Testimonials

Victorian Restoration Project

My wife Leslie and I began a major home renovation project in 2005. Andie Day was extensively involved in many aspects of the project over the course of nearly 2 years. We were extremely pleased with Andie's work and our "new" house. We simply couldn't have done it without her.

Our home was built in 1894. It is of the Victorian era, but it is not a "painted lady." We bought the house in 2003 and almost immediately began to tackle necessary updates. In 2005, we began a more ambitious project and decided to add an addition, with the intent of adding new rooms and reconfiguring the layout of existing rooms. After we completed the shell of the addition, we put the project on hold for nearly a year while we sorted out design issues that were stalled. We had a new (framed) addition, but we were unsure what we were going to do with it, as we had lost confidence in the original plan. We changed contractors and sought a new team to work with to take the project forward.

Fortunately, Andie became involved at this point and saved the day. Her contributions were:

1. She was completely responsible for the interior design of many rooms, including: a new kitchen, a new master bedroom, a new master bathroom, a new dining room, a new laundry room, two completely rebuilt bathrooms, and updates to several other rooms.
2. She worked very closely with the general contractor, helping to supervise the construction process.
3. She coordinated the acquisition and installation of the materials for many of the rooms.
4. She helped with furnishings and finishing touches.

The scope of the work was extensive. In the end, we built, changed, relocated or updated every room in the house. We are very happy with the final product, especially the kitchen, master bedroom and bathrooms that Andie designed from the studs out.

We worked very closely with Andie throughout the design process. She interviewed us several times to determine our needs, to learn about our design preferences, and to get a sense of our lifestyle. With that knowledge, she prepared design concepts and met with us to make selections and to refine elements of the design. The quality of the design work was top notch. Andie made excellent use of the available space; the room designs were consistent with the general style of the house; the choice of colors and materials worked very well and connected with our aesthetic preferences; she was creative; she did not impose her design ideas at the expense of ours. She did a fine job of listening to our needs and ideas and then creating a whole-home design that was exactly what we wanted and needed.

Our situation during the renovation was challenging. We both work at demanding jobs and it was difficult for us to put a lot of time into the project with any consistency. This was challenging during the design phase and subsequently the construction phase. Andie was very accommodating to our schedules and took the initiative both with us and the construction crew to keep things moving along. She is very organized, her documentation is very thorough, and she's very attentive to schedule and milestones. Her high energy level was critical to the successful outcome of the project. She took on many responsibilities that extended beyond what was originally anticipated and we ultimately relied on her heavily to make it all happen.

Andie states that "customer satisfaction" is her top priority and that was certainly our experience. Every aspect of her work, from the early stages to the finished product, revolved around our goals and satisfaction. We have worked with other designers in the past, but never someone as tirelessly focused on the customer. I would enthusiastically recommend Andie to anyone considering a serious renovation or new construction project.

Sincerely,

Kevin Polk
Melrose, MA