For independent design firms
You design.
We handle
procurement.
From approved selections to the last delivery, we handle the order administration that keeps pulling you away from design.
Tell us about your project
Orders placed.
Details checked.
Loose ends handled.
Louisville Cincinnati Indianapolis Nashville
01 / From PO to closeout
Every order.
Someone on it.
A practical extension of your studio, with a clear order record, regular updates and a person responsible for the follow-up.
- 01
Get it ordered.
We prepare purchase orders from approved selections, coordinate placement through your accounts, and check vendor acknowledgments against the details.
- 02
Keep it moving.
We follow up on lead times, track shipments, coordinate freight and receiving, and flag the decisions that need your attention.
- 03
See it through.
We coordinate delivery scheduling, follow up on damage claims and outstanding items, and keep the order record current through closeout.
02 / Still your project
More support.
You stay in control.
For full-service studios with furnishings to order and a small team doing the chasing. Start with one project and an agreed scope.
- You make the decisions.
- Selections, budgets and substitutions stay with you. We bring you the information and flag what needs approval.
- You keep the relationships.
- Your client, your vendors and your trade terms. We agree how we represent your studio before contacting anyone.
- You know what’s included.
- A project fee and a defined scope, with clear responsibilities for ordering, reporting, delivery coordination and exceptions.
Built on daily practice
We know the work
behind a finished room.
Chris Desmarais runs operations at Marais Home, our own retail shop and design studio in Lexington. Katie leads design; Chris handles the operational side, with tools built around quoting, vendor information and order administration.
You work directly with Chris. The service brings that hands-on experience to your studio, with the scope shaped around your project.
The work at Marais Home03 / Working together
A few details,
before we begin.
Do we keep our trade accounts and pricing?
Yes. We work through your existing accounts with agreed authorization. You keep your vendor relationships, trade terms and pricing decisions, and your firm pays vendors directly. Our service fee is separate from the cost of goods.
Who communicates with our client?
You own the client relationship. We prepare clear, client-ready status updates for you to share. If you want us to communicate directly, we agree the scope and approach with you first.
How does project pricing work?
We review your purchasing schedule and agree a project fee based on the number of items and vendors, complexity and expected duration. The scope sets out what is included, how changes are handled and how we close out delayed items or claims.
Do you provide receiving, storage or installation?
We coordinate with your receiver and delivery team. Physical receiving, inspection, storage and installation are provided and charged separately by those providers. We help follow through on the information and exceptions around each handoff.
Do we need to change our software?
We start with your existing purchasing schedule and systems, and agree a practical way to share order information. We use tools behind the scenes to support the work; there is no software subscription to buy from us.
How does this fit with Marais Home?
Chris runs operations at Marais Home, a retail shop and design studio in Lexington. That is where this operating experience comes from. We discuss potential conflicts before accepting a project and agree confidentiality and access boundaries for your client, vendor and pricing information.
Start with one project
What’s next
for your studio?
Tell us what you’re furnishing, where the project is, and when purchasing begins. We’ll talk through where we can help.
Tell us about your project