Unpermitted

Unpermitted work creates compounding problems. The most immediate: no inspection occurred, which means no one with authority verified the work was done correctly. If something fails later , a wire that was not properly connected, a structural change that was not properly engineered , you are holding the liability.
The longer-term problem surfaces at resale. Title companies review permit history. Buyers' inspectors look for signs of unpermitted work. When unpermitted structural or systems work is discovered during a sale, you typically face either a renegotiated price, a requirement to obtain retroactive permits (which often requires opening walls for inspection), or both. We have seen transactions fall apart over this.
In Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, where homes transact at high values and buyers conduct thorough due diligence, this is a real exposure. It is not worth the short-term convenience of skipping the process.

How Living with Lolo Manages Permitting

Because Living with Lolo holds an active Arizona ROC general contractor license (ROC 347577), we pull permits directly on every project that requires them. We identify what needs a permit during the design phase, submit applications, and manage the inspection schedule as part of the project timeline.
For clients, this means there is one point of contact for every permit question. When an inspector schedules a visit, we coordinate it. When a correction is required, we address it. You are not tracking down a separate contractor to follow up on paperwork that your designer submitted a request for two weeks ago.
It also means the permit timeline is built into the project schedule from the start. We know how long Scottsdale review typically takes, how Paradise Valley's process compares, and what to expect at each stage. That predictability is the difference between a project that runs on schedule and one that loses six weeks waiting on something that could have been anticipated.

I pull permits in multiple Arizona municipalities every month. What is required in Scottsdale is different from Paradise Valley, Chandler, or Mesa. I have navigated this process across dozens of projects and dozens of jurisdictions across the Valley, and the answer to most permit questions is: it depends, and you need someone on your team who knows the answer for your specific project and city. , Lauren Lerner, Living with Lolo

Have questions about permits for your Scottsdale or Paradise Valley project?

We handle permits as part of our standard process. A discovery call is the fastest way to understand what your specific project requires.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do interior designers pull permits in Arizona?

Interior designers who are not licensed general contractors do not pull permits in Arizona. Permits must be pulled by the licensed contractor on the project. At Living with Lolo, we are both the designer and the licensed general contractor, so we handle permitting as part of our standard process.

What work requires a permit in Scottsdale?

In Scottsdale, permits are typically required for any work involving structural changes, electrical upgrades, plumbing modifications, HVAC changes, additions, and most kitchen or bathroom remodels involving moving walls or changing systems. Cosmetic updates like painting, flooring replacement, and cabinet refacing generally do not require permits.

Who is responsible for permits when hiring a design-build firm?

When you hire a design-build firm that holds a general contractor license, the firm is responsible for identifying what requires permits, submitting applications, scheduling inspections, and obtaining final sign-offs. This is one of the key advantages of the design-build model versus hiring a designer and contractor separately.

Can I do a remodel without permits in Arizona?

Doing work that requires permits without obtaining them creates serious liability issues, including problems at resale when title companies review permit history. Beyond legal exposure, unpermitted work also means no inspections occurred during construction, which creates risk if something goes wrong later.

Ready to Transform Your Home?

Lauren Lerner and the Living with Lolo team work with clients across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.

Book a Discovery Call

If you want to understand the full picture of what a licensed design-build firm does that a design-only firm cannot, read our guide to holding both an interior design credential and an Arizona GC license. For context on what a permitted renovation costs in this market, our interior design cost guide includes real numbers from projects that required full permitting. You can also read the questions you should ask any designer before hiring them, including whether they hold an active Arizona ROC license.

Lauren Lerner, principal interior designer at Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner

Principal Designer, Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner is a luxury interior designer based in Scottsdale, AZ and the founder of Living with Lolo. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Vogue, Martha Stewart Living, The Wall Street Journal, and GQ. She specializes in high-end residential design across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.

What Questions Should You Ask a Luxury Interior Designer Before You Hire Them?

What Questions Should You Ask a Luxury Interior Designer Before You Hire Them?

by | Mar 17, 2026 | Interior Design Tips, Modern Interior Design Ideas, Scottsdale Interior Design Projects

3 min readMarch 2026
The clients who end up with the best projects are usually the ones who asked the most direct questions before signing anything. Not because asking hard questions makes the process adversarial , it does the opposite. It establishes that you are a thoughtful client and gets both parties aligned on expectations before the work begins. After more than a decade running projects in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, these are the questions I would want prospective clients to ask me.

Questions About Credentials and Accountability

Are you a licensed general contractor, or do you work with one? The answer tells you who is legally accountable for the construction portion of your project. If the designer works with a contractor they recommend, those are two separate businesses. When something goes wrong during the build, you need to know exactly who owns the problem. Ask for the ROC license number and verify it at roc.az.gov.
Who pulls the permits on my project? Permits are pulled by the licensed contractor, not by an unlicensed designer. If the answer is "our contractor partner" rather than "we do," you have two firms sharing your project. That creates coordination gaps that cost you money.
Who will be on site during construction? A designer whose involvement ends at the drawing stage is not managing your build. The designer should be present during construction to make real-time decisions that protect the design intent as field conditions arise.

Questions About Process and Communication

How do you handle change orders? Every renovation encounters the unexpected. How a firm responds to that reality reveals more about how the project will run than any other question. A clear, fair, well-documented change order process is a sign of a professionally run firm. Vagueness here is a warning.
What is my primary point of contact and how are decisions communicated? Understand who you will actually be talking to throughout the project, how often you should expect updates, and what the process is for decisions that need a quick turnaround. Communication failures are the most common source of client dissatisfaction on renovation projects , not the design itself.
How do you manage the design process when I have competing preferences with my partner? If two people with different aesthetics are living in the home, a good designer will have a process for working through those differences rather than picking sides or defaulting to whoever is in the room. Ask about this directly.

Questions About the Work Itself

Can I see completed projects , not renderings or in-progress work? Finished homes, professionally photographed, at a comparable scope and finish level to what you are planning. Ask specifically whether the projects shown were ones the firm designed AND built, or only designed. There is a meaningful difference.
What is a realistic budget range for my scope? A designer who will not give you a budget range before signing is not doing you a service. You need to know whether your budget and their project minimums are aligned before either of you invests time in a design direction. We give clients a realistic range on the first call.
What do you see as the primary design challenge or opportunity in my home? The answer tells you whether the designer has thought specifically about your project or is giving you a generic pitch. A designer who has walked your space and can speak to its specific constraints and potential is someone who has been paying attention.

Questions About Fees and Contract Structure

What is included in your design fee and what triggers additional charges? Understand how revisions are handled, whether additional design meetings cost extra, and what happens if the scope changes after the contract is signed. Clarity on this upfront prevents friction later.
Do you mark up materials and furniture, and how does that work? Most design firms mark up trade-priced items. The question is not whether this happens but how transparent the firm is about it. A firm that is clear about their markup structure is easier to budget around than one that is vague.

I have been answering these questions from prospective clients for over a decade. The ones who ask the right questions upfront end up with better projects. The ones who skip due diligence and choose based on portfolio photos alone often regret it. These are the questions I would want you to ask me, and I am prepared to answer every one of them. , Lauren Lerner, Living with Lolo

Ready to ask us these questions directly?

A discovery call is 30 minutes and completely free. We will answer everything on this list and give you a realistic read on your project.

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What a real design walkthrough with our clients looks like:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the first question I should ask a luxury interior designer?

Ask to see projects that are similar in scope and style to what you want, and ask how the designer handled specific challenges on those projects. A portfolio with beautiful photos is expected. What separates good firms is how they talk about problems and how they solved them.

How do I know if a luxury interior designer is right for me?

Beyond portfolio fit, look for clear communication about process, honest answers on budget and timeline, and evidence that they have done projects like yours before. A firm that listens more than it pitches in the first meeting is typically a better long-term working relationship.

What is the difference between a designer and a design-build firm?

A designer handles the aesthetic planning and specification but passes construction to a separate general contractor. A design-build firm, like Living with Lolo, handles both under one roof. This matters when accuracy of execution is as important as the design concept itself.

Should I interview multiple interior designers?

Yes, especially for whole-home or significant renovation projects. Most firms offer a free or low-cost discovery call. Talking to two or three firms gives you a basis for comparison on both working style and fee structure.

Ready to Transform Your Home?

Lauren Lerner and the Living with Lolo team work with clients across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.

Book a Discovery Call

Two of the most important questions on this list relate directly to licensing. Read our full breakdown of what an Arizona general contractor license covers and which construction projects legally require a licensed GC to pull permits. If you are also trying to understand what the right firm will cost before your first conversation, our luxury interior design cost guide gives you real numbers from completed Scottsdale and Paradise Valley projects. When you are ready to start that conversation, you can book a complimentary discovery call with our team.

Lauren Lerner, principal interior designer at Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner

Principal Designer, Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner is a luxury interior designer based in Scottsdale, AZ and the founder of Living with Lolo. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Vogue, Martha Stewart Living, The Wall Street Journal, and GQ. She specializes in high-end residential design across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.

What to Expect During a Whole-Home Remodel in Scottsdale

What to Expect During a Whole-Home Remodel in Scottsdale

by | Mar 17, 2026 | Modern Interior Design Ideas, Scottsdale Interior Design Projects

4 min readMarch 2026
A whole-home remodel is the most complex residential project most people will ever undertake. It involves more decisions, more moving parts, more trades, and more opportunities for things to go sideways than any single-room project. The clients who navigate it well share one characteristic: they understood what was coming before demolition started.
I have managed hundreds of remodels in Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and Arcadia. What follows is an honest account of what each phase looks like, what the common friction points are, and what you can do to minimize stress without micromanaging the process.

Phase One: Discovery and Design Agreement

Before any design work begins, the right firm will spend time understanding what you actually want. Not just the aesthetic , the lifestyle. How do you use the kitchen? Do you entertain formally or informally? Do your kids do homework at the island? Does your primary bath need to function for two people on the same schedule every morning? The answers to these questions drive design decisions that no amount of looking at inspiration images can substitute for.
This phase should also produce a realistic budget conversation. On a whole-home remodel in Scottsdale or Paradise Valley at the luxury level, budgets typically range from $300,000 to over $1 million depending on scope, finishes, and structural changes. A designer who will not give you a budget range at this stage is not serving you well. You need to know whether your number and their scope are aligned before either of you invests weeks in a design direction.

Phase Two: Space Planning and Specification

This is where the design work happens , floor plans, material selections, finish specifications, furniture sourcing, and detailed drawings. Expect multiple presentations and revision rounds. Good design takes iteration, and firms that rush this phase produce work that looks rushed.
On a Living with Lolo project, the construction team reviews drawings during this phase before anything is finalized. Specifications that would create problems during the build , a tile that requires a substrate not in the original budget, a cabinet dimension that conflicts with a duct run , are caught and resolved here rather than on site. This is one of the core structural advantages of working with a firm that holds both design and contractor credentials.

Phase Three: Permitting and Pre-Construction

In Scottsdale, plan review for a typical whole-home remodel takes four to eight weeks. Paradise Valley has its own review process with its own timeline. This phase also involves finalizing subcontractor schedules, placing orders for long-lead items (custom cabinetry, stone slabs, specialty fixtures), and confirming material lead times so that nothing is missing when the trades need it on site.
Long-lead items are the most common source of construction delays. On a luxury project, custom cabinetry typically takes ten to fourteen weeks from order to delivery. Stone slabs need to be selected from a yard or fabricator. Specialty lighting can take six to ten weeks. All of this needs to be ordered before demolition begins, not after. Firms that do not have a rigorous procurement process routinely hold up construction waiting for materials that should have been ordered months earlier.

Phase Four: Construction

Demolition is the moment the project becomes real for most clients, and also the moment it temporarily looks its worst. The home will look like a disaster for weeks before it starts looking like a design. This is normal. What is not normal is going weeks without a meaningful update from your project team, or arriving at an inspection to find work done differently than you approved.
On a well-managed project, the construction phase runs in a predictable sequence: demo and rough framing, then rough mechanical (plumbing, electrical, HVAC), then inspections, then insulation and drywall, then finish work (tile, cabinetry, millwork, flooring), then fixture installation and paint. Each trade has a window. When scheduling is tight and trades overlap, quality suffers. The project manager's job is to keep the sequence clean.

Phase Five: Installation and Styling

The installation phase is when the vision becomes visible again. Furniture arrives, lighting goes in, accessories are placed. For clients who have been living through construction, this phase produces the emotional payoff that makes the process worth it. It typically takes one to two weeks for a whole-home project.
At Living with Lolo, no project is considered complete until a full styling appointment has been done and every detail has been attended to. Pillows adjusted, art hung at the correct height, surfaces dressed with the right objects in the right relationships. The photography that documents our work only happens after this final layer is complete. A home that is "mostly done" is not done.

I have managed hundreds of remodels across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and Arcadia. The projects that go smoothly share one trait: the client understood what was coming before demolition started. The ones that become stressful almost always trace back to misaligned expectations in the early weeks. This guide is written to make sure that does not happen on your project. , Lauren Lerner, Living with Lolo

Planning a Scottsdale or Paradise Valley remodel?

We can walk you through a realistic timeline and budget for your specific scope on a discovery call. No obligation.

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What the planning phase of a Scottsdale remodel actually looks like:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the typical timeline for a whole-home remodel in Scottsdale?

A whole-home remodel in Scottsdale typically takes 6 to 12 months from first design meeting to final installation, depending on scope. The design and procurement phase takes 2 to 3 months, permitting adds 4 to 8 weeks in most Scottsdale and Paradise Valley jurisdictions, and construction runs 3 to 6 months for a full-home project.

What are the phases of a whole-home renovation?

A well-managed renovation moves through five phases: discovery and design agreement, space planning and specification, procurement and permitting, construction, and final installation and styling. At Living with Lolo, all five phases are handled by the same team so nothing falls between the cracks.

Do I need to move out during a whole-home remodel?

For most whole-home remodels involving significant demolition or kitchen and primary bath work, living in the space during construction is genuinely difficult. We have clients who manage it in phased projects, but for full-home renovations we typically recommend planning to be out for the core construction phase.

What is the most stressful part of a home remodel and how do you avoid it?

The most stressful phase is usually mid-construction, when the space looks at its worst and the timeline feels uncertain. The best protection is a detailed project schedule established before demolition starts, and a team that communicates proactively rather than waiting for you to ask. This is why having design and construction with one firm makes such a difference.

Ready to Transform Your Home?

Lauren Lerner and the Living with Lolo team work with clients across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.

Book a Discovery Call
Lauren Lerner, principal interior designer at Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner

Principal Designer, Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner is a luxury interior designer based in Scottsdale, AZ and the founder of Living with Lolo. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Vogue, Martha Stewart Living, The Wall Street Journal, and GQ. She specializes in high-end residential design across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.

Luxury Scottsdale Interior Design for Busy, High-Performing Professionals

Luxury Scottsdale Interior Design for Busy, High-Performing Professionals

by | Aug 29, 2025 | Modern Interior Design Ideas, Scottsdale Interior Design Projects

3 min readAugust 2025
Most of my clients in Paradise Valley and North Scottsdale are not sitting around waiting for design inspiration to strike. They are running companies, managing demanding careers, traveling constantly, and making decisions at a pace most people cannot keep up with. The last thing they need is a design project that becomes another full-time job. That is exactly why full-service design exists, and it is exactly what Living with Lolo was built to deliver.
My work has been featured in House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, and Vogue, often specifically because of how it functions for high-performing people who need their home to work for them, not require work from them. That distinction matters. A beautiful home that demands constant coordination, tracking, and decision-making from its owner is not a successful project. It is a liability dressed up as an asset.

What "Full-Service" Actually Means for a Busy Client

The term gets used loosely, so let me be specific about what it means here. At Living with Lolo, full-service means you are not managing vendors, chasing schedules, or approving individual line items on a weekly basis. You give input at the right moments: the conceptual direction, the major material selections, and the final walkthrough. Everything in between is handled by us.
That includes sourcing, procurement, contractor coordination, permit tracking, site supervision, installation sequencing, and delivery logistics. If a tile shipment is delayed, we solve it. If a subcontractor needs to reschedule, we adjust. You do not get a call at 7 a.m. asking whether you want the grout line at 1/16 or 1/8 inch. Those decisions are made within the scope of the approved design, by the people you hired to make them.
For clients who have tried to manage a project themselves, or who have worked with designers who did not provide this level of infrastructure, the difference is significant. The project moves faster, the decisions are better, and the outcome is closer to what was intended from the start.

Designing for a Life That Moves Quickly

The homes I design for high-performing professionals have to hold up to real use. That means storage systems that are actually functional, not just beautiful on a shelf. It means lighting that transitions well from early mornings to late evenings. It means a primary suite that genuinely restores energy rather than just looking expensive. The aesthetic and the function are designed together, from the beginning.
Scottsdale and Paradise Valley attract a particular kind of client: financially successful, aesthetically aware, and completely unwilling to compromise on quality. What they are often less certain about is how to translate that into a home that reflects their life without requiring their constant attention to maintain it. That is the problem I solve on every project.
A home office that supports deep work. A kitchen that is actually set up for the way the family uses it, not the way a floor plan convention suggests it should be. Outdoor spaces that function across Arizona seasons, not just in October. These are not details, they are the whole point. If you want to understand how this comes together in practice, the full remodel process walkthrough goes deeper on what each phase involves.

Why the Design-Build Model Works for This Client Profile

High-performing clients do not want to manage two separate relationships, one with a designer and one with a contractor, and reconcile their disagreements on their own time. The design-build model eliminates that problem entirely. Design and construction are coordinated under one roof, which means decisions are made once, communicated clearly, and executed without the friction of competing priorities.
As a licensed general contractor in Arizona, I oversee both the design process and the construction phase. That is not common. Most interior designers hand off to a contractor and hope for the best. I stay involved through installation because that is where the design either holds together or falls apart. Material tolerances, site conditions, and unforeseen structural realities all require real-time design judgment. Having one firm responsible for both phases means those moments get handled correctly.
If you are weighing the options, the comparison of design-build versus hiring separately is worth reading before you make a decision.

What the Approval Process Looks Like in Practice

Clients who travel frequently or work long hours worry that a design project will require constant availability they do not have. In practice, the approval process is structured to respect your time. Major decisions, the overall concept, finish palette, furniture selections, and layout, happen in focused review sessions, not in a continuous stream of small choices that interrupt your day.
We use a documented approval process with clear turnaround windows so nothing stalls because of a scheduling conflict. If you are traveling internationally and need to review a proposal, that happens asynchronously, on your schedule, with enough context that you can make a confident decision without being on-site.
The goal is that your involvement is meaningful, not constant. You are making the decisions that shape the home. We are handling everything required to execute them.

The Result Is a Home That Reflects Who You Actually Are

There is a version of luxury design that produces homes that look impressive but feel generic. That is not what the clients I work with are after, and it is not what I am interested in building. The homes I design in Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, and Arcadia reflect the specific person who lives there: their taste, their habits, their aesthetic point of view, and the way they actually want to move through the space.
That kind of specificity requires a designer who asks the right questions early, listens carefully, and has the experience to translate a high-level vision into real architectural and material decisions. It also requires a client who trusts the process and is willing to invest in getting it right. When both sides of that equation are present, the outcome is a home that holds up for years, not just for the photoshoot.
If you are ready to talk through what a project for your home could look like, reach out here and we can start with a conversation about scope, timeline, and fit.

Many of my clients in Paradise Valley and North Scottsdale are running companies, managing demanding careers, or traveling regularly. They do not have time to manage a design project, and they should not have to. My work has been featured in House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, and Vogue, often specifically because of how it functions for high-performing people who need their home to work for them, not require work from them. — Lauren Lerner

Busy schedule, high standards?

That is exactly who we work best with. Let us handle everything.

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What a home designed for high performance actually looks like:

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hire an interior designer if I am not available to manage the project?

Yes. A full-service design-build firm like Living with Lolo is specifically designed for clients who cannot or do not want to manage the project themselves. We handle every decision, every vendor, and every phase. Your involvement is focused on key approvals at the right moments, not day-to-day project management.

What does hands-off interior design look like?

It means your designer handles all sourcing, scheduling, site coordination, and installation. You receive a clear brief at the start, give approval on the design direction, review a finalized concept, and show up to a completed home. The firm manages everything in between, including problem-solving during construction.

Ready to Transform Your Home?

Lauren Lerner and the Living with Lolo team work with clients across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.

Book a Discovery Call
Lauren Lerner, principal interior designer at Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner

Principal Designer, Living with Lolo

Lauren Lerner is a luxury interior designer based in Scottsdale, AZ and the founder of Living with Lolo. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Vogue, Martha Stewart Living, The Wall Street Journal, and GQ. She specializes in high-end residential design across Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Arcadia, and the greater Phoenix metro area.