Maggie Bender Interiors, Allied ASID

We recently completed a 3-year restoration of our historic 1830's barn at Woolverton Inn, a country B&B located in Stockton NJ (near Lambertville and New Hope). The objectives were to create indoor event space, a full catering kitchen, and a new restaurant (Northridge), providing modern day comfort, while maintaining the authenticity of the barn setting. Maggie's ability to visualize the "future state" of this unique venue while still under construction guided excellent choices for lighting, furnishings, fabrics, tile, and other design details. Choosing appropriate light fixtures for all of the various spaces of the barn complex proved to be challenging at times, but Maggie's unwavering focus and commitment ensured that the final results would be outstanding. Maggie has worked on other projects at Woolverton Inn, including numerous bathroom renovations. Again, her ability to transform a space from "old to new" while creating the perfect design is impressive. The colors, textures, scale and styles that she recommends are presented thoughtfully and holistically, ensuring that everything ties perfectly together. As an experienced professional designer, Maggie is an excellent project manager and will always go the extra mile for her client. I highly recommend Maggie Bender's interior design services, especially for renovations at historic properties.

I am glad that I found Maggie to do the design for our main bathroom. The plan included gutting the old one and redoing the whole thing. The design included an arch over the shower area. The arch was existing and we have others in the house, so my wife wanted to keep it. It turned out to be the best part of the design: shorter height tiles continuously wrapping around the walls from the floor through the arch, with a contrasting (accent) tiled back wall and floors. Great combination of colors with the rest to the room. Complemented with consistent chrome fixtures throughout. Also, she brought two contractors for consideration. We decided to go with one of them, which provided a quality job, and in addition, it facilitated the communication and expectations between the three parties.

I worked with Maggie in 2022 on a major home renovation including: design and gut reno of master bath, design and (partial) gut reno of kitchen, new and refinished HW floors, carpet and rugs throughout, painting throughout, all new lighting throughout (recessed and fixtures), furnished the entire home including layout, and I'm probably forgetting more. Maggie provided an amazing, hands on, full service experience. She managed ALL contractors and vendors from selection to purchase to installation/delivery/construction to problem solving. A true full service designer, which is exactly what I needed given personal and professional demands. Her choice of service providers, from construction to electric to plumbing to furniture, flooring... you name it, was on point. Her taste is impeccable and her design skills left me with a home that my daughter and I absolutely love. I highly recommend Maggie!

We can't say enough good things about working with Maggie. We started with a small project to refresh our living room. We had some furniture we wanted to keep but refresh, and some we wanted to buy. We wanted to keep a traditional feel but add color, light, and an updated and timeless feeling. Maggie was hugely patient, and her sense of color and dimension, consistently with what we liked and didn't like in mind, was terrific. The small living room project morphed (at our request, not at her urging) into a whole house redo and two-story addition, with Maggie handling much of the project management work and interfacing with our contractor and his subcontractors. She not only designed space but also furniture (the bathroom vanity) and built-ins. She listened to us as to our taste and was also good at gently leading us in new directions that we would have known about and loved. She was open to moving things around that we already owned to keep them within the new design. The result was a project that genuinely feels like our home and beautifully designed without feeling "done." She captured our interest in a warm, comfortable, livable home; we couldn't be happier.

It is a pleasure to recommend Maggie as an interior designer of superior skills and professionalism. Our project began in early 2020, just before Covid lockdown. While doing research online we came across Maggie’s profile as she had done design work at one of our favorite get-away spots, The Woolverton Inn a Bed and Breakfast close to New Hope, Pennsylvania. After an initial conference call in which we discussed our family’s plans to down size from our soon to be empty nest home in Montclair to a a new construction townhouse in a neighboring town, we made plans to meet in person. Maggie came to our Montclair home and carefully did a walk through of our home from the top down. As she assessed our furnishings, thinking through what might be repurposed, we talked about what the vision was for our new home. It was a unique experience for us to be moving into new construction and Maggie assisted us with every step of that process which can be overwhelming as you choose every detail of construction from cabinets, to flooring to lighting fixtures, and details as small as draw pulls. That was the first step of achieving the vision we had for our new living space, which we wanted to be completely differently than our 100+ year old home in Montclair. We worked with Maggie for many, many months to furnish 3 bedrooms, a family space, kitchen, bathrooms, and a deck. We faced the additional challenge of Covid related supply chain delays. This added a great deal of time consuming research for Maggie as she had to constantly monitor which manufacturers were experiencing delays and how long these delays would last. Design decisions were made based on availability and these scenarios changed almost daily. Maggie handled it all with grace, optimism, and her never-failing professionalism. Our home is now beautifully furnished and very functional. For instance, I particularly love the window treatments that Maggie designed for each room which are both elegant and provide much needed privacy in a townhome environment. My husband is thrilled that Maggie worked with him to accommodate the exact size television he wanted in the family space while still creating a welcoming space with plenty of seating. Choosing Maggie Bender for your home project means you will have a partner who is creative, reliable, experienced and really listens as you work together to design the perfect space.

We were fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Maggie on a re-design of our home. As recent empty nesters, we were looking for a more sophisticated but comfortable look that would enable us to entertain friends and family more easily. Maggie sought information regarding our lifestyle and how we envisioned using our home. She guided us while at the same time giving us multiple options. She formulated a design that gave our 1880's Victorian a fresher look while respecting our home's beautiful architecture. Maggie has a tremendous knowledge of fabrics, furniture and art that will stand the test of time both in form and function. She worked within our budget and was always available to answer questions. She guided our project so it was completed as timely and stress-free as possible for us. We are now enjoying our home more than we ever imagined thanks to Maggie! We sincerely hope we can now work with Maggie on our vacation home.

Maggie Bender Interiors did a fantastic job helping me update my home with a classy, practical and great looking addition (bathroom and walk-in closet space), plus various other improvements around the house. Maggie was understanding, patient and helped me with her excellent taste to make better decisions. She knows a wide variety materials, fixtures and brands that gave me peace of mind and ultimately made the project a very satisfying experience.

We purchased our new home in November 2018, which is 100+ years old and over 5,000 square feet. We needed a large amount of work done in less than 3 months before we moved in (flooring, painting, bathrooms, kitchen fixtures, furniture, lighting and more!). We hired Maggie right away, proving to be an excellent decision. She worked tirelessly throughout the holidays to ensure all our projects were on track. Maggie was able to help us modernize while retaining the home’s charm and beauty. Her taste and expertise as a designer is impeccable. She listens and learns your preferences and works with you to create rooms that work for your family and style. We have many family heirlooms and antiques that we wanted to incorporate into our home, and we were able to do this in a modern and fresh way with Maggie’s help. Maggie has excellent project management skills, coordinating the schedules, working directly with subcontractors, has full knowledge of the renovation process, and kept our project on schedule. She thought of details we never would have, which allowed us to maximize our investment in our home. She assisted us with choosing paint and flooring throughout the entire interior, replaced all plumbing fixtures in 3 bathrooms and our kitchen, while renovating a full bath within our first floor guest suite. Maggie wears many hats as a designer, and initially created the overall color palette which we love to come home to. While planning our guest bathroom, she designed it to be both functional and beautiful, with everything perfectly located to for our busy family. She also helped us to modernized all lighting throughout our home by updating to LEDs and adding beautiful chandeliers in key areas. Her attention to detail is impeccable. Hiring Maggie was hands down the best decision we could have made with our new home. We look forward to working with her on future projects.

I can’t say enough about Maggie Bender Interiors. We had lived in our center hall colonial for thirty years and although I had been working on it and changing it over the years, it never felt “finished.” By the time I finished one project, the last was outdated. About eight years ago, our house again needed updating. This time I decided to get some help. Maggie was professional, supportive and understood just what I wanted to accomplish. Best of all, Maggie is down-to-earth and approachable. From painting almost every room, updating window treatments throughout as well as reupholstering furniture, adding accents and updating the kitchen, Maggie was the best value for the money. Interior decorators don’t just help with design but also help make certain that you don’t needlessly change things that don’t need changing because you can’t imagine it another way. They also save time because they know where to look for things and what craftspeople to use. Maggie knew exactly what we could reuse or redo so that money could be spent on what was really needed. I so enjoyed our updated, finally complete, house! An added benefit came when it was time to downsize last year; there was no need to “stage” our house for sale! We bought a much smaller house and I knew I didn’t want to waste time or money making our new house truly “ours” but how was I going to fit my furniture into much smaller rooms? What should I get rid of? How was I going to make this new house mine after almost forty years in a house that I loved? Maggie! Maggie came to the new house and helped steer me away from costly renovations that weren’t necessary and use my money for things that would help transform my new house into the home I wanted. She helped design my new kitchen/dining space to include enough cabinets for my things even though the area was way smaller than my previous home. She steered me away from kitchen cabinets that were inferior quality to better cabinets that ended up actually costing less than the ones I had found. She convinced me to use white overhead cabinets so that the room would have a lighter look. She was so right! I love my kitchen! Maggie was able to integrate my old furniture with new pieces and solved the problem of my sectional not fitting into the space I had chosen. The paint colors all work and make such a difference in how bright and open everything looks. The craftspeople Maggie recommends are top-notch -- from the window treatments and furniture reupholstery to the carpet installer. Maggie’s taste and knowledge of design are outstanding. She also knows quality and will help you get the best for your money. Maggie gives her opinion and will guide you but she is not pushy and listens to what you want as you work together to get just the right look. Everything went so smoothly and best of all, there were no lingering issues. I absolutely love my new house and am so grateful to Maggie for her expertise and her friendship. I highly recommend her.

Working with Maggie to redecorate my living and dining was like designing and shopping with a good friend because she is such a pleasure to work with. Maggie is totally respectful of your budget, taste and belongings and doesn’t hesitate to suggest re-purposing items you already own. She has an excellent eye for color, scale and design which took me completely out of my comfort zone resulting in a wonderful outcome. For the first time since we’ve been in this house, we are able to use our living room since her floor plan has made it functional, as well as beautiful. Maggie takes all the stress out of the project and makes it fun.

It is so easy to give Maggie Bender a 5 star rating! I found Maggie on Houzz and relied on other reviewers' positive reports. I'm so glad I did. From our first meeting, I got a great feeling about working together. . We did two bathroom renovations - a large master bath and small guest bath. Each had their own challenges and required technical skill in planning bathroom spaces. Maggie patiently guided us through many decisions and was respectful of our budget the whole way. I enjoy choosing tiles and fixtures but get overwhelmed with all of the choices available. Maggie was great at reading my taste and narrowing the choices down to a few for me to choose from. If a problem arose with any of the trades, Maggie was the picture of calm in getting it resolved. Maggie's ability to read her clients' taste, her excellent design skills, and her ability to be friendly and professional through the whole process makes it easy to give her the best rating. I would use her again and can highly recommend.

Maggie helped us decorate our new home, specifically assisting with choosing a new sofa and rug for our living room and worked with the contractor on a master bath remodel. Maggie accompanied us to rug and furniture showrooms and directed us to items that fit our budget and taste. She picked up on our “style” immediately and made very good use of our time together. Maggie was always willing to consult in person, by phone or email which helped tremendously. We love everything she helped us with!

Maggie is creative,patient and a true professional. She is wonderful at getting the most for your budget without compromising the end result. There are no big surprises during the process because she is a stickler to detail. She takes the stress out of the entire process.

We hired Maggie to help design and manage a bathroom renovation. She was easy to work with, and understood my style after just one meeting. She helped us create a bathroom that was beautiful, but also practical for our family's needs and within our budget. She was also critical in helping me manage the contractor and subcontractor based on her knowledge of construction that i just don't have. I will definitely be using Maggie again for future projects.

Maggie is a very easy and kind person to work with. We love the opportunity to have our light fixtures paired with her projects. Her work has striking, charming, and traditional flair. Maggie and her talented staff work to cater to the needs of their clients. We look forward to many projects to come. Thanks! The Bevolo Team

Maggie is wonderful to work with. She is such a lovely person and very easy to get along with. She is respectful to the budget and provided many alternative ideas and samples. She is very trustworthy and was on site when the trades where present to oversee the project. Looking forward to working with Maggie on various future projects for my home.

I have had the privilege of working with Maggie for 10 years on various hand painted furniture projects. She has terrific, creative ideas that result in beautiful custom interiors that are balanced in scale, color and material. She listens to her clients and works with existing pieces if they wish, even encouraging clients to see the value in their own furniture which they may have overlooked, suggesting new life through finishes or fabrics. Or she can readily design a new completely interior with equal talent. She designs custom one of a kind pieces such as a bookcase/radiator cover or accent table that give a unique, high quality result to the room. Maggie is a pleasure to work with: energetic, kind, patient, responsive and committed to her clients' wishes and budget. I highly recommend her.

Maggie has been involved in several projects for our home over the past 10 years. We have since moved to California and I can only say that I want to buy her a plane ticket and have her come help with design on our new home in CA!! She is very professional and has an eye for detail. Maggie is very precise when working on any project large or small. She is very concerned with sticking to the clients budget and when we were stuck making a decision she was good at nudging us and guiding us.

Maggie Bender is an excellent designer and a very lovely person. She has helped me with many projects big and small over the last 5 years. I am only sorry I didn't start working with her sooner! Working with Maggie has really helped me think through my house and how my family uses and will use our space going forward. Maggie has a keen design sense and incredible resources to help execute whatever your goal is. We started together on a built in window seat for the bay window in my entry, she provided the design, recommended the carpenter and had the cushion made. She also located the perfect rug to work with another that I had already purchased for my entry room. Since then she has consulted on so many small projects around my house and many aspects of the design for my garage and attic renovations, finding perfect paint colors, carpeting and so much more. Our largest project together so far was the renovation of my family's main bathroom. Maggie guided me through the entire project and helped me make choices that we are all very happy with - both from a design and budget perspective! I recommend her highly!

It has been an absolute pleasure and a real privilege to work with Maggie. Over the course of two years, Maggie helped us completely re-imagine our entry way, living room, dining room and master bedroom, breathing new life into the most utilized rooms in our home. We knew we were in great hands from the moment of our first consultation, and throughout our various projects Maggie brought a steady, guiding hand and a wonderful sense of humor. She was able to work some of our existing pieces into the new design making them feel like they were meant to be sitting with the new custom pieces she worked to create. As two working parents, we especially valued Maggie's willingness to work with us at our pace, within our hectic schedules and stayed within budget. Maggie is a consummate professional. We cannot recommend her highly enough.

Working with Maggie was always a pleasure. Not only is she friendly she is super talented. Not only did she always give us excellent choices she was very respectful of price. Her eye for color is magnificent... both inside and outside! I would highly recommend Maggie... to help paint/upholster/design and create a cozy home for you. I used Maggie on many occasions... over a period of years and was always happy with the results.

Maggie has done an outstanding job for our office space. She did all the research to find the right quality products at the right price for the best look. She was with us and the job from preliminary stages right through to the end and even weeks after to make sure it was right, we were happy and that it met her standards. There isn't a better person I know for this type of work.

Our first project with Maggie Bender Interiors was a kitchen and den makeover about three years ago. We wanted an updated look without having to redo the entire kitchen and the den needed an overhaul since it truly looked dated and the seating was awkward in a small space. We replaced countertops with honed granite, new backsplash and island and repainted the walls. Maggie made suggestions for some unused space and extra seating that worked out really well. She also figured out how we could get good seating in our small den. We ended up repainting and getting a new sectional couch and coffee and end table and rug. Everything fit! We love the new look. The new window treatments for both rooms are exactly what we needed. Maggie always respected my taste and brought enough samples that there was sure to be some I loved. She helped rehang many of my pictures and helped arrange furniture and objects that I have accumulated over the years and still want around. The kitchen and den were so great, I asked Maggie to make one of the bedrooms into an office/bedroom since we were empty-nesters and my husband worked form home. It was a surprise for him and so had to be completed while he was out of town. Again, we painted, figured out and bought a desk configuration, got a new rug, lamps and rehung picutres. My husband loves his office! Our current project is an update of the rest of our downstairs -- living room, dining room and hallways. We wanted more neutral colors and all our furniture reupholstered as well as new window treatments. We are just at he beginning but we already picked fabric for most of the furniture, paint colors and fabric for some of the window treatments. I know it's going to be gorgeous and stress-free. I cannot not say enough good about Maggie Bender Interiors!

Maggie was a fabulous resource for me in selecting new furniture for my family room and redesigning my daughter's bedroom, closet, and school space. Since I work full time, she listened to my goals and style and efficiently helped me decide and then execute on terrific projects. I then realized that there were a few more house projects I had never finished, particularly missing tile in my fireplace and a backsplash I never finished, and she did her magic again. She listens, balances practicality with creativity, is efficient and pays terrific attention to detail. I highly recommend her.

Maggie is wonderful to work with. She follows your lead and helps you execute a vision that works with your lifestyle. She makes sure everything is done with taste. She has a great sense of proportion and color that helps you craft the rooms you want. She's also comfortable to spend time with and a pleasure to work with as a person.