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Studio Blog

June 11th

Thank you

Style on a Shoestring (SOAS) provided complete design services and project management for a major renovation that totally transformed our house into one where visitors step in and proclaim “wow, this is really cool.� First, owner/designer Tracy Lynn and designer Vanessa set up an afternoon of meetings with a group of contractors assembled through years of trial and error – contractors who do good work, are reasonably priced, reliable, and would comply with a tight schedule.  The trades included cabinet maker, tiles, electrician, plumber, doors/window, painter, window treatments, closet shelving organizer, etc. We would never have known where to begin, let alone bring such a group together. Tracy and Vanessa exchanged ideas with the contractors –  Then Tracy and Vanessa met with us to review the possibilities. Once a direction and rough budget range was decided, they worked with the contractors to more closely specify the work and refine costs, including consulting with us regarding trade-offs and alternatives, and design versus functionality options and issues.

Throughout, they provided design expertise with a flair, including many things we would never have even imagined on our own. When we became overwhelmed, Tracy and Vanessa would meet us at vendor showrooms, arriving in advance to narrow choices or pointing us in the right direction for internet searches. Once we signed contracts for the various trades, Tracy developed a tightly integrated comprehensive time line – often with multiple trades working at the same time or one right after the other on the same day (made possible by the good working relationships developed with the stable of well-screened contractors.) The work began and Tracy managed the process, checking on progress in person almost daily. We had heard renovation horror stores from friends – months to renovate a bathroom, massive cost overruns. It was completed within 30 days and within budget. Tracy and Vanessa also selected interior and exterior paint colors and helped us select furnishings from good vendors, keeping in mind the things we had accumulated from 20 years of living overseas. The result is spectacular, transforming a ho-hum little tract house into a wonderful home, rich in design features and a pleasure to live in – we often just look around the house and marvel!

Robert and Andrea Blumberg