I worked with Jean about a year ago to revamp my living room. Boy does it ever look great!!!…read more Everything was scattered; she brought it all together. She is a delight to work with, loves to help you find bargains. A phone call from Jean "go down San Pablo Ave. there are two great looking chairs at a resale place for pennies" She was right. She has an artistic eye. Highly recommended! Barbara Z

Jean helped me get great and affordable window coverings for several rooms in our house. She is…read moregreat in every sense: she has great taste, loves her job and scours the state in search for great things, she can adapt to any style, she likes to save you money and quality is a huge concern and works hard to get you the best product. I tell you, she is great! I have recommended her to MANY friends who have all been very happy with her service and her style. Through all these contacts, I have been able to see her beautiful projects., wow! Don't just see her for windows, she is full-service!

Worked w Maria and Annie on my kitchen remodel in Kensington-they had a new cabinet that I loved…read moreand found a quartz that complimented it for counter and backsplash-worked on design layout w them, had them install cabinets and counters and backsplash -3 days all on schedule and absolutely love the products and end result! and it came in on budget!

I do not recommend them at all. If your ONLY concern is Lowest Price, then this is the place for…read moreyou. The job was to fabricate two shelves for our Main Bathroom. I selected a piece of quartz from their outdoor storage yard. I gave them exact dimensions for each piece and hole locations that were needed for one of the pieces. Both pieces were cut to within maybe 1/8" of what we showed on our fully dimensioned drawing. That included: hole diameters larger by 1/8", length off by 1/8", holes incorrectly located by up to 1/4". In addition, the cut edges were rough, sharp, and chipped in places. Really? You don't cut quartz and leave sharp chipped edges. Do you? Absolutely poor quality and absolutely below average work.

I really enjoyed working with Torrie and Kristin on staging my 1940s era two-bedroom condo listing…read morein North Berkeley. They were good communicators, competitively priced, and have a great eye for design. They have a great collection of vintage staging items and did a great job integrating them with the color theme. Most importantly they are friendly and easy-going which makes the whole process much more enjoyable. They should be in every East Bay realtor's Rolodex!

Erich is very helpful and a pleasure to work with. He is very committed to keeping his clients…read morehappy.

Sun Spot Systems came highly recommended. Erich, the owner, came to our home and showed us samples,…read moreso that we would have an idea what the shades will look on our windows. I appreciate the fact that he takes his craft seriously. He took the time to show us many other options. He doesn't charge for an estimate and there was no charge for installation. Thanks to you Erich, we are very happy for the nice job you have done.

The best kept secret is the fine work done by Shigoto-ya…read more I sought a craftsman who could listen to my ideas, improve on it and deliver quality work. Shigoto-ya succeeded! I met with both Gordon and Nikko Hirano and we talked about what I wanted to do and my budget. They came up with the concept, timeline and approximate deposit and cost. They were very easy to work with. Within two weeks, they measured and remeasured my window. Once the panels were made, I was invited in to the shop to create the Shoji design. I didn't want the traditional grid pattern, joking that I didn't want my neighbors to think I was opening a sushi restaurant. I was looking for something simple and elegant, present but not distracting. I said the design would be what I considered to look like artwork, except covering my front window. It turned out fantastic! Installation took a few days, which was fine because this was not a cookie cutter product. They were extremely careful to measure everything appropriately to ensure the fit. The screens are beautiful! So much so that I had Shigoto-ya install shoji screens to continue with the theme. I never thought my living room could look so beautiful! The next morning, I saw the sunlight diffused through the screens. It truly felt like a religious experience. Now I have to move onto the next step and start painting the rooms. I highly recommend Shigoto-ya for their fine work and expertise!

Please hire anyone else, there are good shoji makers like Portland Shoji Screen or LA Shoji, really…read moreanyone else. I have never regretted hiring anyone more than Gordon. We commissioned Gordon to make 3 things: a bathroom vanity, a closet and a screen that divided the bedroom from the bathroom. Having worked with him for over 7 years, we paid him in advance after agreeing to the amount for all items, delivery dates and terms. Then the nightmare began. Gordon began to fall behind. Suddenly, he could't make the dates we agreed to, he did not provide drawings on time, he "forgot" half of the items needed including drawer pulls, shelves, etc and then wanted to bill more for them even though they were in our initial emails and discussions. He fought with the other contractors and stormed off, forcing the project to fall behind for more than a week. Now, it has been closer to 3.5 months with nothing provided. We were in dire need of the bathroom vanity so we could have a sink and when it finally showed up, it was damaged all over, drawers didn't close, banding was poorly done, shelves were scratched, etc. When I showed him the damage, he said it would be fixed, it never was, including him dropping off a "new" shelves which was totally wrecked and he then "realized" it was not the right one and bought back the damaged shelf, 2 months later. Then came the bills. I have invoices showing things were paid in full, emails stating what those bills included in great detail but Gordon now wanted more. He would not deliver the vanity unless we paid 100% more in costs. We were desperate, so we did, only to find out that he did not do the pulls we agreed to and wanted $800 more for them, he did not do the top of the vanity we agreed to and now said it had to be granite, which I did not want, costing $1600 more and putting us behind another month. His designs were so badly done, which he also tried to bill more for, the granite company had to send out their own guy, which was also another charge. Then came the screen. Gordon delayed and delayed, then, when I began pressing for it, he said it would be another 2 months for it. Again, I was over a barrel as going to anyone else would take just as long now, after waiting 4 months. He promised, in writing, it would be delivered no later than the beginning of June. He had our money so we agreed to wait. Come mid-June, he still had done nothing and shows up with a bill for 100% more for the exact item we had already paid for. We told him no, that it was in writing: the delivery date, what it included and the amount, he screamed at us, hung up and refused, 7 months later, to do the job. I am now taking him to court to get my money back. I have hired someone else to do the work. He never made the screen nor the closet. I will never work with Gordon again. His business partner, Frank, passed last year, and I did not realize that he was the one holding the place together. The fact that I have to sue him for services not rendered is insane. On top of that, the one item he made is already falling apart. What a shame Shigoto Ya has become this shoddy, unreliable, dishonest mess. I do not often leave negative reviews, but Gordon and his work are not worth your time.

Very good help on choosing the right fabric for our 3 rooms…read more Good communication in person and by phone or email. It was expensive, but definitely worth the price. We didn't mind waiting 2 months for them. The draperies were hung excellently. They are a real uplift to each room.

We had bought our H&D blinds from Alcatraz over 5 years ago. One of the blind motors went out…read more Their solution was to buy all new blinds. Replace all 4 blinds because one motor is out? That was their only solution. I am not sure what the owner is talking about when talking with my wife. I might add that their customer service level was on par with a rat stuck in the mud. As you will see in their comments, their customer service is primitive at best.

I would definitely work with Budget Blinds of Berkeley and Richmond again! I had a small job, just…read more2 blinds for my living room, 3 blinds for a bedroom, and 1 small blind for kitchen window. Budget Blinds of Berkeley and Richmond was fast, easy and pleasant to work with, and the product is very good. On Saturday, I submit an request for an appointment and a staff person texted me back right away to acknowledge the request, even though it was Saturday. So, they really pay attention! A gentleman named Mass came to my home to measure and show products; he arrived on time and had answers to all my questions, and brought a large, well-organized showbook of many samples that I could touch and compare. Mass does not do a "hard sell." He is understanding and easy going. My shades took 2 -3 weeks to arrive, which is typical of custom-made shades. It was easy to schedule installation soon after their arrival. The same person, Mass, does both the measuring and installation. He did a great job installing the blinds quickly. The manufacturer made an error on the small kitchen blind, which was replaced and installed literally within 5 business days. Custom blinds, with professional measurements and professional installation, are not cheap. But if you want it done right and done quickly, and pleasantly, Budget Blinds of Berkeley and Richmond is the way to go! Very happy with product and service!

My feedback is specifically for the level of customer service provided by Astou. She was my account…read moremanager and worked with me to figure out the types of skylights/material/brand I want for my purpose. She was easy to reach the entire process and even when though it took a few rounds to get the right brand/style I want (I don't want the highest end fabric, more functionality for darkening), she ordered new samples for me to get the price just right.

Sue is amazing…read more Amazing shop, amazing staff. Then there is the G. O. A. T. With Sue and her creative mind. You have to make a visit

Sue Johnson's lighting is not only unique, it's exceptionally well-crafted and expertly made. Each…read moreshade is a handmade work of art that warmly illuminates the space. We recently moved to Vermont and needed a new fixture. Sue Johnson's ginko shade looks absolutely stunning in our renovated all-season porch. What sets Sue's lighting apart from others is that they are collectible pieces that maintain their value and last forever. Plus, they bring the beauty of nature indoors. A very special, one-of-a-kind place.