The Decorating Therapist

24 Reviews

Interior Designers & Decorators

65 Verified Hires

12 Hires on Houzz

Provides 3D Visualization

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About Us

34 years in business

6x Best of Houzz winner

High-end

Howard County's Luxury Interior Designer
4X Best of Houzz Winner!

Carol Weil | The Decorating Therapist: Wellness-Focused Luxury Interior Design Carol Weil, founder of The Decorating Therapist, is an award-winning luxury interior designer based in Columbia, Maryland, serving Howard County, Baltimore, and Annapolis. With over 35 years of interior design and project management experience, Carol specializes in creating beautiful, supportive, health-nurturing residential spaces that blend functional luxury with overall emotional wellness. Awards and Recognition - Howard County's Best Interior Designer: Received Honorable Mention by Howard Magazine annually since 2015. - Best of Houzz: Multi-year winner for both Design and Service Excellence (including 2026). Interior Design Services Provided The Decorating Therapist manages residential projects ranging from $50,000 to $2 million, offering comprehensive design and remodeling services: - Space Planning and Remodeling: Full-scale kitchen, primary bathroom, and living room transformations. - Specialized Design: Universal design, aging-in-place, down-sizing assistance, and historic home transitions. - Custom Curation: Color consultations, lighting plans, custom drapery, and integrating inherited furniture pieces into modern designs. The Philosophy: Design Meets Therapy Believing that interior surroundings profoundly impact mental health and emotional balance, Carol treats interior design as a form of environmental therapy. She works collaboratively within client budgets to deliver authentic, curated, and welcoming spaces that bring a true sense of belonging and heart-centered balance. To schedule a design consultation or explore custom packages, contact Carol directly at Carol@TheDecoratingTherapist.com or call (410) 992-9252.

Awards

Best of Houzz for Service and Design; Nominated for Best Interior Designer in Howard County 2023 by Howard Magazine

38 Projects

Example of a mid-sized trendy master white tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile, white floor, single-sink and vaulted ceiling bathroom design in Baltimore with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a bidet, beige walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops, a niche and a floating vanity

Business Details

Business Name

The Decorating Therapist

Phone Number

(410) 216-5553

Address

6925 Oakland Mills Road
Suite 312
Columbia, MD 21045

Typical Job Cost

$50,000 - 2 million

Followers

196 Followers

Socials

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Services Provided

Interior Design

Kitchen Design

Bathroom Design

Living Room Design

Bedroom Design

Space Planning

Kids Bedroom Design

Dining Room Design

Lighting Design

Design Consultation

Entry Design

Playroom Design

Project Management

Floor Plans

Laundry Room Design

Mudroom Design

Nursery Design

Universal Design

Outdoor Kitchen Design

Basement Design

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)

Home Theater Design

Wine Cellar Design

Sustainable Design

Downsizing

Handicap-Accessible Design

Kitchen Remodeling

Bathroom Remodeling

Color consultations

Custom Drapery

Home Office Design

Lighting Plans

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Areas Served

Baltimore

Columbia

Ellicott City

Severn

Catonsville

Annapolis

Laurel

West Elkridge

Ilchester

North Laurel

Elkridge

Riviera Beach

Burtonsville

Savage

Ashton-Sandy Spring

Fulton

West Laurel

Sykesville

Gambrills

Spencerville

Highland

Ashton

Clarksville

Cooksville

Dayton

Glenwood

Marriottsville

Millersville

Simpsonville

West Friendship

Woodstock

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Credentials

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Featured Review

Ruth P

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24 Reviews for The Decorating Therapist

Newest first

5.0|24 reviews

Work Quality

5.0

Communication

5.0

Value

5.0

Gina Edness

All I can say is WOWZA! Carol has made renovating 2 bathrooms and a kitchen feel like a breeze! Given her decades of experience and insight, she made this process so much easier than it would have been otherwise! She takes your ideas, your lifestyle and your budget into consideration with each step of the process. I couldn't have asked for a more skillful, creative partner along this renovation journey. I HIGHLY recommend Carol, and have referred several friends to her!

May 5, 2025

Ruth P

Working with Carol is true to her company name - it was indeed therapeutic! I was going through significant life changes at the time and she really helped me realize the vision I had for my home. She brought back fantastic options for whatever it was that we were working on for me to review (fabric swatches for the blinds, tile for my backsplash, etc) - it was as if she read my mind. I had also inherited some furniture from my mother and she helped me integrate them into my home in a way that fit my style and yet was still functional. It is a relief for me to have her as a resource as it helps make the whole process a lot easier with someone as amazing as her to guide me. Not only that, her enthusiasm is quite infectious!

June 3, 2024

Barbara Sanchez

They are so amazing! The designs were just gorgeous! I was looking for something that was more than "okay". I wanted beautiful, and they delivered.

March 5, 2024

Cossentino & Sons Remodeling & Design Inc.

The Decorating Therapist is the real deal! Put your mind at ease and let Carol take on your decorating dilemmas. Not only has Carol designed and decorated two houses for us personally, she also takes on many of our clients who have nothing but rave reviews for her abilities.. Carol understands building and remodeling and has extensive design experience in the industry. Hiring Carol for your project will be the best thing you have done for yourself in a long time!

January 21, 2019

Kathi Beerbohm

Carol is a listener. In hearing that we were most inclined toward earth tones, she transformed our master bedroom into a luxurious as well as natural enhanced space that met both our highest expectations and our budget. She is practical, fun-loving and keeps her word. She was always just a phone call or text away if we had any questions. We continue to look forward to escaping at the end of each day to our beautifully designed haven!

December 27, 2018

Comment from The Decorating Therapist:

It was such a pleasure working with you both to create the new design for your master bedroom and to incorporate your love of organic details with beautiful, elegant finishes.

Boulmetis

Carol and I had great fun selecting colors for the makeover of my living room, dining room, kitchen, and master bed and bath. I would definitely recommend her for her expert advice on what would work best for you.

December 22, 2018

Comment from The Decorating Therapist:

Thank you! It was wonderful helping you select colors that you enjoy!

Gayle Miller

We bought this empty shell of a house. Carol helped us make it a home. She made suggestions based on our style of living, but never pushed. We did all the decision making, and we cheered together as the home took shape. She is creative ans sent us to places we had never heard before; all of it was not even new! We continue to use her on an ongoing basis. She is thoughtful, very professional and understands how to work with people. We love her! We highly rrecommend her to anyone looking to decorate a small area or entire house.

December 21, 2018

jbusacct

Furniture, paint colors, window treatment selection and advisement. Lighting advisement, bathroom design, furniture layout in family room and dining room. Carol stuck to our budget, time schedule, and was very open minded to my ideas and questions. She was a pleasure to work with, informed, connected, and well prepared each meeting. I HIGHLY recommend her.

December 21, 2018

Comment from The Decorating Therapist:

It was fun to use some of your treasured items as a launching point to create a whole new look and feel for your home! Thank you!

Joan Marshall

Carol was wonderful to work with! I had never hired a designer before and was afraid that I would get someone else's vision of what our space should look like rather than my own. She dispelled all of my fears. She LISTENED carefully to my husband and me. She thoroughly included both of our preferences in her work - and our preferences often differed. Her recommendations and designs gave us exactly what we would have wanted had we been able to design it for ourselves. I'm very grateful to Carol and look forward to working with her on future projects.

December 19, 2018

Comment from The Decorating Therapist:

Thank you so much! I look forward to working with you and Terry again soon!

Day or Night Home and Hearth Services

Carol has great attention to detail while staying within budget to achieve her client's overall vision for their fireplace wall. I have seen on many projects where the fireplace wall is tied into other remodeling projects for a seamless beautiful design of the entire home.

February 10, 2018Last modified:February 10, 2018

Comment from The Decorating Therapist:

Thank you! I could not have achieved such beautiful results without the great products and excellent installers from Day or Night Home & Hearth!

Bobbi Mace

Carol was instrumental in helping us with the complete renovation of our master bathroom. After consulting with us to fully understand our goals, she started by creating several different floorplans for us to review. She assisted us with selection of tile, a new tub as well as provided excellent recommendations for fixtures, lighting, shower glass, mirrors etc... She was available to answer questions no matter how silly they may have been. She met with our contractors to be sure that everyone was on the same page with the project. She frequently stopped by to make sure that the project was on track. She worked within our budget and through her vast contacts, was able to find a remnant piece of quartz that was the PERFECT color that we needed for our countertops. We have worked with Carol for almost 15 years in our current and previous homes and consider her a friend as well as our professional decorator!

October 28, 2017

Janet

Carol helped us ascertain our preferences for décor and then presented many choices for items that would best fit our home and our style. She has easy to work with, very reliable, and went above and beyond what she "needed" to do for us. We spruced up five rooms with paint, lighting, drapes, artwork and some new pieces of furniture. I highly recommend Carol -- she made decorating easy and fun.

June 14, 2017

Comment from The Decorating Therapist:

I am delighted to help you with the decisions that have transformed those rooms in your home, and look forward to working with again!

lisa766

My husband and I worked with Carol Weill, The Decorating Therapist, over the course of about 6-8 months. During that time, we gutted our kitchen, bathroom, entryway, living room and dining room on the first floor, and re-carpeted the stairs and sun room. Carol has an outstanding aptitude for colors and proportion, and a real gift for mixing patterns harmoniously. She worked within our budget, and explained carefully when it was worthwhile to make an exception to get the result we wanted. She made a real effort to work with our contractors and help them to do their job well. I especially enjoyed working with her to choose paint colors and finishes, and to hang artwork. She took a very diverse art collection, and by choosing the right frames and mats and hanging them carefully, made all the items look as if they belonged together. She took the time to explain how she did it, so I learned from her as well. Carol was always cheerful, energetic and professional. I enjoyed my time with her and found her to be a great resource.

November 12, 2015

Comment from The Decorating Therapist:

It was such a pleasure to work with you to create a home that incorporates all of your treasures from your travels and life abroad.

mcmegamom

We hired Carol Weil to help us downsize from our large, historic family home of 20 years to our town home which is 1/3 the size. We agreed to transition slowly and work on one area at a time. The job is complicated since we had just placed our home for sale and couldn't remove our furniture to our new residence to see how it works. In the midst of this, our real estate agents brought in a "stager" to "update" our decor and I was an absolute wreck with her suggestions and cost estimates. Carol, wearing her "therapist hat" bravely stepped in to support me and in 2 hours we had a workable and surprisingly affordable plan to stage my entire residence which I loved. Even better, my real estate agents asked me for Carol's number as they were very pleased with the quality and timeliness of her work. Relocating and/or decorating can be extremely stressful and Carol's always-positive-and-soothing personality is even more important to me than her wonderful talent and eye for getting it right the first time.

November 11, 2015

kmedinger123

I hired Carol to provide decorating advice after meeting her at a home decorator show-house event. She is extremely personable and professional, and her ideas have transformed my house into a home! What I really love about Carol is that she's great at stepping into the decorator role at any point in time -- whether the room is almost empty or practically full. She uses what you have and works within a budget to bring a cohesive style and functionality to every space. I would highly recommend her!

November 11, 2015

Comment from The Decorating Therapist:

Thank you, Kelly! Your home was charming to start with, and now reflects your personality!

slmill1

I am so pleased with the service provided by The Decorating Therapist. I had been unhappy with my Living Room arrangement since the day I moved into my home (29 years ago). I attempted to make some changes to it myself and found the room still lacking. I found The Decorating Therapist while searching the web for some sort of "affordable" assistance. I called Carol and found that she would come to my home and provide me with as many ideas as I desired. I hired her for 1.5 hours. She immediately made some suggestions for my living room furniture arrangement and some additional details (architectural pictures) that would really bring the room together. From the living room we went into several other other rooms, all the while, Carol asked me questions regarding my ideas and then made suggestions to bring each room to a new level of finished design. I took several pages of notes recording her suggestions and resources and I intend to execute them in the future. Carol was able to immediately understand what I was looking for in each area of my home. I was able to "show off" my newly designed living room during the Holidays....my family and friends absolutely love the results. What an affordable way to make some changes and enjoy your home again.

January 1, 2015

Ron Abrams

Carol was a key reason why our bathroom remodel was a success. She assisted with every aspect of making our dream bathroom a reality. Carol helped us organize our thoughts into a realistic plan and design. She shared extensive knowledge about products, materials and process while we selected granite, tiling, flooring, fixtures, etc.. She helped us make the best choices to implement our tastes and preferences. She has great relationships with sources, so that the sources provide you with good service and pricing. Carol worked extensively with our contractor throughout the build, and and she helped create a bathroom that we enjoy every day. Carol saved us time and money, and working with her could not have been more pleasant.

October 23, 2014

dalesse

We are updating our dining room and living room. Carol has chosen a current color scheme and selected a special paint technique for our dining room. She is always enthusiastic and finds a balance between her knowledge and our comfort level. She provides us with various options and unique ideas. We are always energized after her visits which we have found easy to schedule.

September 28, 2014

Comment from The Decorating Therapist:

It is always a pleasure to work with you and to see the evolution of your style unfolding in your home.

skolnik1124

I first met Carol a few years ago at a BSO Decorators' Showhouse, and I am thankful that I ran into her on that fateful day. She has been a decorating therapist and friend. She understands my needs and concerns, whether they are about project scope, budget, family issues, etc. She's also great at offering as little or as much guidance as you want, and she replies to messages quickly and thoroughly. I highly recommend her for your next decorating project--you won't regret it!

November 19, 2013

Patti ardolini

Carol is wonderful...great taste and always on budget. I have used Carol since 1995 and always love her ideas. Just call!!

February 16, 2013

Martha Gilbert

I've worked with Carol on numerous projects for 13 years. She has helped me with furniture, paint, and placement, and always has fresh ideas. She's taken me shopping, lent me resources, and prevented a number of foolish purchases. Carol is always frank yet tactful. She's my go-to person with all decorating questions. Recently, she helped me choose a color scheme for my studio (I'm an artist) and it is not only spectacular, it reflects me and will make my new space a joy to use. I have recommended her to friends many times.

February 16, 2013

Janet Bowen

Carol is WONDERFUL!!!! I had met with other designers previously and there were all kinds of problems...communication issues, no shows etc. Carol was a refreshing change!!! She is extremely professional and has tons of experience. She came on time and listened to what I had in mind, returned my calls and made me feel as if I were her only client. She had great suggestions and was able to work within my budget limitations. I am so pleased with how my project turned out. We chose paint colors for my LR/DR, found curtains and a new sofa, moved furniture and purchased accessories, recovered dining room chairs and had livingroom pillows made of the same fabric and had paintings re-framed. What had been a mish-mash of two rooms with impractical furniutre in a small town house now flows together and is beautiful. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND CAROL!

February 4, 2013

cynthialifson

Hello, it is my complete pleasure to write about Carol Weil, the Decorating Therapist. I have known Carol for over 15 years and she has been a part of my life during several major transitions. When I moved into my home with my then-husband, Carol was there to make sure that our purchases were both attractive and affordable. At another time when my husband and I separated, Carol was there to help me fill in some gaps so that my home environment was pleasant and comforting during a difficult period in my life. And, most recently, Carol helped me organize my brand new home. In addition to her giving me excellent advice on how to re-purpose furniture that I had inherited from my family, Carol developed thoughtful layouts for the new rooms in my home. She advised me competently about color and placement of accessories so that my home looks beautifully arranged, yet always welcoming and cozy for me and my guests. I am incredibly fortunate to have Carol as my decorating therapist. She provides excellent counsel and has an unerring sense of what will fit my lifestyle and accomodate my budget! I am thrilled with my living space and know that Carol's efforts were a big part of the results that I enjoy every day when I am in my wonderful home. Thank you, Carol. Sincerely, Cynthia

November 29, 2012

kcrowell1

We moved into our home and needed to design and paint almost every room. I work full time and my husband has no interest in these decisions. This just added to my already too long "To do" list. Carol was great! She knew I was overwhelmed and sat down with me to understand my tastes and what I wanted to do. She did not rush me but gently kept me moving forward. She transformed my bland home into a home I love. A home with beautiful colors, wonderful furniture and fixtures. One that I love to spend time in and entertain in. She really was my therapist!

November 19, 2012

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Frequently Asked Questions

As a full-service interior design studio, I specialize in projects of all sizes. Whether you're looking to refresh a single room, undertake a full home redesign, or need comprehensive remodel support for areas like kitchens and bathrooms, I provide detailed plans and expert guidance from start to finish. My goal is to transform your vision into a beautiful, functional living space.

I don't adhere to one specific design style; instead, I specialize in tailoring each space to your unique preferences, lifestyle, and desired mood. My mission is to create a home that truly reflects who you are and tells your story, ensuring it feels personal, comfortable, and inspiring, regardless of the aesthetic.

Absolutely. For my Design Concierge service, I coordinate my team of vetted artisans and contractors, handling scheduling and ensuring high standards. With my Design Partner service, I can guide you on working with professionals or connect you with trusted resources to complete your vision, especially for remodeling projects.

My design fees are structured across three tiers: Design Concierge (fee-based for comprehensive, hands-off projects), Design Partner (full-service retainer for collaborative projects), and Design Consultant (minimum 10-hour retainer for focused advice). After understanding your project's scope and goals, I provide a transparent estimate tailored to your needs.

Yes, my Design Concierge and Design Partner services include comprehensive project management through installation and styling. I handle everything from coordinating contractors and managing deliveries to picture hanging and final installations, ensuring a flawless and stress-free experience for you, culminating in the big reveal.

FAQ content may be generated based on the Pro's Houzz profile and website.

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44 Ideabooks

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55 Comments

Commented: What color is the aqua wall? is it Sherwin Williams?The Tea Leaf color will be lovely with the dark teal!

November 1, 2024

Commented: Paint colorThe wall paint is from Benjamin Moore, 2062-40 Blue Daisy.

February 27, 2019

Commented: can you tell me the size of the dinning room table? Thank you so much!The magnificent round table pictured here starts at 66" and expands out to 78" with unique pie-shaped leaves that are built into the table.

October 16, 2017

Commented: Sectional help needed!An eclectic combination of furnishings with pared down simplicity... interesting, but they are sending mixed messages. Is this truly a more formal living room which is used primarily for entertaining?...

January 5, 2017 in Polls

Commented: My most updates - need help on our color sectionalsMy suggestion for clients starting from scratch is to start with the floor and work up. In this case, you need to find a rug that you love that will frame and determine the seating arrangement of the ...

May 19, 2016 in Design Dilemma

Commented: Floor lamp - Could you please tell me where it is from?This is a fantastic, adjustable reading lamp from Robert Abbey. In the Maryland /Virginia area you can purchase this through Dominion Electric.

March 19, 2016

The Decorating Therapist

About Us

Awards

Category

38 Projects

All White Primary Bath Remodel

Elegant Primary Bedroom & Bath Remodel

Downtown Waterfront Condo

Lovely Living Room

Maximalist Primary Suite

Art Lover's Contemporary Rec Room

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24 Reviews for The Decorating Therapist

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55 Comments

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About Us

Awards

Category

38 Projects

All White Primary Bath Remodel

Elegant Primary Bedroom & Bath Remodel

Downtown Waterfront Condo

Lovely Living Room

Maximalist Primary Suite

Art Lover's Contemporary Rec Room

Business Details

Business Name

Phone Number

Address

Typical Job Cost

Followers

Socials

Services Provided

Areas Served

Credentials

24 Reviews for The Decorating Therapist

Frequently Asked Questions

44 Ideabooks

55 Comments

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