I generally avoid posting reviews on social media, but I am at a loss right now and I truly feel that anyone considering engaging Justine Elise Interiors must be duly warned. We had retained Justine Elise Interiors to provide staging services for my downtown condo. The mandate commenced in early July and throughout the course of the month, Ms. Demsky regularly provided us with advice and recommendations for materials, accessories, suppliers and staging concepts to create the personality of my home. The staging date was confirmed to be August 16 (three business days from the date she terminated, August 11) and, at her request, the elevators have been booked. Photography has been scheduled for the following day on August 17.
She abruptly abandoned the project on August 11.
As background, throughout the mandate, she did not seem accustomed to having people ask questions about her work. She repeatedly dismissed questions by responding: "check my website"; "I have five years' experience"; and "I have done this a thousand times". Since the staging date was fast approaching, we simply asked for a list of the items she had booked for the condo. We had proper grounds for scrutiny as she had fumbled an earlier mandate with my realtor/partner, failing to deliver upon promises, and he wanted to avoid any negative surprises on this project, especially in this market. She agreed to provide the list, but followed this purported agreement by terminating the contract by text an hour later.
Ms. Demsky had, through a course of conduct, committed to a time-sensitive job and abandoned it three business days prior to the staging date. When I emailed her to ask that she re-consider her actions, she noted that we had not paid a deposit (which we absolutely would have upon request) and therefore we had no "contract"; however, she never asked for one and had never required one on a previous project she worked upon with my realtor/partner. She also regularly continued to provide advice to us up until she walked away. If we had terminated her services using her argument that we had no contract, do you think that she would have accepted this quietly and moved on? I think not. Her actions have left us without any viable alternative to market the unit, as staging decisions are determined, and furniture booked, weeks in advance.
Justine Elise Interiors has single-handedly jeopardized the sale of my condominium and I am shocked by her utter lack of professionalism and commitment. read more