What is a Designer Virtual Assistant?

A Designer Virtual Assistant (DVA) is a design-educated assistant who handles the technical and administrative tasks of an interior design business remotely — including floor plans, 3D renderings, client presentations, Canva work, and workflow support. Unlike a general VA, a DVA has real design experience and understands the full design process.

What does Pence Creative help interior designers with?

Pence Creative offers Designer Virtual Assistant services including floor plan drafting, 3D renderings in Coohom, design boards and presentations in Canva, client workflow support in HoneyBook, and administrative support. Services are available hourly or per project with no long-term contracts.

How much does a Designer Virtual Assistant cost?

Pence Creative charges $75 per hour with a 10-hour minimum purchase for general DVA support. Floor plans start at $150 per room, elevations at $125 per wall, and 3D rendering packages start at $425 per room.

Does Pence Creative require long-term contracts?

No. Pence Creative offers flexible support with no long-term contracts. You can purchase hours as needed or hire for individual projects, making it easy to scale support up or down based on your workload.

What is virtual interior design?

Virtual interior design is a remote design service where collaboration happens online through a client portal rather than in-person visits. Clients receive design boards, 3D renderings, floor plans, and a full design plan digitally. Pence Creative uses Mydoma as its client platform.

Meet Sarah Pence

Sarah Pence, founder and Creative Director of Pence Creative interior design virtual assistant studio

Let's Work Together

Principal Designer, Creative Director, & Designer Virtual Assistant

"Hi, I'm Sarah, and I redefined Pence Creative for designers like you."

Sarah Pence is the creative force behind Pence Creative, a designer, virtual assistant, and strategist who redefined her business around one simple belief: designers shouldn't have to do it all alone.

After years of working in the interior design world, Sarah recognized a gap that too many designers fall into. Spending their best hours buried in floor plans, renderings, client presentations, and administrative tasks instead of doing the creative work they actually love. So she did something about it.

Today, Sarah Pence's primary focus is partnering with interior designers as a Designer Virtual Assistant — bringing real design experience, advanced technical skills, and a deep understanding of the business side of design to every collaboration. She's not a virtual assistant who happens to work with designers; she is a designer.

Sarah's technical toolkit includes advanced 3D rendering in Coohom, floor plan drafting, design board and presentation creation in Canva, and client workflow support in HoneyBook. She also knows her way around Wix, Loom, and the full Google Suite, so she can quickly step into your process and add value from day one.

As a former military spouse, Sarah built her career on adaptability, resilience, and the ability to find creative solutions under pressure. Those same qualities now show up in every client relationship, calm, efficient, and always thinking one step ahead, so you don't have to.

When she's not knee-deep in a rendering or building out a client presentation, Sarah also works with homeowners through her virtual interior design services, bringing the same thoughtful, personalized approach to residential spaces across the country.

Working with Sarah isn't just about checking tasks off a list. It's about having a trusted partner in your corner who's genuinely invested in your success and who will absolutely hype you up along the way!

Meet the Team

Tessa Burrows

Studio Operations Coordinator

Tessa is the behind-the-scenes powerhouse who keeps Pence Creative running smoothly and our brand message on point. With a sharp eye for detail and a strong work ethic, she brings both structure and strategy to everything she touches — from coordinating daily studio operations to supporting our designer clients with care and consistency.

Jody is the financial backbone of Pence Creative, bringing a level of precision and reliability to our books that lets the rest of the team focus on what they do best. With a background in banking, she understands the importance of accuracy, discretion, and staying one step ahead — and she brings all of that to every aspect of our financial operations. Detail-oriented to her core, Jody ensures that the numbers are always in order so the business can keep moving forward with confidence.

Jody Bowman

Financial Operations Specialist

Our Trusted Partners

When you work with Pence Creative, you gain access to a carefully selected network of fellow design professionals. Every partner in our network is a trained designer, not a general VA, bringing specialized expertise so your projects are always supported by capable, knowledgeable hands.

Marsha Sefcik

marshasefcik.com

Marsha is an interior decorator and design business strategist with nearly two decades of industry experience. Based in Nova Scotia, she supports designers with virtual admin, business systems, and streamlined workflows -- and brings a calm, intentional approach to everything she does. Marsha is a trusted collaborator on select Pence Creative projects.

Staci Nugent

stacinugentdesign.com

Staci is a Cincinnati-based interior designer and DVA whose work focuses on bringing design concepts to life through technical visualization. With a bachelor's degree in interior design and years of trade-focused experience, she specializes in 3D renderings, SketchUp views, exterior visualizations, and custom modeling -- and through our collaboration, these specialized visualization services are available to you as a Pence Creative client.

Resources We Recommend

No gatekeeping here. Over the years, we've built a network of trusted industry connections, and we believe the best thing we can do for the design community is share them. Whether you need support with the business side of design or connections to professionals who specialize in what you don't, consider this your starting point.

Ronniesha Rivera

vetted-bydesign.com

Ronniesha is a fellow interior designer who recognized a real gap in our industry. The exhausting search for reliable, vetted professionals led to the building of a solution for it. Vetted by Design is a curated directory connecting designers with pre-screened service providers across a wide range of business needs, from bookkeeping to legal support and beyond. Pence Creative is proud to be listed in her network, and we recommend her platform as a go-to resource for designers who are ready to build a stronger support system around their business.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What exactly is virtual interior design? Virtual interior design is professional design delivered entirely online. Instead of in-person visits, everything happens through your secure client portal. From contracts and invoicing to design boards, 3D renderings, and product recommendations. All you need is an internet connection.

Q: Do you work with clients outside of the Evans, GA area? Absolutely! That's the beauty of virtual design. Pence Creative works with homeowners across the country. Location is never a barrier.

Q: How long does a project take? Timelines vary by service. A Room Refresh typically takes 2-4 weeks, while a Total Room Transformation runs 4-6 weeks. Design Consultations can usually be scheduled within 2 weeks. Your timeline will be confirmed during your free intro call.

Q: What if I don't know my style or where to start? That's completely okay, and honestly, it's one of the most common things we hear. Your project questionnaire is designed to help us uncover your style even if you can't articulate it yet. Sarah is great at translating "I just want it to feel good" into a real design direction.

Q: How much does virtual interior design cost? Pricing varies by service. Design on Demand starts at $1,250 for 15 hours. Room Refresh and Total Room Transformation pricing are available on the Virtual Design Services page. Every service is transparent. No hidden fees, no surprises.

Q: What if I already have furniture I want to keep? No problem at all. The Room Refresh service is specifically designed for spaces with existing pieces that need help coming together. Sarah will work with what you have and suggest additions (if needed) that feel intentional and cohesive.

Q: Do I need to purchase everything on the product list? Not at all. Your design plan is a guide, not a hard rule. You implement at your own pace, on your own budget, and in whatever order works for you.

Q: What happens after I submit my inquiry? Our team will be in touch within 1–2 business days to schedule your free 15-minute intro call. From there, we'll walk you through the next steps together.

Q: What makes Pence Creative different from a typical virtual assistant? Sarah isn't a virtual assistant who happens to work with designers; she is a designer. That means no learning curve, no explaining what a floor plan is, and no back-and-forth trying to get the quality right. She understands the work, speaks the language, and delivers results that reflect the standard your clients expect.

Q: What DVA services do you offer? Pence Creative offers Hourly Support, Floor Plans, Elevations, and 4K Photorealistic 3D Renderings. Presentation materials, mood boards, concept boards, FF&E schedules, and systems & workflow support are also available through Hourly Support.

Q: Do you require a long-term contract? Pence Creative uses a straightforward contract to protect both parties — but it never locks you into a long-term commitment. You purchase the support you need, when you need it, with no ongoing obligation beyond your current project.

Q: What tools and software do you work with? Sarah's toolkit includes Coohom (advanced 3D rendering), Canva, HoneyBook, Wix, Loom, Flodesk, NotebookLM, and the full Google suite. She also has experience with Mydoma. Using something not on the list? Reach out to us! Our team is always expanding its toolkit.

Q: How quickly can you turn around a floor plan or rendering? Most floor plans and elevations have a 1-week turnaround. Rendering projects are typically completed within 1–2 weeks. Timelines may vary based on scope and queue position, as DVA services are handled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Q: Can I hire you for a single project, or is this only for ongoing support? Both are welcome. Some clients hire us for a one-off floor plan or rendering. Others bring us on as a regular behind-the-scenes partner. The relationship is built around what works best for your business.

Q: How do we communicate and exchange project files? That's entirely up to you. We work around your preferred tools and communication style, whether that's email, Google Drive, a project management platform, or something else entirely. There's no rigid system you have to adapt to.

Q: What if I need a custom quote for a larger project? Absolutely, just reach out. For full sets of drawings, multi-room rendering packages, or larger scope projects, we will put together a custom quote tailored to your specific needs.

Q: How do I get started? Simply click "New Clients" above to complete your inquiry, and our team will be in touch within 1–2 business days to schedule your free intro call. From there, we'll figure out the best way to support your business.