Chic on the Cheap

Amanda was so helpful with our bathroom projects and with paint color selection. She was knowledgeable and professional. We would definitely work with her again.

Jill and Tori took a tired formerly airbnb-condo, untouched since it was built in the 1980's, and tuned it into a magical place to live. They managed every step of the project and were tireless in their efforts to turn our vision into reality. They created a clean & airy space with lots of light and open spaces that took advantage of the beautiful oak trees outside. They made decision-making easy because they understood what we were going for and we could not be happier with the result. It's even better than we imagined -- thank you to two design super-stars and lovely people. We appreciate all you did for us.

Mark Dalton is an amazing designer. I received a referral from a good friend. He helped with all of the interior design of my new home in Sarasota. While we met a few times in person over the course of 18 months, a lot of how we worked was through calls, text, email and right away Mark set to establish a warm working relationship. Mark is so intuitive and really sought to understand what I was looking for. As a first-time home owner, I was really in need of suggestions to furnish/decorate to reflect a “Florida” vibe while still capturing my personality- all with practical suggestions to help minimize cost in certain areas. Mark helped me gain an appreciation for certain designs especially with rugs that I never would have selected on my own, all to great effect in the finished room and with a real “wow” factor. I highly recommend Mark for his consummate professionalism, amazing eye for detail and his commitment to produce a beautiful product. I am so thrilled with how my house looks!

We heard a lot of good things about Chic on the Cheap so when we bought a new condo and decided on new furniture I contacted them online. Cristi Martel replied and she has been a joy to work with. She is comfortable to be around and very respectful of our budget, ideas and anxiety (mine) around the whole process. Our place looks amazing and we are very happy!

I had a great experience with Jill and her staff. She coordinated and oversaw the renovation of my authentic Spanish Mediterranean home. Her positive personality made the project even more pleasant. She also assisted me with decorating my entire house. I am so pleased with the results and highly recommend her! I plan to work with her again in the near future.

I asked our contractor if he could refer me to an interior designer who would be willing to work with someone who was terrified with the prospect of decorating and would be willing to work through emails most of the time (we live in Ohio). He referred me to Cristi Martel and Joe Clark. From the moment I first talked with them, they started guiding me through color and tile selections; cabinets; ideas concerning the kitchen re-design; furniture and so on. They nudged me when I needed nudged and gave me time when I could have it. They listened --- were patient and straight forward. If something was not going to work, they explained why. They took care of everything. At some point Cristi took over our project. I don't think I can adequately describe how much I appreciated her professionalism and the job she did. If it weren't for Cristi, I don't know where we would be with our condo right now. She ---- organized our itinerary when we were in town; referred me to websites; looked through websites for me; took care of deliveries and pick-ups, etc. When problems arose, she took care of them. She got us over the bumps and hurdles, etc. I could go on and on. Many, many thanks. I would definitely call upon Cristi and the expertise of CotC again. I highly recommend Chic on the Cheap.

Cristi was a joy to work with. She listened to our style and came up with suggestions for us, brought in samples, and showed that she really understood our style. She worked with the contractor to ensure that decisions were made along the way, especially when the inevitable glitches occurred. Our final result looks like a hotel bathroom, and we are pleased with both its beauty and function.

Where to begin? Working with Cristi was more than we could have hoped. There are numerous ways to go when you build a house from scratch, but Cristi took the time to work with us even before we picked out finishes from the builder. She took the time to understand what we liked and what we didn't like and pulled our diverse tastes to one consistent, appealing, and subtly nuanced theme. Cristi went the extra mile and went with us to the builder's design center to help us pick our finishes that stayed within our overall design desires. Even without furniture, her meticulous attention to detail helped us build a house that is simply breathtaking and consistently receives comments on how appealing the home looks. Effortlessly, Cristi then pointed us towards furniture choices that only amplified the beauty of the home. On numerous occasions we have been told our home looks better than the model; and we haven't received all of the furniture or accent pieces we ordered to complete the design, yet. But more notable than her decorating acumen, she made us feel like we were the most important client she was working with. This entire process can be extremely exasperating, but her patient demeanor, her attention to detail, and her stress free approach consistently made the process seem less daunting than it actually was. We have recommended Cristi every chance we get and have nothing but wonderful things to say about her. Would we use her again? Doubtful, because the home she helped us create is timeless and we can not wait to create memories in the dream home she helped us build. If you believe us, stop reading and give her a call. If you don't believe us, give her a call and see for yourself how unbelievable she truly is.

Cristi Martel was truly wonderful to work with. My father and I needed her help with a large newly built home, and she was fantastic. It took one visit to see how warm she is, and her talent and ability to recognize a client’s personal style was excellent (a definite challenge as there were 2 very different styles going on under the same roof in our case). She was even able to settle me down after a bit of a panic over a paint color, explaining how we can make it work and reassuring me that it will look great. Cristi is responsive and a joy to work with. She was a real blessing to our family, and I would highly recommend her.

If you are looking for a Designer to assist you with a renovation/remodeling project, STOP! You have found her. Jill Geisdorf is fantastic. We first met Jill when we had purchased our home 4 years ago and she assisted with some small design projects. After spending four seasons on Longboat Key, we decided we were ready to update three bathrooms and completely redesign and renovate the kitchen. Jill assisted with every phase of our project. She completely redesigned the kitchen layout to make it more workable. She helped us select the contractor and then managed the entire project. She helped us pick cabinets, vanities, plumbing fixtures, pulls, appliances etc. She and my wife went on numerous shopping trips to view tile, stone, lights etc. She is an experienced designer and knows what works and what doesn't. Additionally she is a great communicator, both with us and with the contractor. She listed to our concerns throughout the project and suggested appropriate idea/solutions. She was in constant contact with the contractors and workers and she knew where the project stood every step of the way. After the job was done, we realized that she more than earned her fee. She completed the job on time and on budget and as a result has added another satisfied homeowner to her reference able client list!

I hired Jill to come assess my house and make space and design recommendations. She and her design assistant Lynn came over and walked through room by room. They were very courteous and gently made recommendations after listening to my thoughts. This was the perfect start for my home furnishings quest, and I got enough out of one session to get started. I am also planning on getting their guidance on individual projects like my kitchen redesign. Definitely a worthwhile investment!!

Cristi Martel saved our house from my tendancy to love everything on pinterest and try to use it all at once. As we remodeled the whole house, kitchens, bathrooms, floors, her consultation has brought together what I love in a simple, clean, beautiful and affordable (budget minded way). She helped me know when how and why to splurge and in a way that enhances the design and keeps a beautiful fluidity in my house. The results are stunning. Thank you.