Rose Dukas Custom Interior Decorating

I chose this designer because she appeared to have a good sense of style and worked on an hourly rate basis. Having decorated several houses before, I felt comfortable with my own design aesthetic. I was looking for someone who could efficiently take me to the NY Design Centers and point out other design resources. I also needed someone who could help me identify a good contractor and help manage the details of the overall project. Ms. Dukas proved to be okay with regard to the first set of expectations--her biggest contribution was finding furnishings and fixtures (most of which she identified online). In the end, I was happy with most (but not all) of her suggestions (one suggested paint color clashed with the adjacent wall paper, for example, a flaw she acknowledged, but never took steps to correct). While her style choices were fine, she failed in all other respects--she was unable to identify a reliable contractor; she did not provide sufficient and timely direction to the contractor I finally found myself (after months of delay); and she was not able to efficiently manage the details of the overall project. At the end of the project--when her attention was most needed--she disappeared altogether, leaving numerous loose ends and unfinished details. Her son's wedding corresponded with the end of the project. However, many of the items left unfinished had been outstanding for months, and she never returned to the project to oversee their completion. A professional would have better managed her time and would not have quit the job at a critical juncture, as Ms. Dukas effectively did. I had looked forward to a fun, creative collaboration with a decorator (which I've had in the past). Instead, I was frustrated and felt like I'd been cheated.