Fresh Eyes For Your Home

Joanna was amazing, as usual. She listened to our ideas and suggested color scheme and then showed us many options for paint, tile, lighting, vanities etc. The bathroom is gorgeous now. Its light, airy and non-cluttered. We also maximized space by building a custom cabinet behind the door to use as a linen closet and toiletry storage. Highly recommend!!

Joanna was amazing. She met with me to understand my taste (midcentury, funky, unique) and was able to help me decorate my new home in a way that incorporated my existing midcentury pieces with more modern pieces that complimented my existing pieces. We went for a colorful palette with accents in chartreuse, turquoise and orange. Six year later, we used Joanna to gut and redo our upstairs bathroom. Joanna is creative, thoughtful, attentive and really knows her stuff. Fun to work with, Highly recommend.

After spending two years struggling with how to organize and design my living room, due to it's awkward shape and other design challenges, I decided to look for help. I am so fortunate to have found Joanna Cohlan!! She is talented, thoughtful, caring and brilliant! Joanna designed an incredible space around the unique needs of my family. She worked around some pieces that I already had (some which belonged to my parents and are therefore very special to me) and created a space which is beautiful, functional, cozy and sophisticated all in one! Beyond "just" having a beautiful new living room, I also found the entire process cathartic and transformative. Joanna gave great advice and guidance about which pieces I should keep and which to move out of the room. The entire experience was such a positive one- it exceeded my expectations- I called Joanna to ask for help with designing a room, but I gained so much more from the whole experience!! Thanks to Joanna, I now have a beautiful space to make new memories with my family! I highly recommend Joanna Cohlan! She is amazing!

Joanna was so helpful to us throughout the process. She examined the space prior to moving in and offered concrete suggestions on furniture placement, wall colors and lighting. The fun part began when we went shopping for these items. Joanna took us to multiple stores so we could find just what we needed and the sales people were helpful and gracious. Joanna helped us narrow down fabric choices and pick items for each room that would help to enhance the open concept living area. At this point, we are choosing accessories and looking forward to entertaining. All thanks to Joanna!

Joanna helped me greatly with each aspect of this project. Prior to moving to our new condo, she and I viewed the space together. She took measurements in each room and kept careful notes. Afterwards, she offered her ideas for maximizing space, changing lighting fixtures and furniture placement. We discussed keeping sentimental pieces of furniture and how we could incorporate them with new design concepts. The fun began when Joanna and I shopped for rugs, furniture, lighting and accessories. Just deciding on fabric swatches could have made it a daunting task but she explained each step and helped me to narrow down the choices. Joanna also is a good listener and quickly picked up on my taste and choices so she could steer me in the right direction each time we met. I was thrilled to be in her capable hands and save so much time and energy by trusting in her judgement and good taste. I highly recommend her as a design consultant and will continue to reach out to her for assistance as we settle into our new home.

I had the pleasure of listing a house that Joanna prepared for the market. It is imperative for Realtors to work with the right home stager so that their clients are not intimidated or threatened by a stager's impartial recommendations and Joanna fits the bill. Joanna has a gift for knowing just what a buyer wants and how to most cost effectively transform a home into a house so that buyers can appreciate the bones and the advantages of the house while sellers can get top dollar. She instinctively knows the most important areas to improve visually and what will fetch top dollar from those improvements. The mid-century modern house that she worked on in White Plains was dated, dark and dowdy. Along with the many edits to the homeowners furnishings, Joanna suggested replacing worn shag carpeting with new wood flooring and painting the dated wood paneling to highlight the open floor plan and lighten up the house. She created the right focal point in each room so that despite the older bathrooms and kitchens, the house had a fabulous vintage appeal and had a wow factor as soon as you entered. The work was completed within a month and the sellers had an accepted offer in a week at above asking price. I would highly recommend Joanna as a home stager for sellers and as a designer/decorator for buyers-she is a miracle worker and great to work with.

Joanna and I hit it off from the first phone call. She was easy to work with, guided me through the process, with patience. She was not shy about giving her opinion but also respected when I decided to take another option. She was also very respectful of my budget. Whenever I had a question she was very quick to respond and was very organized. She pushed me out of my comfort zone in a beautiful way. I would definetly recommend Joanna to anyone doing a home renovation.

Joanna is amazing! She is price conscious and listens carefully. While I have not yet taken delivery of the items I purchased with her assistance, I am sure that I will be very satisfied. The retainer I paid was well worth it in terms of providing access to her resources. Joanna was also very respectful of my need to phase the work to be done both in terms of finances and sequencing of the projects. I look forward to continuing to work with Joanna as my interior design projects progress.

It went beautifully. Joanna is responsive, smart, and gave me terrific advice and resources. She was easily reachable throughout the process. Thanks to her and her great advice, the house looks fantastic!

This was an extensive undertaking. Joanna has been of invaluable assistance every step of the way in determining scope, choosing materials, fixtures, color selection, preparing lighting and furniture plans, selecting window coverings and assisting with furniture and decorating choices. At each step of the way, Joanna’s innate sense of color and design is able to blend seamlessly with my own preferences. She helps me achieve my goals, in a way that is truly more beautiful than I ever dreamed. Joanna understands and is able to work with different budget and price points in each area. She also recognizes how each client “lives”, in my case with pets, and the design decisions take that into account where necessary, without sacrificing style and beauty. Her access to professionals across the industry is incredible, and their service to her customers is caring and attentive. I had never worked with a designer before I met Joanna, and now I cannot contemplate embarking upon a project without her invaluable and indispensable guidance!

I am so delighted to write a glowing review for Joanna Cohlan - Fresh eyes for your home. Joanna has been my designer for more than 15 years. She has created our kitchen dining area, my very complex law office, my daughter's room and the nursery for my grandson, as well as all four of our bathrooms. My home is exquisite because of Joanna. She can work on any budget and is conscious of all costs. And her taste is classy and her sourcing of material, fixtures and furniture extraordinary. Her fees are very reasonable. As well, she listens to you and is fast and moves on all projects immediately. Joanna is a delight to work with and I am not easy. If you want to renovate, redecorate or design, Joanna is the one to call. I recommend her very Helaine S. Brick-Cabot Ps - I was so pleased with Joanna that I had her work on some of my commercial projects. Joanna has designed 3 of our apartments and 2 to 4 lobbies in Manhattan.

It was an absolute pleasure working with Joanna Cohlan earlier this month on a property located in Croton-on-Hudson. In a matter of hours, I witnessed the amazing transformation of the home. Joanna worked so skillfully and methodically, tweaking furniture layouts, accessories and removing excess. The homeowner was thrilled to have Joanna hang several pieces of artwork, which had been lovingly painted by family members. I so appreciated Joanna’s can do attitude, her calm demeanor and her attention to detail, in each and every room. Joanna was so very kind to the homeowners throughout the process. I highly recommend Joanna Cohlan of Fresh Eyes for Your Home! Do not under estimate the investment of staging your home to sell! -- Colleen Ashe, President, Ashe Organizing Solutions

After deciding to gut a house we had recently purchased, we realized all the decisions that were needed to get the project completed were not as easy as we thought it would be. The task of deciding on flooring, fixtures, cabinetry was overwhelming. While on Angie’s List looking for various contractors, we came upon Fresh Eyes for Your Home. Perfect timing –making decisions to keep the project moving was not as fun as it first seemed. Joanna was our sounding board, our decorator, our go to person for places to shop for tile, contractors, furniture, etc. Joanna provided us with ideas and guidance so that our choices gave our house a cohesive look. Easy to work with, dependable, and conscientious of cost and value.

We have been working with Joanna for over a year on a major renovation of our new house (e.g., layout, the kitchen, master bathroom/ closet, powder room usefulness, living room continuity, floors, lights). She was involved from the initial design to picking out furniture. Joanna has been THE SINGLE BEST PERSON that we have hired through this process. She has been a pleasure to work with, very available, and instrumental in helping us get to a beautiful AND functional solution. I am also convinced that we are getting exceptional value. She has been exceptional in the areas of: Collaboration: I appreciated the way Joanna listened, understood our preferences, and recommended options to help us narrow down an (at times) overwhelming array of choices. Joanna helps weave a great design between both my wife and my (often differing) preferences. Insight: Joanna came up with creative options for our home design, such as: adding a new powder room, inserting French doors to our pool area and opening up our kitchen, and creating a more open and flowing space between kitchen, eating area and living room. Customization of design to our needs and style: Joanna did not press her style on us. She listens to what we like and elevating our preferences to fine design. For example, my wife wanted a very ‘clean friendly’ house, whereas I wanted a contemporary, beautiful white kitchen – we settled on a light bluey-grey STAINED lower cabinet that hides dust and grime and is kid- and chip-proof, a white counter, and white uppers. A perfect compromise. Joanna also customizes the cost to our needs. She looks for places to save money where we can save and nudges us to splurge where she thinks it matters (e.g., a gorgeous custom rug). This is EXTREMELY valuable. Attention to detail: Joanna is precise and cares about the little things that make a difference. Guidance through the process: Joanna was fantastic at helping us navigate the entire process and set priorities. When to look for contractors, when to seek out the kitchen designer, etc. She saved us many missteps and helped the project go that much faster. When her advice contradicted the architect, she was 100% right. Contacts: Joanna’s contacts have all been top notch – you can trust that when she introduces you to someone, they are GREAT. Mindful of costs: Joanna is constantly looking to work within our budget, find perfect options that also save us money, passing on her discounts to us, and at times encouraging us to “lean in” on a bigger buy that really makes a difference. She seems to treat our budget as if it is her own money and looks to maximize its impact on our house. Available: She is available and easy to engage over email (nice if you are a professional) or in person. All in all, I cannot recommend Joanna more highly.

It went great! Joanna came in and suggested that all the wallpaper - which was quite nice, but old, be replaced with smooth painted walls. She picked a great greyish color with a slight blue tint that EVERYONE mentions as soon as they walk in. But it is her work on the furniture that was truly wonderful! She found amazing sofas that go together (although one is a sleeper!) and a fantastic fabric. I was going for the *** in the City kind of vibe - but with COMFORT. She picked beautiful fabrics for the pillows, a stunning white leather Bernhardt table, and other unique and lovely furniture. And the rug is so pretty! Simple white with tufts of color that sticks up. But the highlight is the chandelier which is huge, round, and made of crystals. It looks like a Sputnick - and the chandelier at the Metropolitan Opera House. It is a showstopper, as is my entire apartment. I am very pleased!

I met Joanna through a mutual friend. My living room was monochromatic (browns and blacks) and needed color. My furniture was also too large for the space. Joanna came to my apartment and walked around and then we started talking. I told her that I knew I need new sofas, a new chair and a coffee table. I also told that there were certain pieces that had to be incorporated into the new design. Then we met a at a design store that had everything I needed. She had called ahead to have some rugs brought in for me in the color and size I was interested in. Once the rug was chosen she guided me through selecting a sofa, loveseat and chair. When the rug and furniture were delivered she was there to make sure it was okay and placed correctly. Joanna even helped my with placement of some of my artwork. I did have an issue with the sofa--my fault, not hers or the store's--but she was very helpful in getting it resolved and I was grateful for that. Joanna took me out of my comfort zone--painlessly!-- and I am very happy with the room. I would highly recommend Joanna.

Joanna worked with my current rugs and furniture to help me select paint colors. She placed all my existing furniture in just the right spots, in fact she was there when the movers brought my belongings in the door! This was an enormous help since everything was in its' proper place from the start and I was able to unpack almost everything immediately. She made suggestions about furniture pieces that were needed, and helped me shop for everything.
She then worked with my electrician in planning overhead lighting placement. I find her advice invaluable. Her consultation and retainer fees are well worth it.

The work I did with Joanna was absolutely KEY in the preparation work I did to list my home of nearly three decades. I took almost
all of her suggestions and implemented them. Her recommendations in combination with what I was already doing:  a
"no-holds barred" decluttering approach, top-to-bottom painting, floor refinishing and a realistic pricing strategy made all the difference in the success of my listing. I can tell you, my investment in the consultation came back to me in terms of the price I received on my home sale and even more importantly to me, a very quick time from listing to accepted offer. That was my goal.
Throughout the pre-listing preparation process, when I was getting tired, I kept remembering what Joanna told me..."some of her best
sales were in the winter months", and that "serious buyers are out year round." It was the beacon that lit my way when I despaired about getting the house on the market "in time". This process was transformative, not only for the house, but for me.
How did it work out?  My home was listed and had a full price offer in two days, and went well over asking price with two other bids in less than a week and had a record setting open house. The feedback I received from realtors and potential buyers (relayed
through my agent) made ALL of the hard work worth the effort. I accomplished my goal of selling quickly, late in the season, with the minimum time and disruption in my life from the showings and having to keep the home in ?showing? condition.
I am thrilled with the results, and most importantly, my home shone like the gem it is, to attract its new stewards. THAT was really my
goal.
Joanna, thank you sincerely for offering your services on Angie's list so I could find you!  I will certainly use you in my next home, this time for interior design services!

I first contacted Joanna Cohlan of Fresh Eyes For Your Home for design, decorating, and project management services approximately one year ago. At that time, the main bathroom of my Dobbs Ferry home was completely demolished, due to a serious plumbing issue. I had neither the time nor inclination to find and deal with contractors or vendors; select all new fixtures; comparison shop for pricing; agonize over paint colors. In addition, my previous decorating choices were disastrous. Nothing ever turned out the way I visualized it, and again and again, I had to "live with" costly and ugly mistakes. Through Angie's List, I found Joanna, who was able to come to my rescue. My husband and I were so pleased with every aspect of our bathroom, and the relative ease of the project, that we hired Joanna to completely renovate, design, and decorate a two bedroom apartment we purchased in Manhattan this January. This decision was the best we could possibly have made aesthetically, economically, and emotionally.

I cannot say enough about Joanna and her work. My one concern about this review is that it is so consistently and overwhelmingly positive in every respect that I worry people won't take it seriously. From the first phone call, and continuing without exception to the present, Joanna has been responsive, attentive, communicative, flexible, prompt and "on the ball" in every sense, all the time. Her professionalism has been exemplary. She is perceptive and a quick study, and is always respectful of my budget, looking for ways to most efficiently use her time. She's a smart and creative problem solver, and her sense of space and its use is uncanny. Her design and decorating ideas are brilliant. The sales and management personnel at my new coop, and the contractor on the job have asked for her card on numerous occasions. The apartment is beyond beautiful: sleek, clean, modern, yet warm and inviting! Lots of unique touches, and a bit of whimsy. A huge bonus: she is funny, personable, unpretentious, easy to talk to.

(My writing of this recommendation was just interrupted by a phone call from my apartment's management department. Once a year, the bank holding the underlying mortgage of the coop visits. Management would like to show them my apartment, since "we like to show them the nicest apartment in the building").

With both the apartment and bathroom projects, Joanna demonstrated a knack for quickly and accurately assessing the situation, and her clients's needs, and desires. Her catch phrase is an enthusiastic and confident "Got it!" And she really DOES get it! By asking all the right questions, listening closely, and getting to know me she perceptively and accurately assessed my overall style, priorities, preferences, and taste. Leading the way with her own talent, creativity, expertise, taste and vision, she was able to translate some vague notion in my head into a beautiful, cohesive integrated reality. Any number of times, in some mysterious way, she was able to hone in on items that I really loved, that I never in a million years would have considered without her guidance.

If needed, she is able to supply outstanding contractors with whom she works, at discounted prices. She works extremely well with these, and with independent contractors, gaining their respect and trust, and thus, their cooperation. However, when necessary, she can be direct, honest, demanding and tough.

Joanna's very reasonable fees were made even more reasonable when one factors in elements like efficient use of her time; contractor and decorator discounts; and avoidance of costly mistakes. She advised me as to what aspects and items were worth investing in, and which were worth skimping on, which resulted in considerable savings.

In summary, Joanna is more than able to take on both major and minor construction, design and decorating projects which are fraught with frustration, aggravation, confusion and expense,and turn them into "no problems". She made the decorating aspects of these projects, which are usually disappointing and frustration to me, into gratifying and enjoyable experiences. The result: a very stylish, elegant, high-end looking apartment with creative and clever use of space and built-ins, and all within a serious budget, without grief, doubt and aggravation.

Thank you Joanna!!!

In the first hour Joanna was able to take a look around my home and reallocate some of the items of furniture that I had cluttering up

my living room and relocate them to my kitchen where they made all the difference in the world.

From this first hour, I was able to see that Joanna knew her trade and knew it well. I then decided to hire her for an additional 9 hours to pick her brain on a number of rooms in my home. She spent time scouring through furniture websites to find me a truly unique piece of furniture for my bedroom that I know cherish. My taste is a bit eclectic focusing on antiques and shabby chic, metal works and special one of a kind pieces. Joanna got my taste immediately and every suggestion that she made was better than the next.

We wound up deciding to change the coloring in my living room in keeping with my oriental carpets and antique furnishings. She set about selecting fabulous fabrics in all types of textures and colors -making the choices extremely difficult to select from so many winning ideas. She was exceptionally creative and helped me select two fabrics that were in complete harmony to cover a huge contemporary sofa that I had. The dual coverage looks sensational (you can have a look for yourself on her blog:

http://fresheyesforyourhome.com/blog/slenderize-sofa-reupholstering-works-wonders/

I can't say enough good things about her approach to her business. She listens well, she isn't afraid to make suggestions and she quickly gains a keen sense of what YOU are looking to achieve and makes it happen for you using her keen eye for colors, textures and distinctive pieces.  

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Joanna was absolutely delightful to work with. I went to her with only two  things (1) a complaint that my living room wasn't comfortable and therefore no one ever used it; and (2) some pictures out of Houzz or magazines to give a general idea of my style.  She worked with me to design and put together the perfect room. We love it! Joanna quickly understood my style and came back with a terrific plan. She guided me along with just the right amount of force. I felt I was in good hands all the way through the process and at the same time I felt very comfortable expressing my views. I would hire Joanna again in a heartbeat.

Joanna is wonderful! She really worked with us to know our style and the look we wanted.  She has a number of vendors she works with and got us great discounts.  We have a number of fabulous pieces in various rooms that I never would have found on my own.  I would whole-heartedly recommend her to anyone looking to update their home.

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The entire job went very well.  Furniture came in on time, painters and wall paper people
did an excellent job.  They were very professional and efficient.
We are now working on the finishing touches, accessories etc.
We are having a large custom mirror made up from Westchester Framing in Yorktown.
They had so many frames to pick from.  
One small problem I had was a defective lamp which had to be exchanged, but all in
all everything went as planned.
Joanna (Fresh Eyes For Your Home),  was wonderful to work with!   I love everything she has done for me from choosing furniture, wallpaper and lighting to carpeting and accessories.  She is so creative, has impeccable taste, & what I really like about her was her ability to quickly get what my taste was all about and incorporate it into our design plan.   I found her to be warm, professional, responsive to questions, and she always got back to me in a timely manner.  I have referred her to several people, and I definitely will continue to have her as my decorator for other rooms in my house.  If you are looking for innovation, style, creativity, and a wow factor
I would give Joanna a try.

The gut renovation was very difficult because the contractor was a disaster. Joanna basically had to step in as GC for the job - directing electricians, painters, tilers, etc. Her incredible eye lead to great decision as to opening up a few walls to expose the bricks - finding a phenomenal ultra white granite for my kitchen counter that looks like marble, and finding the perfect old farmhouse table for my dining room.  And everything in between!
She was always a delight and helped me curb my sometimes questionable taste :). My apartment is a showpiece!