Illuminations Interior Design LLC

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Marilyn has been a wonderful designer to work with - excellent designer skills, always professional, on time, trustworthy, and a pleasure to be with. In our initial phone conversation, she discussed her working arrangements and we discussed our expectations of a working with a designer. In our first meeting at the house, she listened carefully to us as we explained our visions and where we needed help, then presented great ideas. We’ve been working with her on the new house for a year at a pace that fits our schedule and budget. She quickly determined our tastes and preferences, providing us with options that were right on target and being incredibly patient as we sometimes struggled to make final decisions. From our previous experience with designers when we lived in another state, we have very high expectations when working with a designer - Marilyn easily rose to that level. We get rave reviews from friends and family that our home feels ‘just like you!’, with a cohesive look throughout the first floor that doesn’t look ‘decorated’. She helped us determine what in the house we could rearrange and not need to purchase new (curtains, furniture, pictures, etc). Since there are hardwoods throughout and we have no knowledge of rugs, she found wonderful rugs for 5 areas that match our style, working with companies that delivered them to our home to see how they look in place. We did minimal remodeling (replacing a built-in bookcase with a wall). She has a great team including a custom carpenter (beautifully handcrafted 9’ stand alone bookcase), painters (excellent job, on time/budget, less than expected mess and disruption), curtains (beautifully fabricated, designed and hung), and sources for furniture (a challenging arrangement for a home office setting, American-made hand built table, bookcase, chairs, reupholster and furniture refinisher). We love the warm, comfortable feeling of every room in our home and know that we would not be enjoying it without Illuminations and Marilyn.

I called her after finding the listing for Illuminations Design on Angie's List, explaining that my house was hopeless and needed quite alot of work. I wished to go along at a relaxed pace, keep the furniture that I have (lots of rural Midwestern, family pieces, etc.) and that I had no specific idea save one. Having thought of moving various places to spend my retirement, I decided to stay in my home but wished to make it completely liveable on the main floor. She was pleasantly receptive and we had some excellent preliminary discussions about the situation. We identified priorities; 3 complete bathroom renovations, the lower level (full basement) which is still undergoing renovation, window treatments and some decorating in various rooms, reupholstery of some furniture, and help with organization during renovations, etc. Without fail she has been thoroughly professional, patient, punctual, an excellent organizer and communicator who listens (!!) as well as talks, AND who knows what she is talking about.

Fabulous! I had moved back into my house following an extensive renovation, and was consolidating furniture, artwork, etc. from a previous move. I needed some expert help with maximizing my furniture into the new layout which had less wall space, more open floor space, and more windows. I tried to put everything back in it's original place, but with the new remodel, things just didn't look right anymore, and I lost a lot of function. And I had too much stuff jammed into little areas. It looked disconnected. Marilyn walked from room to room with me offering suggestion to relocate, remove, adjust, add, subtract, place, and re-place my existing items (which I had a lot of chairs, lighting, kitsch, memorabilia, sentimental, artistic, etc). It was great to re-use my items, and put them in places I never considered. We moved rugs around from one room to another, art canvasses from one wall to another, got rid of ugly chairs for a set of metal chairs I had no room for, and was planning to garage sale them (they look SOOOO much better than the old ones). She helped me place artwork and move some small items around. She also made suggestions on things to take away. I had selected Marilyn from AL and had told her I was looking for the "WOW" look, something elegant and punchier. After moving several rooms around per ALL her suggestions (yes, I listened and agreed with every one of her comments), I looked at the house and said, "WOW"!!!!! I had the look that I coveted from the decorator/design mags that I had carefully collected, and the look from HGTV that I was trying to match. I had the basics and the start, but couldn't figure out how to get to the next level. Marilyn did just that, took my existing look to the next level in just a couple of hours! I couldn't believe the difference, and now I LOVE the look, and am wanting the finish the several rooms we didn't get to. It was hard to believe that we got this look with moving a few items around and in just a few hours - it seems so natural now, but I never could have achieved that "WOW" look on my own. Marilyn was easy to get along with, listened well, and her suggestions were exactly what I wanted. She showed me her idea book with other homes and it was clear her talent and eye in this area. It was really great to re-use what I already had, and the only thing I would need to purchase would be custom window treatments that would take this look to an even better level.

Marilyn met with us and determined what we wanted to keep for the room and interviewed us about our likes and dislikes so that she could get a feel for fabrics that we might like. She then selected a grouping of fabrics and rug samples which we could see in the room. After we had selected those items, wall colors were chosen and the walls were painted while the window treatments, bedding, tables, fan and lamps were on order. The process went smoothly and Marilyn communicated clearly what our options and costs were as each selection was made. Her hallmark is personal service and quality products. She was ready to work with some of our existing furniture. We have a truly custom bedroom which makes us smile when we enter it! The light is beautiful in day time, as well as after dark. The artwork reflects our life and we feel ?at home? in the space. She even remembered to include a source for music which we already owned and were not using. The overall experience was a pleasure.