Art Installation - Deborah, although we only had the opportunity to work for one day together, I learned a lot from the experience and enjoyed it immensely. As you will recall, I had a number of paintings and mirrors (over 60) that I wanted hung in my newly purchased condo. I so badly needed the input of a professional interior decorator to assist me - and you were perfect for the job! You were particularly good at bringing a number of art works together in a collage which was both very interesting and balanced. Your eye for colour and design is amazing - you helped to make every room come alive.
Thank you for your helping to make my condo a home. I have definitely recommended you to friends and will continue to do so. - Carmel Myles.
Harvey Street Project - We originally asked Deborah to help us select fabrics and colours for furniture we were about to order. Once we had met and talked with Deborah, we felt she really understood the vision we had for our space, and she seemed as excited as we were to help us achieve it. She listened to our wishes (and our budget!) and, without pressuring us in any way, challenged us to consider some bolder and more creative options which made our room look more interesting and less “ordinary” than we could have imagined. Deborah has the ability to see the whole picture, and at the same time understand how all the individual elements and details will complement one another.
Deborah has been flexible in providing the kinds of services we need while leaving us to do whatever parts of the project we prefer to do on our own. She is both honest and diplomatic in expressing her expert opinions, and we have found she is usually spot on in her assessments. She has been respectful of both our time and our budget, going out of her way to source products and services that meet our requirements. She also manages her own time effectively, accomplishing a great deal in a limited period of time. Her billing is very fair, and she has undoubtably saved us many dollars and many costly ‘mistakes’!
In short, Deborah is a talented and knowledgeable professional, an invaluable consultant, a good listener, a clear and diplomatic communicator, a conscientious and efficient worker, and to top it all off a really lovely and generous person. It has been a real pleasure to work with Deborah, and we would highly recommend her as a great support for any project large or small. She is worth her weight in gold! - Bonnie and Carole
Oh my! Thank you both so very much! The two of you are very thoughtful and appreciative. With your sophisticated eye for quality and style and your openness to exciting patterns and shapes, how could I not, but be, successful in guiding you towards to perfect design details for your lovely home!
Wolfville Dentistry - Deborah was an incredible, creative support throughout every step of our project. From the first meeting, I knew she was listening to our ideas, concerns, and hopes and wanted to help us create a space that was both beautiful and functional; all while respecting our budget! She had an uncanny ability to hone in on our style, but also provide new, fresh ideas that we never would have thought of! Deborah found the right balance of including us in decision-making but not overwhelming us with too many choices during what was a VERY busy time! As a result, we felt very much part of the project and felt ownership of the gorgeous end-result! Deborah is a gem, and a treasure to work with! - Dr. Erin Hennessy
I'm very touched by your kind words Erin. Thank you! Your awesome appreciation of everyone around you inspired the team to do their utmost. You were a delight to collaborate with and I especially appreciate how you trusted my expertise by stepping outside of your comfort zone on a few occasions. Congratulations on your successful project and here's to many happy years in your beautiful, nurturing surroundings!
Home in Pereau - Deborah took our project on with great enthusiasm and was truly up for the challenge . We engaged Deborah with preliminary plans in hand with the hope that she would challenge us from the "status quo". Deborah was able to make suggestions regarding interior room placement and sizes, siding selections, window placements and sizes etc. From there she moved onto the finer interior details, trim selections, flooring and wall tiles, paint colors, fixture selections, lighting, furniture etc. The list of items and number of tasks seemed endless at times, but Deborah was up to the challenge and presented us with options within the appropriate timelines for each stage of our project, and most definitely challenged our status quo to enable us to design a home that is everything we could have dreamt of and then some! - Allan Melvin and Heather Galbraith
It was easy to be enthusiastic about your home build, Heather and Allan! You both had great ideas and were open to being challenged to take a few chances. You engaged me to help you design a harmonious and practical home that would accommodate your growing and changing needs over the years. You also wanted my help to nudge you outside of your comfort zone to create a cheery home with an injection of fun, and together, we succeeded. Yours is a happy home - perfect for you and your growing family! Your kind and thoughtful review means a great deal to me. Thank you!
Physicist's Creative Zone - We have had the good fortune of working with Deborah Nicholson. We are newcomers to Nova Scotia and purchased a house that required numerous renovations, from changing lighting fixtures to reworking floors, bathroom sinks and toilets, interior design/decoration, remodeling the fireplace and even creating a workspace that includes a sophisticated desk for use with multiple computers and monitors. Deborah displayed ingenuity, efficiency, an incredible creative prowess and communication skills that made our transition to our new home painless and resulted in a living environment that catered to our needs at an affordable price. Because of her excellent work, professionalism, meticulous attention to details and care, we highly recommend her services in all of the aforementioned capacities. - Jeanne & Philip
Thank you, Jeanne and Philip, for trusting me to design and oversee your renovations in your absence. I'm delighted that your home is a perfect fit and helps you to feel at home in your new hometown!
So Nice, We'll Stay - I have had the great pleasure to work with Deborah Nicholson over the years. Deborah was very inspirational when we were listing our home for sale. She re-designed our living space to show it in the best possible light and we consulted with her on paint colours, lighting, and creatively getting the word out to appeal to a wide audience. Deborah is a keen listener, intuitive and so much fun to work with, putting you at ease every step of the way. - Patty M.
Thank you for your kind words Patty. It appears we did such a wonderful job on your home, that you fell in love with it all over again and decided not to move, after all! Thank you for the opportunity to help. 🙂
Canning Art Studios - Deborah is a pleasure to work with. Her expertise of lighting and colour was essential to creating a great result for my new studio and gallery. I highly recommend hiring Deborah Nicholson for your next project. -Ron Hayes
Thank you so much for inviting me to effectively and beautifully light your fabulous studios, art supply store and gallery, Ron! Your art students, shoppers and gallery-goers will certainly appreciate the thoughtful attention to detail that you've devoted to your renovations. Art creation, learning and appreciation will be easy to engage in, in such lovely, well-lit spaces!
Lighting with Panache - Deborah Nicholson helped me with the entire lighting plan in our new home. She listened attentively to my needs and preferences and supplied us with great suggestions including a floor plan and electrical diagram. She was great to work with, very accommodating and did not try to change my style and/or preferences. I would recommend her to anyone building a new home or renovating. - Gabrielle Doucette
Thank you, Gabrielle! We made a good team, didn't we? You had a firm image of the look you were after and, together we found the perfect size, type and style of fixtures for each area in your home. You were open to my guidance on the technical aspects and it really paid off. Your deep jewel-toned walls and high ceilings required special lighting techniques and fixtures,. Pllacement was key, and in that regard, a special thank you is owed to Flav, as he was a perfectionist about getting every light placed exactly according to plan. Bravo to you both! Should you ever build again, I want to be on your team! 🙂
What to Add In, What to Leave Out - I can't say enough about the excellent results and very reasonable cost. The work with the furniture, designs, colors and carpets was terrific. Then the look created with the prints and paintings we had to work with far exceeded my expectation. This work was carried out so seemingly effortless and with such reassuring confidence. I was amazed. - Danny and Shirley Smith
Thank you Shirley and Danny for your lovely comments and, most of all, for trusting me to sort through your collection of antiques and artworks. It was great fun guiding you both toward bold decisions on what to keep and how to showcase your keepers. Your home is comfortable and friendly with just a little kick of playfulness, very much like it's owners!
From frazzled to confident
I recently worked with a couple who were building their dream home. They had become so stressed out, they were incapable of making any decisions. Work on their home had come to a complete stand-still. I listened intently, and then was able to help them make clear, concrete decisions for cabinetry, finishes, lighting, and paint colours. I met with their electrician and contractor to clear up confusion so that work could move forward. Confident once again, my clients went from feeling frazzled to enjoying a renewed passion for their home building project.
Are you feeling a little overwhelmed?
There are so many decisions that go into making even the simplest projects turn out on budget and on time AND put a smile on your face. Whether you’re replacing a chandelier, renovating a bathroom or building a new home, I'll guide you towards developing and implementing a style plan that covers the details and adds colour to your vision. A renovation or new build can be less stressful and a whole lot more fun with a qualified design professional by your side.
