Kenneth is a true gem. I came by on small business Saturday because I knew the store would be…read moregorgeous and I wanted to see if they had a baby's first Christmas ornament. Reader, he remembered us from a month ago--the only other time I've been in this store. I know he wasn't just saying that because he cooed over my baby and specifically remarked about the fact that she was awake this time instead of sleeping through the shopping trip (which was true). This is what makes shopping at local businesses so much fun; you get to established a rapport with someone who lives what they do, lives their neighbors, and wants to make sure that you enjoy shopping with them. Again as I came through I thought about how I wish I could hire an interior designer with Kenneth Ludwig on the shortlist. They didn't disappoint with their Christmas decor. They have lots of ornaments, all beautiful, and other holiday items. I REALLY love the stocking holders they have. They look like those old ceramic Christmas trees that lots of our grandmothers had, and it even lights up. I am almost certainly going to be returning before Christmas to pick up a couple. If you're in the neighborhood, I highly encourage a drop by.

I was searching for a small couch for my new house. I was dealing with a small, kind of awkward…read morespace and am a picky furniture shopper. I stopped by Kenneth Ludwig Chicago because I learned he sells CR Laine furniture and that is the brand I had my eye on. Upon arriving, Kenneth was welcoming and listened to what I wanted. He's so knowledgeable about furniture and design, not pushy at all, and patient. I've been in his store a few times and each experience was great. I did end up purchasing a settee from Kenneth and that was about 1.5 years ago. The buying process was simple. The small couch is still in great shape, easy to clean, and looks great in my house. It was on the pricier side of furniture, but I not a shocking price. I will consider going back to Kennth Ludwig Chicago when purchasing my next nice piece of furniture.

Our real estate team has worked with Julie to stage multiple properties and she's as good as it…read moregets (not to mention just a general pleasure to work with and be around!) Not only does she have a keen eye for this stuff, but she's incredibly flexible in the type support she provides. If clients have the budget and need for full-on staging, she can do that (and she does it WELL!). But for those who just need a little help refreshing their properties with a more modest budget, she also provides really valuable home styling services, using the stuff they already own. And whatever service she provides, the results are beautiful/fresh/on-trend/welcoming/and all those other good things. Our clients are happy, which makes us happy, and it's why we continue going back to Julie again and again and again!

I am so thankful that I found Julie! With small kids and pets, I had no interest in purchasing…read moreexpensive or designer furniture. So, I assumed no interior designer would be interested in me (and my budget). Then I found Julie! Julie came to our home and helped us figure out a very functional and sophisticated use of our space - one that is kid and pet friendly. She charges hourly for her services, so she can work with any budget - and found some really incredible new pieces for my home from Ikea, Target, Wayfair and Macy's. She also incorporated as many of our old pieces as she could into the design to help us save money. Julie does anything from basic design (sending you a floor plan design with a link to the items she suggests you purchase) to full service (accepting deliveries at your home, installing, constructing, styling, etc). She also does home renovations. With Julie's design, our home feels brand new and we have gotten countless compliments on how beautiful it looks. I am happy we were able to stay in budget and felt very comfortable buying the nice, but not over-top-expensive, pieces that she selected. Her styling was excellent and gave it all a really polished look. I just wish I would have hired Julie sooner!

I have to admit that I haven't (YET) purchased anything from MegMade but have inquired and visited…read morethe shop over the past couple of years ever since I saw her pieces at the Randolph Street market. Meg and her team are super creative and helpful. Her pieces fit into any home and interior style. I also feel like their marketing and space is just really genuine and friendly! I saw someone mentioned they took stars off for items not being on 'sale' during this time. I gladly will support local and handcrafted any day. Thanks Meg and team!

I would like to update my review. I did have the sofa redone at your shop. We discussed ad nauseam…read morethat it would be a comfortable soft sofa and that the velvet would not attract as much dust and lint as it does. You said it was specifically a better product. I had another chair recovered in velvet at Calico Corners in Wilmette and it does not attract dust and lint at all so it is not necessarily a function of all velvets. You were not nearly as helpful as you sound here on yelp when I had these complaints after the sofa was done. You' were completely unresponsive and refused to assist any further. At minimum, the sofa should've been comfortable and you definitely did mislead me on your product.

Fourteen years later, my curtains continue to be beautiful and durable! Recently, a minor fix was…read morerequired. Kim's installer came and fixed it right away. Thank you, Kim! (Photo from summer)

It was a true pleasure working with Kim. We installed curtains and blinds throughout our house…read more They look terrific and we receive compliments on the window treatments all the time. We would highly recommend Kim and Urban Environments.

As my profile says, I'm a plantita, a plant shop connoisseur... this one has been on my list since…read moreI learned about it a few months ago and when I drove by last weekend and realized how close it is (about three miles), I made a mental note to visit soon. The parking situation is questionable. There's street parking in some areas along Western and probably on Grace as well. The large parking lot is for the pizza place next door which maybe won't get mad at you when they're not open? Not sure, but you can live on the wild side! There is a step up to get into the shop so bear that in mind if it's helpful. The shop is small, not overcrowded at all, but doesn't feel empty either. I'm not sure if I'd call it a plant shop or a florist... there's a bit of a difference there. I would say this shop is equal parts both. There are a good selection of plants, not an overwhelming number, and some varying plant accessories (books, pruners, watering cans, etc.). They have some dried flowers, dried bouquets, and various floral accompaniments; they also have an overflowing flower bar where you can create your own bouquet. They'll arrange one for you for an additional price, too. I asked if they have classes or workshops and the woman said they do, which I'll be notified of because I'd signed up for their mailing list. The flowers they had were beautiful and they had some unique ones that will make some beautiful arrangements. I bought a pre-arranged mini bouquet that has brightened my weekend! Oh, and possibly my favorite part of the shop: Percy the pup! (Now I'm wondering, was it Percy or Perry? I think the former.) As I was browsing near the entrance, a small little friend trotted out to greet me and was so friendly. He let me pet him immediately, tail wagging and ready to show me some love. I'm a cat person and don't have any pets at the moment but now I'm thinking, should I get a little puppy AND a cat??

Stopped by their studio sale and was pleasantly surprised with the variety of plants and…read moreaccessories one might need to fill their home with some greenery! After explaining our limited knowledge of plant care to Mike, he sent us home with a ficus tree who has persevered through some tough times. Happy to know our new tree has a lot to live for! We picked a beautiful textured pot that Mike helped set up for us for the journey home. Overall, would definitely recommend this shop to anyone looking for plant expertise! They truly handle with care!

Proceed carefully and document everything We engaged Xcēd…read moreDesign Build for a residential project, but the contract was ultimately canceled before construction began. We were unable to reconcile the deliverables we received with the portion of the design retainer that was kept. Based on our experience, we recommend approaching the process as a structured business relationship with clear documentation at every step. While early conversations were collaborative, relying on verbal discussions instead of written confirmation led to misalignment and, ultimately, disappointment. We expected Chelsey to lead the design based on early discussions, but the project was assigned to a different designer. Documenting decisions, preferences, and changes after each meeting would have helped ensure expectations were aligned. Recommendations for homeowners: *Request visibility into design hours, specify how you want those hours prioritized, and require notification at defined milestones *Confirm the specific deliverables for each design review *Confirm who the assigned designer will be and ask to see their portfolio *Require confirmation that proposed designs would reasonably pass permitting * Ask how dimensions, clearances, and usability are validated * Even if budget alignment is confirmed upfront, document it clearly in writing *Follow the contract closely and keep all decisions in writing A consistent, well-documented process from the beginning helps set clear expectations and accountability.

I needed a contractor to finish a second floor remodel. Drywall, windows, flooring, bathroom, etc…read more Gary Dayan and Chelsey Jackel were fantastic to work with. They had a crew of very professional workers. I cannot praise them enough. We now have a great looking second floor apartment. Be sure to give them a call when you are comparing contractors.

Jennifer is so awesome at what she does. She has an eye for design and does a excellent job. I've…read moreseen many projects that she has worked on and LOVED them ALL! If your looking for an awesome designer to provide services for you then look no further, Jennifer provides her ability to cool design as well as making it a fun experience.

Jennifer was fantastic! Very pleasant, helpful, and great at what she does. She was able to work…read morewith the stuff I had to make my place look so much better, rather than tell me to buy a bunch of new stuff. Would recommend get to friends!

Great work!! I recommend and will hire Chicago Handy for future projects. I like they were…read morepunctual, neat worker and kept me informed as he worked on the project. Very pleased with their work!

Submitted my request for an estimate on relatively simple projects around my home. It was…read moreovernight on a Thursday evening. The auto reply stated they would do their best to back to me by Friday. I heard nothing Friday nor over the weekend. So not good so far is the best rating I can give.

They did a great job for us from consultation to installation. I would highly recommend.read more

This is my second comment/review on my purchase from Jerger and my experiences with this company…read morekeeps getting better. The windows in my living room are super large in both height and width (We need a 10-foot ladder to change out or charge a battery), 6 windows in all, mechanized that blocks out all sun where the room is pitch black when closed (We have a very large caged parrot that lives in the room and if he doesn't get his sleep he makes our life's miserable). The expert salesperson could not have been more professional, pleasant, and knowledgeable. The installation of the blinds went quickly, the window covering was better than what I expected. A year and a half later one of the wand batteries went bad. I took the bad battery out of one of the blinds and put it into another just to be sure it was the battery that was defective not the motor. I called Jerger and explained the situation and what I had done to test the battery. Without hesitation he told me that he was ordering a new battery for me and a spare, no ands, ifs or buts it was done. No hassle, no delay, he confirmed that he would replace it immediately. He ordered the batteries and had them sent to my home. If We could give this company 10 stars we would. We would recommend them to everyone for their excellent product, great customer service, great after delivery customer service and follow through

On moving day the movers kept asking about where they'd be moving our couches, mater bedroom…read morefurniture, tables, etc in our new house. My answer was always pretty much the same- the basement! We basically moved our tiny city condo into the basement of our new house. And guess what that means...we need to buy a lot of furniture to fill up the actual house! I didn't even know where to start when it came to decorating my new house, especially with 2 little ones and a FT job. Just looking around all the empty rooms after we bought it really stressed me out. I decided what I needed was an interior designer. I reached out to a bunch of friends who had moved recently and did a bit of research on Yelp..and started making some calls. As soon as I chatted with Erin from EEB Interiors I knew I'd found my woman. It helped that my friend who was currently using her for a complete house renovation couldn't stop raving about her. On top of that Erin was super personable, professional and seemed to "get" the European decor I wanted for my house. It sealed the deal when I found out that her hourly rate was way below all the other designers I had "interviewed." Erin also passes on the majority of her discount for furniture to her clients, which actually makes up for the hourly fee we paid her. It's by no means a bargain to use EEB Interiors (let alone any designer), but I do feel like we were able to get much more quality furniture thanks to Erin's discount. Months later I can say I made the right choice by hiring Erin. . Her communication skills are unbelievable. I'm known to be pretty fast when it comes to answering emails, but I think Erin may be respond even faster. I rarely have to follow-up with her on anything because she's on top of every little detail...and from furniture to paint colors to window treatments to tracking shipments there sure are a lot of details to keep track of. Details that I'm very happy to pay her to take care of so I can focus my time on my little ones and job. I typically tell Erin what I'm looking for and then she narrows it down to a few options for me to choose from. She has incredible taste and always gets it right. There have been a few times that I've asked her to go back to the drawing board for less costly items and she always comes back with something great. I really like that she's OK working with any budget because that didn't seem to be the case with all the other designers I chatted with before hiring Erin. We're furnishing our house slowly room by room and just had our first big shipment for the 3 main rooms. Everything piece of furniture looks even more gorgeous in person (if possible). I can't wait for Erin to come over this week to help me complete the look with accessories...and then on to the rest of the house. Decorating your new home should be fun, not stressful...and it's guaranteed to be a good time (and result in a beautiful new home) with EEB Interiors.

We have been at our place for two years, and hadn't had a chance to really make it "ours". I knew…read morethat it was time for an update look from the style choices of the previous owners. I also wanted to make one of the rooms into a home office that looked as if it had been a baby's room before. I found out about EEB Interiors through a coworker that was really happy with their work, and looked at the website because I wanted someone who could mesh with my personal style. I really liked the residential design photos, so I gave them a call. Erin, the owner, was really personable on the phone and when we met. She was also really good at honing in on my style and offering me choices and ideas I hadn't thought of before. Before we called EEB, we had been around to other stores in the area looking for something not so run-of-the-mill, and had a hard time finding something that didn't look like all the others. I wanted something that was higher quality and more unique than what I had been finding at the standard retail stores. EEB had access to all these amazing sources that aren't open to the public that had really different stuff that I just loved and hadn't seen before. The knowledge and designer sources helped us create the high-end look we were trying to achieve. I am a person who prefers quality and work well done over a strict schedule, but everything got done in a very timely fashion, and we are really happy with the new look! Definitely worth it.