Idea Space Architecture + Design

We worked with Idea Space to renovate our sunroom and complete an addition above it, a project that included a new master bathroom, dressing room, laundry room and hall bathroom. The Idea Space team gave us the beautiful design we wanted. They took the time to identify and incorporate our priorities. They did not pull out an off-the-shelf design, but designed from scratch to fit our needs. We have received many compliments about how well the addition fits in with the style of our house overall. Working with them also made the project much more fun. Because they were focused on the details and practicalities, and guided us through key decisions, the project went smoothly, and we remained confident throughout that we would get what we wanted.

After combining two one bedroom apartments, I found myself with an over-sized “double” living room. Julie was able to confront this design challenge with ease and offered numerous schematic solutions, color directions and unique furniture options. The end result is a sophisticated, modern space that is at the same time warm and inviting. Julie is a very professional designer, has strong organizational skills and is reliable. I’m very pleased with her work and would not hesitate to recommend Idea Space Architecture & Design.

Darren and Julie were the perfect partners for our first ever foray into home improvement, and we didn't start small! Through their meticulous design process and project management, we transformed over 500 square feet of kitchen and powder room drab into something stunning and perfectly functional for our family's needs. Our home was built in 1904, so we knew there would be all kinds of surprises in terms of opening walls and ensuring that the engineering was sound. Idea Space was on top of all of this. From their careful shepherding of the bidding process to our weekly construction meetings, we never had to worry that a detail was being overlooked. Julie's help in refining our aesthetic was critical to the outcome of the project. As we moved from a simple "white kitchen" idea into a space with much richer colors, patterns and textures, we became more and more excited about the unique space we were creating. We highly recommend Idea Space Architecture + Design!

We used Julie when we downsized to a small apartment. Julie was able to use some of our existing furniture and added carpets and some more pieces. She used our existing art work ro create a beautiful arraignment and we repainted a color wall. She was always responsive, was on time for meetings. We would recommend her highly

I have been working with Darren China since 2012 on two residential and one commercial projects. I am the owner of a Law firm in NYC and I have never worked with anyone law-related or outside the law that is more reliable and responsive than Darren. The first project we hired Darren for was to reconfigure a loft apartment in the financial district of Manhattan into a space usable for a family. Then, as our family grew, we hired Darren to combine apartment units. He successfully configured a plan to combine two adjacent units. He worked with our contractor and an expeditor at the Department of Buildings as well as our building's residential manager to quickly get us DOB approval for our unique construction plans. We now live in an incredible apartment in the financial district in Manhattan and are loving the layout that Darren created. Darren is meticulous. He oversaw our construction team to make sure every detail was taken care of. Darren suggested weekly meetings with the team to make sure we were all on the same page and to develop the apartment to our highest expectations. Darren also brought in his wife Julie China, an interior designer, to help us visualize our furniture layout and to add decorative details such as blinds for our kids rooms. The China's also assisted us with new light fixtures and hardware. They even thought of automatic toilet flushers which were instrumental in facilitating toilet training! Because they have a young family of their own they were very knowledgeable in making the apartment kid-friendly. Now as our third project, the China's are gut renovating my husband Craig Roberts' dental office in Manhattan's Washington Square Park. Their style choices have been right in line with what they learned to be our design aesthetic. We cannot more highly recommend Darren and Julie China.

Darren China designed a wall partition to create a second bedroom in our apartment and a custom wall unit with shelving and cabinets. We couldn’t have been happier with the results. His careful research of materials and period architecture, for both projects, creatively addressed functional and aesthetic concerns. He was extremely helpful with answering any questions we had throughout the planning process. Working with Darren was a complete pleasure and we recommend him without reservation.

Darren was the consummate professional, supervising every detail of the work with care and precision. We were very happy with the design, recommendations he made, and especially impressed with his attention to detail. I would not hesitate to recommend his services to others.

It is always a pleasure to work with Darren and Julie, they are very professional and knowledgeable. Their attention to detail elevates all components of their design. Their creative design goes beyond the usual. I absolutely highly recommend Darren, July and their creativity. Happy to work with them always!

We have been working with Darren and Julie for over five years. Our first project was the main bathroom in our previous home. Their redesign was arguably what sold the house. It was honestly the most beautiful room in the house. Our new home is a mid-century ranch, which is a departure from the typical colonials of Maplewood and South Orange. They have helped to update it in a way that is authentic to the time period without being kitschy. Julie and Darren truly embody every business superlative: skilled and experienced professionals; honest and transparent in their process and billing; responsive and reliable. Their respective talents complement each other. Above all though, they're just fun to work with. They're genuine, relatable, funny and kind. Once you begin a project with them you will feel an immediate connection. We have, which is why Studio China has remained and will continue to be our only architecture and design firm choice.

My wife and I hired Darren and Julie China to design the complete renovation of our kitchen. They talked with us for weeks and drew multiple drafts of the architectural plans in order to understand what we wanted. They translated those discussions and drafts into a stunning design that also utilized the space efficiently. They also helped us choose tiles, lights, flooring, and even bar stools for the new island. It feels like our whole first floor has been transformed, and everyone that comes into our new kitchen never wants to leave (including us)!

I have worked with Darren and Julie ,on several different projects. I have always found Darren and Julie to listening intently and deliver what the client is asking for, usually exceeding their expectations. They are extremely patient and works diligently on details to create a home that reflects each clients personality and style. He truly loves his work and it shows in his ability to deliver a beautiful home and have fun with his clients during the process!

We recently hired Studio China to assist us in a complete kitchen renovation of a very tiny, awkward space. Julie and Darren came up with a few smart layouts we had not seen yet from cabinet makers, and ultimately went with their design and are very pleased. Julie picked out floor, backsplash tile, countertop, cabinet hardware, paint and lighting samples for us and we chose based on her ideas. Darren helped deal with certain structural issues that arrived with our contractor that we think made a huge difference in the appearance of our kitchen, including recessed lighting/speaker layout, light switch location, and most importantly the suggestion to drop our ceiling six inches to eliminate the view of a structural beam. Julie has an amazing eye for design - the items she picked out for our kitchen are so perfect and things we may not have chosen on our own. I cannot imagine our kitchen without Julie & Darren...we are so grateful we hired them to design our kitchen. The end result is more than we could have ever hoped for.