Reviews by abbyc742

This review is for Creative Elegance Interiors Pty Ltd, Wantirna VIC

verified email - 26 May 2016

We engaged Angela Cosgrove from Creative Elegance Interiors to provide design and project management services in support of the renovation of our 3 bedroom home. By way of background, the house is a double brick, double storey, semi-detached house (built circa 1938). Whilst it had an extension built at the back and some minor works over the years it was in real need of updating and making it more livable for a young family.

As a working couple with an eight year old son, we were very apprehensive about embarking on such a full scale renovation project, which pretty much involves every part of the house! This quickly started turning to real fear after speaking with friends about their renovation experiences and also after having spoken to a couple of other design and project management consultants.

Thankfully all of this changed after the first couple of conversations with Angela. In fact that fear and apprehension faded away after the first meeting in which she spent considerable time understanding our needs and priorities as well as our budget and timelines. From that point on selecting her over other design and project management consultants was a 'no brainer' for my husband and I.

Angela was very thorough in the planning and setup phase and made sure we were fully engaged and informed every step of the way. In addition to drawing up the project requirements in detail as well as the project plan, she took the time to fully explain every part of the planning phase as well as the project itself. Her design ideas and suggestions were very innovative yet took into account our budget constraints. For example, one of our key requirements was for there to be an ensuite constructed for the upstairs master bedroom. Angela was able to visualise it and presented us with the options of how this space could be created by way of taking some of the Master Bedroom space and taking some of our son's closet space from the adjacent bedroom in order to minimise the overall impact on the Master Bedroom size and layout. We are very pleased with the outcome. Another example was our desire to have a concealed laundry instead of having it within the powder room. Once again she was able to design an innovative solution for this. She also presented us with other ideas and suggestions in this planning phase to enable us to review and co-create the space and layouts with her.

That said, there was also a healthy level of tension and debate between us and Angela as to the design and layout of the areas which we very much appreciated. For example we were initially looking for a very modern finish but Angela very quickly pointed out that this would not suit the heritage of the property and will clash with the character of the property. We were very grateful for this advice and are very pleased with that advice early on as it helped us review our preferences for finishes. Her ability to visualise a space and provide constructive advice and options on style, practicality and function is second to none.

Once the project commenced, it all went like clockwork. Her team of tradies are very pleasant to deal with and kept with the plan. They worked very effectively as a team and communicated very clearly with both Angela and I throughout the project. Looking at the finished work, I can also comment very favorably on the quality of the workmanship and attention the detail. The plastering work, mouldings, painting, wood flooring, tiling and joinery all look beautiful and matches our requirements to the tee. The electrical and plumbing works (which were quite extensive) were all done to complement the space and finished off in a very tidy manner.

That said, no home renovation project would be complete without variations and we had our fair share of variations too. As our place was old and had little done to it over the years, we did come up with several variations as new things were discovered as part of the demolition works. The difference that Angela brought to the equation was that she explained it all to us clearly and in a timely manner as these arose and offered us options whilst taking into account our budget and timelines. This made the decision making process from our end less stressful and easier. That said the variations did not amount to a substantial sum and all were either unforeseeable or changes requested by us based on advice and options from Angela.

In summing up, some of my key observations of Angela at Creative Elegance Interiors, hoping this would be useful to others who are looking to renovate -

- Extremely hardworking and very engaged to get the project thoroughly planned and undertaken to meet the project plan
- Hands-on. She doesn't just update project plans and attend the worksite to inspect and check on progress. Instead she gets her hands dirty to keep the project on time. On a number of occasions I was there, Angela was hacking away at walls and carting materials to the skip- not something most design consultants and project managers would be wiling to do
- Strong communicator, able to simplify complex matters and cut past the tradie lingo to give me plain and simple options and a good understanding of the project progress
- Passionate about helping me realise the potential of my property by sharing with me ideas and suggestions whilst also challenging me along the way to ensure i get the best outcome for my home
- Committed to the project, ie I felt I could fully rely on Angela to ensure all works are done according to the plan and intended sequence to minimise delays and avoid unnecessary cost overruns. In fact she was so committed to the extent of even spending her Saturday unpacking boxes and helping me with my move once the project was completed!

I would not hesitate recommending Angela and her team to any of my family and friends. We are very pleased with our renovated home and look forward to enjoying the new space in the years ahead.

Thank you Angela and her team!