Fine Finishes Design Inc

Rating: 4.9 out of 5

Fine Finishes Design Inc reviews (181)

  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 4 May 2009

    Colour Consultation; Interior Painting and Crown Molding

    Nelson and Andrea took the time to listen to our needs and offered us some very good solutions that fit our budget. Andrea was very effective with her colour consultation, and the colours we picked suit our space and lifestyle (family with 4 children). Nelson did an amazing job with the crown molding that we had installed throughout the entire house, including some wainscotting. When all the work was completed, and I woke up that first morning, and walked down the stairs, that is when my house finally felt like my home, the warmth of the paint colours and the crown molding were the fine finishes that our home had been missing. I would highly recommend Fine Finishes and will definitely call them again for our next design needs!
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 30 Apr 2009

    Interior Decorating incl. purchase & installation of window coverings, furniture, and accessories

    Andrea Colman of Fine Finishes came highly recommended to me by a friend. I was unsure what window treatments would look best in our newly painted dining room. Having had no previous experience with a decorator, and a modest budget, I was a little uncertain of what to expect. Andrea's consultation began with a phone call and questions about our family and our lifestyle. When Andrea arrived at our home, she immediately recommended window coverings for our dining room which have since received rave reviews from everyone who has seen them (passing along her decorator discount to us and taking care of installation as well). She was very pleasant, easy to talk to, and very willing to integrate our current furniture into a plan for redecorating. We were so happy with her work that we asked her to return, and she has offered advice on virtually every room in the house. Many of her minor suggestions (for example adding a piece of molding & changing hardware on built-in cupboards) made a big difference to the look of the room. As another reviewer noted, Andrea is somewhat of a genius with colour, and we would agree. Even though she had to travel quite a distance to our home,and was here multiple times, only the time in our home was charged for, and it truly was worth every penny! I have recommended Fine Finishes to others, and would not hesitate to call them again. We are very satisfied customers.
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 27 Apr 2009

    Ladies Fashion Retail store in the Beach District of Toronto

    I was ready to open a new store and had a general idea of what I wanted in terms of colour, but I was struggling with intensity and definition. I contacted Andrea from Fine Finishes and she was there the next day! Together we brainstormed and she directed my thought process and guided me in my colour selection for the interior and exterior of the store. The next day when I was reviewing the plan, I had questions and was still unsure. I called Andrea and she met me on site the next day which was a Sunday, giving up her personal time and we went through everthing again to my satisfaction. Nothing changed from the original plan, except that this time I felt confident that she was right. We went forward and the store turned out beautiful. We had numerous compliments from customers on the colours, it was very warm and inviting, exactly what I had envisioned. I was so happy, thanks to Andrea at Fine Finishes. I highly recommend her to anyone in need of colour direction, she is the best!
  • Review from Bruce
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 17 Apr 2009

    Choosing colours for recording studio

    I'm building a new recording studio downtown. I had Andrea come in to consult on fabric and colours. She did a wonderful job and I'm very pleased with what she came up with. I highly recommend her!
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 22 Mar 2009

    interior design

    I chose Andrea based on her HomeStars reviews and never regretted it! We spend hours with my husband trying to find the right color for our brand new house. Andrea did an amazing job finding the color that was just right for both of us. She also helped me to choose the window treatments and gave some ideas on interior decorating. Andrea has a great eye for every little detail, very professional and friendly. I would definitely do all of my future projects with her!
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 2 Mar 2009

    Kitchen, Family Room and child's bedroom, powder room.

    Andrea worked on several projects for us - the first was my 12 year old's bedroom. She consulted with her and designed a colour combination that was very unique and my child loved it. She gave us great suggestions on how to add additional touches at very low cost and the result was beautiful. The kitchen was a real challenge. We had to keep the surrounding rooms as is but really wanted to change the kitchen and family room. She had great ideas in colours, furniture, drapery and accessories. I was extremely pleased with her work on the drapery. I have had other decorators work on this in the past but have never seen such perfect attention to detail from the design and measurement. She has great contacts for materials and making the drapes and the cost was much lower than I expected. She is the best designer I have ever worked with and I would recommend her for any type of decorating job.
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 0 out of 5
    Review left on 27 Feb 2009

    Design consultation

    Perhaps Andrea at Fine Finishes Custom Design Solutions is the person to call if you are looking for colour swatches but from our experience this is not the company to call if you are looking for an interior designer with innovative ideas. The great reviews on this site led us to believe she could help us plan a major renovation of our family / entertainment room. Not only were we disappointed with the lack of ideas and alternatives, we were very taken aback with the approach Andrea and her partner took as they tried to pressure us into allowing them to take on the project as the primary contractors -- without ever providing us with the design plan we were looking for in the first place. Some of the "solution" suggestions dealing with construction and drywall installation were so off the mark that it was clear they did not know what they were talking about. In the end, we were out several hundred dollars, a lot of wasted time and received a couple of paint chips in return. Check credentials. C.I.D.C. and P.D.R.A. refer to paint certificates. The initials do not represent a degree or diploma in interior design or construction from an accredited institute of higher learning. Also, based on a posting on HomeStars by the City of Toronto, be sure to check if the people offering their services to renovate are licensed with the City: "Building renovators, Plumbing contractors, Heating contractors, and anyone holding him/her self as a contractor in the building renovation field requires a City of Toronto License. Call 416-392-6148 to verify if the contractor is licensed or to file a complaint.” I wish I had seen this earlier. Fortunately we found a real contractor with great credentials and far more design ideas than this firm offered. In no time, our renovation was completed to perfection by real professionals.

    Answer from pro:

    It took a while to figure out who this disappointed client could be. Why [the customer] waited 13 months to post a review puzzles me. After finding out from [JB] that the first designer walked out, I should have been more wary. However I was up to the challenge. [JB] was, as are all our clients, aware of the hourly rate, and was given a colour consultation for which she paid $236.25 (1.5 hours). She then asked for assistance in giving her some ideas for her basement. Another appointment was made later in February 2008. [JB] was supplied comprehensive drawings for built-ins surrounding the fire place and a wet bar according to her wishes and needs by a licensed carpenter, a quote for gas modifications by a licensed gas fitter, electrical modifications and pot lights installation quote by a licensed electrical company, floor plans and drawings by myself. During that time [JB] did not give any indication that she was not satisfied with the suggestions. In the nature of business, you supply quotes for jobs – some you get and others you do not. After giving the quotes, we did not hear back from them and assumed that they did not wish to proceed. JB was invoiced for the floor plans and drawings and still outstanding balance with our company. I do strongly agree with [JB] that you should not only check all contractor’s credentials with the City of Toronto but also check with your local Better Business Bureau (www.ccbbb.ca) to see if there have been any complaints lodged against them. Speaking with former clients will also give you a good idea as to their work ethics. In addition I would also advise clients to seek out at least 3 quotes from different companies. All quotes should be written in detail so you can compare the fine points. And to further clarify C.I.D.C. refers to Certified Interior Design Consultant and P.D.R.A. refers to Painting and Decorating Retail Association.

    Reply created 3 Mar 2009
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 25 Feb 2009

    select paint colours & draperies

    Andrea helped us choose the colours for our home. She helped us bring together our existing furniture & our personal tastes to create a warm & inviting living space. She was professional, friendly & accomodating. We have used Andrea in the past for decorating projects and will definitely consult with her before starting any future ones.
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 25 Feb 2009

    Colour consult

    Andrea really helped us choose colours for our first home. My husband and I had radically different ideas about colour options - Andrea showed us ideas we hadn't even thought of and it turned out AMAZING. The home has some challenging architectural issues and she made great suggestions of where to change colours that made the house sell a few years later for well above asking - and paint was pretty much the only upgrade we'd done! We'll be using her services again soon for our current home.
  • Review from HomeOwner
    Rating: 5 out of 5
    Review left on 9 Jan 2009

    Interior painting

    I chose Andrea based on her HomeStars reviews, and I was not disappointed! When I met Andrea I was overwhelmed with trying to pick paint colours for our new home...Andrea is a real pro - she was punctual, stuck to the timeline and costs she committed to, was lovely to work with and the final result has exceeded my expectations. (I also have to give credit to her husband Nelson who oversaw the painting - he was equally fantastic to work with.) My husband and I will absolutely use them again for any future projects!
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