Why Instant Space?

As Burnham Design became more established and Betsy found herself doing larger residences, she was still being approached by clients with room-at-a-time needs, limited budgets and a willingness to execute their designs themselves.  When a client asked her to do a nursery after their house had been completed, she asked them to be her test box and Instant Space was born.

Who does the design?

Betsy generates the design concept for each project then she and the Burnham Design team select each piece and put the design materials together.

How do you get to know a client's taste?

The more information an Instant Space client provides, the more we get to know their goals, taste and the challenges of a given room.  In addition to measurements of the space and the completed questionnaire, we ask for magazine tear sheets, Pinterest boards, photos of other rooms in the house, swatches of fabric or colors you love--anything that give us a more complete perspective to design from.

How much communication is there during the process?

Once we receive your materials and payment, we like to schedule a call to start the process.  This is a chance to clarify any questions about the space and to get a better sense of who you are as a client and put the design process on the right path. Subsequent communication is typically via email.

Can you incorporate some of my existing furniture?

We always do our best to work with and make the most of a client's treasured pieces.  We'll need images and accurate dimensions and if it's an upholstered piece, a fabric swatch is a great help.  We may also suggest a new fabric if the original doesn't work with the new scheme.

When should I submit payment?

At the start of the process. Once we've received payment, we can begin work.

When will I receive my design?

A typical Instant Space project takes six weeks to complete.  If you have multiple rooms, we may require an extra week or two.  We do our best to finish every design in a timely fashion but we don't like to rush the design process.  If we have any backlog or wait time to start a project, we'll let you know that up front.

If I have questions about my Instant Space design after I receive it, is there any follow-up?

We absolutely want you to be happy with the process.  While the package you receive will be comprehensive and complete, we're always glad to give additional explanation as needed.

Do you ever continue to work with an Instant Space client after they've received their design?

Absolutely.  Often, we'll choose "trade only" fabric options and furnishings for a design and those need to be ordered through our office. We're also available to speak to your window treatment fabricator, contractor, millworker--any subcontractor, in fact.  We are your designers, after all.  Sometimes, clients want additional help with shopping or purchasing and we're happy to assist with this part of the process on an hourly-fee basis.

Have any Instant Space clients been unhappy with the results?

We've had nothing but positive feedback since this business began and we attribute that to the close attention we pay to our client's specified goals and the effort we make to deliver the Burnham Design aesthetic to match those goals.  We're also willing to follow-up and reselect any items we didn't get right the first time.  Of course, the beauty of Instant Space is while clients receive a complete design from us, it's up to them how they interpret and execute on that design and in what timeframe.