Working with Lindsey of RUEcovery Staging was an absolute pleasure from start to finish. She…read moreeffortlessly brought my Cardiff property to life, creating the perfect coastal retreat with a relaxed, elevated vibe that fits the area beautifully. What impressed me most was how well she understood my vision with very little direction--I didn't have many ideas going in, and she completely nailed it. Beyond her talent, Lindsey is incredibly friendly, flexible, and easy to work with throughout the entire process. The end result exceeded my expectations, and I would highly recommend her and RUEcovery Staging to anyone looking to create a warm, stylish, and inviting space.

I can't say enough good things about RUEcovery Staging. From start to finish, they were…read moreprofessional, creative and easy to work with. The business owner Lindsey had a very kind attitude and an open schedule and got my house in immediately. When finished our home looked like something out of a magazine. The staging brought out the best in every room and we got amazing feedback from buyers. If you're thinking about staging your home for sale, don't hesitate - these guys are the best! Also great value!

Jaki and Jennifer were wonderful to work with! They understood our vision and the outcome was…read moreperfect. They helped us design an addition and refresh to our main house and building a new 1,200 sqft ADU. They walked us through every step and provided beautiful options that fit our aesthetic. I would would recommend her and her team 10/10! Thank you JY team!

Unfortunately we had an awful experience with Jaki and cannot recommend her work at all. There were…read morered flags from the beginning but we wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. Please don't make our mistake. Ultimately, Jaki did not understand our vision and kept pushing her design preferences on us. We had to fully create our own PowerPoint deck with reference photos to get our ideas across room by room; source our own tile (when she claimed the design we wanted didn't exist in the tile we wanted); ordered the wrong quantity of products; among many other issues. Additionally when we chose not to use her preferred contractor, she became even more difficult to work with. She claimed she didn't know how to use IKEA's closet building tool to help us build our master closet, was always running late to our meetings; nor did she know how to use Gmail to schedule said meetings. Due to COVID and vendor supply issues our renovation took much longer than anyone expected. But the most egregious and unprofessional behavior was when she quit the job BEFORE any of the fixtures she ordered were even installed. She literally took our money and ran. We were still in the middle of our renovation and had been project managing the majority of the work ourselves. To reiterate-- we paid Jaki in full for her services but she would not even honor returns or exchanges for products that we DID NOT install (because they didn't end up working in our space and were misrepresented in the renderings). In the end, we had to go directly to the vendor ourselves, who graciously honored the exchange given that we had such a terrible time trying to get that through Jaki. The whole experience has been extremely disappointing and we would not recommend her services.

I have hired 1st Stage for multiple properties over the years. In the past, they generally did…read moregreat work and I was impressed with their staging style, professionalism, availability, and pricing. That said, my most recent experience was disappointing. I had them stage a modern townhouse in Costa Mesa near the beach. Unfortunately, the staging style they chose did not match the aesthetic of the property at all. I am not a designer, so I typically trust their vision and let them take the lead. This time, I reached out to their team and simply asked if we could swap out a few items to make the space feel more modern or beachy. I was told I would need to pay a restocking fee. That response was frustrating. I had referred them many jobs and clients in the past, and while the fee itself was not a large amount, it felt unnecessary and left a bad impression. They did eventually waive the fee, which I appreciated, but the situation already felt mishandled. Fast forward a bit. The property did not sell, and I requested that it be de-staged. Their team came out a few days later and removed the furniture. A few months after that, they emailed both me and my client, who was the actual party to the staging contract, claiming there was a prorated balance due for a few extra days the furniture remained in the home. The amount was under $400. The contract was between my client and 1st Stage, not me, so I was confused as to why I was included. Shortly after, Mark Sutton emailed me directly asking if I could take care of the payment by the next day. I found that extremely unprofessional. Agents are the ones who bring them business, and asking me to personally pay an invoice that had nothing to do with me showed a real lack of business judgment. I expressed my disappointment with their customer service, and the only response I received was a payment link. If you are looking for a stager who truly feels like a partner and values long-term relationships, I would think twice before using this company. In my experience, once an issue arises, you are treated like just another number, and preserving relationships does not seem to be a priority.

What an amazing experience we had with Janice and the entire team! Not only are they creative, hard…read moreworking, and professional, but they have the most beautiful and quality items! You can put your complete trust that they will stage your house to perfection so that it will look great for the photos and the tours!! Our home went into escrow 4 days after listing and we received $100,000 over asking price! The 1st stage service is a great value and will pay off tremendously in the end.

We cannot thank Deborah enough for the amazing help she gave us in transforming our kitchen and…read morefamily room. From our initial consultation - to our many design sessions and all the way through construction until the last drop of paint was applied - she was professional - responsive and right there every step of the way. She took the time to listen and really understand our vision our needs and our lifestyle before recommending any ideas. Once she knew exactly what we had in mind she took our outdated and cramped kitchen and family room area and turned it into an open - modern and true gathering space. From the cabinets to counters to colors to flooring to lighting - Deborah nailed every single detail. The visuals she created gave us exactly what we needed to help make our final decisions and really get a feel for the end design of entire space. She accounted for every square inch and her attention to detail was amazing. If you're looking for design expertise - vision and dedication - we highly recommend Deborah. Greg and Cathy

​ I highly recommend Deborah. I was elated when I saw how…read moremuch love, care, and energy Deborah put into making our vacation condo feel like a fancy hotel, as well as a home for our family. Deborah was creative and thoughtful about how to use the small budget we gave her. She is a true artist. She was able to repurpose items in the condo to save us money. My husband and I are grateful for her going above and beyond to help us design our entire condo.

I cannot say enough great things about Sharon Fox! If you are considering hiring a designer for…read moreanything from help with paint colors to a total remodel - HIRE SHARON! Not only is she talented, creative, and full of great ideas, but she has an incredibly warm and joyful personality. I had never worked with a designer before and was somewhat skeptical, but I am sooooo happy I worked with Sharon. She totally understood the look I was going for and turned it all into a beautiful reality. Her rates are super reasonable and she was always very responsive when I needed her or just had a question. I love Sharon and you will too!

After reading many reviews on the internet and interviewing several designers, we chose Sharon to…read moredesign our whole home remodel. We live out of state so we were really focused on selecting a designer who could not just create an incredible design, but would also work with the builder to insure the execution was in line with her vision. We are so happy with all that Sharon has done for our home. Her attention to detail really made the difference. There are several good designers in North County but Sharon just goes the extra mile to insure it's perfect. We love our home. Ron B.

Jessi was extremely helpful selecting tile, colors, decorative bedding and especially contractors.read more

It pains me to revise my stellar review because I think their designers are very talented. But they…read moremust get things in order on the business side or they will continue to lose clients. While they work on hourly consult rates which is a refreshing option for many of us, on a recent project, my business was clearly not valued. Calls and emails were not returned for days or weeks, plans not sent as promised, all eventually resolved through my repeated follow-ups. The justified reason is that a bigger client was requiring all their time. Customer Service 101. I pay my invoices on time and without question. I will set aside the sales tax issue which required multiple emails to be resolved. The last straw was the requirement to pay for a 4th consult by a sharp deadline or my consult would be canceled. What choice did I have? I will find an interior design firm that will appreciate my business.

This plant shop is absolutely gorgeous! The selection is incredible -- so many healthy, vibrant…read moreplants, and the prices are surprisingly great for the quality you get. The store is beautifully arranged, bright, and filled with stunning greenery everywhere you look. You can tell every plant is well cared for. I walked away with a Calathea Jungle Velvet and I'm already excited to come back for more. Truly one of the most beautiful plant stores I've ever visited. Highly recommend!

I love coming here to see what plants catch my eye. I'm getting some plants repotted today and…read morepicking up a new pot. They are really kind and helpful.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS We cannot recommend Hide Studio or Hanin…read moreSmith in any way. What started as an exciting project that we patiently saved for turned into one of the most frustrating and expensive experiences we've ever had with a business. Hanin presents herself as professional, caring and passionate but in reality is quite opposite. She lacks accountability, is dismissive, and refuses to address concerns. Instead, she twists things around and makes personal jabs. She basically WASHED HER HANDS with us once we raised concerns and dissatisfaction with our room after the install day. From the beginning, there were red flags regarding transparency and communication. Despite our concerns, we trusted Hanin and Dominique to execute our vision. I provided an organized, detailed list of items- including dimensions, rooms, how many etc. based on my prior experience working in an interior design studio. I specifically emphasized the need for performance fabric (due to a cat, dog, kids and entertaining) and appropriately scaled furniture. These were the two main reasons we hired professional designers. This should of made it simple to have all the specifications. Yet, despite clear requests, they IGNORED OUR SPECIFICATIONS and delivered items that didn't align with what we desired. So once we raised concerns, instead of taking responsibility or trying to come to some resolution, they hid behind rigid, one-sided policies rather than making an effort to correct or make things right. Hanin repeatedly DEFLECTED BLAME and refused to engage in a reasonable discussion about solutions. Her only offer was to buy back items at a fraction of what we just paid- but only if we spent even more money ordering replacements through her. NO THANK YOU. Major Issues We Experienced: * Payed over 50% for window treatments we never received. Hanin canceled the labor, but we never received the fabric and hardware. * Spent $2000 on accessories during install day that we never saw before or approved. They were boxed up as Hanin delayed pickup for weeks. We returned 90% of them and still have not received the credit. She also charged pick up & restocking fees. She kept pulling money out of the credit we had through wire transfer. * Received a sofa in the wrong size. We payed for a 98"L x 35"H x 41"D, but what arrived was 94"L x 31 'H x 39"D. The back skirt was also defective. When we addressed the issue, Hanin claimed WE MEASURED IT WRONG and refused to fix it. We had no choice but to buy another sofa from elsewhere, which added unnecessary costs. *Ordered a sofa table that would of been 2" taller than the back of the sofa that came in too short. When we tried to cancel due to the backorder and other sizing issues, she only refunded 50%. * A coffee table that we now have to sell at a loss. The color is completely off and doesn't coordinate with anything in the room. *Four Lounge chairs that are comically short. We should have double checked whether Hide Studio actually honored our specifications for PERFORMANCE FABRICS AND CORRECT SIZING. Instead, Hanin's response was, "You approved them." But isn't it a designer's job to ensure client requests are met and that the room looks like a professional did it? * Two side sofa's that we assumed were in performance fabric turned out to be dry clean only. One of our biggest priorities in hiring a designer was sourcing durable, easy to clean fabrics that could withstand pets, kids, and everyday life. Despite emphasizing this need, Hanin provided sofas that are not performance fabric at all. We found they are grade S. Now, our cat has already marked them with his nails (with trim and caps), and we need to cover them every day just to prevent further damage. This completely defeats the purpose of investing in new furniture. *Paid over $3600 in warehouse fees and never received a breakdown or clear invoicing. After multiple attempts to resolve these issues fairly. Hanin has been unwilling to negotiate in good faith. We even attempted mediation- which was clearly outlined in the contract- but she outright DECLINED. She said we were harassing her. At this point, our only option is legal action. The lack of professionalism, responsibility and customer service is STAGGERING. I really tried to avoid writing a negative review and hoped that she would come to some kind of resolution after many months. We would of been happy with getting partial buy backs and returning the items that weren't right but that was never an option she gave us. I feel compelled to share our experience to help someone else avoid this situation. If you are looking for a designer who truly listens, respects their clients and takes accountability, LOOK ELSEWHERE. There are plenty of talented and ethical designers out there that wont leave you fighting for refunds on misrepresented items or bad design. Do yourself a favor and avoid this firm. If we can help just a few people then this review will be worth sharing.

Unprofessional, no transparency with costs. Original reason I had requested services was not…read moresatisfactorily addressed. You do not get to see furnishings until it arrives. Quality of services lacking especially with trying to communicate concerns.

I can't recommend Melissa enough for her amazing talent as an interior space planner and designer!…read moreShe worked wonders with our large, open space room that had two completely different types of flooring, effortlessly creating a seamless flow between our living and dining areas. What's even more impressive is how she was able to blend my husband and I's distinct styles--something we thought would be impossible--into a cozy, inviting, and timeless design. Melissa went above and beyond, even helping us transform another room by tying it all together with our existing furniture. She truly turned our dark and somewhat gloomy room (with dark floors, an entertainment center, and a couch) into a bright, vibrant space with neutral tones and pops of color. Melissa was so easy to work with, always coming up with great ideas on the spot when we expressed our preferences. She quickly adapted to our likes and dislikes and presented us with ideas we absolutely loved! Her turnaround time from meeting to presentation was impressively fast, far quicker than we ever expected from a designer. Melissa excels in all areas of design--from conceptualizing the layout and flow of the space to mocking everything up with measurements, to styling and adding those perfect trinkets and colors. She's professional, approachable, and truly a joy to collaborate with. Even though our room had tricky dimensions, Melissa made it work effortlessly. If you're on the fence, don't hesitate--hire Melissa! You'll be so thrilled with the transformation, just like we are! (stay tuned, I will be posting before and afters once we are done!)

I have worked with Melissa both in person and virtually. Her attention to detail and creativity…read morecomes through in all of her work. She is skilled in all areas of design from conceptual design, to construction documents, all the way to styling and finishing touches. Melissa is not only talented, but pleasant and professional. She is organized and a clear communicator. I highly recommend Melissa!

The Stagency is like a well oiled machine. They are competitively priced. They stay to their…read moreschedule. I found them responsive wherever I called. I will do business with again.

I called 3 times to set an appointment (left 3 messages) and never got a call back. They must be…read moreterrific because they don't have time for new business.