I've known Buddy since his Cranberry Hole Road days (early '90s, I stumbled in there by accident,…read moreand...). He has guided me through two apartment restylings (not renovations) 30 years apart in two NYC boroughs. As others have said, he is a different kind of designer--and so full of ideas that at first it's overwheming, and you might wish you had 10 other homes to fill with his concepts. He sees possibilities that aren't immediately evident, and is a genius at furntiure and picture placement. I had a genuine midcentury table (not a West Elm copy) that I'd had for decades and it was just sitting forlornly in a corner in the new place because I didn't know what to do with it (It didn't seem to fit anywhere). I was also grousing about needing a coffee table and in less than a second Buddy picks up the table with one hand and plops it down in front of my couch (purchased with his guidance), saying, "Here's your coffee table." The table, although not ostensibly a coffee table, works perfectly there, even though I never saw that possibility and was getting ready to dump it on one of those marketplaces. It's a small example, but I think it capsulizes Buddy's approach. He was also spot on when it came to selecting lighting fixtures, and saved me from choosing rugs that would have made my place look like a Miami hotel lobby (I think that's what he said--I know his scathing critique of my choices referenced Florida or the Bahamas), steering me to much more stylish picks. Buddy's also an artist (he constructed and painted a screen for me decades ago--in the Cranberry Hole Road days--that I still use and that visitors still comment on) and a cognitive psychologist, which can come in handy when you're in the emotional throes of a move, a renovation or restyling. Give him a try, even if your place just needs a refresh, a new look. He'll help you choose what you need. Now I'm thinking of seeking his help for a closet renovation.

Everytime I walk into my newly renovated apartment, which was so perfectly executed, I feel like…read moreI'm the main character in a home makeover show. The 'before' shots would feature a cute home, but with signs of aging. Fraying wooden cabinets, and little to no natural light in my bedroom. Now this is all modernized, updated, and thoughtfully designed. Connecting with Buddy via Yelp's Request a Quote feature was lucky, because I got no replies from other businesses I contacted first or was told they couldn't take on my project. I'm thankful because Buddy was actually the right person with the right vision for my space. I had been living with a not optimized closet space and the aforementioned fraying wooden cabinets, as well as my bedroom lacking natural light for years. I had heard one too many contractor nightmare stories that caused me to be ultra cautious so I hesitated to contact anyone. I once hired a virtual interior designer which was a total waste of time/money. Enter Buddy, who is not only a creative visionary with a solid contractor team he's worked with for over a decade, but he's also a licensed therapist, and says that contributes to how he handles spaces, which totally makes sense. In the first consultation with Buddy, he paced around my space and rattled off so many wild ideas, some of which sounded fantastical and unrealistic but he made into reality. The initial consultation fee initially made me wince but now sounds like such a deal when in hindsight I realize he gave me the blueprint to my beautiful new reality. I would not have thought to float my couch in the middle of the living room instead of against the wall, facing the best feature of my apartment-- the view. When I was concerned about where to put the TV, he came up with a customized solution. A mechanized wooden box where the TV rises and falls with the push of a button. It sounds so futuristic but now it's part of my life. His contractor team is so awesome too. They handled all my things with care, and not only did they not disturb my plants, which we kept in the apartment during the renovation, they took care of them too! So sweet. It's been several months now and living in my transformed space has really changed my relationship with my home. My living situation used to feel compromised, but now it really feels like a thoughtful expression of who I am. I've already hosted several parties and get togethers in my home, because the new space is way more amenable to hosting, something Buddy picked up about me after meeting. Buddy's organization (we worked out of a spreadsheet which was a dream for my Type A self), and responsiveness throughout the process really eased my nerves about the project. He and his team took genuine care of my possessions and space that it made the renovation process almost enjoyable. Thank you Buddy, for transforming the daily experience of being in my space. You really delivered something exceptional.

Olga is the best!…read more She and her team are organized, professional and prompt. She delivered exactly what she promised, kept to an agreed upon budget and left no stone unturned. She really understood what we were looking for as far as the design of our apartment and we couldn't be happier with the end result. I highly recommend Lumen for home decorating, you won't be disappointed!

Would highly recommend using Lumen Homes to decorate your home. Olya was extremely helpful and…read morequickly got a grasp of my taste. She was very responsive and eager to provide the best possible service. The home was setup beautifully and in a timely manner. The selection available is also much better than a lot of their competitors.

Excellent job by Sam! I didn't know what to expect as I had never hired someone to organize…read more However, Sam made me feel comfortable going through all my belongings very professionally, step by step she doesn't miss a detail. She is an absolute pleasure. I will be using her again and highly recommend her! Please see attached the amazing before and after pictures!! Thank you Sam!

Sam and her team did an AMAZING job organizing our closets and we could not be happier! We needed…read morehelp with unpacking and organizing our clothes and shoes into a smaller space than in our previous apartment, and Sam and her team worked efficiently and diligently to unpack our many boxes and suitcases and create an organized system for us - all in one session! We truly could not have done this ourselves, and we highly recommend working with Sam for all your organizing needs.

I had the winning bid for Will's services at a silent auction for the Bedford- Stuyvesant Y. Will…read moreimmediately contacted me to schedule time to work on my project (kitchen renovation). Not only did he create a great design; he made several referrals that I'm using on my project. Although the services that I bid for did not include follow-up service Will remains in contact with me to insure that project is going well. I recommend his service to anyone.

Katerina is always right on target. She has a fantastic eye and works well with all my clients (I…read moream a real estate broker). I have hired her to stage several apartments and have always been very happy with the results. Best of all, Katerina does what she says she is going to do when she says is going to do it - a big asset in my time sensitive business. Please don't call Katerina because I need her available for my business. Seriously, she is great!

If you want a look that doesn't feel cold and staged but feels like home she's the one to go with!!…read moreWorking with Katerina has always lead to rave reviews from buyers and sellers alike. My first time working with her was selling a large loft in Brooklyn that had a very, um "unique" look. She came in to assess the property, put together a full proposal, and got started later that week. She also brought in a contractor to paint, change light fixtures, etc. then staged the property to perfection. Happy to say that it sold quickly with multiple offers above ask and set a record for the neighborhood. She has been my go-to ever since. I highly recommend her and her team.

Super happy with project and can't recommend Rachel enough. I have tricky requirements and quite…read more tight budget and she meet them all. My old apartment got so much free space and meaningful area organization and even my cat got her own space for the toys. And I got my space to entertain friends which can be easily converted to photo studio. Thank you!

After a divorce, I needed to completely furnish a 3 BR and make if feel like a home for my young…read moreson. While not very stylish, I did have some particular desires which I was afraid a designer would not be able to meet. Rachael completely crushed it! Not only does my son talk about loving his room, photos of her work have been reposted to some stylish social media accounts. If you knew me and the constraints I placed on her, this is nearly miraculous. More impressive was Rachael's commitment to getting things right and dealing with COVID related supply issues. Consumate pro. Worth every $ and will absolutely use her again.

Charli is amazing. She helped me with a full apartment renovation, and I honestly couldn't have…read moredone it without her. She has an incredible eye for design, but just as importantly, she knows how to actually execute and bring everything together. From the big vision to the smallest details, she made the entire process feel manageable and seamless. I trusted her completely throughout the project, and the end result exceeded my expectations. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a designer who is both creative and incredibly capable.

Highly recommend August Black/Charli ! She is thorough, really great at understanding your needs…read moreand your own personal style. Doesn't flood you with options. She learns what you like and she curates options that makes it hard to choose! Amazing at balancing expensive vs less expensive (but not cheap looking) items. She knows trends that's for sure. She did our entire house basically, we love it.... and we get tons of compliments from friends/family, which is an added perk. Charli is incredibly responsive and easy to get a hold of. My contractor also loved working with her because she is so organized and as he said "she knows what she is doing." Just a seamless process. 5 stars!

Sandy is a fantastic designer! She has been my decorator for over 2 years now and she has turned…read moremy house into a home room-by-room. My foyer is breathtaking with new tile and a mosaic border that was selected with Sandy's help. My 2 story family room is absolutely gorgeous complete with floor-to-ceiling window treatments, walls adorned with tapestries, candelabras and mirrors, and just the right amount of greenery spread throughout the room. My dining room has beautiful custom-made curtains, a hand-painted ceiling, and eye-catching accessories. My kitchen was updated with a wooden range hood, crown molding on the cabinets, a custom designed granite-covered island, wainscoting, window treatments and accessories, all beautifully done with Sandy's help. Sandy is great to work with; flexible with her time, patient with my indecisiveness and always available on the phone. I trust her completely and highly recommend her to help you decorate your home.

When we were selling our small beach house, we needed it staged to capture the "shore" feeling. It…read morewas vacant, so we needed it staged for people to envision living in the small rooms. I called three stagers, and knew right out of the gate that Sandy was the one to go with. She was prompt, talented and was able to come up with a price by looking at the floor plans and some photos I had. She turned the project around quickly and the photos from the realtor site came out amazing. It was worth every penny, and absolutely helped sell our small house. PS - Sandy also left the house immaculate after she removed the staging!

Shopped around a few companies for motorized shades and stumbled upon Glamour Decorating after…read morereading some of their reviews. I decided to give them a shot, couldn't have turned out better, very pleased. Pricing and service were on point. Thanks guys!

Jonathan came highly recommended by my boyfriend. He designed the shades in my parents house and…read morethey came out great! We got light filtering in the living room and blackout in the bedrooms. Overall I am very pleased!