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Luminosus Designs LLC
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About Us
11x Best of Houzz winner
Award winning
Published locally
CT & NY Award Winning Luxury Interior Design Firm
BEST OF HOUZZ, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024!
Mimi Fong is an award-winning interior designer and artist whose signature look is a stylish mix of sophistication and sensibility. Focused on clean lines and elegance, her work is contemporary without being trendy, favoring a calm and welcoming look. Using a fresh and clean color palette inspired by Impressionist masters such as Monet and Renoir, Mimi infuses her design with a breath of fresh air whether the style is classic or modern.
Mimi believes every space she creates should have a sense of belonging and contentment. Whether it is a dream kitchen that holds family gatherings and celebrations, or a room for having a quiet moment to oneself while surrounded by cherished keepsakes, it will always beckon you to return time after time. She excels at using natural light to enhance colors and architectural elements while creating an uplifted feeling in a space.
Contact Mimi for your next design project!
Services Provided
Basement Design, Bathroom Design, Bedroom Design, Closet Design, Color Consulting, Custom Bathroom Vanities, Custom Beds, Custom Blinds & Shades, Custom Bookcases, Custom Built-ins, Custom Cabinets, Custom Entertainment Centers, Custom Fireplace Mantels, Custom Furniture, Custom Home Bars, Custom Kitchen Cabinets, Custom Murphy Beds, Custom Pantries, Custom Rugs, Custom Shelving, Custom Storage, Custom Table, Custom Walk-in Closets, Design Consultation, Dining Room Design, Drafting, Entry Design, Floor Plans, Furniture Selection, Guesthouse Design & Construction, Home Office Design & Construction, Home Theater Design, House Plans, Interior Design, Kids Bedroom Design, Kitchen Design, Laundry Room Design, Lighting Design, Living Room Design, Mudroom Design, Outdoor Kitchen Design, Project Management, Space Planning, Wine Cellar Design, Home Additions, Home Extensions, Kitchen Remodeling, Full Service Interior Design, Construction Management
Areas Served
Ardsley, Armonk, Bronxville, Byram, Chappaqua, Cos Cob, Dobbs Ferry, Eastchester, Elmsford, Fairview, Grand View-on-Hudson, Greenburgh, Greenwich, Harrison, Hartsdale, Hastings On Hudson, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Ossining, Pelham Manor, Pemberwick, Port Chester, Riverside, Rye, Rye Brook, Scarsdale, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, Tuckahoe, Valhalla, White Plains, Yonkers, Briarcliff Manor, Pleasantville, West Harrison, Ardsley On Hudson, Darien, Stamford, New Canaan, Pound Ridge, Katonah, Bedford Hills, Norwalk
Awards
• NCIDQ • Winner of 2009 NKBA Metropolitan Design Competition: Best of Best 1st Place: Small Bathroom Category 2nd Place: Large bathroom category • Winner of 2015 Westchester Home Design Competition: Winner: Dining Room Finalist: Master Suite
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Business Details
Business Name
Luminosus Designs LLC
Phone Number
(914) 202-4138
Website
Address
White Plains, NY 10601
Typical Job Cost
$35,000 - $5,000,000
$35,000 - $5,000,000
Followers
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Credentials
11 Houzz Awards
6 Houzz Badges
2 Affiliations
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Featured Review
Mark & Heather
Average rating: 5 out of 5 starsWe recently had the pleasure of working with Mimi Fong of Luminosus Designs on the renovation of a Manhattan pied-à-terre. We’re so glad we found her! She was the expert that we needed, someone who could do it all, since we live in California and werRead Full Review
32 Reviews for Luminosus Designs LLC
Newest first
Average rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars4.8|32 reviews
Work Quality5.0
Communication5.0
Value5.0
Mimi was very detailed, meticulous, cost conscious, and gave great advice - everything you want in a designer. We wish our limited budget allowed us to use her full set of services!
November 11, 2024
Comment from Luminosus Designs LLC:
Thank you for your kind words Wendy! It was such a pleasure working with you and your husband on your condo reno!
Julie Steinberg
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
I highly recommend Mimi. She swooped in and saved our project, which had been floundering. We renovated the entire house, and every room has a touch of Mimi in it. Some key accomplishments include:
1) Redesigning existing space to include a Foyer and Entryway, where none had been prior.
2) Assessing kitchen design by reviewing cabinets, appliances, lighting, and counters. Identifying key challenges and providing alternatives and solutions.
3) Creating a warm and inviting atmosphere with well considered and beautiful lighting, floor stains, paint, and tiling.
4) Supervising installations, double checking work of vendors, and creating and managing a punch list.
5) Managing the entire project while maintaining a collaborative and professional relationship with multiple vendors and providers.
All in all, we redid 4 bathrooms, the kitchen, the family room, the entire basement, and the primary bedroom. Not to mention the front and back yard spaces. Mimi had a hand in all of it.
Finally, Mimi also helped make sure that our physical accessibility remits were met, all while making sure the house was beautiful and functional. I learned a lot from her about teamwork, as well as design and highly recommend her for all projects.
July 22, 2024
Comment from Luminosus Designs LLC:
Thank you for your kind words Julie! It was my pleasure working with you.
Mark & Heather
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
We recently had the pleasure of working with Mimi Fong of Luminosus Designs on the renovation of a Manhattan pied-à-terre. We’re so glad we found her! She was the expert that we needed, someone who could do it all, since we live in California and were 3,000 miles away!
Through the entire process, Mimi consistently delivered great ideas and insight. Additionally, her deep understanding of materials and construction was invaluable as we finalized the design. All our collaboration was done over Zoom, and her expertise at providing visuals was exactly what we needed to make our final decisions. From there, Mimi became our eyes and ears for everything that happened through the entire renovation. She tracked every detail and kept us informed each step of the way. She was an absolute pleasure to work with.
When we finally traveled east and saw the place in person, it was everything we wanted! By the way, we knew the kitchen was going to be good, but were still blown away at how perfect it is. She maximized every inch, and with impeccable style.
We were beyond thrilled with Mimi’s work. She has our highest recommendation.
April 11, 2023
It is with great pleasure that we write this letter of recommendation for Ms. Mimi Fong - Luminosus Design
We engaged Ms. Mimi Fong as our Interior Decorator in 2021 to provide guidance on all our interior decor matters relating to an extensive renovation and redesign of our interior entry foyer, living room and dining room areas. She displayed a high degree of integrity and responsibility while exhibiting excellent communications skills. Mimi worked hard to understand and define our needs and visual perceptions. Her time management, record keeping, and project reports were stellar.
She provided invaluable guidance regarding color schemes, furniture selection, flooring and tiling, painting, lighting, and accessories. We always felt that we were getting great value for the services she provided.
Mimi is an absolute pleasure to work with and made this process stress free for us. She kept the project on budget while always looking for good value when making product recommendations.
We are ecstatic about the results Mimi achieved. It is a true testament to her skills and talent when relatives, and friends who visit our renovated areas are in astonishment of the transformation.
We loved working with Mimi, and we are happy to give her our wholehearted endorsement.
James and Michelle
December 28, 2021
Marvin Weinstein
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
I hired Luminosus Designs to help me do a number of things to freshen up my apartment, in particular my dining room, living room, home office, and master bedroom. Being a senior, I need someone to handle everything for me. I also need to have a design concept put together, all orders placed, and all contractors engaged within 2 months time. Mimi not only met my deadline, she was there for every delivery, checked in on contractors every day, and had them correct everything that was not meeting her high standard. She also communicated with me in a timely manner so I was always informed of the progress and upcoming milestones. I still have two more furniture deliveries scheduled before the project is fully completed. But all my family and friends love everything Mimi designed and selected for the project. She had really gone above and beyond for me, and I couldn't be more pleased with the result.
October 7, 2020
ShadeFX
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
We were fortunate enough to have Luminosus Designs LLC feature us in an outdoor project.
The design included a kitchen, an optionally covered dining table, and a lounging area in front of a magnificent fireplace. Tying all the details together in a way that allows for natural flow from one area to the next is no easy task. The end result is absolutely stunning! Such a warm and welcoming backyard.
We played a small part in the overall project but are very grateful to be included. Hope to collaborate again!
February 25, 2019Last modified:February 26, 2019
Melinda Mehfar
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
We hired Luminosus to decorate our family room, kitchen and mudroom. Mimi and her team brought in a complete solution that not only made the space look well put-together but easy to live in. The furniture and decorations were chosen to specifically work with our particular family's needs - younger kids, and dog that shed a lot. For both the mudroom and the family room in particular, she did so much more than we originally had intended for the space and it completely transformed the look and made it more usable.
What I like best about Luminosus is that they handle every detail with a project. If something doesn't show up on time or if a custom piece was not done correctly, they are on top of it until it comes through the way it's supposed to. They work with a well-trusted team of contractors that they have a long history with, all very professional and nice guys who follow the schedule as she has planned out.
We were so happy with their work that we are currently working with them on a second project, this time decorating the dining room, living room and foyer.
December 13, 2018
Victoria Wood
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Luminosus Design goes the extra mile. i.e. Finding the supplier who had the material in stock for the contractor to help meet our ridiculous deadline. They inherited a mess and were instrumental in helping create a gorgeous product within budget and insane time constraints.
February 22, 2018
Kathy and Jim Colica
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
From the moment we did the walk through consultation, Mimi spent time listening, observing and connecting what was important to the renovation/update of our home. She really got a feel for what we wanted, and we couldn't be more pleased with the results. What makes Mimi stand out is not only her knowledge of interior design but her electrical and architectural expertise. The colors, fabrics, furniture and decorative accents that Mimi joined with our sentimental items have made our home such a special place to gather for our family and friends. Every single day I walk through my home and absolutely love what Mimi helped us create. She is simply the best.
July 27, 2017Last modified:August 7, 2017
Alali Williams
Average rating: 4 out of 5 stars
My husband and I hired Luminosus Designs to do our master bathroom remodel. What I love most about Mimi and her team was their extreme attention to detail. Mimi and her team were able to help my husband and I balance our very different design styles and come up with solutions that satisfy both of our tastes. Both Mimi's design aesthetic and working style were a great fit for our project.
June 12, 2017
The project was a Jack and Jack bathroom renovation for my two teenage boys. Mimi designed a fresh, modern bathroom with traditional elements which my boys love. The design incorporated special items such as a heated marble floor and heated towel bar...both with timers. Her custom vanities and window seat with hampers are perfect. I commend Mimi for her patience, attention to detail and willingness to work with and on behalf of the homeowner. The only drawback was the time delay to get the project going and completed. However, the results were worth the wait and we are delighted with the finished bathroom.
January 29, 2016
I used Mimi for a large renovation project and she was outstanding. In particular, she is a "turn key" solution in that I gave her an inspiration and budget and then her team delivered with virtually no challenges in between. Her unique ability is having both design and architectural skills which allowed us to do much more than expected without having to hire additional professionals. The end product exceeded our expectations and we would highly recommend her!
December 6, 2015
Marquis Painting LLC
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
I've had the pleasure of working on projects with Mimi and her associates for 5+ years.
I have to say that she is definitely one of the top designers for a reason. Her scheduling of the different trades is seamless and her designs are elegant. I've worked with many designers over the years and have to say that Mimi is the total package.
September 18, 2015
Ivana Vujic
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
We hired Mimi to help us reimagine our family room - our family room had very large door openings constraining furniture placement and a huge old-fashioned built-in, making it feel dark and uninviting. After carefully listening to what we wanted to accomplish, Mimi suggested we close up the openings a bit to allow the proper placement of the furniture for the seating we desired, and to replace the dark built-in with a sleek white one. Mimi and her team selected all the furniture for the family room for us, designed the built-in and also helped us design an additional cabinet for our kitchen and found a beautiful lighting fixture for over our kitchen table.
Mimi and her team oversaw the entire construction part of the project (closing up the walls), dealt with all the subcontractors and communicated any snags promptly and efficiently, while also finding the best and quickest solutions. It was a smooth process and we are thrilled with the results. We ended up with a bright, modern, very pretty and very comfortable family room, a beautiful kitchen cabinet that matches perfectly the previously existing cabinets and a beautiful lighting fixture. We highly recommend Mimi and her team for any design or construction project.
September 15, 2015
Kanter's Carpet & Design Center
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Mimi of Luminosus Designs has been using Kanters' Carpet and Design Center for her
decorating projects for past few years. Wonderful to work with and she puts a lot of thought and time into each and every project. Results are beautiful.
September 15, 2015
garywestchester
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
After reading reviews about Mimi Fong in Westchester Magazine, I decided to call to have her help design a small church that I am affiliated with. Her attitude and professionalism was incredible; she caught the vision that was described and took the idea to a level that we would have had a hard time to achieve. After I saw the finished product of the church I decided to venture into other work opportunities with her. Specifically, she helped me redesign my laundromat located in Harlem. Staying within a tight budget, she totally revamped the store front. This allowed me to better compete in the market. Her design ideas were fun, cost effective and practical. As a result of my experiences, I would highly recommend her for any design project.
September 15, 2015
This is a big shout out for Mimi Fong. Mimi is an interior designer who came to the rescue when I told her I was DIYing a small bathroom and needed ideas. She was definitely "Mimi on the Spot." Mimi met me at my home, spent 3 hours showing me different design ideas on her iPad and taking measurements. Two days later, we met again and she had 3 different designs at different price points all within my budget. Throughout this whole process, Mimi understood my taste and really nailed the design.
The scope of work included gutting the room down to studs and subfloor, installation of a new ceiling, floor and walls, moving plumbing and electric, creating a new cantilevered vanity and tiling the floor and primary wall. I will say that I was a little apprehensive at the wall tile choice but Mimi was spot on. I'll let you decide.
Throughout the whole process, Mimi was assessable, attentive and extremely helpful. She was always there whenever I had a question or a problem and she always got back to me that day. Mimi does residential, office and commercial design and is the owner and chief designer of Luminosus Designs. Is strongly urge you to give her a call if you, or someone you know, are thinking about any type of renovation.
September 14, 2015
scooter1234
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My wife and I have been working with Mimi and her team for a little over a year. In late 2014, we purchased a new construction in Darien. Because we had been living in an apartment in NYC, we needed help with both the structure and design of the interior of the house. After scouring the web and interviewing many interior designers, Mimi emerged as our clear choice. After meeting with us, seeing our then apartment, and discussing our preferences, she presented us with a clear and detailed plan and budget. Hiring her was invaluable. She spotted flaws in the interior structure of the house and then worked with the developer to fix them. Most significantly, she turned what was a very problematic layout for the master bedroom, bath, and closet into something very spectacular. She also re-configured the layout of the living room and fireplace to maximize and open up the space. She was persistent and really helped maximize the potential of the space.
She also designed built-ins for the house that turned out just great. Mimi was regularly on-site to make sure that the built-ins were according to plan, and had her contractors tweak and tweak until things were just right.
We also needed help furnishing the place. It took us years to furnish our apartment, and we did not want to have to spend years furnishing the house. Mimi and her team developed alternatives for each room in the house, and showed them to us in visually detailed presentations, explaining the rationale behind each. They took care of purchasing the furniture and timing the purchases so they could all be delivered in as few times as possible. Just a really great job both logistically and design-wise.
We have been very happy with Mimi and her team and highly recommend them
June 14, 2015
After reading reviews on this website about Mimi Fong, I decided to contact her as a possible designer to work on my new 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom pied à terre in NYC. We met at the apt. and discussed the project. I live out-of-state and needed someone who would not just be creative with the design, but also be a good project manager and ensure tasks under her direction were expertly undertaken and timely. Mimi assured me that she could handle the job. What ensued, unfortunately, was a fiasco.
Below, I have truthfully laid out the major issues that went wrong with this project. I can understand that with any project like this, there are bound to be some hiccups. However, Mimi was not communicative (which was a problem since I was not on-site), she was condescending and sarcastic (from a recently email from Mimi to me: "It was silly that my designer overlooked that. But I think you are well capable of moving a plug.") and she showed no signs of contrition or responsibility when mistakes were made, instead passing on the blame to others. I've worked with many vendors, designers, and builders in the past. Given the nature of a services-oriented business, I found Mimi to be the worst "professional" I've ever encountered, not just in client-management, but also in execution as demonstrated below.
Problems on this project:
1. After having unlimited access to the apt for measurements and the like, Mimi ordered a sofa bed for the guess bedroom. The day the delivery men arrived with the sofa, Mimi and her colleagues were at the apt. The delivery men tried to get the sofa bed through the bedroom door, but Mimi had erroneously measured the room dimensions and the sofa size. Rather than contact me to fill me in on what was going on, she had decided to have the building super take down the door (he called me to ask permission, which is how I found out what was going on). The sofa still didn't fit. Mimi's next idea was to have her upholsterer (who was there working on-site installing drapes) take apart the soda bed, get it in to the room, and then reassemble it. Again, my super called to fill me in, at which point I called Mimi and asked her not to do so because if it was damaged in any way, we would not be able to return it. I asked her to just return the sofa bed. I bought a replacement myself a few days later. To this day, there has not been one word of apology for this error. Instead she became increasingly rude and hostile.
2. Mimi's upholsterer did a good job with the drapes in the bedrooms, but the ones in the living room used a much heavier fabric and required much more work. Mimi and her colleagues were in and out of the apt during the time the drapes were being hung and told me when the drapes had been installed. A couple of weeks later when I went to the apt to check on the status of the project, I noticed that on the living room drapes there was a stain on the fabric and the hems were all uneven. Some were shorter, some longer and on one single piece of drapery fabric, the entire hem had differing lengths! This problem was so obvious the minute I walked in to the apt, but neither Mimi nor her colleagues even noticed it! They had just signed off on it "as is". After raising the issue with them, they had the upholsterer fix the drapes resulting in further delays.
3. Mimi purchased all the lighting for the apt. After everything had presumably been delivered, I was informed by her office that a table lamp was missing. Mimi and her team insisted that the lamp had been delivered and insinuated that the doorman must have been careless and misplaced it as he had signed for multiple deliveries from that vendor. There was a lot of back-and-forth between Mimi's team, the building super, the doorman and me. At one point, Mimi emailed the management company, without checking with me first, and escalated the matter asking to see the delivery logs for all the packages. This was completely out-of-line. She took it upon herself to go over the super's and doorman's heads! After much investigation, it turned out that MIMI'S VENDOR NEVER SHIPPED THE ITEM!!! Again, not one word of apology to the doorman or the super for the trouble she caused them.
4. Because I changed the sofa bed in the guest room after Mimi's sofa bed didn't fit, the floor lamp Mimi ordered no longer fit in the space it was originally intended for. I asked Mimi to return it and find something else for that room and her response, via email, was "We cannot be responsible for ensuring existing furniture to be compatible with pieces clients bring in on their own". Yes, I bought the sofa bed myself because after multiple measurements, she still couldn't get the size right and I no longer trusted her judgement in the matter. Her mistake, but not her problem. Great customer service!
5. Delays are understandable and I can understand when items are back-ordered, but there were times when Mimi just dropped the ball. We had a custom wine cabinet made through one of Mimi's vendors. On March 16, I was informed by Mimi's office that the vendor would deliver the cabinet on March 24 as we had to coordinate the delivery with the availability of the building elevator and that was the date that worked for everyone. The elevator was reserved for March 24 and I had made travel plans to go to NYC as the project was winding down and this was one of the last pieces to arrive. Around 9 AM on March 24, I sent an email to Mimi's office admin, Alex, confirming that the delivery was on schedule for that day as I hadn't heard from anyone since March 16. Alex didn't respond to my email until 3 pm that afternoon saying that the vendor was not happy with the finish and wants to re-do it. The new delivery date was TBD. If I hadn't initiated the communication that morning, we would have no idea what was going on. No one from Mimi's office had bothered to contact me or the building super to tell us that they are not coming and will not need the elevator. This is a new building and they have lots of people moving in, so reserving the elevator for a chunk of time on any day requires coordination. Again, no communication from Mimi or her staff! The cabinet was finally delivered on March 31, after I had left town.
My intent in writing this review is not as a personal attack, but rather "buyer beware". This was a business transaction that was fraught with problems, delays and miscommunication.
April 14, 2015Last modified:April 15, 2015
Comment from Luminosus Designs LLC:
I want to thank Ms. Piya_C for taking the time to write this review. I am so sorry that you weren’t delighted by our services and working together, and I’ve had some sleepless nights from reading your review. I have been a certified professional in the industry for 14 years now, designing both smaller and much larger award-winning projects. My staff and I are extremely diligent and conscientious, and I want every client that I work with to be happy even though renovating is itself a stressful process. Luckily, I have mostly had wonderful clients and extremely happy and successful projects. I’m sorry that yours wasn’t one of them.
In reviewing your description of the situation and the conclusions you have drawn about me and my company, I am looking to see what I can learn from this situation to make sure it never happens again. And since the overwhelming majority of my projects result in beautiful renovations and thrilled clients, this negative feedback is rare for me, so I want to make the most of it.
I think my biggest mistake in our work together was trying to solve problems as they arose without bothering you with the details. Most people who hire me are highly successful people who are used to working with other high-level professionals like myself and trusting them to deliver excellence. My other clients appreciate when I can manage issues and provide solutions. They appreciate thoughtful gestures (e.g., when we cleaned up your apartment and picked up your laundry in your bedroom) and thank us for it. They don’t try to micro-manage our work or second-guess our recommendations (e.g., when you called in your Florida “designer”/sales rep to get a second opinion, which in the end served only to confirm what I had already recommended). Our clients know how New York City buildings and renovations work, and they trust me to manage the process.
Your account of the events is not entirely accurate. For some closure for both of us, I will address the points you raise. And again, I’m so sorry that we didn’t have a positive experience working together.
I see what you call being “non-communicative,” as problem solving and trying to take care of issues without wasting your valuable time. I have never had anyone accusing me of being condescending or sarcastic. One of the dangers of email is that tone isn’t in the words – it’s left to interpretation. I’m sorry you got that impression, but that was never my intention.
As to the points you list:
1. There was no problem with our measurements, and we had warned you against such a large piece for such a small room from the start of the project. Removing doors and disassembling furniture are very common practices in NYC apartments. I’m sorry you didn’t realize that. My upholsterer has been making custom upholstered furniture for over 20 years and is very capable in disassembling and reassembling furniture. I asked him to inspect the sleeper to see whether it can be taken apart safely and without damaging it. As my upholsterer was in the process of reviewing the sleeper, your super called you to report there was an issue. You then called me immediately before I had a chance to determine what would be the best course of action before contacting you. Your repeated demand for an immediate answer, between texting and phone calls, left us little time to actually get what we needed to do done. After my upholsterer determined that he would be able to safely disassemble and reassemble the sofa, I asked you if we have your permission to do so. You expressed that you are uncomfortable with it, citing the reason of "not being able to move it in the future" and we did not proceed. I do not recall you mentioning any concern that the disassembly/reassembly would damage the unit or that this was the reason why you did not want us to proceed. In addition, once you decided you didn’t want the piece anymore, we immediately went to work to find a replacement. Only after that process was underway were we informed that you were taking over that part of the project.
2. Our practice is to do a thorough walk-through at a project’s completion and find any points that might need adjusting, and create a “punch list” to make sure you are left completely delighted. If we catch something during the installation, we always try to fix it on the spot. We’re sorry we didn’t see this sooner. But it would definitely not have been missed. We are perfectionists and want to get every detail right!
3. Unfortunately, this is another case of you having incorrect information and perhaps being confused by different incidents. This concerns two lamps shipped separately: one is shipped in a single box and the other shipped in two boxes. Each lamp had its own situation. With regard to the first lamp, the manufacturer had not shipped that lamp at the time we were informed thus did not arrive at the date we expected. We discovered this when we were at your apartment to inventory and inspect all items shipped to you directly. We researched that and resolved the situation quickly – with you getting free overnight shipping on that product. I was very shocked when you told me you had been calling my vendor directly to track down the whereabouts of this lamp as this is not the proper protocol. The vendor's contract is with my company and it is not surprising that the vendor was confused, not knowing who you are and what you were inquiring about.
The issue that required interaction with the building staff was a case where 2 boxes were shipped and UPS showed that they were signed for by your building staff. The building log showed no package arriving. This was obviously an error by your super or doorman because one of the boxes was placed by your super in your apartment. We were directed to contact management by your front desk staff to get a copy of the log so that we could file a claim with UPS. After opening a claim with UPS, your super mysteriously found the lamp. We did everything we could here to be of service and to solve the problem.
4. I love designing and creating beautiful environments for my clients. My clients hire me because they trust my creative talents and aesthetics. When this sofa bed situation arose, my team and I wanted to fix the problem so that we could find a piece that fit harmoniously with our overall design. However, you took over that purchasing and the associated responsibilities.
5. I am sorry that our cabinet maker did not communicate earlier about this delay. We do our best to find the best professionals to work with – even on a limited budget such as yours. This experience with this contractor has raised our vetting standards so that this type of problem doesn’t occur again. And again, I’m sorry we tried to simply resolve this without communicating with you as it arose.
I admit my staff and I could have done better in communicating this last minute cancellation to you and the building staff. I am taking this opportunity to re-emphasize the importance of timely communication and prioritization to all in my firm.
In conclusion, I am sorry that this wasn’t a great experience for us, and I do hope you enjoy your beautiful new home.
In reviewing your description of the situation and the conclusions you have drawn about me and my company, I am looking to see what I can learn from this situation to make sure it never happens again. And since the overwhelming majority of my projects result in beautiful renovations and thrilled clients, this negative feedback is rare for me, so I want to make the most of it.
I think my biggest mistake in our work together was trying to solve problems as they arose without bothering you with the details. Most people who hire me are highly successful people who are used to working with other high-level professionals like myself and trusting them to deliver excellence. My other clients appreciate when I can manage issues and provide solutions. They appreciate thoughtful gestures (e.g., when we cleaned up your apartment and picked up your laundry in your bedroom) and thank us for it. They don’t try to micro-manage our work or second-guess our recommendations (e.g., when you called in your Florida “designer”/sales rep to get a second opinion, which in the end served only to confirm what I had already recommended). Our clients know how New York City buildings and renovations work, and they trust me to manage the process.
Your account of the events is not entirely accurate. For some closure for both of us, I will address the points you raise. And again, I’m so sorry that we didn’t have a positive experience working together.
I see what you call being “non-communicative,” as problem solving and trying to take care of issues without wasting your valuable time. I have never had anyone accusing me of being condescending or sarcastic. One of the dangers of email is that tone isn’t in the words – it’s left to interpretation. I’m sorry you got that impression, but that was never my intention.
As to the points you list:
1. There was no problem with our measurements, and we had warned you against such a large piece for such a small room from the start of the project. Removing doors and disassembling furniture are very common practices in NYC apartments. I’m sorry you didn’t realize that. My upholsterer has been making custom upholstered furniture for over 20 years and is very capable in disassembling and reassembling furniture. I asked him to inspect the sleeper to see whether it can be taken apart safely and without damaging it. As my upholsterer was in the process of reviewing the sleeper, your super called you to report there was an issue. You then called me immediately before I had a chance to determine what would be the best course of action before contacting you. Your repeated demand for an immediate answer, between texting and phone calls, left us little time to actually get what we needed to do done. After my upholsterer determined that he would be able to safely disassemble and reassemble the sofa, I asked you if we have your permission to do so. You expressed that you are uncomfortable with it, citing the reason of "not being able to move it in the future" and we did not proceed. I do not recall you mentioning any concern that the disassembly/reassembly would damage the unit or that this was the reason why you did not want us to proceed. In addition, once you decided you didn’t want the piece anymore, we immediately went to work to find a replacement. Only after that process was underway were we informed that you were taking over that part of the project.
2. Our practice is to do a thorough walk-through at a project’s completion and find any points that might need adjusting, and create a “punch list” to make sure you are left completely delighted. If we catch something during the installation, we always try to fix it on the spot. We’re sorry we didn’t see this sooner. But it would definitely not have been missed. We are perfectionists and want to get every detail right!
3. Unfortunately, this is another case of you having incorrect information and perhaps being confused by different incidents. This concerns two lamps shipped separately: one is shipped in a single box and the other shipped in two boxes. Each lamp had its own situation. With regard to the first lamp, the manufacturer had not shipped that lamp at the time we were informed thus did not arrive at the date we expected. We discovered this when we were at your apartment to inventory and inspect all items shipped to you directly. We researched that and resolved the situation quickly – with you getting free overnight shipping on that product. I was very shocked when you told me you had been calling my vendor directly to track down the whereabouts of this lamp as this is not the proper protocol. The vendor's contract is with my company and it is not surprising that the vendor was confused, not knowing who you are and what you were inquiring about.
The issue that required interaction with the building staff was a case where 2 boxes were shipped and UPS showed that they were signed for by your building staff. The building log showed no package arriving. This was obviously an error by your super or doorman because one of the boxes was placed by your super in your apartment. We were directed to contact management by your front desk staff to get a copy of the log so that we could file a claim with UPS. After opening a claim with UPS, your super mysteriously found the lamp. We did everything we could here to be of service and to solve the problem.
4. I love designing and creating beautiful environments for my clients. My clients hire me because they trust my creative talents and aesthetics. When this sofa bed situation arose, my team and I wanted to fix the problem so that we could find a piece that fit harmoniously with our overall design. However, you took over that purchasing and the associated responsibilities.
5. I am sorry that our cabinet maker did not communicate earlier about this delay. We do our best to find the best professionals to work with – even on a limited budget such as yours. This experience with this contractor has raised our vetting standards so that this type of problem doesn’t occur again. And again, I’m sorry we tried to simply resolve this without communicating with you as it arose.
I admit my staff and I could have done better in communicating this last minute cancellation to you and the building staff. I am taking this opportunity to re-emphasize the importance of timely communication and prioritization to all in my firm.
In conclusion, I am sorry that this wasn’t a great experience for us, and I do hope you enjoy your beautiful new home.
Luminosus Designs LLC did outstanding work on our project. This was our first experience with interior decorating and we went in not knowing what to expect. Mimi was energetic, tenacious and responsive. She has impeccable taste and a knack for coming up with creative design solutions. Mimi led us through the whole process. She was professional and detail oriented but not overwhelming and, most importantly for us, she made recommendations and was happy to make decisions for us when we needed her to but allowed us to control and have final say on the aspects of the project we cared most about. She was able interpret, execute and deliver our vision creating a final result that was better than anything we could have ever imagined (much less have been able to achieve on our own).
In addition, the project stayed within our budget and timelines and the whole process was transparent to us from beginning to end. Overall, we would highly recommend Luminosus and hope to have the chance to work with Mimi again soon.
September 12, 2014
Our family took the plunge, moving from city to suburbs and entrusted Mimi with the responsibility of converting a house into our 'home' and we could not have been more pleased. Mimi's ability to harmonize style, texture, and functionality along with her attention to detail, demand for perfection, and highest professionalism made our project a true joy.
Beyond a timeless contemporary style, Mimi very quickly understood our preferences and meticulously transformed our empty rooms into a beautifully crafted home. The vendors I met that performed various jobs throughout the home were an extension of Mimi’s professionalism and quality. Mimi expertly managed design/construction & delivery, as well as details in between and beyond the job scope. The bulk of this was done prior to us moving in and thus the transition from one home to another was seamless.
The finished rooms looked so nice we didn't want to disrupt them, especially many of the custom made pieces, but then we’re comforted knowing that durability and aesthetics were kept at the same high standard. We constantly have 3 generations of family utilizing all pieces throughout the house and look forward to many years of strenuous use. I would highly recommend Luminosus Designs for your next designer needs and I look forward to finishing the rest of our home with Mimi Fong.
August 25, 2014
chrishaase1
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Mimi Fong was an absolute pleasure to work with. She was helpful, prompt, and a true professional. She has a great color sense and a style that proves to be timeless. Her range of available design services can help everyone create the space of their dreams. I highly recommend Luminosus Designs.
March 31, 2014
agobot8000
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My wife and I were looking to buy a property that needed some work and contacted several designers for initial estimates. Mimi was by far the most professional and responsive of the designers that we contacted--she very quickly fielded our emails and scheduled time for us to discuss the project over the phone.
On the call, she was generous with her time and we spent an hour discussing the scope of the project and potential issues. Mimi was very candid with us and let us know immediately that our bathroom plans were not realistic in terms of both time and budget. In the end, we found major issues with the home during inspection and ended up not buying it, but Mimi's frank advice helped us make a more informed decision in a timely manner before purchasing a home in need of a larger renovation than we realized.
I cannot speak for Mimi's actual work product but from a service standpoint she is incredibly professional and responsive. I will definitely reach out to her again to discuss any of our future projects.
March 22, 2014
I have only the highest regards for Mimi Fong at Luminosus! I first spoke with her in May of 2013 for help with my bathroom renovation. I never dreamed that my bathroom could turn out as beautiful as it did! I had a previous floor plan for the new bathroom but the space was just too tight for our liking. I called Mimi for ideas and she reworked a brilliant floor plan that gave us twice the space much to our surprise. She did an incredible job from start to finish. She is highly knowledgable in all aspects of design as well as structural issues, codes, products etc. My house is 110 years old so there were challenges to say the least but Mimi knew how to work through them. She presented us with an inspirational and functional design based upon my preferences and budget and knew exactly how to execute the concept as well. We worked together on this project for 6 months and it was a great pleasure to work with her. She is extremely professional and a great communicator as well as very understanding and accommodating to last minute changes! My bathroom is now the luxurious spa bathroom I've always dreamed of and we simply could not have picked a better person to bring it to fruition than Mimi! I should also mention that we were so impressed with her ideas for our bathroom that we hired her to do our teenage daughter's bathroom at the same time which also turned out perfect. I would not hesitate to recommend her in the least, she's the best!
January 21, 2014
Mimi redecorated all our bedrooms and did a great job. Her design was very modern and bright and she understood well our needs as a family. She took the time to answer all of our questions thoroughly and furthermore, as we moved from Paris and the house was vacant for a while - she managed the process competently independently with her team. We also made some changes in scope along the way, and Mimi was extremely professional and fair regarding those alterations. Overall, working with Mimi was a pleasure and I would highly recommend her.
October 15, 2013Last modified:May 6, 2024
powerhousefd
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Luminosus Designs, LLC was hired by the church of which I am the pastor. The owner of the company, Mimi Fong, met with us to discuss the vision that I had for the development of the church and expectations involved with the project. Her consultation and follow through were thorough and highly professional, including but not limited to meticulous contractual specifications. Upon approval of the plans provided by Luminosus Designs, Mimi worked with us continuously to customize, adjust and enhance the space we now know as our place of worship. This company offered more than a hosts of ideas; in essence, they assisted with developing our vision. We are more than pleased with the final outcome provided by Luminosus Designs. Our sanctuary is warm and inviting which exemplifies the LOVE OF GOD.
Thanks Mimi for capturing the vision and bringing an ordinary space to a level of brilliance, comfort and love!
JOB WELL DONE!!
Pastor John Felder
POWERHOUSE
Faith and Deliverance Ministries
September 30, 2013
Mimi from Luminosus redecorated my family room and did a wonderful job. Her design was very sophisticated and matched my style perfectly. She gave me lots of choices in terms of colors and took the time to answer all my questions thoroughly. Although we did encounter some difficulty with some of the furniture vendors, Mimi handled them all and I didn't have to deal with them myself, which was a real plus. Overall, working with Mimi was a pleasure and I would recommend her wholeheartedly.
September 19, 2013
Our co-op hired the Luminosus Designs LLC to renovate our building lobby. We consider this work as very difficult because it is very hard to satisfy everybody's taste. Luminosus offered us three proposals, so we would be able to chose one. Luminosus completed all work in a timely manner. The renovation included furniture, carpet, shadow replacement and new decorations. All work was done within our budget. The residents like the new lobby . The new lobby design added more value to our building. The lobby looks very nice. On behalf of our Board I highly recommend Luminosus Design LLC to other customers.
September 18, 2013
Mimi performed a miracle - turning a completely dysfunctional "kitchen" with little to no counter space into a beautiful spacious functional kitchen with room for storage. She is attentive to details, thinking not only about the appearance of the space but how well the space is used. Our kitchen is now the hub of our home!
January 6, 2013Last modified:January 6, 2013
1996r1100r
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars
We hired Luminosus for the interior redesign project in our house in 2008
and also for the project coordination for a large repair on our house two
years later.
Our space consisted of a series of small rooms and hallways that probably
worked great at the time when the house was built in the 1920's. Mimi's
design transformed our home into something that is terrific - bright,
relaxing and surprisingly spacious. Everyone who visits us love our home
and say how they would love to live here. Ours was nearly a gut
renovation - the second bedroom and two closets were untouched with the
exception of new flooring.
Mimi's design choices were always spot on, including the flooring,
fixtures and lighting, and the new furniture pieces we bought. Of course
I had my doubts and many questions along the way. Mimi was very helpful
in explaining everything and providing options. I'm especially happy that
she convinced me to take chances on things that were outside my comfort
zone like the kitchen layout. Her designs of the bathroom and kitchen are
beautiful and very creative given the challenges of the space.
We had several walls removed and extended to change the layout in our
home. Mimi brought in an architect who helped make sure everything was
done right and who added creative architectural elements to the space.
For the repair on our house, Mimi helped to find and vet the GC. She was
on site communicating with the subs very often, which was a great relief
because I had very little time to meet the GC except on weekends. Plus, I
know nothing about brickwork and coping stones. So the GC could have said anything and I would have believed him. I heard from the GC about how he and the subs were surprised at how knowledgeable Mimi is on construction practices and what they were all doing. She even insisted on the GC getting a permit for the scaffolding they put up, after confirming with
the architect that one was necessary. The GC initially told us it wouldn't be.
You can hire a really good or even great interior designer. You can hire
a good project manager / coordinator. And you can hire someone who knows about construction, i.e. a GC. But can I find all three in one person? I found all three and someone that I can trust in Mimi and Luminosus Designs.
December 29, 2012Last modified:January 1, 2013
Mimi was terrific to work with from the initial visioning and dreaming about our home, to the process of working with contractors, supplies, and logistics, to helping us reach the finish line. Any endeavor of this kind is complicated and filled with volumes of details and unanticipated challenges. Mimi worked through all of this with us with incredible professionalism and creative talent. I wholeheartedly recommend her services.
December 19, 2012
We hired Mimi from Luminosus Designs to redesign for full renovation our master bathroom and an additional bathroom for the kids a few years ago. She did a terrific job of re-creating both rooms that had very bad layouts with lots of wasted space beforehand, and creating clean, beautiful, open and modern yet very useful spaces in both rooms that we all love - which was no small task in our case. She presented high quality, unique and custom elements that we never would have found on our own that make the rooms really shine. We're very happy we decided to use her for these projects, and would recommend Luminosus to anyone.
December 14, 2012
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is Luminosus Designs LLC rated?
Luminosus Designs LLC is currently rated 4.8 overall out of 5
What services does Luminosus Designs LLC provide?
Luminosus Designs LLC provides the following services: Basement Design, Bathroom Design, Bedroom Design, Closet Design, Color Consulting, Custom Bathroom Vanities, Custom Beds, Custom Blinds & Shades, Custom Bookcases, Custom Built-ins, Custom Cabinets, Custom Entertainment Centers, Custom Fireplace Mantels, Custom Furniture, Custom Home Bars, Custom Kitchen Cabinets, Custom Murphy Beds, Custom Pantries, Custom Rugs, Custom Shelving, Custom Storage, Custom Table, Custom Walk-in Closets, Design Consultation, Dining Room Design, Drafting, Entry Design, Floor Plans, Furniture Selection, Guesthouse Design & Construction, Home Office Design & Construction, Home Theater Design, House Plans, Interior Design, Kids Bedroom Design, Kitchen Design, Laundry Room Design, Lighting Design, Living Room Design, Mudroom Design, Outdoor Kitchen Design, Project Management, Space Planning, Wine Cellar Design, Home Additions, Home Extensions, Kitchen Remodeling, Full Service Interior Design, Construction Management
Where does Luminosus Designs LLC provide services?
Luminosus Designs LLC provides services in the following areas: Ardsley, Armonk, Bronxville, Byram, Chappaqua, Cos Cob, Dobbs Ferry, Eastchester, Elmsford, Fairview, Grand View-on-Hudson, Greenburgh, Greenwich, Harrison, Hartsdale, Hastings On Hudson, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Ossining, Pelham Manor, Pemberwick, Port Chester, Riverside, Rye, Rye Brook, Scarsdale, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, Tuckahoe, Valhalla, White Plains, Yonkers, Briarcliff Manor, Pleasantville, West Harrison, Ardsley On Hudson, Darien, Stamford, New Canaan, Pound Ridge, Katonah, Bedford Hills, Norwalk
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