There is good, there is great, and there is Kyoko Jackson of Yumi Interiors. Whether you are…read morelooking for a few decoration ideas, a complete remodel, or building a house from scratch you need to hire her. To understand what makes Kyoko so great you need to understand who she is and what she does. What - Kyoko is trained as an interior architect. So while she has all the skills of an absolute top-notch interior designer, she is also very capable of spatial work more commonly associated with architects. She is also a superb project manager, managing the selection, sourcing, ordering, tracking and eventual installation of hundreds of discreet pieces (everything from bed knobs and countertops to shower drains, soap holders, bolts and couches)with effortless efficiency. Who - Dedicated, organized and unflappable, Kyoko is a pleasure to work with. She is also unusual among design professionals in her versatility. In my project, she was asked to take elements from a previous house and extend them into a totally different, and much smaller, structure. It was not an easy task, but she knocked it out of the park. My Experience - Kyoko joined me about four months into the down-to-the-studs renovation of an old Berkeley home. Her first task was to effectively use a kitchen space, a task a previous designer had struggled with. In less than a day she had not only great drawings but a rendered animation so I could easily understand how the kitchen would work. After that I asked her to check our blueprints for anything that seemed off. She found a subtle but major error that, had it stood, would have made for a much less good house. And so went the rest of the project, with Kyoko, again and again, delivering excellence as a designer, as a planner, as a decorator, and as a project manager. Yes, she's that good. And you are welcome.

Kyoko is wonderful to work with and a lovely person. She helped us with our small/narrow family…read moreroom and two bedrooms. I had a very specific style in my mind and not only did she completely understand what I wanted (through my vague descriptions) but she executed in a way that I would not have thought of and that was exactly the look and feel that I had hoped for. We always get compliments on our home (even by teenagers, who I am surprised would even notice these things, ha). I will definitely work with her again next time I need design help.

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.

Excellent colorist have used several times! She was prompt,…read morehad a wide selection of samples and im happy with all the work She has helped with

Samantha is an amazing designer, color consultant, and person. I have worked with her on multiple…read morehomes and have been over the moon with her work. I can't imagine doing any home project without her!

We worked with Clara, Rachelle, and Tia and the rest of the BD team over the course of a year and a…read morehalf to furnish and decorate our new home. They did an outstanding job, and we have received many compliments on the design of our home. The process takes a little while, but now that it is complete, our home feels perfect for us. The designs are fun, whimsical, colorful, and natural - exactly what we were looking for. The process is highly structured, but I appreciate how it enabled us to see how everything would look together, and also kept all the many decisions organized in a way that makes them easier to process. We appreciated the level of creativity and thoughtfulness that went into each decision. Overall, we had a great experience working with this team.

Creative, strong communicator, organized and dependable…read more We hired Clara to help us with a whole home renovation project for a house built in 1913. We wanted to be respectful to the original design while making the home more contemporary. Clara took care to understand our preferences and she made amazing recommendations. She helped us with tile, paint, materials selection, lighting, furniture selection, renovation ideas various and sundry, and just generally was super competent, timely, reliable, professional and creative. Partway through the project, my general contractor flaked. This had nothing to do with Clara, but when I needed someone to reset the project, gather all of the sub-contractors together and drive the project forward -- Clara was there to fix everything and get the project done and over the line. My wife and I are delighted with the outcome. The house is beautiful, we absolutely love it. Clara is not only a wonderful interior designer, but she's also completely dependable.

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.

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 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.

Elizabeth did an amazing job transforming the interior of our mid century modern home back to its…read moreoriginal splendor! Years back (and might I say without the aid of a skilled interior designer), we cleverly ignored the modern bones of our 1950's abode and went full traditional rustic - massive stone fireplace, chunky crown molding, antiques galore. Fast forward 15 years and a newfound appreciation for modern design, help! We were absolutely thrilled to find Elizabeth! Right from the start, we knew we were going to be in great hands. She was exactly what we were hoping for - someone who could stand back, take in the whole picture and come up with an amazingly gorgeous modern design without spending tons of $$. She was a pleasure to work with, extremely knowledgable, reliable and most importantly she has such a keen eye for interior esthetics and how to integrate the decor of all the various rooms. I can tell you I like a particular chair, a certain color combination, a certain light fixture, couch, door style, counter top, etc. but putting it all together so that it flows and soothes, that's a skill at a whole different level. We are just in awe of how gorgeous our interior turned out! Thank you Elizabeth! You can see photos of Elizabeth's redesign of interior on her website - Portfolio - Mid Mod Organic.

Elizabeth is amazing. She will 'get you' during the first meeting. She relieved the decision…read morefatigue I was experiencing after a 10 month major remodel. I highly recommend her.

Rachelle is absolutely fabulous! She has an eye for picking vibrant…read morecolors that are warm and inviting. Her talent is something that can't be learned or taught. Spare yourself the frustration of accidentally creating an overpriced DIY mess. Rachelle will create a space for you that is fluid, beautiful, and makes your life better in every way. She isn't some designer who reads a few magazines and thinks she knows all about color and design. She is a trained, educated, and experienced professional full of creative talents. She looks at your space and design choices from a global perspective and selects colors that seamlessly tie your areas together, to balance your cabinets or floors or tile or throw pillows or drawer hardware, etc. She truly takes all of your interior elements into consideration so that the design becomes a flawless backdrop for your life. It's funny, you don't notice the actual elements when it's done, you just see how lovely the "space" is, because her colors and layout choices will enhance and accent your interiors or exteriors so fluidly. Rachelle has an endless cache of design ideas and offers consulting as well. Just being around her will have you racing for a pen to capture the creative ideas that spill out of her so fast. So be ready and have a writing instrument and paper at all times! If you are looking for consultation for any type of project, from the exterior of your house, to interior rooms, to furnishings, fixtures, etc., working with Rachelle is the best investment you can make.

We connected with Rachelle through a referral from our architect, as we were embarking on a fast…read morepaced renovation and expansion of our home. I honestly do not know how we would have made it through without her help. There are 1000 decisions to make from tile to cabinets and paint, along with all of the finishes. Rachelle had excellent recommendations for high quality options that stayed within our budget. She helped us meet our contractor's deadlines, so we stayed on track to finish the project within 4 months. Everything came out so beautiful! She really listened and paid attention to what each of us liked to help us find our shared style. We are so grateful for her expertise and vast rolodex of resources and hidden gems.

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.

I'm a realtor w Compass and my team has done many stages with Casa Di Vita. Henry and Deepti are…read morethe best! Their staging is on point with good design and quality furniture. They really listen and are very accommodating. I know my listings will look great. Highly recommended!

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!