Activation Studios

We purchased a two bedroom 1.5 bath condo with the plan to immediately transform the 1.5 bath into a full bath. It made sense while contractors would be present to expand our plans to include a complete rebuild / renovation of both bathrooms and to look at implementing design elements throughout. We decided to completely change color/wall paint, redesign and re-tile the fireplace, among other design elements. We found ourselves with a short amount of time to develop the design and purchase the components because we had already hired contractors to rebuild the bathroom. . We attempted to pull the design together ourselves with visits to the Merchandise Mart showrooms and other bath, tile and furniture showrooms in the design district and found we were ill equipped to do anything but choose already assembled vignette's which ultimately exceeded our budget. We needed professional help and were grateful to meet Vea Cleary. After spending time with us to understand our style and goals, Vea brought clarity, practicality and cohesiveness to our ideas. In addition to home consultations, he joined us on day trips to local tile galleries, etc. and guided us with tools to pull together our vision within our very short time frame. Vea is knowledgable and creative in sourcing components and applying color which achieved a cohesive overall design using simple and substantially more affordable elements from sources we would not have discovered on our own. We enthusiastically recommend Vea's skill and expertise and know that you will enjoy working with him in the process.

Vea was just the person we needed to help us with our bathroom rehab. Vea's attentiveness and sense of style allowed a couple with differences blend essences of the two seamlessly. Thank you for helping us create an urban oasis!

My partner and I had been talking about a new look for our bedroom for years and could never agree on how to make it happen. We finally decided to bring in a professional design team to lead the process and we loved every moment! We had a fantastic time working with the Activation Studios team. My partner and I have two distinct styles, so we relied on the Activation Studios team 100% to: 1. Understand our (very different) tastes and come up with a design that was appealing to both of us and "uniquely ours" - an task I thought was impossible; 2. Keep us focused and on task regarding each step of the process (initial designs, furniture design/reupholstery, acquiring new draperies/pillows/linens, painting, staging); 3. Complete the project within budget Vea and team brought a tremendous amount of creativity and encouraged us to lean into what we love…Vea then provided new ideas/layouts/colors that unified our unique styles. I had never thought of or imagined some of the ways they repurposed our existing furniture before! Not only did they build us a custom bed frame, Activation Studios team used wood from an existing bed we were going to get rid of! We love that we implemented Vea’s designs and enjoy them to this day!! The best part is coming home to a beautiful space that feels like home and truly gives us the sanctuary we need to rest from our busy lives. Some of our friends/visitors immediately commented on the design and uniqueness of our new bedroom and have started to consider hiring Activation Studios themselves. We are busy professionals, and Vea's team was incredibly patient with us to make decisions, find a time to meet, and even brought in their own painters, handled reupholstering, and installations...we honestly couldn't do it on our own without their design expertise, hard work, professionalism and kindness. We will definitely work with them on future projects – Next up: our home office and basement! xo

I had a wonderful experience working with Vea on a consultation. She was so clear in her vision, yet gave us many options and respected our input. She is brilliant and uplifted the space like we didn't think possible.

The support and creative innovation I received while working with Activation Studios was phenomenal. I had the privilege and pleasure of three days, in my new home, with Vea helping me plan the entire house decor and design. Vea does not come in and tell you what you should do, she helps you pinpoint and articulate the things you already love and want in your home, while adding her expertise in order to generate ideas that fit within your actual space, and budget. She is so supportive throughout the process, and so genuinely excited about what she does, it's hard not to feel like you could be a professional interior designer after working with her!

Activation Studios did an incredible job of transforming our bedroom into a space that we love. We both had different ideas and different approaches to how we wanted to be involved with the project. Vea was able to find a strong balance between what my partner wanted and what I wanted to create a cohesive and inviting space in which we both felt our ideas reflected and improved upon. Vea was also sensitive to timing and creating a plan for the actual redesigning of our space. Vea was flexible, responsive, and created a great space for us that was within budget. I look forward to working with Activation Studios on future design projects in our home.