Joanna not only understood our vision, she took it to a level we could never have imagined.
“We recently completed an extensive makeover/remodeling project in a newly purchased older home in Hinsdale. Joanna not only understood our vision, she took it to a level we could never have imagined. She is amazing ... creative, responsive, reliable, professional, exceptionally talented, and incredibly well organized.
Everything ─ absolutely everything ─ from the kitchen sink and interior doors to hardware and flooring was being replaced. With each item, she would give us a thoughtfully selected list of options in a wide range of prices. She made an extremely complicated process surprisingly simple, even though we were over 500 miles away in another state with a different time zone.
The level of coordination between her and our project manager was amazing. Together, they flawlessly managed the entire project, taking care of every detail ... big or small. Even when a few complications arose, everything ran smoothly and efficiently. Instead of starting our conversations with any newly found issues, she began by sharing solutions, which eliminated any concerns or stress we might have otherwise felt.
Communication was never an issue. We felt a natural, comfortable collaboration with their team from the very first meeting and we were never disappointed. Joanna kept us in the loop every step of the way. In the end, she delivered an outcome far beyond our expectations. Along with the team, she turned an older, very ordinary (if not pitiful) house into a contemporary and beautiful oasis.
I would highly recommend Joanna for any project ... large or small ... without any fear of being wrong. She has innovative, creative ideas and is fun and easy to work with. With Joanna, you can be certain you have chosen THE BEST!”
- Jeff C. | Hinsdale
During my initial consultation with Joanna, every concern I had slipped away.
“I was so fortunate to work with Joanna on the redesign of my kitchen and powder room. I was intimidated to start this work for eight years; where do I start, what do I subcontract, how will I know if I’m making the right choices? During my initial consultation with Joanna, every concern I had slipped away. I could tell I was in good, capable hands. She was organized. She listened to me and took notes. She asked questions.
I explained my overall vision for the kitchen to her. She agreed that a kitchen desk can be the command center of a home (not an eyesore like other designers said!). She asked me questions I had not considered: would the trim be white or stay brown? Should we add new/more lighting? She really connected with me and my space on that first day.
The overall design process could not have been easier or more enjoyable. Within days of our initial consultation, Joanna had PDFs full of sink ideas, hardware options, faucets, prices, and comments. She came to my house with samples of backsplashes, quartz, paint and wallpaper samples. I never felt pressure to choose something I didn’t love. Without being the least bit pushy, she helped me make decisions, kept me on a timeline and was respectful of my budget.
Joanna also had great advice. Originally, we thought we would save money and replace the powder room vanity. After talking it over, however, we decided to keep the original vanity and paint it. She was able to pivot so easily! I also had an idea to make the entire wall behind my desk a corkboard. After weighing the pros and cons, Joanna was able to find a beautiful custom pin board that met both my functional needs and the aesthetic of my new kitchen.
I thought I wanted a bold wallpaper design on only one wall in the powder room. When Joanna brought samples, she had plenty of bold choices, but she also brought some subtle colors and textures, explaining it might be beautiful to paper the entire room. I fell in love with one of her choices, and I couldn’t be happier with a fully wallpapered powder room! I would never have thought to do that.
The results of my renovation were unimaginable, even though I thought about it for years! Joanna helped me accomplish so much: an extension of my hardwood floor all the way through the kitchen to the powder room; the elimination of a two-tiered “island” that makes my space feel so much bigger; beautiful lighting that brightens up the entire room; a backsplash all my friends envy; more space to accommodate a larger fridge (life changing!); the list goes on and on.
Working with Joanna was a wonderful experience. She is kind, professional, organized and talented. I hope she will work with me on all my future design projects!”
-Jenny D. | Hinsdale
With Joanna's organized, efficient, friendly, and professional approach, I felt like I was in good hands every step of the way.
“Joanna guided me on paint color selection for my condo in Lincoln Park. When I first began the project on my own, I did not know where to start, but Joanna streamlined the process for me and made me feel confident in the color choices I eventually made. First and foremost, Joanna was easy to talk to and listened intently to what I was envisioning for the space. Sometimes when working with a designer, a person can feel like the designer is pushing her own vision or just wants to try something new. Not Joanna. She put my needs and wants first and seemed driven by a genuine desire to help me love my space.
Before we even met in person to discuss the project, she had already done some preliminary research. Benjamin Moore has thousands of colors from which to choose, so her doing that first narrowing down was a huge time-saver for me. She came to me with her fan decks and about twenty colors with one-sentence descriptions, and she showed me how to consider the colors up against the flooring and countertops at various times of the day. Her process for evaluating and deciding on color options based on my whole space was thorough, deliberate, and professional; she did not pull these colors out of thin air. Joanna took into consideration lighting, undertones, and the existing materials in my space.
She truly has a keen eye for selecting the best colors and how to achieve a polished, put-together space that I know I will enjoy for a very long time. With Joanna's organized, efficient, friendly, and professional approach, I felt like I was in good hands every step of the way. I really learned a lot from Joanna in this process, and I would definitely seek out her creativity and talent again in future projects.”
-Sara J. | Chicago - Lincoln Park
Clients and contractors alike are thrilled to have Joanna by their side to help make the right design decisions for their homes!
“As a Realtor®, it’s great having Joanna as a trusted go-to design expert to collaborate with. She staged my listing on the North Shore and it went under contract in one day. This would not have been possible without her excellent eye for design and styling. She’s also helped me with finishing selections on homes that I’ve flipped as well as custom whole-house remodels with clients. Joanna is very meticulous and thorough. She always knows exactly where we are with the punch list, scheduling contractors and is very good at communication with the client. Clients and contractors alike are thrilled to have Joanna by their side to help make the right design decisions for their homes!”
-Johnny Kloster IV | Compass Real Estate Hinsdale
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Joanna has been a design partner on a couple of renovations my team and I have completed – it’s great working with her.
“I’ve been in the construction and remodeling business for 24 years. Joanna has been a design partner on a couple of renovations my team and I have completed – it’s great working with her. She works closely with clients on materials selections, finishes, paint colors, and much more so the projects stay on track and turn out beautifully. She’s also a really nice person. I highly recommend her design services.”
-Patrik C. | Zaves Home Remodeling