The Process

A: It all comes down to who drives and manages the day-to-day execution:

• Full Design Services (Designer-Driven & Managed): This is a comprehensive, turn-key experience. We take full creative and logistical control—handling everything from creating technical 3D Homestyler renderings and scaling layouts to managing budgets, sourcing vintage items, and overseeing procurement from start to finish.
  
• Consulting Services (Client-Driven & Managed): This is a collaborative partnership for the hands-on client. You retain full creative control and handle your own purchasing, tracking, and project management. My role is to act as your expert sounding board—giving you the professional insight, material guidance, and structural feedback you need to execute your vision with absolute confidence.

A: Not at all. I believe the most meaningful spaces are not the ones that simply follow trends or look like they came straight from a showroom—they are the spaces that tell your story.

My role is not to take creative control or design a home that reflects my personal style. Instead, we work side-by-side. I dive deep into your preferences, your lifestyle, and the unique vision you have for your property. I then use my design experience to help you clarify your ideas, evaluate your options, and bring that vision to life in the most thoughtful, cohesive way possible.

A: Consulting is perfect for the homeowner, Airbnb host, or boutique business owner who loves being hands-on but feels overwhelmed by the endless decision-making. If you want to manage your own timeline, budget, and purchasing, but need a professional eye to help you select materials and finishes, validate layout ideas, and avoid costly mistakes, consulting gives you the perfect roadmap to execute on your own terms.

A: You will walk away with total clarity, a well-designed plan, and a clear path forward. At the end of the process, I don’t want you to walk into a home that feels professionally designed for someone else. I want you to walk into a space that feels comfortable, authentic, and deeply personal. You will have all the professional insight and confidence needed to act as your own project manager and bring a space to life that truly reflects who you are, how you live, and what matters most to you.

A: While intensive 3D modeling and procurement tracking are reserved for our comprehensive Full Design packages, our consulting sessions are incredibly dynamic. We can absolutely use our time together to evaluate your existing layout sketches, review spatial flow, troubleshoot material pairings, and look at structural options together to ensure your plan is structurally and aesthetically sound before you begin buying or building.

A: At Christina Mae, we specialize in experiential, hospitality-driven design. This includes boutique commercial spaces, Airbnb/short-term rental styling, and curated event decor. Our philosophy centers on creating immersive, memorable guest experiences—ensuring that every space tells a unique story and functions beautifully for the people who inhabit it.

A: While our signature expertise is rooted in hospitality and commercial design, we bring that exact same guest-centric, experiential lens to residential properties. Whether you are looking to design an unforgettable short-term rental that stands out online or want to bring a curated, boutique-hotel feel into your private home, we tailor our systems to fit your lifestyle and spatial goals.  We love helping clients turn their house into a truly unique one of a kind home that is a reflection of them.

A: Visualizing a transformation can be challenging, which is why we’ve built a highly visual, tech-forward design process. We begin by translating initial ideas and hand sketches into precise, scaled floor plans. From there, we develop high-fidelity 3D models using Homestyler to give you a true sense of scale and flow. To refine the design even further, we use AI-assisted editing tools on our renderings to test out specific material options, furniture configurations, and architectural adjustments in real time so you can approve every detail with absolute confidence.

A: Our process bridges creative vision with technical execution across three clear phases:

1. Discovery & Space Planning: We discuss your goals, analyze spatial flow, and convert initial concepts into technical, scaled floor plans.
2. 3D Visualization & Refinement: We build immersive 3D models and use advanced rendering tools to fine-tune materials, structural details, and aesthetics.
3. Procurement & Execution: Once the design is locked in, we transition into budgeting and sourcing to bring the physical space to life.

A: Not at all. To create immersive, welcoming experiences, we believe a space needs character and soul. In addition to utilizing a reliable network of commercial and trade vendors, we specialize in local sourcing for unique vintage furniture and art. Mixing curated vintage finds with modern pieces ensures your property feels entirely bespoke, collected, and impossible to replicate.

A: In our full service design model, we use highly efficient management systems to handle the heavy lifting—from drafting scaled layouts to tracking complex procurement lists—so that the process is entirely stress-free for you. Your primary involvement will be during key collaborative milestones, such as approving initial floor plans, reviewing 3D renderings, and signing off on the final budget. We handle the logistical execution while keeping you fully informed.

With our Consulting Services, you stay in the driver’s seat from start to finish. Because this model is client-driven and client-managed, your hands-on involvement is key to taking action on your design. You maintain full ownership over your timeline, budget management, purchasing, and final execution.

​My role is to serve as your dedicated design partner and sounding board throughout that journey. You bring your ideas, space challenges, and material options to our sessions; I provide the professional expertise, spatial validation, and clear roadmaps you need to make decisions quickly and confidently. You do the building and buying—I make sure you never have to do it guessing.

​A: We would love to collaborate with you! The journey begins with a Discovery Consultation—our opportunity to get to know you, understand your lifestyle or business, discuss your vision, and explore your goals for the space.

​During this conversation, we will assess your project’s scope and how hands-on you want to be. Based on your unique needs, we will guide you toward the best path forward—whether that is our collaborative, client-managed Consulting Services or our turn-key, designer-driven Full Design Services.