Cerro Studio — a project mid-phase on the worktable
Our process

A slow deliberate process, in six acts.

Six phases · 18 – 30 months

Eighteen to thirty months is a long time to share a project with someone. Our process is built for clarity — so you always know which phase we're in, what's due next, and what we're deciding together.

Phase I — Discovery
I
Phase I

Discovery

2 – 6 weeks

A long conversation. We walk the site, meet the family, and write you a brief back. You leave with a document you could hand to any firm.

You receive
  • Site measure & photo survey
  • Living Brief document
  • Architectural collaborator intros
  • Preliminary investment range
Phase II — Concept
II
Phase II

Concept

6 – 10 weeks

One direction, deeply developed. We present one concept per room — never three safe ones. If it's right, it's right. If it isn't, we iterate once.

You receive
  • Room-by-room concept boards
  • Materials library (physical)
  • Floor plans & sight-line studies
  • First-pass palette
Phase III — Design Development
III
Phase III

Design Development

12 – 18 weeks

The long middle. Every specification gets a spec sheet, every custom piece gets shop drawings. You see the full house assembled — on paper — before a single invoice.

You receive
  • Full specifications package
  • Custom millwork shop drawings
  • Lighting schedule
  • F F & E budget & bid-leveling
Phase IV — Procurement
IV
Phase IV

Procurement

10 – 20 weeks

We buy. You approve. We warehouse, inspect, and quality-check every piece as it lands at our Summerland receiver. No white-glove surprise is ever passed to you.

You receive
  • Weekly procurement log
  • Receiving & inspection reports
  • Change-order management
  • Vendor concierge
Phase V — Installation
V
Phase V

Installation

2 – 4 weeks

One week dark. We take over the house, coordinate every trade, and deliver a complete home — art on the walls, beds made, pantry stocked. You open the door once.

You receive
  • Full install week schedule
  • Trades & cleaners coordinated
  • Art hang & pantry styling
  • Final photography
Phase VI — Living In
VI
Phase VI

Living In

12 months

A year of care. Seasonal revisit, a one-year styling day, and a calm point of contact for anything that needs attention. This is the phase most firms skip.

You receive
  • 90-day walk-through
  • Seasonal styling visit
  • One-year photography
  • Warranty management
Working with Cerro

What to expect from the studio, as a client.

— One principal per project

Your lead designer is the principal you met on day one. They don't hand you off to a junior.

— A client portal, always-on

Every document, selection, message, and invoice lives in one place. Open 24 / 7.

— Weekly, not monthly

A 30-minute call every Tuesday. Phase-end in-person presentations. Nothing by surprise.

— Transparent budget

You see every vendor invoice and our mark-up policy is written into the contract. No hidden margins.