Contacted Shawn after reading reviews here on Yelp and after seeing photos of his work on Houzz. I…read morewanted to update my kitchen to make it brighter and fit in with the style of the rest of the house but needed help with what to do. Shawn took a look around, listened to what I had in mind, and thankfully told me what would or wouldn't work. He picked a beautiful quartz counter top, gave me options to choose from for the paint, faucet and hardware. He has a great team working for him. They were respectful and trustworthy. The refinished cabinets look like new. They do high quality work. He made his best effort to get things done within the time frame discussed but, as with any renovation, there were some unexpected issues that led to minor delays and affected cost. I really appreciated how his main concern was that I was happy with the end result. Before and in process photos attached (forgot to take a picture of the final product and don't want to clean the kitchen right now).

4.5 stars We did a…read morefull kitchen remodel soon after moving into our new home (before we got too settled). Due to unusual circumstances, we had a very tight timeline (see below for more details) so they were able to finish in 2 1/2 months. Overall, we are very happy with the end result and love our new, open layout! TL:DR version: - GREAT construction team/vendors and Fadil is the BEST project manager. Also the flooring contractor, Izec, is amazing. - Loved the design recommendations made by Shawn, like the floating shelves and bench by the window. - Pricing is competitive. Quality of work is fantastic. Designs are beautiful. - Area of improvement: better communication throughout the project. I had to be proactive and ask a lot of questions and follow up often. They offer both design and construction services, all under the same owner. This was convenient in that I only had to deal with one company and they took care of everything. Our project was unusual in that I was 6 months pregnant when we started the project. Typically, they don't start on construction until all materials are in stock but we needed to get things moving and completed quickly, so we ordered mostly standard sized and in-stock materials. The owner, Shawn, kept his promise on adhering to our timeline to the best of his ability, even as we ran into challenges with plumbing, structural, and electrical. His team worked tirelessly--even on weekends--to meet our deadline, without sacrificing quality or details. With any major construction, nothing is flawless. The one challenge I had, which may be unique to my circumstance, was getting proactive updates and just overall communication. At times, the construction team didn't even know what they were working on. Some of the designs didn't match the materials ordered. There was some miscommunication on which materials we were responsible for vs. what they would get for us. These were minor issues that eventually got resolved but it did cause me some stress and unrest. Highly recommend being proactive, with any big construction project, and staying close to the details... At the end of the day, despite some bumps, we now have our dream kitchen! And it was completed in record time! Last but not least, if you're told that any materials are "stuck" at the Oakland port, GET SOMETHING ELSE that's in stock. There is no ETA on when things will get unloaded at the dock...could be weeks or even months.

I had the opportunity to work with Kanika Design as their contractor. I have a wonderful experience…read morewith them. I love the way they work. They are super clean and dedicated so much time at the job side. I recommended them 100%. You cannot go wrong with them.

I'll be honest-we were pretty overwhelmed at the thought of doing a full makeover for our home. We…read moreknew we wanted a total makeover for our place, but trying to find a team that actually handles the 'boots on the ground' construction side and the high-end design is way harder than it looks. After talking to a few different firms, Kanika Design just felt like the right fit. Kanika really listened to what we wanted. I've always been a bit nervous about using bold colors, but she pushed us (in a good way!) for a deeper color palette in the main living areas. It looks incredible. Kanika found us so many unique, high-quality furniture pieces that you just won't find at a big-box store. The biggest thing for us was logistics. Once the design process completed, their team handled everything - architectural, permit headache, and construction. Anyone who has done a remodel knows things never go 100% perfectly, but whenever an issue popped up, they were on top of it immediately. They kept the contractors moving and kept us updated on the budget and what was happening next. It's a relief to finally be done after 2 years and have a home that feels like us but way better. I can't recommend Kanika and her team enough. We're still obsessed with how everything turned out.

I initially asked Samantha Moss to help with one room. She was SO good that I'm incredibly grateful…read moreshe organically guided the paint colors for our entire house! The project is still in progress, but with three major rooms complete, we're convinced working with Samantha was one of the best decisions we've made during our home refresh. First, even though we've been home owners for a while and thought we knew what we were doing, Sam completely changed the way my wife and I think about paint. She asked thoughtful questions to understand how we wanted each room to feel, not just how we wanted it to look. The results have been remarkable. Our once-dark home office is now calm, bright, and inspiring to work in every day. She gently steered our preteen daughter away from indecision to a color that feels sophisticated, warm, and a perfect green that can flex with her changing moods. And our bathroom? She suggested colors that I never would have chosen myself, yet it's become a room visitors compliment all the time. Beyond paint, Samantha also gave us spot-on recommendations for our bedroom's curtains and lighting direction, helping us create a vision for the whole home instead of just choosing colors. She is thoughtful, collaborative, incredibly knowledgeable, and a genuine pleasure to work with. We can't wait to see the remaining rooms come together and recommend Samantha Moss without hesitation.

I am so happy to write this review about Samantha. I love when I experience great skill, talent,…read morecommunication, service, and rapport with people I work with. I appreciate Samantha so much for those reasons. She has been spot on in choosing colors for our home, both interior and exterior. She has also given us valuable interior design suggestions. The cherry on top is that she has been an absolute joy to work with. I am looking forward to having her back to consult on other rooms of our house. I rave about her (whether solicited or not!) to anyone I know who is having their house painted or is choosing paint colors. For any of you who are hesitant, my recommendation is to just say yes! :-)

We cannot say enough good things about working with Dee and Lara. What is usually a stressful and…read moreoverwhelming process was, with them, genuinely fun, inspiring, and deeply enjoyable. From the very beginning, they took the time to truly get to know us and our kids - not just our aesthetic preferences, but how we live in our home day to day. That thoughtfulness showed up in every design and functionality decision they helped us make. They were incredibly collaborative and brought us along at every step, making the process feel like a true partnership. They never once pushed an idea or decision on us, but they were also amazing at helping us thoughtfully stretch beyond our comfort zone in ways that ultimately made the home better than we ever imagined. Dee and Lara were responsive, kind, warm, and completely transparent throughout the entire process. We always understood the "why" behind decisions and felt informed and confident every step of the way. They were also exceptionally respectful of our budget. We never felt pressured to overspend, and instead felt like they maximized every single dollar while still delivering a truly elevated result. Their broader team (both internal and external partners) was equally impressive, with a clear commitment to quality and a very high bar for execution. Most importantly, we absolutely love our home. We're grateful for the experience, thrilled with the outcome, and fully expect to work with Dee and Lara for years to come. We would recommend them without hesitation to anyone looking for designers who are best-in-class, thoughtful, and genuinely wonderful to work with.

Working with Diane and Lara at Bleu Leman was such a wonderful experience, especially as someone…read morewho had never worked with interior designers before. I was moving into a new home and starting fresh, and they struck the perfect balance between really listening to what I wanted and gently stretching my thinking in ways that made the final result so much better than I could have imagined. They took the time to truly get to know me and how I live, not just my style preferences, and that personal connection made the whole process feel collaborative and easy rather than intimidating. Beyond their talent, Diane and Lara are simply lovely humans. I genuinely looked forward to our conversations, and I always felt supported, never pressured. They were incredibly clear and organized around purchases and budget, helped me stay on track financially, and were flexible and patient as I changed my mind more than once along the way. I ended up with a home that feels like me, and I'm so grateful for their creativity, professionalism, and kindness. I couldn't recommend Bleu Leman more highly.

We used Casa Di Vita for staging in our home in Alameda. Deepti is a gem to work with. She…read morecoordinated with our realtor and was flexible, but let her style shine through. Our realtor wanted us to use a stager that was 15K! We had already found Casa Di Vita and her staging was on par with the stagers charging twice as much. I would highly recommend Casa Di Vita for someone looking for quality staging.

Casa Di Vita was really great to partner with and we were really happy with the outcome of their…read morestaging for our home we put on the market in Albany. Their creativity and attention to detail and organized approach made the whole process smooth and stress‑free. We also had to take a pause at one point in our selling after we put our deposit in and they were very understanding with our situation. I highly recommend their home staging services to anyone looking for professional home staging in the Bay area.

Kathy Bate is a gifted designer. She was able to help us make the best decisions for our home…read morerenovation including the most important details for the kitchen and bath. She was able to work quickly and followed up with digital plans showing our options. The project is off to a great start with our budget in tact. Kathy Bate knows how to help you get the best quality working with the funds available. Already we have saved money on the project by having Kathy 's helpful guidance. She is a warm hearted person who knows when to take charge. My husband and I enjoyed working with Kathy Bate Designs.

Kathy is an amazing and talented designer; smart, savvy, and experienced, very much in tune with…read morethe clients needs. She did a great job designing our kitchen.

She helped me pick the color for my house when i had it painted. Took her an hour to get it done…read more She's very good at what she does. I would use her again.

I had a great experience working with Angelisse. She made the process of painting my house…read moreenjoyable.

I called Meghan four days before my kitchen remodel was supposed to start. Although I'd already…read moreworked with a well-known (and expensive) color consultant, I just wasn't fully comfortable with her suggestions. It was the best decision I ever made. Meghan showed up and, with stunning swiftness, channeled the aesthetic of the house, my taste, and my inarticulate vision for the kitchen. In one hour, we changed not only the colors, but also many of the key material and design decisions. Working with her was like watching a picture come into focus; all of a sudden, it all clicked. I think she's a genius. And she's nice, reasonably priced, and quirky - who else has 1/4, 1/2, and 1 inch measurements tattooed onto her fingers to increase the speed of measuring?

Meghan helped us pick a tile store and tile colors for a bathroom remodel. We ended up replacing…read morean old fiberglass tub/surround with a shower and it turned out fantastic. The colors look amazing and we couldn't be happier! Highly recommended!

We sold custom-cut fabric to Joy Street Design, after delivery the customer reached out to inform…read moreus that they had ordered the wrong item and requested an exchange. I want to emphasize that our policy, clearly stated on our website and in the item description, specifies that custom cut yardage is non-returnable. However, in the spirit of goodwill, I authorized an exchange, hoping to accommodate their needs. To my surprise, the customer then changed their mind and requested a refund instead. I explained that this was against our policy, but instead of replying they proceeded to open a chargeback, effectively keeping the fabric for free. As of now, the custom-cut fabric, which cost Our small business over $400, has not been returned. Now I see from their reviews that they have done this to another small business. This experience has been disheartening, especially as a small business owner who values integrity. We believe in treating customers fairly, but it's equally important for customers to respect the policies that they agreed to by purchasing. We hope this review serves as a warning for others in the industry not to provide any supplies or services to Joy Street, and to potential clients of Joy Street- watch out, they are an unethical company.

My husband and I worked with Kelly and her design team on several rooms in our Oakland house in…read more2019. The two of us were looking for a design style that would elevate our home while still maintaining a casual atmosphere. We have two dogs and knew we'd likely have a kid or two one day so wanted materials that could stand up to a variety of uses. Also, my husband tends to like minimalist designs while I prefer color and prints. Magically, Kelly and her team were able to capture our various requirements and wishes and now we have spaces that are both beautiful and livable! It's been a couple years since the work was completed and I still find myself admiring all the special touches as if I were seeing them for the first time! It was incredibly easy to communicate with Kelly and I would definitely recommend her - I hope to work with her again someday!

Working with Emily was a great experience during our year-long remodel and addition. Emily's…read morebiggest value was in helping navigate the execution side of the remodel process -- coordinating timelines, advising on ordering, connecting us with trusted vendors, and helping facilitate communication throughout the project. She was also an excellent sounding board when I needed to validate decisions or talk through options. Having someone experienced to pulse-check ideas, help with all the little details (like selecting grout colors) and support in managing all the moving parts made the process feel much smoother and less stressful.Highly recommend!

I recently worked with Emily and her team, and I cannot recommend EJ Design enough! She has an…read moreincredible eye for detail and a natural talent for transforming a space. She took my vision and elevated it in ways I never could have imagined. The textures, lighting, and layout have completely changed the energy of my home. Her team was highly organized and thorough. My space finally feels curated and sophisticated. Exactly what I was looking for. 5 stars!