Awaken Interiors

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Introduction: From 2003 to 2012 I was a senior designer for an interior design studio which also had a furniture showroom. Working in the showroom allowed me to gain experience in merchandising, accessorizing, and holiday decorating. After a decade of practice, I am confidently able to fully accessorize and decorate rooms down to the final details. My work stands out from other designers because of this. Not all designers enjoy the small stuff, whereas I think the finishing touches are the best way to bring out character. It is where my client's personalities shine, and what makes a house a home.

Overview

1 employee

21 years in business

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Featured Projects

14 photos

Reviews

Exceptional 5.0

6 reviews

100%

Susan O.

Dec 31, 2015

I was fortunate to meet Michele at a business club, and what a difference knowing her has made this year! I asked Michele if she could help me re-purpose the furniture I've been living with (uncomfortably) for almost 20 years. I wanted to find better placement for it and get help with colors (because I also have a paint color on the walls I don't like, but for budget reasons haven't changed since moving in 3 years ago). Michele graciously agreed to help, and has been super flexible about how we could work together and very generous with her advice and talents. My husband had worked with a designer years ago, so the only model he knew was a decorator who needed $50,000 to buy stuff. Not so with Michele. After getting her design plans, I've been able to make massive changes to how the space is used and how it looks without breaking the bank. I've taken the lead on finding and buying "missing pieces" but Michele always is happy to give her feedback before I choose. I've re-purposed 95% of the stuff I had, which was my husband's , and while it was all very expensive it has never been my taste or sized right for me or the houses we've had since he bought it. This is one of Michele's strengths. She isn't trying to decorate a museum or a space for a magazine photo op; she is very tuned into how you actually use the space and getting maximum comfort. And being able to take the pieces if you need to move. Everyone who comes over is amazed, as I have been , at the difference putting pieces in their proper spaces makes. Living in a townhouse, I could only ever envision one placement/layout, but Michele came up with 6-8 that works great. The best part is so much of the square footage was under used or not used at all. Having unused space felt so wasteful to me, and much of the house felt like "dead space". Now, I feel so happy because every room has a purpose, looks lovely, and is being highly used. We also had a lot of nice art that was not properly presented, and now the new arrangements Michele advised have made the collection look terrific and really beautify the spaces. Michele nailed how to furnish and use a very difficult, narrow loft area. It is now my husband's office. He loves it, and I love that he is not working in my main space and spreading his papers about. Michele also figured out how to blend our two very different styles (he likes masculine, traditional, heavy leather and antiques ; I like Shabby Chic and white French Provincial). I had thought that would be hopeless without starting over with all brand new, which I couldn't do. On top of these great results, MIchele is a perfectly lovely , gracious, and generous person. She is truly a joy, and great to work with. Thank you, Michele!

Marie S.

Feb 27, 2016

Michele helped my husband and I with a remodel project on our previous home - including knocking down walls and creating our first nursery. We were so pleased with the results - and when we eventually decided to move the house sold in a week! We are currently undertaking our dream of building a new house and naturally we have hired her to guide us through the complicated steps of picking EVERYTHING out. Michele helps us coordinate all the aspects from countertops and fabrics, to hardwoods, lighting and window treatments. We can't wait to enjoy each room where her impeccable design concepts materialize with perfectly placed furniture pieces. What we really love is she draws upon our inspiration - in our case - a fresh yet rustic take on French Country - and shows us possibilities out there we wouldn't otherwise have known about! I highly recommend Michele and Awaken Interiors for any design project - small or large.

Matt P.

Feb 29, 2016

I have been a client of Awaken Interiors for over ten years and have used Micheles expertise in a number of different projects from re-designing a drab spec house I purchased as a bachelor to custom building the perfect family home. I have been impressed with her abilities to translate ideas into designs and ultimately completed projects. Awaken interiors helped me realize my vision for a starter home I purchased earlier in life and took it from the typical cookie cutter spec house to a home that reflected my personality and lifestyle. Michele was able to bring me options for furnishings that met my budget, style, and even more importantly, quality standards. I also turned to Michele to help me stage that same home when I was asked to relocate for work. There is no doubt in my mind that Awaken Interiors shortened my homes time on the market by finding the right balance of design and function to appeal to a broader audience that would be looking to purchase a home like mine. I can add a bit of a third person perspective of Micheles abilities by also pointing out that the buyer of my home made an offer that was contingent on a majority of the furnishings staying with the home. Fortunately for me, my work relocation, and subsequent building of a family, then provided me the opportunity to build a custom home. I decided to involve Awaken Interiors early in this process to help me with space planning as I developed the plans with my new builder. Michele was vital in the conception stage of the basic floor plan layout as she has the wherewithal to truly understand exactly how much space is needed to furnish a room. I will never build another home without having Awaken Interiors input on the floor plan. Awaken Interiors expertise did not stop at space planning. After the final blueprints were approved she had an impact on practically every aspect of the home project, including; kitchen and bath design, flooring, wall coverings and furniture. Michele helped marry the preferences of both my wife and I into a cohesive design that was truly a reflection of our partnership and new home together. Needless to say, I have relocated for professional reasons once again and am looking forward to finding another place that will not only meet the needs of my wife and I but one that also incorporates the needs of our children. I am not sure if that will mean purchasing an existing house or building again but you can be sure Awaken Interiors will be a part of the process. It is fairly obvious that I have been pleased with what Michele and Awaken Interiors has done for myself and my family over the years regarding making the largest investments of our lives feel like our own. While she has been crucial to helping put our preferences and personalities into furnishings and giving us options that met the budgets at hand she was also acutely aware of, and had the ability to, provide quality products. As I proof read this review to make sure everything was grammatically correct I noticed one interesting fact that perhaps best sums up my experiences with Awaken Interiors. Whenever I spoke of my past residences I referred to them as houses before Michele helped me with her designs. It is no mistake that after Micheles input I refer to them as a HOME!

Jeanne A.

Feb 26, 2016

Michele is such a joy to work with, we always felt comfortable with her handling every step of the design process! She is a wonderful designer, who knows scale and color very well! I would definitely recommend her to friends and family ~ and that says a lot!! I wish I could leave her a 10 star rating! **********

Martina L.

Mar 31, 2016

Michele with Awaken Interiors has been amazing! She helped us with our color scheme for our new house and selecting flooring and furniture. The result is beautiful. She has been great at helping us find items within our budget that still look great. Our project has been ongoing, and she's been available to answer my questions and provide advice quickly as I need it. I highly recommend her!

FAQs

What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
The process begins with a complimentary meeting, usually over coffee. Here we can safely meet each other for the first time in a non-obligatory fashion. We will discuss your project needs and lifestyle, what you want from your designer, and how we can work together. After the meeting I work up a proposal and you decide where it goes from there.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am constantly attending seminars, speakers, and trade shows. I find that if you really love your job, continuing your education is something you look forward to. I recently earned my NCIDQ certification, which is like the "boards" of interior design. Being a part of ASID (Association of Interior Designers) allows me access to ongoing industry events and education opportunities.I am currently deciding on my next certification!
How did you get started doing this type of work?
When I was little, my dad used to take my twin sister and I through houses as they were being built. I remember the smell of the wood framing, and had fun trying to guess which rooms were which. It was the beginning of a life long journey to imagination, and the dreams that can came true through interior design.