Frequently Asked Questions

  • We sure do! While we are based in the Sutherland Shire in Southern Sydney and most of our projects are in Sydney's Eastern and Southern suburbs, we absolutely love travelling and exploring projects outside of the metropolitan area. We especially love the regional areas of NSW from the Southern Highlands to the Central/Mid West of NSW — some of the most beautiful regions in Australia we think! Reach out though if your project is located elsewhere as you never know, it might just be the perfect fit. Get in touch to chat more.

  • We sure can! We are a "one stop shop" and our process works at its absolute best when you engage us right from the start of your project. This means we can collaborate with you, our consultants, interior designer and builder so we're all on the same page right from the beginning. Get in touch as your very first step in the process!

  • Budget transparency is exactly why we encourage the openness of this conversation right from our first meeting together — so we're all on the same page. That's the beauty of us quoting the build at the same time we're designing it, because we always know when the wish list starts to outweigh the budget, allowing us to adjust priorities in collaboration with you. Letting us know your actual budget allows us to make appropriate design suggestions specifically tailored for you. If we're sourcing furniture or artwork for you, knowing your budget ensures we can narrow our focus and hone in on the best selections based on your brief.

  • Sometimes our clients' wish lists, needs lists and available budget don't total up to the same number. Don't worry if this sounds like you — that's where we guide you through the process, review the scope of work and determine: what are the priority items? Can we execute the project in stages or delay the project to increase the budget? If there is a strict budget in place we often present clients with two options, with variations in cost. However, please note that if choosing the lower cost item, quality may be compromised as a result. We like to be transparent, and want our clients to be in total control to make decisions on what areas they want to spend a bit more on and where they want to pull back. Our ethos is entirely around working with and supporting the use of sustainable materials and ethical manufacturing processes — we encourage all of our clients to purchase the best quality products they can afford following these principles.

  • Ultimately, that depends on the scope of the project. As a general guide, we start each job with a phone call to establish what you're after, then book a Consultation — usually within the following fortnight depending on availability — to visit the site and run through the finer details. If council approvals are required that will obviously extend the timeframe, however we'll have a much better idea following the consultation. Given we work with a structured process, we're often able to give you a ballpark timeframe in the Design Development phase, once we've received quotes from trades and/or lead times from furniture suppliers. Variables to consider include the availability of tradespeople, lead times (most custom furniture, wallpaper, curtains and lighting have 12–16 week lead times globally) and the size of the project.

  • We have several service offerings depending on your needs and required level of involvement from us — including Full Service Design, One-Off Consultation and Virtual Consultation. Head to our Services page to learn more, or get in touch and we'll help you work out the best fit.

Getting Started

  • Get in touch via our enquiry form — that's the first step! From there, we'll send you through some important information. If, after reading through that, you still feel like we're a good fit, we'll jump on a scheduled call to discuss your project further and arrange a suitable time to visit.

  • It's a 15-minute call to discuss your project. In this call we'll ask you lots of questions and you'll get to tell us about what you're trying to achieve, what's working and what's not. The call also allows you to get to know each other a little more and decide if we're a good fit (interior design and building is a very personalised service, so it's important we have a good connection to make the whole thing work well!). If you're happy, from there you'll book a mutually suitable time for the Consultation.

  • Ensure you're in a quiet space and have allocated uninterrupted time to chat. Maybe jot down some questions you want to ask us. Have in mind what you're trying to achieve with your project — is it a renovation to gain more living space for a growing family, or a custom new build you're planning in the country? Have in mind any preferred timelines and a budget. We'll talk through all of these points on the call and then in greater detail if you book the Consultation.

  • Our Design and Build consultations are a paid service and includes both Tim and Sarah Yarrow visiting the project. For more information on the initial consultation, head over to our Services page.

  • Absolutely not! In fact, we prefer it when you don't yet have plans so we can help guide you through the process from start to finish. As a team, we can design and quote up a build at the same time, ensuring your wish list meets your budget. We think this is a much better way than designing something amazing and then discovering it's way over budget when the builder costs it up. No one wants that!

  • Absolutely! We can help with DA (Development Application) or CDC (Complying Development Certificate) preparation to ensure you are walked through the whole process.

Interior Design

  • Of course! While we are set up as an entirely holistic service to assist clients from end to end — with architectural design, interior design, construction and interior decoration — we do know that some clients just need one portion of that process. Sarah Yarrow Interiors can assist with interior design and interior decoration (styling) projects only. The process begins with completing the enquiry form and jumping on a call to discuss your needs and establish if we're the right fit.

  • The Presentation is a really exciting time — it's where months of hard work, dreaming and planning culminate. We start by walking you through proposed drawings to show the spaces as a cohesive whole, including floor plans for layout and furniture placement, and elevations to focus in on details on one particular wall such as a new fireplace, joinery design or kitchen shelving. We also show a detailed breakdown of each piece we're proposing, complete with samples you can touch and feel — fabrics, timber finishes or stone.

  • Be honest! Our goal is to delight our clients and to ensure we're creating a project which is entirely reflective of them. If there's something in the presented design that you don't absolutely love, please tell us. We can only make a change if we know about it. We're all for a collaborative approach with lots of communication and open discussion throughout the initial design stages.

  • That depends on the type of service you purchase. If you book a One-Off Consultation, we'll provide a summary of notes with product and supplier suggestions following the appointment — this forms your action plan so you can research and shop with confidence to make the purchases yourself. If we're designing your project and specifying the decorative pieces including furniture, we'll order those on your behalf. Once our suggestions are approved by you, we place the order, arrange delivery logistics, installation and final styling — and manage any faulty or damaged products on your behalf.

  • Simple answer is, no. We're really good at interiors and that's our passion, so we focus all our time, energy and effort on being the best at that.

Building & Construction

  • Short answer — we do both. However, any job we take on depends on the type of project and how it aligns with our company values. Our brand ethos is all about restoring, reusing and complementing the existing architecture of a home. We're not fans of knocking down a perfectly good house for the sake of it. However, a new build home designed and built with high sustainability properties and healthy building biology is totally our jam! Some of our favourite projects involve working with period homes or those with architectural significance, allowing us to keep the existing structure and add a new space or extension to blend old and new perfectly.

  • Essentially, we are an end-to-end design and build service, so 99% of our projects are handled in-house from design to completion. If you already have plans drawn up from your architect or draftsperson, we can certainly look at those from a build perspective — but please note, all our build projects begin with the interior design phase regardless of whether existing architectural plans are in place. This ensures a cohesive and more seamless build phase.

  • If your project requires construction or trades, we have over the years acquired a 'little black book' of the best of them! All our construction work is organised and managed via Yarrow Build. They will quote the works, manage all the relevant trades and ensure the highest level of craftsmanship in completing the job, while liaising back to the design team consistently to ensure the design is being executed as intended. That's the beauty of having one team guiding you through from concept to completion!

  • We reckon everyone should do a background check on their trades and service providers before engaging anyone to work on their home — after all, this is one of your biggest assets. Here are our details:

    Builders Licence: #363488C
    Company Name: TSY Developments trading as Yarrow Build
    ABN: 32 643 307 153
    Member of Master Builders Association: #3505657

    To research and verify trades, visit: fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/help-centre/online-tools/home-building-licence-check

  • Of course! As exciting as it is building a new house or undertaking a renovation, it is also a daunting time. We understand this, which is why all our projects are full-service, end-to-end solutions with one team — interior designer, architect (if needed) and builder. Because of this, we generally don't take on projects to service only a portion of the process (e.g. finishes selection only). The design is part of a bigger process and one we like to support you through from start to finish.

  • Let's get started! Each journey with us begins by completing the enquiry form on our Contact page. From there, we'll send you through some important information about working with us. Once read, if you still feel like we're a good fit, we'll be in touch to arrange an initial call to chat through your project further.