One star for Good design ideas, but…read more... Design process was very long, expensive and not completed. Charged by the minute and never seemed to be off the clock. Multiple charges for the same tasks. We had to re-visit issues that had already been decided on several times. We provided a budget figure for the project at the initial meeting. After many months of design work , the project proposal was presented at a much higher cost. Dan Davis Design told us this is normal for any project they do. A 12 week project timeline to complete seemed way off base. Dan Davis Design wanted to charge more design fees to re-design to fit into initial budget and eliminate many desirable features, even suggesting splitting the project up into phases. Dan Davis Design did not agree with my opinion that they had not communicated well during the design process regarding a project whose budget was going to be much higher than initially budgeted for.. It is stated on their website that they provide project budget development. They did not. They did offer "cheaper" options on some items but it was never discussed as to how the overall project cost would be affected. Kind of a big deal unless money is no object. Several pointless emails were exchanged culminating in our termination of Dan Davis Design's services. We felt that they should have returned the retainer deposit we initially provided due to the incomplete project, over-billing and designing a project we could not afford. They did remove a couple of charges from their remaining invoices, sent back what was left of our retainer and never once took any responsibility for their poor communication or wasting a whole lot of our time and money. So yes, good design. Just couldn't afford it. Expensive, stressful lesson learned.

My backyard is now beautiful, thanks to Dan! The vision that Dan is able to make into a reality is…read moreso wonderful. He explored with me the plants, stones, textures, furniture, colors and style that I love, and made it all come to life in a beautiful AND comfortable way. Dan does work magic. I've been able to see his commercial projects as well, and they are glorious too!

Talented Commercial design firm specializing in contract furniture and flooring. Amazing staff and…read morecustomer service!

Elegance by Design's front windows tempt me every time I walk by. In a world of dime a doze saggy…read moresofas and overstuffed couches, their hard woods and rich textiles always lure my eye. Their merchandise is like a tall, sophisticated brunette in a little black dress lounging among the unwashed scruff-ians at Rosie's. And just like that untouchable moll, I hesitated to go in for something I knew was well outside my price point. The watchword here is quality work from leading designers probably little known outside the interior design world, many of them from the heartland of American furniture making in North and South Carolina. They do plenty of custom designs in house, so much so that Elegance by Design is expanding in summer 2013 to a larger facility on the Nine Mile and Woodward corridor. That very situation opened up possibility for me -- a liquidation sale of their coveted pieces. Unfortunately I came in a bit late to get the drop on the juiciest deals that matched my desired style, but we hemmed and hawed over a beautiful melange sofa of leather and tapestry fabric in caramels, golds, and chocolate brown, and its matching padded chaise counterpart. Rolled wood and thick padding beg a girl to swoon. At the end of the day, I had to leave those beauties behind because they just didn't match anything we already own. The showroom contains a lot of showstoppers: a gorgeous black four-poster bed with sharp posters and sleek lines, the leather sectional that was snapped up for a song. Prices can definitely seem high for the shopper accustomed to IKEA and other lower end stores. In this day of mass produced work, we really don't know how much furniture actually costs and finding the happy medium below the stratospheric custom pieces and the mass produced is very hard. Elegance by Design staff are great barometers for matching lifestyle to needs. In particular, we were seduced totally by the huge range of upholstery fabrics that matched every colour and taste under the sun. Sigh. I wish we'd found our lucky piece in here, especially for the bargains they offered. Fortunately a -great- many Ferndalers definitely have, and I'm so glad something as unique as this remains in the city and thrives.

Absolutely amazing! There it was in the window. A beautifully carved headboard with button detail…read morein rich velvet fabric shaped as the back of a coach. I suggest you drive by and take a look at it. It's right in the window. You won't miss it! This store is truly the epitome of quality furniture. Since the furniture world has become so commercial it becomes difficult to distinguish quality. Note to self. Just because you pay a grip for something doesn't make it the the poster child for craftsmanship. Even if you're not in need of new furniture I beg of you to stop by any way. You'll love the store and pick up tons of ideas for decorating. And the icing on the cake is that you'll train your eye to distinguish a great piece of quality furniture.

A friend of mine recommended I use First Impressions to help me decorate my guest bedroom and…read morebathroom. I was so pleased with Corie's suggestions and recommedations. My bathroom was lacking those finishing touches that now makes it feel complete. We already picked out a color paint for our bathroom on our own - a color that we were not quite sure we would like and Corie was able to recommend complementary accessories to make the room work. Our guest bedroom feels so comfortable and cozy because of the paint color choice recommended by Corie. Corie is knowledgeable and professional and I will continue to consult with her for other rooms in my house. I highly recommend First Impressions to my friends and family. Patti

From the owner: First Impression has been in business since 2015. Corie Conroy is a certified home stager. She…read morealso has a background in real estate sales and a degree in interior design.