Abella Home Staging & Redesign

Disclaimer: I received this service for free as part of my contract with a local paint company, so I cannot speak to price. Carmela was a joy to work with. For those who think, as I originally did, you'd get a hoity-toity designer who would look down their nose at your choices and/or current design style, nothing could be further from the truth. Carmela presented herself as very down-to-earth, fun and full of ideas. She assuaged my fears about one color, warned me about another ("This color is dark, but with light cabinets you could get away with it"), and helped me select another color entirely for a different room of the house. All in all, she was a wealth of information and I wouldn't hesitate in hiring her, and I may just do so for decorating advice after all my other projects are complete. I can't imagine what she could do with window treatments and area rug choices!

Carmela came highly recommended to me through a friend. I needed to update my bathroom but had no idea how to get started. My first contact with her was on the phone. She seemed very helpful and knowledgable. I made the appointment and we met a few days later.  She explained the process to me and gave me several options on how we could proceed. I decided on which option I wanted and we got started. She held my hand throughout the entire process. She helped me pick out the tiles, vanity, faucet, and even helped picked out the color and everything else the room needed! She is exceptionally skilled at decorating, but she alway kept an eye on my budget. The bathroom turned out fabulous! Beyond what I could have imagined! I was so amazed at the transformation. Every time I walk into the bathroom, I smile!! I look around my house and can't wait to redecorate the rest of it!! Well worth the cost!!

The proof is in the results! The house was officially listed in MLS on a Wednesday, and we had a full-price offer by Saturday! Unbelievable!

From the minute we met with Carmela Abella (owner), my brother and I knew she was the right person. With both our parents disabled for some time, their house had fallen into disrepair. No one had lived there for over two years, and neither my brother nor I were close by. We decided it was time to sell, but we weren't sure whether to stage it as is or fix it up before trying to sell it. After meeting Carmela, we knew which way to go. She was able to lay out a cost-effective plan for a top-to-bottom remodel that would be easy to recoup when we sold the house. Carmela was able to see right through the dirty, run-down shape of the home. She had the vision to see what it could become.

After telling us her recommendations, which were mostly cosmetic changes that would enhance the house from a buyer's point of view (e.g., paint, new carpet, new cabinet knobs, old wallpaper removal), we asked Carmela for a referral to a contractor to help us complete the job and provide an estimate. In addition to the cosmetic changes, there were a few must-do changes that she felt needed to happen to interest potential buyers. We agreed that that the master bath had to be gutted and replaced. We also agreed that the deck had to be rebuilt because it was potentially hazardous and wouldn't pass inspection. Carmela told us that she could include coordination of all these improvements, which was very important to us since we were too far away to do that ourselves.
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When Joe (owner) from New Island Remodeling showed up, we noted that he was very professional. Having done remodels in our own homes, both my brother and I found his estimate reasonable for all that we were asking him to do. We wanted the work to commence as soon as possible (October 2011) and be completed before the end of the year. Joe's people were on site replacing the deck within two weeks of signing the contract. Carmela coordinated everything, which was pretty difficult, considering there was 50 years worth of accumulated furniture and household items to work around. The house needed to be cleared out to begin the interior remodeling, and Carmela worked with the tag sale company we hired to facilitate which items would stay and which would go. She met vendors and contractors at the house to get them started and show them what they needed to do.

Her assistance in the remodeling was outstanding. She helped us pick paint colors, more up-to-date lighting, carpeting and flooring, where needed. For the master bath, she purchased the tile, shower glass, sinks, vanity, faucets, mirrors and had them ready for installation when the contractor needed them. Each purchase was itemized and approved by us. She worked quickly and cost-effectively, finding items that would help us stay within our agreed-upon estimate/budget. She was honest from the get-go, full of energy and ideas, and an excellent partner in the remodel process. The house was truly transformed!

When it came time to stage the home for sale, she was able to make my parents' old furniture look great, moving things around, adding flowers, knick-knacks and other modern decor. She paid attention to the details so we didn't have to. My brother and I are about to list the house and feel confident it will sell quickly due to its new look. Carmela truly took a tired old home and turned it into a place of beauty!