Full-Service Design for Custom Homes, Renovations, Kitchens, and Additions
RIAD Studio helps busy homeowners create personalized, cohesive, highly functional homes through a guided design process that brings clarity to complex decisions before construction begins.
Based in Northfield, Minnesota, we work on custom new homes, major renovations, additions, kitchens, lake homes, cabins, and second homes throughout Minnesota and select out-of-state locations.
Why Begin with Design
Major home projects involve hundreds of decisions that affect cost, timeline, function, and daily life. Starting with design helps clarify the scope, reduce reactive decisions, support better contractor conversations, and create a more cohesive result.
The layout affects how your family moves through the home.
Cabinetry affects storage, workflow, and daily routines.
Lighting affects how each space feels and functions.
The material selections affect durability, maintenance, and cohesion.
The details affect whether the finished home feels intentional or pieced together.
Good design helps prevent costly misalignment between vision, budget, layout, materials, and construction.
Best Fit
RIAD Studio is best suited for homeowners who love where they live, but know their home could work better.
My clients are often busy professionals, families, and homeowners planning a custom home, renovation, kitchen, addition, lake home, cabin, or second home. They value quality, clarity, and thoughtful design, but they do not have the time or desire to manage every decision alone.
They may be facing an inefficient layout, disconnected rooms, outdated finishes, poor storage, a kitchen that no longer supports daily life, or a home that simply feels out of sync with the way they live now.
They come to RIAD Studio because they need more than pretty finishes. They need a better plan, a clear design direction, cohesive material selections, and someone who can collaborate confidently with their builder or contractor.
They want their home to feel calm, functional, elevated, and deeply personal - without the process consuming their life.
Please reach out if you are:
Planning a custom new home, major renovation, kitchen, addition, lake home, cabin, or second home
Looking for design leadership before construction decisions begin
Investing in a thoughtful, highly functional, long-lasting home
Wanting a guided process instead of managing every decision alone
Working with or preparing to hire a builder, contractor, or architect
Seeking personalized, cohesive design rather than trend-driven decoration
Construction Investment & Design Fees
Design fees are based on project scope, complexity, decision support, documentation needs, and construction-phase involvement. After reviewing these factors, RIAD Studio provides a customized design fee estimate and retainer recommendation.
Because renovation & new build projects involve significant planning and coordination, construction costs and design scope are reviewed together before a proposal is prepared. If the scope expands during the design process (e.g. adding rooms, increasing complexity or level of finish) both construction investment and design fees may need to be revisited to reflect the additional planning, documentation, selections, and coordination required.
Below are the typical construction costs of our projects by type. These ranges are intended to help clients understand the current cost of professionally contracted residential construction. They do not include design fees, furnishings, art, accessories, or window treatments. Actual costs vary based on scope, existing conditions, contractor pricing, materials, finish level, and market conditions.
• New Construction: starting around $800,000+; many projects range from $900,000–$1.5M+
• Whole-Home Renovations / Additions: starting around $250,000+; many projects range from $350,000–$500,000+
• Kitchen Renovations: starting around $90,000+; many projects land around $120,000+
• Bathroom Renovations: starting around $45,000+; many projects land around $75,000+
These are planning ranges, not estimates. A contractor bid is required to confirm actual construction cost. A signed agreement and design fee retainer are required to reserve your project.
Some projects may require a licensed architect, structural engineer, surveyor, or other consultants. These services are contracted separately and are not included in RIAD Studio’s design fees unless specifically noted.
Full Service Project Design
For homeowners planning a custom new home, major renovation, addition, kitchen, or second home, full-service design provides the structure and guidance needed to move from early ideas to a clear, cohesive design direction.
Depending on the project, this may include:
Space planning and layout development
Interior architectural design
Kitchen and bath design
Cabinetry concepts and detailing
Finish, fixture, lighting, and material selections
Exterior and interior hard finish selections
Furniture planning where it affects layout and function
Design drawings and documentation
Coordination with your builder, contractor, architect, or engineer
Construction-phase design collaboration as needed
This service is ideal when your project involves multiple connected decisions and you want experienced design leadership before and during the build process.
Hourly Consultations
A focused advisory session for homeowners who are considering a renovation, addition, kitchen redesign, or new home and want professional guidance before taking the next step Hourly expert consultations are available on a limited basis at $250/hour.
This consultation is best for early-stage questions such as:
What should we clarify before calling a contractor?
Is our project scope realistic?
What design decisions should happen first?
How can we improve the layout?
Are we thinking about the right priorities?
Do we need full-service design, architectural support, or contractor input?
What should we prepare before beginning a larger design process?
Process
Step 1: Project Inquiry & Fit
We begin by learning about your goals, location, timeline, investment range, and what is not working in your current home. This helps determine whether RIAD Studio is the right fit and what level of support may be needed.
Step 2: Scope Definition
We discuss your project in more detail, clarify priorities, and identify the design scope. From there, RIAD Studio prepares a design agreement outlining the proposed services, estimated hours, and next steps.
Step 3: Concept & Space Planning
We explore the big-picture design direction, including layouts, flow, function, mood, and how the home should support daily life. This phase creates the foundation for the decisions that follow.
Step 4: Design Development
We refine the design through drawings, materials, finishes, cabinetry, lighting, and other key selections. The goal is to create a cohesive direction that aligns with your goals, budget, and construction realities.
Step 5: Builder Collaboration
RIAD Studio collaborates with your builder, contractor, architect, or engineer as needed to support the design intent, answer questions, and help keep decisions aligned during planning and construction.
Step 6: Final Details
As the project moves toward completion, we help review the finished details and support the final decisions that make the home feel complete, functional, and deeply personal.
I know that building or remodeling your home is a big investment—both financially and emotionally. My job is to guide you through the process, handle the details, and help you create a space that is both stunning and deeply personal.
Ready to clarify your project before making costly decisions? Start your project inquiry today!