MAKE Design Studio

We have nothing but praise for Nicole and her design process. We worked with her on a full kitchen remodel and couldn't be happier with the finished product. Nicole's clear communication style, attention to detail and efficient use of time resulted in a proposal that we accepted with very little modifications. Nicole's carpentry background proved very helpful both in the design and throughout the build process. Her ability to articulate technical tradeoffs in construction allowed us to make informed decisions to align with our budget. She worked extremely well with our contractor and we always felt she was our advocate when it came to any questions/concerns we had. In addition, we have utilized Nicole's design services on furniture and rug selection, paint colors (interior and exterior) and complete exterior window replacements. We can't wait to work with Nicole again on our next project!

We loved working with Nicole at Make Design Studio. Out of all the architects we interviewed she was the only one who had the gravitas to tell us that our vision of a second story addition and a full first floor remodel was never going to happen with our budget. Everyone else gave us a thumb's up and a smile. In hindsight, we can't even imagine what would have happened if we went in a different direction. We'd probably be destitute, living in a home with 3 walls and no roof! Nicole has the unique background of having worked in construction - her rationale being, "How can I design a home if I don't know how to build one myself." That experience really shows when it comes to working with old homes. Our house is small by modern standards, 1,000 square feet, and yet she was able to squeeze every last bit of usable space into our new design because she understands old homes so well. That said, our contractor was very appreciative of her structural knowledge, an attribute that isn't always found in other architects. Instead of slapping another 1,000 square feet onto our house, Nicole worked with us to completely reconfigure the existing structure. And when we say she worked with us, she truly worked with us. She listened to our wants and was very realistic about what was and wasn't possible not only for the space but for our budget. In turn, we did our "homework" as requested. She will set you up with timelines for decisions regarding fixtures, paint choices, tile, grout, etc., etc. She also shares her vendor list in case you have no idea where to start when it comes to picking out things like lighting or door pulls. We can guarantee you will love your home more if you play an active part in the decision making process, and Nicole couldn't make it any easier for you. Nicole is very talented. She will hold your hand as much or as little as you like always paying close attention to budget. Her transparency and realism were so appreciated. She is also a delight to work with - incredibly kind, accessible, and super funny! At the end of the day, we still can't believe that this is our house. And we have Nicole's talent, vision, kindness, sense of humor, and ability to keep our project on track to thank for it.

My husband and I heartily recommend Nicole of MAKE Design Studio. Our project involved extending and reconfiguring our interior entry, the exterior approach to the house, and several decks in conjunction with regrading and landscaping our front yard and garden. Nicole was asked to design and obtain the required permits for the entryway extension, new decks and a new walkway to our house. We appreciated being able to see proposed designs, and changes to them, in 3D in Nicole's computer program. The 3D aspect was unique in our experience; one could feel if a corner was too tight, or if an area was too dark by seeing a cross section, or a view from inside or from a specific angle. And by using this program, Nicole was able to render both designs and changes quickly and efficiently, which reduced her time and travel charges. Nicole closely listened to our list of goals for the renovation, asked excellent questions and observed our budgetary constraints before and while she prepared the drawings. She provided all of the services specified in our contract with her, and her charges were within the framework of the contract as well. The city of Seattle, unbeknownst to us, had designated our area as both steep slope and slide-prone, which had great potential to disrupt our planned remodel. Nicole proved to be very familiar with city regulations and processes and was able to obtain our permit amazingly quickly despite these complications. Our landscaper, our deck builder and our contractor, all accustomed to working with architects and not always positive about the experience, frequently commented that Nicole was extremely competent, had great ideas and was easy to deal with, and each of them has recommended and/or chosen her for the design and permit phases of subsequent projects which required architectural input. After the exterior phase of the remodel was complete, Nicole proved to be of great help in providing sources and ideas for interior features and is still willing to serve as a sounding board and wise counselor with respect to some of our decorating "ideas". In addition to providing excellent professional services, Nicole is a joy to work with--down to earth, with a wry sense of humor and a congenial personality, and our association, which quickly grew beyond architectural considerations, has proven to be a lasting one. She's just easy to like.

We love our remodel/addition! Nicole of MAKE Design Studio did an amazing job fulfilling every single requirement we put in front of her within a very constrained space. Awesome talents in the technical problem-solving, aesthetic, and project/communication arenas. MAKE made what could be a very difficult and stressful process actually an enjoyable one. Thrilled with our builder too, one of the several suggested by Nicole, and with the input/oversight provided in the construction phase. All in all things went shockingly smoothly. We love our house and are always appreciating the thoughtful detail work that went into it. Yay for MAKE :)

We worked with Make design studio on a complete remodel of our kitchen and redesign of our main floor. From beginning to end it was a positive experience. Nicole was able to listen to our ideas and put them into perspective, matching our budget to our "dreams." Our meetings were fun and collaborative. We came in on budget and on time! One of the reasons we chose to work with Make Design Studio was because Nicole had experience working on the construction site along side a master carpenter. She had hands on experience and was there for able to communicate well with the contractor as well as express to us what we could expect. I can not recommend Make Design Studio more highly!

We worked with Nicole on a whole-house remodel which took over a year. We had a strict budget and timeline, and Nicole was 100% professional and upfront throughout the process. Nicole and MAKE are very easy to work with, and go out of their way to make the entire design, bid, and construction process painless and transparent.We ended up under budget and our house has all of the features we wanted. Nicole puts a cap on her contract so it is literally impossible to go over her bid for architecture services, and she has worked in construction so has a very good understanding of the build process and how to save money there without compromising quality. She was spot on for bids and helpful in negotiating the bid process. She knows quality local vendors and contractors and works well with people. She is graceful under pressure, funny, smart, and a general pleasure. I recommend MAKE without reservation!

MAKE worked with us to do a major remodel/lift of a 1918 craftsman. We hired Nicole for her attention to detail, collaborative work ethic, and communication skills. Without question, she delivered on all those key characteristics and more. Like the others who have also rated MAKE with top marks on yelp, we would highly recommend her services. If we ever found ourselves in another remodel situation, she would be the one we call.

We recently fished a two year phased full home remodel with addition. What a pleasure it was to work with Nicole. From the start, Nicole was sensitive to our needs as a family and how we would live in our home. Her design sense was spot on and she had an innate talent in visualizing space. From start to finish she took care of us. She gave us every resource from expert contractors to sources for hardware. She had contractors come in on the planning discussion long before work started. Consequently, this not only streamlined the timeline, but also in the end saved us quite a bit of money. With both phases of the remodel we actually finished the job significantly under bid. In the end, we have a beautiful home that is wonderful to live in and reflects who we are. On top of it from an architectural sense our 1941 house looks as though it was initially built that way. I would highly recommend her for your project!

Make Design Studio holds a very high standard for quality of work, green design, and communication. I worked closely with Nicole on several projects and was completely blown away by her fierce commitment to her craft and to running an honest business.

We worked with Nicole this past summer to design a 2nd bathroom for our new home. If you have an unlimited budget, we would suggest Nicole. She has wonderful ideas, is enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Given that we were on a budget - and very straightforward about that - we did not have as positive of an experience as we would have liked. Despite our stipulations about money and cost from the beginning, Nicole designed a project that 2/3 GCs bid a full 2x higher than we had initially wanted to spend. The third GC bid ~ 30-40% over our initial budget, and we ended up working with her. We had to ask Nicole multiple times throughout the process where we were in scope and cost and began cutting corners to stay on budget. In the end, we spent 50% more than we had anticipated on the project and we requested that Nicole stop working on our bid set due to her cost over-runs. We ended up pulling permits and had to re-design a doorway ourselves so that our room would meet code requirements. When we approached her about exceeding costs, she was not particularly flexible nor understanding. Further, she often refused to accept responsibility, instead pointing the finger at us. In summary, Nicole has good ideas but in our experience, failed to stay within scope and budget.

We (at Blue Sound Construction) have worked with Nicole (of MAKE Design) on multiple projects over the years and could not recommend her highly enough. She has a classic design sense that is equally suited to traditional and modern design. All of our mutual clients have been very pleased with their finished homes. She is fastidious with her drawings (a plus for the builder), highly creative, and a master of small spaces (my employees began calling her "shoehorn Nicole"). Architects are notorious for drawing plans that clients cannot afford, but Nicole is impressively accurate in projecting costs and guiding clients toward a manageable budget/project plan from the outset. This is a tremendous value to clients, saving both time and money. Last, she is an all around affable, fun person, which makes project coordination a joy for both client and builder. In other words, if you're looking for a good guide into the morass of construction and are hoping to build something with an enduring design sensibility, MAKE Design is a great bet. -Ben & Courtenay Gebhardt Co-owners, Blue Sound Construction, Inc. Seattle, WA