A Friendly Family Home Gets Ready for Grown Up Guests
Carolyn and I hit it off right away. She and her husband raised four kids in two bedrooms, and understandably, those rooms were ready for a upgrade. She has the kind of artsy Bohemian taste that I really enjoy — and already had lots of great flea market finds that gave her house character.
Once I understood where she was coming from ( art and fine cabinetry from her mom and dad definitely would get places of honor) we were off to the races. A magnificent quilt took star billing in the larger bedroom — we’d work with those colors and textures. I’m fast — but Carolyn is even faster. Within a week, the entire upstairs — renamed “the guest suite,” had new carpet. We’d selected paint colors that made the whole place come alive, ordered some really fun and practical furniture — just ask me if you need an XL twin trundle bed with an XL twin trundle — and bang-bang-bang, the goods started rolling in. New grasscloth roman shades made a huge improvement. Posters were reframed, fabric for custom European square pillows ordered, sewing commenced with one of my favorite workrooms.
Still waiting for the perfect bookcase/table, some beautifully framed black and white family photos and a funky reading lamp. The chair was a fantastic WorldMarket buy — the equal of any swivel chair out there, at a quarter of the price.
The end result is delightful — fresh and lively, just like Carolyn. And guests are on the way!
Carolyn Lewis, Larkspur, CA
“I found Family Friendly Designs on NextDoor. I liked the variety of projects in the photos on her website. Previously, I’d found it overwhelming to look at designer websites that didn't fit my casual, eclectic style.
I liked Cathryn Ramin’s Chief Problem Solver title, so I added her as “Chief Decorator” in my contact list. From the start, she was friendly, enthusiastic, carefully studied the space and listened to what I wanted to do.
I needed to get this project done, and in short order — a couple of months total — Cathryn helped me to focus on what was needed and pull the trigger. If you are ready to proceed and can make decisions quickly this style works well. The trade discounts she procures help to offset the $1500 fee.
Cathryn is very budget-conscious, and showed me appropriate options in a variety of price ranges, and is always focused on quality and getting a great deal. I went over budget, but that was not her doing!. Her communication style is very responsive — up to the last minute of the ten-hour contract, she never lagged.
Cathryn did a lot of the ordering for my project and always sent me the confirmations and delivery information, handling my credit card information carefully. She was very prompt in terms of getting refunds and emailing vendors. If you’re ready to decorate/design something, Cathryn will work hard for you. She’ll make sure your job is complete. And she’ll tie up all the loose ends.