Making it Easy,
Making it Work for You
Feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of turning your house into a functional and stylish home?
Many designers push expensive, impractical items, but at Family Friendly Designs, we focus on practical, budget-friendly solutions. Based in Mill Valley and serving the San Francisco Bay Area, we specialize in kid- and pet-friendly design, advising on everything from furniture selection to remodeling to finishing touches.
Our pricing is transparent: $400 for a preliminary two-hour consult, $2,000 for a ten-hour package and $4,000 for a 20-hour package, with additional hours available as needed. Plus, our furniture discounts often save you more than our fee—making it a win-win!
A Matter of Taste
You might be concerned that we’ll impose our “look,” or push you toward purchases that are out of your budget. (That’s a common problem with designers.) But at Family Friendly Designs we have no agenda—we work with what you love and help you choose what you need.
Whether you prefer traditional, modern farmhouse, Scandinavian, mid-century modern, or something else entirely, we’re on board. If you love color, but are stuck with “safe” blue and gray, we’ll guide you. If you have no idea what you want, we’ll help you find your style.
Together, we’ll create a home that truly feels like you.
Briefly, Here’s How it Works
We’ll visit your home, and have an open conversation with you and your family. We’ll listen carefully to your needs and preferences, so that we can help you create a home that truly reflects your family’s lifestyle—where comfort, fun, and your personality come first.
We’ll guide you through the process, saving you both time and money. We can manage the entire project, handling all aspects, or just get you moving in the right direction.
If carpenters, electricians, plumbers, upholsterers or painters or other trades are required, we have them on speed dial..
We’ll help you decide what to keep or let go, re-homing items that you no longer need.
Fun, Practical and Beautiful
Our time together should be fun. And it will be. The part of our work that we find most pleasurable is helping clients gain the confidence they need, so that they know what they like. You want a home that is beautiful and practical, and we are going to have a great time getting there.
“I had the pleasure of working with Cathryn on a cottage refresh and it was a total success from start to finish. She turned ideas around quickly, respected budgets, met me at a fabric store to go through scores of bolts, continued to check up on orders and then even dealt with some errors by vendors (hugely helpful!). She met the family (and the dog) and suggested things that would work well for us and the way we live. She’s fast, nimble, funny, direct and creative. We feel lucky to have found her - just what we needed!”
-Marilyn