am so thankful I came across Olive And Oak Interiors on Instagram.
Initially, I had some very specific options in mind and thankfully Hope was instrumental in thoughtfully explaining why some things would or would not work in my overall design.
While I wanted to resist and push back on those few things, I also wanted to trust the process and I am SO glad that I did.
For example, I REALLY wanted cork flooring, or so I thought. In the end, cork really didn't fit our budget or overall aesthetic and we went with hard wood floors throughout the entire house. They are gorgeous and even the flooring contractor that installed them pines over them every time he has come back to see them.
They changed THE ENTIRE look of our house. It was the very first thing that we did and it created a beautiful foundation, literally, that we then designed everything around.
I say "we" but really it was ALL Olive And Oak Interiors.
Hope sent an overall look and feel for the house sending a very comprehensive plan for each room that we were focusing on - entry, formal living room (which is still quite casual), kitchen, dining and main living areas.
She sent a few different options for furnishings and decor for each space that I could mix and match. And only for a few things I had her source additional options.
We also met at a custom furniture showroom to design a piece of furniture that would have cost me at least 2x as much had I ordered it from one of the big mail-order furniture stores. We were able to customize dimensions, cushion density, reinforce the spring construction, select the furniture base accents, and upgrade to a higher-grade performance fabric at a fraction of the cost - well worth the $ spent to have Hope helping me pick out all the details.
Soon after I picked out the styles to move forward with, Hope went on maternity leave. She made sure I had EVERYTHING I needed to keep my designs moving forward while she was on leave.
At first I was leary of mostly communicating with Hope via email, but this proved to be extremely efficient as I can only imagine for her juggling multiple projects it's a better use of her time. For me as the client it was perfect for having the emails to reference, especially when sources and links were provided.
What I also loved about working with Olive And Oak Interiors is they are willing to provide as much or as little detail as I was comfortable with. I wanted help right down to the tablescapes, throw pillows, plants and wall decor. I truly believe this is where the entire look and feel came together. Without the right details to balance the space, it would not have looked the way I wanted, which is why I contacted a designer in the first place.
We are only able to complete about 70% of her designs due to budget constraints and we hope to complete our initial projects in a year or so. But I will absolutely be looking to Olive And Oak Interiors to helps us move forward with 3 bathroom renovations, an office, guest room and our master bedroom designs after that.
Olive + Oak Interiors have been extremely communicative and thorough since my initial contact. I am thrilled about how our space is coming together and will post photos once we have a few more details buttoned up.
This is one of the longest reviews I have ever written but investing in your home is one of the most important decisions you will make and spend money on. Hope will work with you within your budget to create an updated and timeless space that you will absolutely love.
I have never had the luxury of working with a designer before and that decision has turned out to be the best decision yet - at least with regards to our new home.
Thank you Hope and Olive + Oak Interiors. We knew our house had so much potential and we now love being at home in our beautiful new surroundings. read more