Trusting the Process

Transform your space step by step with Studio Savone.

By Jen Brignall-Strong Project photos by Lisa Savone

Photo by Heike Delmore

From designing sprawling department stores and retail spaces to squeezing 24 inches of additional cupboard space into a home kitchen renovation, interior designer Lisa Savone has done it all.

“I’ve worked on projects anywhere from 80 square foot kiosks to 250,000 square foot buildings, so my planning skills are second to none,” laughs Savone. “I’m very confident when it comes to design.”

After spending the past two decades working on large scale, international projects, the Windsor-native is excited to now share her expertise with local homeowners through her own design firm, Studio Savone.

“What’s interesting is that I’m new to the area, even though I’m born and raised here,” she says. “I’ve always lived here, but this is really the first time in my career where I’ve been able to take on local clients.”

During the height of the pandemic, Savone says she had a few requests from friends to assist them with some home renovation work. It was then she discovered how much she enjoyed the residential side of interior architecture.

“I really enjoy doing residential work; I’ve found I bring a lot of value from my experience in large-scale retail,” says Lisa. “It’s about guiding people through the process. A lot of homeowners get overwhelmed because they don’t know where to start.”

‘The process’ Savone speaks of is one she’s honed after managing the many moving parts of those commercial jobs: coordinating with other designers, working with construction crews, and choosing materials and fixtures to best fit the aesthetic and the functionality of a space. Because she’s designed for large corporate brands, she understands the steps required to create a distinct environment and an overall “feel” for a room; no matter how big or small.

Savone notes that while she is not a decorator, her drawings and her architectural palette are what set the stage for everything else in a renovation or new build.

“My forte is really creating a vision for a client and sticking to it,” she explains. “My strategic vision starts to develop what the design story is for the client. It helps avoid any anxiety along the way or any rash decisions.”

Savone’s five step process begins with the strategic vision and concept design; the foundation for every design decision. This is the planning phase where she works with the client to create the design narrative and provides visual imagery.

The second step is schematic design; getting the ideas on paper including floor and ceiling plans, creating a preliminary material palette, and choosing preliminary furniture, fixtures, and equipment.

The strategic vision and schematic designs should be established long before any construction work begins. If you’re building a new home, that means calling Savone

before the roof is on and the studs are up.

“There has to be collaboration when the architect is planning,” she explains, sharing that in her third phase, the Design Development phase, she provides a detailed drawing package and 3D renderings that instruct a contractor how to proceed.

“It’s a good document to give clients the opportunity to get accurate pricing for materials; not ballpark pricing,” she says. “I think when it goes from vision to when I show them what it’s going to look like in 3D, that’s awesome to me. When they start to really visualize what it’s going to be.”

Once those renderings are completed, Savone guides her clients through furniture, fixtures and equipment selections and specifications; deciding how to furnish the space with decorative lighting, wall coverings, and window treatments.

Savone strives to be aesthetically versatile and is not married to one particular look or trend. v“A lot of people will hire an interior designer for their style,” she explains. “But it’s not about me; it’s about the client. It always is. My personal style might be more modern, but if someone says ‘I want farmhouse country,’ I can do it for them and I’ll do it right.”

The final step in Savone’s process is implementing the design; coordinating with consultants and contractors, reviewing shop drawings to ensure design adherence, and attend periodic site visits.

“There’ll always be surprises, especially in a renovation,” she acknowledges. “But me offering this holistic design process alleviates any uncertainty for the client. It allows people to control their project and budget accordingly. It really protects the client and the contractor in the long run.”

While Savone says she truly enjoys every step of a project, seeing her clients’ reactions is what brings her the most joy.

“Seeing the glimmer in their eye when they see the end results is just the best,” she beams. “My goal is to make clients happy and show them the potential of their space.” W.E.

Home is where we are togeth er.

Through years of providing top notch customer satisfaction, quality furniture above and beyond expectation, and everyday exceptional pricing, our business has continued to grow and has satis ed the home furnishing needs for all of Southwestern Ontario.

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