I met David by chance in late 2016 and hired him to help us map out a complete remodel of our…read morehistoric home that needed a complete overhaul. David was really patient with us as we didn't have the biggest budget and helped us with not only a well laid out floor plan for our changing needs (it was very funky before) but also helped with our project management which I found incredibly helpful. Most important, we didn't have to hire a separate designer. He suggested very thoughtful period centric elements to build in and materials, tiles, and color schemes to ensure our home had the right feel. He introduced me to some really beautiful and unique materials I'd have never found. In the end we finished everything (including the landscaping) in 2019 before the pandemic to enjoy full time home living. My last comment is that David also works fairly quickly. Our street is older had many architects remodeling our neighbors and it seemed we had the fastest process with getting our plans completed. Highly recommend David.

Attempting any new project whether a home remodel or commercial build-out is overwhelming for…read moreanyone but hiring the right architect with experience and approach can make all the difference. That's why I hired David Watkins Design, to help guide me through the process. David has a proven track record that you can see in his well organized attention to detail, while making sure he communicates through every step of the way. His good relations and many years of working with The City of Santa Barbara has made what could be a frustrating and overwhelming task for the average person, a breeze. David always makes himself available to discuss and update me on my project. I would recommend David Watkins Design to anyone who wants to get the job done right, while having a personalized experience throughout the process.

I paid for furniture from their store but did not get the item or any service! Very unresponsive…read moreand unprofessional. I made a purchase and was not followed up with at al. Come to find out the item I purchased was sold twice. The consideration and care for the customer was severely lacking and they did not treat us with a customer focused approach. They are not focused on client satisfaction but rather selling foreign made products at steep mark ups!

I really like working with Coleen. She goes above and beyond the call of duty She is passionate…read moreabout her work and is able to listen to what the client wants and design accordingly. Coleen has a great eye for Design and a good sense of color. If you've ever trying to use color in the proper manner, you'll know how difficult it is and she always makes it work

We absolutely loved working with Christine Bergman of "Styled and Staged". Her "reading" of our…read moreSanta Barbara area West-Indian themed home was so insightful. The requested partial staging was fairly priced and the results just stunning. Not only beautiful enhancements, but small thoughtful touches to add warmth and a sense of "home". Especially in a time of sudden and drastic changes in the RE market (pandemic), her gorgeous furniture and accent pieces very definitely made our home "shine" to best advantage and greatly helped us to sell. We highly recommend Styled and Staged to any wishing to sell their homes--to do so will be a huge advantage. Thank you Christine & Team for being so wonderful at your job and so delightfully easy to work with!

After months of building, patching, painting, installing and generally remodeling the whole house,…read moreit's time to sell. Now you want it to look it's best! The house will be listed in 3 weeks and I need someone to stage the house; to add the finishing touches. I interviewed several staging companies. The last person I called before making a final decision was Christine Cowles Bergamin at Styled & Staged Santa Barbara. Of all the staging companies that came to my house she spent the most time. Christine and her husband Mauricio are a terrific team. They spent time measuring rooms, taking pictures and really getting a feel for the house. I was very impressed and decided to hire them on the spot. Within a day I received a detailed written estimate. She recommended which rooms were most important for staging and what I could do to save some money. I decided to do more than less and she got to work. A few days before my property went on the market, Christine and her husband got to work. They spent two full days "dressing" the house. Christine obsessed over every tiny detail. Furniture came in and then came out, pictures in pictures out: It was a frenzy of activity, finding just the right pieces for the space. Staged & Styled SB converted my house from a nicely remodeled house into a high end luxury home. A professional photographer, a great agent and a fabulous staging company and my home was listed on a Thursday. The next day I received multiple offers and accepted the best offer Saturday. All this before the open house on Sunday! A professional staging company is a must. The property shows better in the MLS listing and creates a real "buzz". There's more interest, more offers and it sells fast! Thank you Christine and Mauricio. I couldn't have done it without you! Brian P. Goleta

We have a maple Scandinavian dining room set my parents gave us as a wedding present. When the kids…read morewere little years back, the original seat fabric got all stained and nasty with milk, etc. We went to an undisclosed interior design place and replaced the fabric with marine grade vinyl and thick padding. The result was horrendous. The vinyl was tucked, unprofessionally with big seams/creases at the corners, like a do it yourself job. We didn't care at the time - as long as it held up for the next 10 years, we were good. Come 2020 and that vinyl is getting annoying. Our butts stick to them, the chairs noticeably look bad relative to the rest of our furnishing, and most importantly, the kids aren't leaving have half their food on the seats. Santa Barbara Design Center has been here for a while and I stopped in randomly on the way to Home Improvement. I was introduced to Michael, a knowledgeable and personable chap. I showed him an online picture of the original chair, and that I wanted to restore the seat to its original, sleek, sculptural and refined splendor. He said no problem, provided a couple of premium quality fabric books, and we were on our way. We picked out the fabric and brought the chairs in. Michael commented "my god, who did this work?" 50% down and ten days later, chairs were done, with a message "come down and make sure you are happy." My wife and I looked, were pleased - Michael responded with "here's something that bothers me, I want you to see..." He flipped the chair over and on the bottom, the seat fabric was stapled just outside of the underside frame. You wouldn't see it normally, but from a distance or looking down from the side, you might. Immediately we thought the same thing, yeah, that's not ideal. He said it shouldn't be done like this, let me redo it for you, no charge. His upholsterer redid it, and boy those 8 chairs look great, almost better than the original! The seats came out sleek and wonderfully curved over the underlying pad. The fabric is comfortable, soft and elegant - couldn't be happier. The interior of SBDC fills a warehouse space and contains just about everything; furniture, rugs, lamps, etc. The staff were COVID compliant, and Michael was a dream to work with. He has an excellent eye for detail, is easy to work with, and is an honest broker; I wish we had more projects for him!

Just picked up my silk rug from Santa Barbara Desing center, brought it in after spilling red wine…read moreon it, Michael and his staff were very helpful and did a wonderful job cleaning it lookes like New . This it a beautiful store ,and if you want a hand made rug this is the place he has hundreds of rugs to choose from Very Large to small , just go to look at his inventory of unique beautiful furnishings you will be glad you did Barry

I tried to purchase bed sheets from Cabana for my 12th anniversary. I needed the best…read more I decided to purchase local versus the Internet, as I needed a knowledgeable person. Over several days I engaged in 3 conversations with a Cabana salesperson. She recommended their house brand (Matouk) and assured me Matouk was a "best seller" and "Cabana carried nothing but the best". Over subsequent conversations it was clear that the salesperson could not answer basic questions such as "why is Matouk your best seller?" I prompted her to discuss thread counts and cotton types, but she was mostly stumped. She eventually admitted that she never used a Matouk product. I had the impression that she had never used a fine linen product. I eventually found a sell on the Internet with a tremendous amount of knowledge that made me feel safe in my decision. I also felt like I learned something, other than what is the "best seller". I spent 15 minutes on the phone with an expert and made the decision....that was a savings when you consider I got nowhere with Cabana in over an hour of discussions and research. I spent slightly more, approximately $1000, on the Internet than I would have spent at Cabana, but for my 12th anniversary I needed to be 100% certain that I would not be disappointed. I also felt better telling my partner all about the type of cotton, thread count, etc., rather than simply saying "happy anniversary, the Sales person told me it is there best seller".

The staff are very friendly and helpful. Loved the indoor and outdoor showrooms...lots of…read moreinventory to see.

I'm an out of towner and happen to be in the area. As I was driving through this neighborhood in…read moreSanta Barbara, when I noticed a quaint store front and the sign stating Kitchen Company. I sure do luv looking at kitchen gadgets and items. So I made an U turn and headed back to the shop. As I walked up to the shop, I misread the sign but ended up at the correct shop. The shop I intended to go to was House of Rio Shoppe. The Kitchen Company is the neighbor. I did check them out as well. As I walked into the Rio Shoppe, I was greeted by the nicest woman. The shop had home decor, candles, room sprays, prints and framed art, dishes, serving ware, stemware, cookbooks), some furniture pieces ( sofa, lining room chairs, consoles), AND an interior design center, AND a women's boutique (selling clothes, bags, and accessories). The areas seamlessly blended well with each other. The styles, for the clothes and home,,were California coastal with modern look and vibes. The place was beautifully designed and the merchandise was gorgeously curated. The prices were not outrageous. But you're not at the $ Tree either. They even had home decor items priced around the red bullseye store pricing.

How I love this store! Had a couple of potential things selected but wanted to get some expert…read moreadvice. Went in 2 different times about a month apart, been in twice left my name and number requesting their design services for a living room remodel. Sadly, I never got a call back.

Proprietor was out of state after closing her shop. Told me…read moreto text her what I was looking for in terms of what I needed to furnish my home upon her return from her storage room. I did. I was looking at two lamps posted specifically for purchase which were photographed for sale. And hoped to look at art work as well. She did not answer my subsequent inquiries following....

Faitell Attractions, opened during the pandemic, is a REVELATION…read more The only reason I stumbled across the store was my passion for coconut frozen yogurt, which Yogurtland currently sells (along with pistachio). Parking in a garage downtown for a frozen yogurt irks me so I rarely go. I passed this consignment and the moment I entered, my eyes grew big. It's mostly furniture---a mix of mid-century modern and other classic pieces--but also one of the best designer resales I've seen in the back. Every bench, piece of art, chair gorgeous. You just have to go in to appreciate the extraordinary taste of Lisa Faitell, who moved to SB from Westchester County (a tiny town my dear friend lives and I just spent three nights). It's a mother-daughter operation, which I love. They also do custom window treatments and you can arrange for delivery. In the hour I spent, a woman in Laurel Canyon bought a large bright aqua sectional couch. I love absolutely everything. Note: the clothing runs small. Best if you are a size 2, 4, or 6. I love that a New Yorker opened this store--in a pandemic no less. New Yorkers have grit and chutzpah, always rising to the challenge in the most fraught conditions. I bought a dress (48 dollars) and an incredible long sweater-jacket with pattern (50). Wearing the dress to the Granada Saturday, my first time since 2014 before I moved to the city. If you're downtown, you must go in. It's impossible not to come away with a treasure. I went in to look for plant stands and found an outdoor set for 50 they only sell as a pair. I might have to go get it, though I really only need one.