Studio Rules & Working Principles

1. Our Working Relationship

At Harbor & Hearth we see every client engagement as a collaboration. We bring deep expertise, a considered creative vision, and a committed team. Our clients bring knowledge of their lives, their space, and the things that matter to them. Great design happens when both parties communicate openly and honestly from the very beginning.

These rules exist not as legal restrictions, but as a shared understanding of how we work best — for your benefit and ours.

2. Communication Standards

2.1 Primary Contact

Each project is assigned a lead designer who serves as your primary point of contact throughout. For consistency and clarity, we ask that all project communication is directed through this person rather than multiple team members.

2.2 Response Times

We aim to respond to all client messages within one working day. We ask that clients aim to do the same — particularly when design decisions are pending. Delays in client approvals may affect project timelines.

2.3 Communication Hours

Our studio hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:30, and Saturday 10:00–16:00. We endeavour to respond to all messages within these hours and will not routinely contact clients outside of them, nor do we expect to be contacted outside of them except in agreed exceptional circumstances.

3. Design Approvals

Our design process includes formal approval stages at which we present concepts, material selections, and furniture proposals for your review. We kindly ask that:

• Feedback is provided within five working days of each presentation
• Approval decisions are made by an agreed single decision-maker where multiple stakeholders are involved
• Change requests are communicated clearly in writing rather than verbally where possible
• Once a design stage is approved in writing, revisiting that stage may be subject to additional time and fees

4. Site Access and Property Rules

When working in your property, we will always:

• Arrive at agreed times and give advance notice of any changes
• Treat your property with the utmost care and respect
• Ensure our contractors and suppliers follow the same standards
• Leave working areas clean and tidy at the end of each day

We ask that clients:

• Ensure safe and reasonable access to the property throughout the project
• Remove or protect any items of particular value or sentiment prior to work commencing
• Inform us of any property-specific rules, sensitivities, or access requirements
• Ensure pets are safely secured during installation visits

5. Material Samples and Sourcing

We take great care in selecting materials and samples for presentation. All physical samples provided for your review remain the property of Harbor & Hearth and should be returned within two weeks unless agreed otherwise. Where samples are ordered specifically for a project at the client's request, the cost of these may be invoiced.

6. Supplier Relationships and Pricing

Harbor & Hearth works with a curated network of artisan suppliers and trade contacts. Clients should not approach our suppliers directly without our prior agreement, as this can disrupt pricing, allocation, and our working relationships. Where a client independently selects a supplier, we will be happy to incorporate them where this is compatible with the overall design vision.

7. Photography and Portfolio Use

We love to document the spaces we create. Following project completion, we may request access to photograph the finished space for our portfolio, website, and professional press use. This will always be arranged at a convenient time and with your explicit consent. We will never share identifiable details of your property or your identity without your approval.

We kindly ask that clients do not share concept designs, mood boards, or project documentation publicly before the project is completed, as this can compromise the integrity of the creative process.

8. Respect and Conduct

Harbor & Hearth maintains a professional, respectful, and inclusive working environment. We ask that all clients, contractors, and visitors to our studio treat our team with the same standard of respect. We reserve the right to end an engagement if this standard is not maintained, with fees due for all work completed to date.

9. Health and Safety

During renovation or installation phases, active work areas may present hazards. We ask clients to follow any safety guidance provided by our team or contractors and to avoid entering active work zones unless accompanied. We carry appropriate public liability insurance and ensure all contractors working on our projects do likewise.

10. Feedback and Continuous Improvement

At the close of every project, we invite clients to share their experience through a short written feedback process. This helps us improve our services continuously and is greatly appreciated. Where a client raises a concern during the project, we welcome the opportunity to address it promptly — please don't wait until the end to tell us something isn't working.

11. Amendments to These Rules

These rules are reviewed annually and updated as our practice evolves. The current version always supersedes previous versions. Any specific project-level working agreements will be documented in the project contract.

12. Questions

If you have any questions about these rules or how we work, please contact us at [email protected] or call +44 1273 555 184. We're always happy to talk.