I've been working with Natalia on designing our new rental. Yes, you heard that right, a rental!…read moreWe'll be here for about three years, but I still wanted our place to feel like home. Natalia has been incredibly helpful in guiding us through big, impactful design decisions that are practical and thoughtful, while also keeping costs reasonable since we don't want to invest too much in a rental property. I also didn't want an interior designer to fully design every detail of the place. I wanted to be involved in choosing pieces myself, but have someone I could trust to advise me on whether things would actually work in our space, and Natalia has been perfect for that. I'll text her with questions about furniture purchases, design ideas, or even quick installation decisions when our maintenance guy is here, and she always responds right away. My husband is also very picky, but he has been genuinely impressed with her advice and with how our place has come together. I know Natalia takes on much larger and more expensive projects than ours, but I have never once felt like we were wasting her time. She has always been responsive, kind, and very professional. I highly recommend Natalia to anyone looking for practical, thoughtful design guidance that respects your time and budget. We'll definitely be working with her again on our next home project whenever we move.

It was truly an amazing experience! I reached out with an urgent need for staging after another…read morecompany canceled due to the pandemic. I'm very particular about style and needed a contemporary look to match the condo I was selling. Natalia went above and beyond , she carefully planned everything with just a few photos and measurements, and the results were exceptional. The full staging was completed in just a day and a half from my call ,absolutely impressive!

"I had an absolutely amazing experience working with Dawn Bach on my apartment layout and design. I…read morereached out to her before moving from Colorado to Illinois, and she took the time to schedule a call and clearly explain her role as an interior decorator and how she could help based on my space and preferences. Dawn provided detailed layout plans along with furniture, bedding, electronics, and artwork recommendations--all of which perfectly matched my style and lifestyle. Her guidance not only made the process easy, but it also saved me over $900. I truly got everything I asked for and more. Thank you, Dawn! I will absolutely recommend you to anyone looking for an interior decorator."

At last made my place look like I wanted it to. The team was actually listening to my ideas and the…read moreentire process was made very easy. I am obsessed with the way things worked out.

My wife and I recently chose O.A Construction to fully paint our new home. Oleg, Russel, Roman, and…read moreVitalii were all so fast and detail-oriented workers. Each morning they would come in with a warm greeting and get straight to work. Each afternoon, before heading out, they would communicate the progress made and keep us up to date with the timeline. And they weren't just painting our home- they tackled caulking, sanding, smoothing, and any other repairs needed in the pursuit of doing the job right! We could not have asked for a more high-quality group of guys. Thank you Oleg and the team for transforming our new house into our new home!

Oleh came out the same day to give us a quote to paint awnings and stairs…read more I had 4 estimates and he was on the lower end of them. His communication was excellent and they did a great job!

Joanna was excellent! She designed three of our main floor rooms including the family room, formal…read moredining room, and front sitting room. It was my first time using an interior designer and I couldn't be happier with the experience. She was very professional, easy to work with, flexible, and patient when we weren't ready to make a decision. She adapted our style beautifully and we love the result. I will definitely use her again in future when we're ready to redo other spaces in the house.

I was a bit nervous about working with an interior designer for the first time, but Joanna has made…read moreme a convert! When I enlisted her to redecorate my dining room, she came over to hear my ideas. She collaborated with me and was also direct when she thought I was going astray- which was just what I needed! Within days, she had a Pinterest board with recommendations and partnered with me to narrow down the purchase list. I love the results!

My husband and I were so fortunate to have found Lexi to help us make key decisions with our home…read moreaddition. Although, we knew our design esthetic, we needed help with choices that made proportional sense, had functionality and at times, compromising. Lexi was very professional and efficient in coming to our space, envisioning what we wanted and what would be best. She helped us with final decisions in our master bath with tile design and lighting (so important). She also assisted with other aspects of our home remodel that we are so happy with the results. Hiring Lexi saved us time and money in making some important design decisions. We highly recommend her company.

I used to think an interior decorator was an artistic person who knew about color, design and all…read morethat artsy stuff. Lexi Nielsen is that and whole bunches more. I told her that I wanted a "zen" bathroom that had a calming, spa-like effect, and that I wanted it to be as eco-friendly in design and materials as possible. She not only came up with a beautiful design but she spent countless hours (even while on vacation) to source all the materials for high quality, low cost, and sustainability. She worked closely with our contractor and was here constantly to check on progress. One story of how she goes the extra mile: The day our bathtub was to be delivered, she offered to come by and meet the truck. I didn't see why she wanted to, but I said, sure, knock yourself out. She had the brains to get on the truck and inspect the tub before it disembarked -- and sure enough, it had a huge gouge in the porcelain. She told the driver to take it right back. I never would have known to do that. In addition to the bathroom job, Lexi helped pick out colors and wallpaper for two rooms that were switching from bedroom to office, and they came out great. A great value added with Lexi is that she knows all about Feng Shui and can direct your home's Chi into it's proper place. She is a delightful person and a really great listener. I am very glad our bathroom remodel is almost done, but I'll miss having Lexi around! I wonder what needs remodeling next?

We were in London when Martins did the rennovations on our home. We didn't know exactly what we…read morewere coming back to. We opened the door . . . and walked into paradise. We felt like we were in someone else's home. Someone who had a lot more money than us! Martins isn't just a builder, or a designer. He's an artist. When you bring someone into your home to change it forever, you have to trust that person. When Martins came by for our first free consultation (something other people had charged us for), he stayed for two hours. He wanted to get to know us, and figure out exactly what kind of home we wanted. To say he cares about his work is an understatement! Other people we looked at charged us for that first visit, came in, took measurements, were out in 30 minutes, and then provided some cookie-cutter recommendations. Besides his off-the-charts talent, he is honest, flexible, responsive and easy and fun to work with... not to mention reasonable. He even provided us with guidance and recommendations to bring the overall costs down. If you're looking to do renovations on your home, that not only are beautiful, but also unique and specific to you and your family, your search is over. Martins Buka will not only deliver, but exceed your expectations!

My family hired the Martin family to do some work on my aunt's house in the suburbs. They were a…read morepleasure to deal with. Reliable and honest. Phone calls were returned and we always felt we were in the best hands. We remodeled our aunt's basement down to the studs and when the job was done, it was AMAZING. Highly recommended for remodeling jobs!

If you haven't checked out Yearbook, you're missing out! A true gem located in Forest Park, IL…read more Yearbook gets my vote as the best shop! A great mix of antiques, vintage decor, and great gift ideas! The visual displays are on point. You can tell the shop owners plan out every detail and their passion and dedication shine through! Their window displays are just a tiny snap shot of the amazing shop that Yearbook is. In addition, their design services are top notch! If you're lucky, during your visit, you may get to meet the official Yearbook mascot, shop dog Henry Clarence. Henry is currently running for president and has done an amazing job raising money for all the animals at the Oak Park animal shelter. I highly recommend Yearbook! Check them out, you won't be disappointed.

I have been missing out on the new stuff on the street of dreams for the past few years - alienated…read moreby restrictive parking and terrible traffic. When a friend mentioned that there was a VIP shopping night at three places I had heard of and wanted to go to, I was all in. We were assigned to Yearbook first and I was so impressed by everything about the store. From the friendly owner and manager, to the quality of the products and the incredibly reasonable pricing - plus the special discount for that night! I finally got the maple syrup jug (made and bottled just for them) that the husband had wanted and picked up some of their store-exclusive candles (no typical boring scents here!) and a vintage travel case and some wood handled toothbrushes. I've got to go back soon and visit the studio to have some crew-themed pillows, etc. made to bring me back to the days when I actualy rowed. I am so glad we had this forum to shop because I would have missed that things you would just assume are decoration (because they are vintage) are actually for sale! LOVE - I cannot say enough great things about this place.

Cary has designed two kitchens for me. The first was a modern kitchen that was so beautiful it was…read morechosen for the oak park river forest house walk. I chose cary as my designer after seeing at least 10 kitchens and baths on kitchen walks. I have also seen her kitchens in better homes magazine and other magazines. My second kitchen was a lower budget white cabinet kitchen that ended up on five different shoots for commercials. The cabinets which were custom built by the amish cabinet makers ended up cheaper than all other quotes I received ftom other designers. Both kitchens required major structural changes and an addition. Cary's structural drawings were so detailed that my contractor was able to use her designs without employing an architect. Both kitchens were on budget with absolutely no problems. I do not understand the previous reviewer's complaints. They simply do not reflect my experience or the experience of the many friends I have referred Cary to who have LOVED their kitchens. I highly recommend this firm!

If I could give less than one star, I would. How Cary Mclean of designs for living can call…read moreherself a kitchen and bathroom designer is beyond me. She designed the worst kitchen I have ever used; it is a painful place to be in for someone like myself who loves to cook. Cabinet doors bang into each other, there is minimal counter space. When the dishwasher is being unloaded you can't open the cabinet to put the dishes away since the doors hit together. She recommended a zinc counter top for the tiny (and mostly unfunctional island) but it can't tolerate heat, acidic products without being damaged.Don't let your kids pour a glass of OJ on the counter or it will be stained permanently. How useful is that in a kitchen? Four different light fixtures all of different and clashing styles were her choice for the kitchen/eating area. When I commented to her on some of these choices, she said she was offended. And the bathrooms: it seems to be all about looks and not functionality. And none of this came cheap either. Stay clear of this so-called kitchen and bathroom designer if you want a nice looking and well functioning project!

We used Design Inside for our recent condo renovation, and we were pleased with our designer,…read moreAbigail. We had looked into three or four design firms and went with Design Inside because we got along well with Abigail from the initial consultation. She's friendly and had suggestions from our first meetings. Our remodeling scope was pretty basic (resurface hardwood floors, install new tiling, new lighting, new kitchen countertops/backsplash/hardware, painting, etc.) We weren't planning on taking down any walls or putting up new walls - hence "pretty basic" in our eyes! The initial few weeks involved back and forth with designs and occasional meetings with Abigail so she could get a handle on what we wanted done. Abigail was accommodating with meeting/phone times, and would often meet with us late afternoons or early evening. She created designs we had never thought of doing (enclosing in structural poles, wainscoting, etc). Abigail also was able to easily "read" my husband and I in terms of color schemes and we ended up choosing one of the first few samples of tiling and backsplash that she dropped off with us. Kudos for that! Abigail also provided us bimonthly hours summary / detail so we knew how much we were being charged for her services. She would break down the time she spent working for us by the minute and it was helpful to see where our dollars were being spent. From a "grand overall design", Abigail did a good job, but when we started getting into the details in the later phases, we did run into a few minor issues. I recommend ordering all materials / furniture / art yourself and not going thru Design Inside. With a little work on the intranet, you can find it cheaper, not to mention a lower delivery charge. We had a few material mix-ups with Design Inside - i.e. we received the wrong hardware; not enough tile or grout was ordered. Abigail's measurements for the den were incorrect so she didn't order enough tile / grout - her measurements for the wallpaper were also off, but this time we almost ordered too much. The invoice system used by Design Inside is a little confusing and you should pay very close attention and track your own expenses. It's hard to describe but trying to track all the bills and refunds with the invoices provided was difficult. Overall - I would recommend Design Inside and Abigail for your remodeling needs. I would just offer a bit of advice to double check measurements and order your own materials, but would still recommend the company. Abigail provided different designs and options that demonstrated her design skills as well as her ability to connect with us in terms of what our goal of the remodel was. In our eyes, that was key.

Katy is the perfect mix of practical and design savvy. In our first meeting, Katy helped me to…read moreprioritize my projects for the biggest impact. In addition, she directed me on where to invest dollars and where we could save. We worked on several areas of my home in tandem...living room, hallway, master bedroom and guest room. Not to mention storage ideas and thoughts on future bathroom projects. The process was seamless and easy. We put a plan together in a few hours and we were off to the races. One of the most enjoyable experiences in working with Katy was the ability for me to add my own personal touches along the way. She really adapts to her clients in terms of how involved they would like to be. For me, I had lots of ideas that Katy helped me bring to life, streamline and balance. And she also encouraged me to take chances with paint colors, fabric upholstery choices and more. My gallery wall is one of my favorites! I could never have measured and hung with such precision. And my reupholstered hallway bench is one of my favorite stand-out pieces. Thanks Katy! I love Katy's design eye, easy-to-work with attitude and desire to put her client's style into every choice. My condo is finally a home! Love it! I highly recommend working with Design Inside and I plan on doing so for my next projects!

I can't believe how remiss I have been in not writing up a review for Interiors by Maribeth!…read more Maribeth and Jovita have been an essential part in sourcing fabric for our upholstery projects over the last 3 years. Maribeth's eye for color is unmatched. The team is talented and fun to work with, and really approached our projects with enthusiasm and insight, never pushing an agenda. Our relationship began when we were looking for a particular upholstery fabric and color-way from an English fabric company that we hoped to use for a pair of heirloom chairs .... I'd refer anyone who is making big decisions about fabric to check in with Maribeth and her team first!

I cannot say enough good things about Maribeth. She's the only decorator I use & I've been in the…read morereal estate game for thirty years. Maribeth is mind boggling, actually. She really knows her craft, it's like she was born to be an interior decorator. Her ability to put design schemes together is amazing. I swear I think she knows all the paint colors and their number designation(s) by memory. One time she was explaining something to me and I said: "What do you mean?" She drew a sketch of it and it looked like a masterpiece in the Art Institute. Years ago, the rental market was 'down' and I'm a landlord. I couldn't rent out an apartment and I had at least seven showings. I said to myself, I'll call Maribeth (get the color schemes) and have the apartment repainted. I did just that, first showing after Maribeth and the new paint, the apartment rented in the FIRST showing. As a matter of fact, I will NEVER use any other interior decorator, but Maribeth.