Chic on the Cheap

I recently had to have the exterior of our house painted ... a big commitment, as paint goes. I honestly didn't know where to start, so I got a color consultation with Amanda. She showed up with bags full of swatches and a head full of knowledge. Not only was she able to interpret my (poor) sense of what I wanted, she was able to add in some options for more interesting looks as well. I went with all of her suggestions and it looks FABULOUS. So many things I just never would have known to do on my own. She also was responsive and helpful with all my follow up questions as well. I would highly recommend Amanda for your next painting project. She's creative, personable and super friendly and helpful for whatever you need to do! It will be the best money you spend.

I worked with Amanda to pick out colors for the exterior of our home. I cannot say enough positive things about Amanda and the whole process. Amanda took her time and explained many different color options and helped me visualize how each color would interact with our existing permanent features. Amanda also recommended different ideas that I had not even considered. After the appointment she followed up with an email with all of our colors and took the time to answer a few additional questions that I had after our visit. I would highly recommend.

I have never used a designer and felt a bit extravagant when I booked a color consultation with Amanda but I'm so glad I did. She was great and so kind! I was overwhelmed with paint options and absolutely stuck. She came and helped me visualize choices and I ended up feeling confident in the paint options I went with. We picked out kitchen wall and cabinet colors, living room wall colors and even exterior colors. For the exterior she followed up with a picture of the front of our house with arrows specifying the exact color choices we decided on and where they went. It was very detailed and helpful. Highly recommend.

What you can see from the pictures, is how Mark Dalton and the team can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. What you can’t see from the pictures is the process and the people involved. With their fee structure, you are able to do as much or as little with them as you choose. After a couple of meetings with Mark Dalton, we decided to jump full in with a whole house redo. Living out of state, we were completely comfortable and confident turning the project over to him. He did not disappoint. He and the team communicate, their sub contractors are the greatest, they shop for you in the best places for the best prices (including online). They make suggestions, recommendations, leaving the final choices up to you. They coordinate orders and deliveries with the sales people. Earning them respect and compliments from all. Their tag line is “Smart Mindful Sophisticated” (and I’ll add with Integrity) describes them perfectly.

We meet Mark Dalton and Courtney Anderson to discuss the plan for our house, they spent 1 hour walking around our house and charged us $150. The next week they email saying they are too busy and can’t take on new clients after waisting our time.

I highly recommend Jill Geisdorf and Lynn Brown as interior design professionals. They are exceptional. Both are very energetic, personable, knowledgeable, and super easy to work with. Jill and Lynn went above and beyond to ensure that we were satisfied with their design options. They truly took into account our style and budget. We were in Chicago during most of this project. My husband and I were furnishing our unit from scratch. Many stores were closed due to Covid. However, Jill and Lynn continued to be instrumental in helping us design our unit, ensure that furniture was delivered and set it up properly. They did an amazing job!

My past problems with designers/decorators involved poor financial management and inability to focus on specific client concerns. We approached Jill liking most of our home decor. We had specific design concerns and she focused on these areas and didn't suggest a whole house makeover. Jill listened to our thoughts, looked at our clippings, and came up with multiple options for furniture, fabrics, and colors. She followed through on orders, supervised craftsman, and kept a close eye on financials. When the job was completed she was just as excited and pleased with the outcome as we were. Jill is a true design professional.....and a nice person.

In these days of Covid, starting a new job & moving from Charleston to my new place in Florida---which I leased sight unseen, Cristi, solely via long distance phone, e-mail and text was able to create the comfort & ambience I wanted to enjoy after my 8 1/2 hour drive. Delightful, easy to work with, worth every penny

I contacted Chic on the Cheap for a home consultation. And, I needed help....paint colors, furniture arrangement, window treatments, master bathroom, light fixtures, you name it! Cristi Martel arranged a visit to my home and provided wonderful, creative ideas. She listened and responded to each question with good suggestions and I am excited to use these ideas in my new home. I highly recommend Cristi and plan on seeking out her expertise when I move to phase 2 of our redecorating. Rhonda

We scheduled a paint color consultation with Amanda, and she was amazing!!! She listened to the vision we had in mind for our upcoming renovations, looked at all of the samples of what was being installed and made incredible recommendations about the colors we should use. She took time to explain how and why she was choosing certain colors. The session was well worth the money, and we’d highly recommend it to anyone! We cannot wait to see the finished product!!

After struggling to make a decision on the proper paint color to repaint our entire home, I decided to reach out to an expert. I hired Amanda for a paint color consultation and her input was literally worth every penny. She was incredibly organized and professional. We discussed what I was looking for before the in-person appointment. During the appointment, she came prepared with what I called a Mary Poppins’ bag of paint color boards! She was able to help narrow down to a few color samples and she took the time to help educate me on the various colors and tones. She is warm, friendly and incredibly knowledgeable. The paint color selection was absolutely perfect for our home. I will definitely hire Amanda in a heartbeat when faced with an expensive design decision!

Cristi was very professional and very personable. She understood what we wanted to accomplish in our space, gave us feedback on our thoughts and great recommendations to move ahead. The appointment was concise and efficient and her follow-up on recommendations were immediate. We certainly recommend Cristi.