Before 'n After Interiors

Lois was a pleasure to work with. She helped me achieve a cohesive look for my place that feels comfortable and represents my tastes. This was the first time I had done any remodeling and I was a bit overwhelmed with all the decisions. Lois quickly figured out what my "look" was and presented ideas and patterns that I would not have thought of otherwise. It was a real learning experience! Oh, and she also referred me to the contractor who did all the work (Howard Lamcke, see separate review) as well as a great person for getting new blinds for all the windows in the condo. Full disclosure: the only aspect that didn't work out were the bath and shower items (ended up doing that on my own). But that was due to a sales rep at a website that gave us some confusing information and tried to make things more complicated than they needed to be. To Lois's credit, she backed out of that situation once she realized she wasn't converging on a solution with the sales rep. I'll post pics once the place is more spruced up.

Lois spent hours with me at a local furniture store, helping me choose furniture that would fit our living room. She patiently listened to my concerns and gently encouraged me to try something different from my original twenty-year old furniture. I loved how she offered new ideas, yet she was sensitive to my hesitations. She managed to figure out a way to please both my husband and me - he has a Mission style leather recliner that he loves, and I have the world's most comfortable chair.

She also advised me on all the finishes in our home, from tile to paint to door styles. Again, she helped me to move from my twenty-year old country style to a more transitional presentation. The result is wonderful. We love the calming color palette she designed, and especially like how she worked with much loved art pieces, using them as a focal point in the decoration.

Lois knows her stuff, but she also knows how to listen to her customers. Her mantra is, "You have to love it!" When she showed me a fabric that didn't wow me, she would easily move on, confident that we would find something that would work for our family. I never felt rushed or belittled; she really wanted to know what I wanted and then worked until I did love what we chose. She also came up with great ideas for furniture placement, helping me see that my hopes to have a sofa and a loveseat would not work in the new space, but the larger, more updated sofa would provide ample seating.

I highly recommend Before 'n After; Lois is a consummate professional with an amazing sense of flair and an unerring eye for color. Most importantly, she wants you to love the finished product, and she works to create a style that fits you and your family.

Lois was friendly, professional, and responsive.  Her experienced perspective was valuable, as my wife and I have very different tastes.  She was able to blend our tastes in a way that was polished and contemporary. We would use her again.

Arranged all the decorations throughout the house. Made everything look very festive.

This project is just about finished and has taken 6 months but we have a whole new look and it's gorgeous.  As always there we some problems and my first call was always to Lois and it was handled.   She helped me through the entire process shopping for products and giving me plenty to choose from.  She guided me gently when I came up with "great ideas" that just didn't fit the new look.  Even when I wasn't sure about a choice I trusted her and in the end it all pulled together.  Very reliable, mostly on time or she calls, very professional and just a pleasure to work with.   

I knew upon our initial visit that I would work well with Lois.  She charged $125/hr, but she worked quickly and efficiently throughout the entire redecorating process.  She provided monthly invoices outlining all of the services as well as items she purchased for my home.  She initially measured the rooms and provided detailed floor plans for my living room and master bedroom.  This helped ensure that everything we purchased was the right size for the room.  Then we started our shopping together @ Ethan Allen to find JUST the right furniture with the right upholstery, and I was able to get it all on sale.  Through many emails, she provided me options for new lighting, mirrors, and art.  When all the interior painting was completed and the furniture was in place she spent a half day for the final walkthrough.  She had purchased a trunk full of accessories @ Z-Gallerie and several plants to complete the rooms.  She also hung all of my pictures and arranged everything on all the tables in my living rooms and MBR including my mantle,  The finished product was such a transformation from what she started with!  Through this joint effort, the results provided me with something I could have never done on my own.  However, it still feels like it's exactly what I would want IF (and that's a BIG IF) I could have done it myself.  She had helped me decide on coordinating paint colors for the entire inside and outside of my home, as well as recommending a very thorough painter who didn't miss a thing on either my interior or exterior.   She located a good source for my garage door and front door and met with them to ensure the right stain and quality for a reasonable price.  She scheduled a meeting with an excellent contractor who installed my new front door, provided and hung the shutters outside, sealed cracks inside my home, and hung large mirrors and tv's on the walls.  Another contractor sandblasted the paint off my front brick, so the exterior of my home resulted in the exact cottage look she had recommended.  All of her contacts were from service providers I would highly recommend and use again.  Lois followed up on every detail, including having to get my chairs reordered at no additional cost because they weren't the swivel rockers we had ordered.  I would highly recommend Lois's services to anyone needing interior or exterior home decorating services.

Last year I bought my first house and it needed refreshing.  I wanted professional help in choosing colors, selecting flooring material, and other decisions.  Lois was great.  She listened to my concerns, got a sense of what I wanted, and helped me not go too overboard.  She made sure things flowed and all worked together.  The home turned out beautiful and is also very reflective of my style.
Now I'm redoing my master bathroom, and once again Lois is proving to be an invaluable resource.  In addition to overseeing the project she's given me a lot of great ideas and takes my input and gives me great feedback on what I want to do.  I'm very confident with her help that I'll end up with a design that works as well as being beautiful.

Lois has been a lifesaver for us!!!
We reached out to her via email when we closed on our house knowing that we had a lot to do prior to moving in and NO experience in remodeling or home ownership. We knew we needed help to avoid expensive mistakes and also to help us discover what we were looking for. Lois was our perfect guide and we easily benefitted from both her experience and design aesthetic . Without her we could not have finished the project in the timeframe or incorporated the kind of quality or design thought.
After our initial consultation to understand the scope, we sought her inputs on the cabinetry and layout for the kitchen
She tried to understand the look we were after during these early days and ensured we picked the right kind of cabinets of the right quality and finish. She incorporated what now seems a great and practical design that provides us both storage space as well as a decorative aesthetic.
Once we decided on the cabinetry, she made numerous trips with us to pick the right countertop and tile to complement the cabinets. She also introduced us to several tile shops that carried a wide variety of quality products, and this was very useful.
The kitchen countertop and backsplash selections were perfect for the simplistic modern look we were after and provided the right amount of texture and variations.
We were hesitant at first to pick wood for the kitchen area but after some back and forth we decided on hardwood floors continuing in the kitchen. This was the right choice and resulted in a flowing open layout. Lois really helped us arrive at this decision and further with the right kind of floor to complement the overall design. Again here, we were challenged by the variety of wood choices and Lois really helped us arrive at the right selection in short amount of time. 
Lois also helped design the fireplace tile layout to account for the styling in the kitchen and complement the colors in the flooring. The tile setter was given detailed drawings to mitigate any errors in installation and she even came by during installation to ensure she can clarify any questions for the tile setter. 
We relied on Lois 100% on the paint selections for the entire house and were really happy with the selections. Lois provided us with detailed selections for paint in each room, closets, trim & ceiling and inspected the job to ensure the quality was per her expectations.
Lois really saved us on the carpet. We would have ended up with traditional and boring looking carpets but for her intervention. We could not envision how some of the modern patterns would look, but upon installation we are extremely happy with the choice and have received complements from so many visitors.
Lois also worked with us on light fixtures and rug selections. She is very prompt to communicate via email and we could go over a large selection and narrow down on a few very quickly
We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Lois and will be soliciting her help for all our decoration needs. We highly recommend her for a small or large project.

Lois was a pleasure to work with and is a true professional.  She had free reign to rework the look and feel of my house and hit a home run.  She knew I did not have much time to be involved with the project so she took complete ownership and ensured everything was handled to her high expectations.  I would recommend Lois for any home project, big or small.

I have been so happy with Lois DuBridge and the wonderful service she provides!  My goal when I contacted Lois was to change the interior of my home and give it a face lift, without tearing down walls or doing major remodeling.  In particular, I wanted a "wow" factor in my living room.  I also wanted to add touches throughout the rest of the house to freshen up its appearance.   She has done just that and much more.   We went shopping together for furnishings for the living room and she helped me pick some beautiful things--she  understands my  preferences and helped me navigate my way through the decision making process,  making me feel empowered all the while.  She suggested fabrics and colors that were right on the mark.   We chose bedroom carpeting together and ended up with a beautiful choice for our three bedrooms. The vendor she put me in contact with was very professional and helpful.   Lois has a wonderful sense of color--she helped me pick paint for the living room, hallway, one bedroom, master bedroom and master bath.    She also suggested canned lighting for my living room and master bedroom which was a great, practical idea.   We went to pick out tile together for my fireplace and hearth.  She guided me through the selections (which were overwhelming at first) and we ended up with a beautiful and unique choice.  Lois has also made recommendations for some area rugs and I am thrilled with the suggestions she has made.  They are really beautiful.   I could not be happier with Lois! 
Thanks.
Pam
 

cannot imagine going through a remodel without Lois, but especially a kitchen remodel. I had waited years to remodel my kitchen. When the time was right, Lois was with me every step of the way. She helped me select the contractor, appliances,
countertop, backsplash, flooring, lighting, faucet, cabinet hardware, and paint colors. She made suggestions that improved the kitchen?like an enlarged window over the sink.
Lois listened to my issues and work to make sure that the design worked for my functional needs. She reviewed that contractor bids, the cabinet design, and made suggestions to ensure I got what I wanted.
I live in a home that was built in 1941 and has been added onto multiple times. Lois was invaluable working with the contractor to solve problems that were inherent in an older home.  When I was out of town,  Lois checked on the work being done. When there was a problem, she tried to get it solved before I even knew there was a problem.
 As the kitchen was nearing completion, she went shopping with me to help me select items that would finish off the kitchen. She hung pictures and arranged decorative items. My kitchen is beautiful and functional. I enjoy my kitchen every time I step into it.
 Lois got me through the worst part of the remodeling process. I highly recommend her.
 

Lois was great.  Being able to hire a designer by the hour was fantastic!  She arrived promptly at our appointment time armed with color fan books from various paint stores.  We did a quick walk through of the house.  She helped me select colors to go with my furniture and rugs, and really listened to help me achieve the look I was hoping for.  We then visited several online sites for fabrics and curtains and we went through those together ordering swatches from various places.  She came back a second time to help finalize choices and now I'm off and running.  I would definitely call Lois again when I need someone who has a great eye for style.

Lois understood our requirements pretty well and offered a number of choices. We went with one of them and now, after few weeks, we are happy with the choice. She actually managed to talk us out of the problematic option so working with Lois saved us time and money. We would be happy to use her services again.

Lois did a great job of walking me through the process of choosing the right colors and making sure they flow through the house. She was receptive to hearing my input and turned my general thoughts into a perfect palette. I will definitely be working with Lois again in the future.

Completely a joy to work with.  She knows her business.

Overall it was a great experience and I look forward to seeing the end project.

Overall experience was without incident.  All work was done on time, thanks to Lois.  She kept up with workrooms, order status, delivery of fabrics, etc.

She scheduled workers and made sure they were here on time.

I had a good experience with Lois and did not have any 'don'ts.'

p

She is very good. She was wonderful. She was very easy to work with and very creative. She listened to what I wanted and we worked well together.

She came very highly rated by Angie's List. She was very personable and responsive to our discussions. She offered a lot of good ideas and did what we asked as far as the design plans and alternate furniture layouts. We didn't really adopt her plan mostly because there were some technical difficulties in her suggestions, but she did give us some good ideas for things we might consider for the future. We probably spent more per hour than we should have for as much work as we got done. We probably should have been more focused in our time with her in getting what we wanted. My only disappointment was that we didn't adopt her recommendations, but that's not her fault.

Lois is an invaluable resource. I hated the carpet in my family room and want to replace it with bamboo. Lois researched products, contacted vendors, selected samples, brought the samples to my home. After we made the selection, the order kept getting delayed. Lois worked with the vendor and figured out the issues. She negotiated with the vendor for a different floor. She kept me informed about the progress. When the carpet was removed, there was water damage from a large skylight. Lois did all the research to find me a replacement. She also recommended a contractor with whom she had worked. She made all the arrangements. She continued to check on the job so that I could work undisturbed. Everything she has done for me looks fabulous. Lois is great about looking for bargains without sacrificing quality. I cannot image tackling a home project without Lois.

Lois is enthusiastic and fun to work with. She has good taste and helped to keep the project moving forward.

Lois is a joy to work with and will do as much or as little as you want. In my case she guided me through what options were available, always pushing me gently to try something new without ever trying to force me into something I didn't want. She was invaluable on shopping expeditions, pointing out possibilities and helping me see what would work in my house. Her sense of style and color are impeccable and she is as willing to shop for bargains as to go high-end, depending on what the client wants. In addition to her billable time she provided email support, responding promptly to questions and decisions that popped up throughout the remodeling process and providing frequent encouragement. My house is beautiful and I couldn't have come close to accomplishing the successful makeover without her help.

After completing a major kitchen remodel, I was "done", but my home wasn't. The thought of having to refurnish much of our home seemed daunting, and I found I needed help getting started again. That 80's furniture just had to go. Lois was the perfect choice for me. We got along extremely well from our first meeting on. She listened to what I wanted to accomplish, as well as to my concerns. I found her to be knowledgeable, upbeat and friendly with a "Yes I can help you with that" attitude...Just exactly what I needed at the time. Lois is willing to help her clients as much (or as little) as they like. We started with refurnishing the master bedroom and the family room. I knew the bedroom set I wanted but was stuck on a paint color for the room...An then there was the bedding to pick out. She found a color we loved right off, and the bedding and accessories followed easily...Next we moved on to choosing family room furniture which proved to be challenging to say the least, but with her positive attitude we persevered. When the furniture finally arrived, my husband and I were very pleased to have a comfortable, cozy, updated family room at last. Lois was a great help when it came to choosing and placing art in my home...But more importantly to me, Lois and her aide, Dedra, excelled at hanging and arranging numerous family photos in very attactive "mini" galleries. For example, it was Lois' idea to add baby shoes to the wall where my children's baby pictures hung. It is a wonderful touch and I love it! Last but not least, Lois performed a fabulous make-over of my living room by replacing only one outdated chair, while using the rest of my exisitng furnishings. I left while they preformed their magic. When I came home, I hardly recognized the room...It was amazing! Not only did she rearrange the furniture, but she selected speical items for display on the tables...items I had tucked away in a china cabinet. In my opinion, one of the best changes she made was rearranging a large bulit-in bookcase over the firepalce. She artfully displayed books, photos and other nic-nacs. What a difference! It is now my favorite focal point in the room. A plus for me is that I learned some valuable lessons from watching Lois work...Whether intended or not, she is a wonderful mentor. When it came time to furnish and decorate the last room on my list, my office, I was ready. I'm happy to say, even the book shelves that I arranged have that Lois touch. Lois and I had a wonderful working relationship for about a year...Would I highly reccommned her? Yes! In a heart beat.

The end result turned out fantastic. Everyone who comes by/visits always comments on how nice everything looks (most of the time they say it looks like they entered a model home). In addition to the great looks, the design is warm and inviting and the space is well utilized. I am very impressed that Lois was able to do all this in such a short time-frame. I will definitely use her again for interior decorating my 3rd floor (bedrooms and stairway).