Virtual Design Services

An eraser beats a sledgehammer every time.

Four stand-alone reviews. Each one an experienced second opinion on your plan before you build, so you get it right on paper while a change still costs nothing. Available at almost any stage, and you can come back as the plan evolves.

Full Floor Plan Review

New builds · Whole-home renovations · 60 min intensive

Sometimes a plan doesn’t feel right and you can’t say why. Sometimes you know what’s wrong and not how to fix it. Sometimes it reads perfectly and you just want a trained eye before the build is priced. This is a major investment of money, time, and feeling, and it is far cheaper to catch on paper than on site. The Full Review takes the entire new plan end to end in a one-hour working session: every room, the flow between them, the square footage, and where the home can open to the outdoors. Intended for new builds and whole-house renovations. For homes over 6,000 square feet, two appointments are required. No exceptions.

Before our Zoom, I review your plan and prepare redline notes on every area of concern, plus scaled overlay sketches showing possible solutions. We walk through everything live: flow, function, livability, the bits you flagged and the bits you didn’t. You receive the marked-up notes and sketches by email afterward so you can move forward with direction in hand.

Partial Floor Plan Review

Up to 3 adjoining rooms · 60 min intensive

The same depth as the Full Review, focused on up to three rooms that physically adjoin and work together (a kitchen, great room, and dining nook, for example). Best when you already know where the trouble is: a layout that won’t flow, a space that has never been right, a targeted renovation rather than a whole-plan overhaul. You want it caught before the work goes ahead. If more than three rooms need attention, or they don’t adjoin, book the Full Review instead.

Same preparation and working session as the Full Review (redline notes and scaled overlay sketches, reviewed live), scoped to your three rooms. You leave with the same marked-up package, focused on exactly the spaces that needed the attention.

Design Consultation

Any stage · Any question · 60 min

A flexible hour, led by you. Floor plans and spatial questions, yes, and also finish materials, transitions, fixtures and color, cabinet or fireplace detail, ceilings, whatever is keeping you up at night. Best for a renovation without new drawings, a second opinion before a decision you can’t take back, or a follow-up after a review. Even if you don’t know where to start, we will find plenty to work on together.

No preparation required on your end. Bring whatever you have to the Zoom (sketches, photos, as-built plans, options you’re weighing) and share your screen when we meet. I offer real-time feedback and thoughtful direction throughout. A written summary follows by email so your thinking is on paper.

Landscape/Hardscape Layout Review

Standalone or paired · Landscape & hardscape · 60 min intensive

Good landscape and hardscape design extends a home well past its walls. This review works on its own, for a pure outdoor project with no interior work in play, or alongside a newly designed floor plan. I look at siting and viewsheds, how the inside meets the outside, and how hardscape carries people across the threshold, so the garden, terrace, and arbors feel like rooms and not afterthoughts. Best for standalone landscape or hardscape projects, new builds, and additions where the site carries as much weight as the house.

Before our Zoom, I review whatever you send over (site plan, site photos, and a floor plan if a house is part of the scope) and prepare redline notes on orientation, viewsheds, and circulation between outdoor spaces, plus scaled overlay sketches for landscape and hardscape integration. We walk through everything live: the site, the thresholds, the outdoor rooms, and how they relate (to each other and, where relevant, back to the architecture). You receive the marked-up notes and sketches by email afterward so you can direct your landscape designer, architect, or builder with clarity.

Full Service Design

New builds · Whole-house renovations · By intake

When you want me on it from first sketch to move-in. Full engagements include floor plan design through interior elevations and selections, plus integrated landscape work. Selective, and begins with a written intake.

Frequently asked

The service, the prep, the appointment

01Will my floor plans be redesigned?

No. Think of it like an editor with a manuscript: I mark up what can be better, show you options, and hand the direction back to you. The point is to perfect the plan you already have, not draw a new one.

02If I’m planning a renovation and have as-built drawings, should I book a Floor Plan Review or Design Consultation?

Full and Partial Reviews are for newly designed plans. For renovations without new drawings, book a Design Consultation. We’ll work from your as-built, photos, and whatever else you bring. Landscape/Hardscape Reviews can stand on their own if you’re only planning outdoor work.

03Does the service include revised CAD drawings?

No. You receive marked-up redline notes and scaled hand-drawn overlay sketches by email after our session. These are meant to direct your architect or designer, not replace their drawings.

04Will you make the corrections we discuss?

No. I direct, your team executes. You’ll leave with redline notes and overlay sketches to hand to your architect or designer.

05Can I schedule a review if I designed the floor plan myself?

Yes. The service is about improving a newly designed plan. It doesn’t matter who drew it, as long as it’s drawn to scale and complete enough to evaluate.

06Can I book if I’m already working with an architect, designer, or engineer?

Yes. Many clients bring me in for a second opinion before construction bids go out, often alongside their existing team. It’s an unbiased, professional review. Not a replacement for your professionals.

07Can I book a Partial Review if I have more than three rooms to cover?

No. The Partial Review is scoped to up to three physically adjoining, functionally related rooms. If you need more than three, or rooms that aren’t adjoining, book a Full Review instead.

08Do substantially large homes need more than one appointment?

Yes. For homes over 6,000 square feet, two Full Review appointments are required. A single hour isn’t enough time to review a home of that size.

09What needs to be included in the submitted floor plan?

PDF plans with dimensions, clearly showing all rooms with labels, cabinets, plumbing fixtures, and key appliances. The cleaner the drawing, the more time we spend on design rather than decoding it.

10When is the ideal time to book a Floor Plan Review?

As soon as the architect’s preliminary plans are complete, before bidding or construction. An eraser beats a sledgehammer every time.

11How much lead time do I need to book a Floor Plan Review?

Lead time is built into every slot on the calendar, so book any time that works for you. The one constraint: floor plans must be emailed to linda@boydendesign.com within one hour of booking. That window is what gives me the prep time I need. Plans sent outside that hour forfeit the appointment and the non-refundable investment.

12Do I email images and questions before a Design Consultation?

Not required. Consultations are open working sessions. Bring whatever you have (sketches, photos, options you’re weighing) to the Zoom and we’ll use the hour however serves you best. If you’d like me to look at something in advance, forward it and I’ll review before we meet.

13Can I share additional context outside of the intake form?

Yes. Email anything relevant (inspiration, constraints, ongoing decisions) ahead of the appointment and I’ll factor it into my prep.

14Is 60 minutes enough time to get through most concerns?

For plans that fit each tier’s scope, yes. That’s why two sessions are required for homes over 6,000 square feet and why Partial Reviews cap at three rooms. If the scope is right, the hour is right.

15May I ask general design questions during the Review?

Absolutely. We’re looking at your plan, but adjacent questions (material choices, circulation, how a space will feel in use) are fair game. Bring them.

16Can I bring a guest to the Review or Consultation?

Yes: spouses, partners or other family members are welcome on the Zoom.

17Can the meeting be recorded?

Yes, on your end. A lot of ground gets covered in an hour, and a recording lets you revisit everything without the pressure of taking notes live. I don’t record sessions myself, and the appointment won’t be extended to accommodate it. Have your tools ready before we start.

18If I have questions following the Review or Consultation, can I email them for further help?

Book a Design Consultation for any follow-up questions or requests. It keeps expectations clear on both sides and gives you a proper working hour rather than a drawn-out email thread.

19What are the cancellation and rescheduling policies?

All appointments are non-refundable. Rescheduling is permitted up to 72 hours in advance, provided the new appointment is within two weeks of the original and subject to current availability.

20What happens if I’m not satisfied with my consultation?

What I can guarantee is honest advice you can act on, grounded in years of practice. What I can’t guarantee is that you’ll like every suggestion, and I don’t take responsibility for how you proceed with it. Whether you implement any of it is entirely up to you. Appointments are non-refundable.

Please noteFull and Partial Reviews are for newly designed floor plans. Not redesign services for as-built homes. For renovations without new drawings, book a Design Consultation. Landscape/Hardscape Reviews work with or without a floor plan and may be booked as standalone outdoor projects. All reviews require materials to be emailed as PDFs within one hour of booking so there is adequate preparation time: floor plans drawn to scale showing all rooms, cabinets, plumbing fixtures, and key appliances for Full and Partial; site plans or site photos (plus a floor plan, if the house is in scope) for Landscape/Hardscape. Purchases are non-refundable.