Outline Interiors

Disappointing, untrustworthy, and unfocused on client needs; this is my impression of Outline Interiors. My wife and I reached out to Outline at the end of 2021, shared a budget with Laura, and she sent us examples of projects she claimed to have completed for the same amount. We hired them, and during our first design review they shared an estimate that was within 2% of our stated budget. We got a bill two weeks late, and I reached out for clarification on some line items. For example, I questioned the five hours of "vendor communication" and seven hours of "Admin." I received an email allegedly from Michelle Anderson (Laura later divulged that she had clandestinely sent this email under Michelle's identity). The email explained that the vendor communication was an "[investment] now to ensure we've accounted for as many charges as possible [to] lead to a smoother construction process with fewer change orders / additional costs" and the Admin time was a mistake (it should have been drafting). This explanation was good enough, although I was beginning to feel uneasy with the firm. We had already spent 20% of our budget on design fees, but we trusted in the original estimates and carried on. That was a mistake, because, 22 billable hours later, the next estimate came back 30% higher. What changed? Outline had only then included refinishing, plumbing, and electrical estimates. During our in person meeting when we were discussing the proposal that was within 2% of the budget -- a proposal which included known refinishing, plumbing, and electrical work; a proposal which was generated after hours of "vendor communication [for a] smooth process" -- Outline gave us no indication that these expenses were coming. I told Laura I no longer had faith we would complete within our stated budget and that I wanted to stop the project. She convinced me to allow her to create a "value engineered" proposal for us at no charge. I was in the process of refinancing to pay for the remodel, and I told Laura I had a related deadline to receive the new proposal. She told me she understood. She missed the deadline. More surprising to me was that the "value engineered" proposal was more expensive than the _original_ proposal. At this point, I had no faith in Outline and we entered dispute resolution. Outline proposed we meet in the front lobby of a hotel that was under construction. It was here that Laura's husband (acting as Outline Interior's lawyer) announced "I guarantee you will spend more litigating than coming to a resolution today." It was here that Laura clarified Outline Interior's idea of a "budget." In her words, "the budget is whatever the client is willing to pay." We cut ties and I have since looked into hiring a contractor directly to do our kitchen remodel. The first contractor I approached created free drafts of the kitchen. They are comparable to those I received from Outline, and it makes me sick to think they billed 30 hours to create them.

We had a great experience working with Laura. The results are beautiful, everyone who comes into our home can’t help but comment on the design. Even better, our space is as functional as it is visually appealing. We appreciated not only her big picture vision but her attention to details (who knew switching out baseboards and light switch covers would have such an impact?). We were so happy with the results, we’re hiring Laura again!

We enjoyed our project with Laura and her team. It all started with our recently purchased condo having this gigantic master bedroom which comes with a one-sink vanity but no functional drawers at all! We knew that if we wanted to refresh it, it'll have to be sooner than later because little one is on their way...We're glad that we found Outline because - first of all, Laura's taste for style totally matches mine; second of all, Laura's very responsive and on top of things; last but not the least, they delivered a great final product. Of course, no home improvement project will happen without any glitch. Be prepared for unexpected uncontrollable elements along the way especially if you have to work with the condo association - but Laura and her team was able to help solve the problems along the way. In the end, we got a lot of praises for our new master bedroom and we are so glad that we can enjoy it now every day.

Laura has a great clean modern style. She helped me find the perfect pieces to finish my bedroom, art for the walls, amazing fabrics and a great coffee table that fit exactly in a small spot. But, I’d expect those things from a designer. What to me set Laura apart and made working with her extraordinary was that she handled the project effortlessly and without extra stress for me. For me that meant: helping manage several projects at once, sourcing products within my budget, managing the workers coming in and out of my house even when I was traveling, and coming up with creative solutions when my house posed some challenges (like a window treatment charger dangling 20 ft in the air). Laura also took charge and fixed things that did not go perfectly. When one vendor’s work unfortunately did not meet her standards, or mine, she found a new vendor within an hour to come in and fix the work the next day. She corrected the work without extra cost or headache for me. I love the finished product and am so pleased with how my new home is evolving. I will definitely be a repeat customer and cannot wait for my next project.

Outline Interiors absolutely transformed our home in Chicago! We purchased a ~4,200 SF home with very little furniture and hired OI to decorate interior and exterior spaces, namely the Living Room, Dining Room, Family Room, 4 Bedrooms, and the Outdoor Patio. Laura and her team worked diligently to create an incredibly cozy space while perfectly capturing our design aesthetic of contemporary casual. OI also stayed on budget and on time, and was very detailed and organized throughout the entire project. I would use Laura and her team for all of my future design needs and highly recommend OI!

Working with Laura and her team was a dream! They were professional, creative, accommodating and all around cool. They were patient with my very opinionated husband as well. Can't wait to book them for our next space. Can't recommend enough.

Working with Laura and her team was a dream! They were professional, creative, accommodating and all around cool. They were patient with my very opinionated husband as well. Can't wait to book them for our next space. Can't recommend enough.

We absolutely love our new kitchen and laundry room that Laura and Outline Interiors designed for us! She was so wonderful to work with— incredibly competent, creative, and hardworking. We were particularly impressed with how well she seemed to understand our style, as well as the style of our old home. She was able to take all of our crazy ideas and turn them into a final product that feels beautifully modern and functional, while still connecting to the history of the home. Laura was also our advocate through the entire process, including the demo and remodel, and didn’t mind being the “bad guy” to ensure we got exactly what we wanted. We loved working with Outline Interiors and would definitely do it again!

We are very happy with the way our remodel turned out. We have an unusual, old home with some peculiar design challenges. Laura had a vision for our space that solved several of our problems and added a lot of character (in a good way). We had some definite ideas of what we liked and didn’t like, but needed a lot of help making the space our own. Laura has great taste and found furniture, fabrics, textured wallpaper and colors that we never would have thought of, but are perfect for us. We also appreciated her management of the final stages of the remodel —holding the contractors to a high standard for the final product and making sure problems were fixed. Our bedroom and family room have been transformed and we love it. It is a pleasure coming home to our new space!

My husband and I were looking for a work space that would be both comfortable and inspiring, and one that would be a good balance between masculine and feminine. The wonderful design ideas and options presented to us showed that Laura and her team were really listening to what we wanted. Throughout the process, not only were we ecstatic with the actual design work, but we also appreciated the team's approach to customer service and client communication. We could not be more pleased with Outline Interiors and our beautiful new office.

Laura has a warm, patient and inviting approach to design. We had no idea what to expect and were hesitant to engage a professional to help with the design of our new home. Thankfully Laura was fantastic from day 1. She listens to what you are trying to accomplish, adds her own flair and brings back ideas you would have never thought of on your own. She takes the time necessary to ensure you are making decisions you want; a true collaborative effort. It’s always a bonus to work with great people you genuinely like. Laura is no exception. She is an extremely talented designer and an even better person. You can’t ask for more than that. David & Amanda

We worked with Laura to decorate our new home and could not have been happier. We love her style and how she was able to incorporate our ideas and vision into her designs. She is very responsive and easy to communicate with. We highly recommend her and her team.