Splendid & Swanky — Local services in Washington

We had a zero star experience with this design firm and their 2 owners. We hired them this past summer as we were wrapping up home renovations and needed some interior design help. We spoke to them on the phone, and they made one in home visit during the renovation. At the outset, we were excited to work with a DC-based, minority-owned business; however, we had some concerns that their designs are usually for staging houses for sale rather than for families who intend to live in the space and want the space to feel like them. We attempted to convey this our initial meetings and they assured us they have experience in both. Their first design review was not to our taste at all, we gave feedback on their suggestions, noting that we wanted our home to feel welcoming and not sterile or staged, without much success. In addition, when we went to West Elm to see the couch they suggested, we learned from their design specialist that most of the proposed pieces are West Elm, with a few pieces from CB2. We also learned that the same pieces would cost less if we purchased them directly from West Elm, which strikes us as odd given that they offer designers discounts. We could have simply used their free design services, rather than work with a firm that did not take our feedback into consideration. However, we wanted something more welcoming and unique and when 80% is from one store and they claim the rug “is the most unique piece” and not admit it is also yet another piece from West Elm. When we provided this feedback and expressed how the design feels to us, their response was not one aimed at figuring out what we want but rather that we only have one review left because they texted us a few pieces as options as the “second design review.” The response also made us feel as though they don't have a real desire to work with us or to take our tastes into account when making design proposals. We did not see the benefit in going through another round of review to end up back in the same place, especially after we were told the artwork we like was not to their taste. The scale of our renovation was very large, so we were willing to spend money on a designer, but we were strained to understand what work has been done to justify their design fee. We asked to terminate our contract, as we would not be using any of their suggestions and did not feel they wanted to work with us in anyway. The most difficult part was not just that we did not agree on the pieces but the way they spoke and treated us never made us feel like the clients, but instead that they were doing us a favor. They refused to terminate and after trying to continue with them, unsuccessfully, we came to an agreement to break contract and they offered to refund us only half of the design fee. My wife and I agreed to this as we could not see moving forward with such an unprofessional team with a very simple and basic design vision. We really believe for the level of work and time they put into our design they should have refunded us much more, if not all our money. We now have spent a lot of money and got not a single piece of advice or design for our home. I do note they have all 5 star reviews, but please note that most of the reviewers have only left one or few google reviews overall, and this should make you question their validity. We wish this was a success, as many friends we know have had great results with interior designers, unfortunately we did not have a good experience at all with...

If I could give 10 stars I would. But that’s not an option is it? My home flooded and I desperately needed a home make over! After much back-and-forth and uncertainty with decisions for renovations for my house after the flood, I realized that I should hire someone to give me the 411 on what’s in, what’ not, what’s cheap looking, what’s hot. I was looking for a classic look, but I needed to know what to get, where to get it, what to buy, what not to buy, what to invest in, where To save, what lasts forever, is classy, and is stylish all at the same time. Splendid and Swanky slapped (or inserted?) the stylish into me and I need to thank Newsha every day for choosing the best pieces for decorating and redoing my home. Thanks to Splendid and swanky, I feel like my home is a model house that will stay stylish for 100 years. Newsha put me in check. She gracefully, but firmly guided me in redoing my floors & cabinets. She worked with my weird schedule, brought out the bright natural beauty in my home, made it look bigger, more spacious, all while making it the most modern. She helped me with my furniture FOMO when I couldn’t choose between so many different colors, woods, textures—-qualities, prices, and patterns. After a bunch of back-and-forth in my mind- Newsha of Splendid &Swanky not only told me exactly what I needed to buy and do,——she arranged it, perfected it, decorated it, and plantified it. She basically showed me the light.—— a whole new side of decor and quality I wouldn’t have imagined ever buying or getting. She gave me not only what I wanted-, but showed me what I should want, and gave me what I need. Most importantly, she built a trust between us that I needed in order to have her take over the project. It was the best home make over decision I made. I have to say that every single time I walk into my living room and my house—- I think man am I lucky- and man was it worth it. My neighbors With exact floor plans are convinced my unit is bigger—- all thanks to newsha! It will stay sexy forever! Newsha met with me, checked out my home and the colors that were already here, worked with what I had and helped get rid of all the things I didn’t need in my home that I had emotional attachments with. I honestly should call her Doctor Home Decor—- Because she de cluttered, and cured my hoarding habits. She kept it simple, sleek, sunny, and clean—- and she also took into account my personality and bohemian life style when picking my furniture. PROPS—- she picked the best Italian wood and GOT ME A DISCOUNT on my floors. She showed me how to get discounts on quality things in west elm. Despite my ambivalent & indecisive nature in the beginning of my home journey, I realized that Newsha was basically the god of design and I should always listen to her opinion because she’s...

We hired Splendid and Swanky (SS) to design our kitchen and primary bath. While we were generally happy with the designs, we were displeased with the process of working with them.

During our initial call, SS informed us that they work closely with the contractor and we could select our own. However, SS rarely engaged with our chosen contractor regarding the implementation of their design, instead leaving us to act as the “middleman” to ensure the design was executed accurately. When we needed design solutions, such as the gap between our bathtub and the wall, the response was often “ask your contractor."

There also appeared to be a lack of attention to detail. The design presentation itself was missing paint colors, grout colors, finishes, garbage disposal air switch, and guidance on the wood stain for the vent hood cover. We ended up choosing a wood stain that we liked, which SS later gave unsolicited feedback that they thought it was too dark. When looking to find an air switch button for the garbage disposal ourselves, we easily found that the manufacturer of their recommended faucet made a button in the same exact finish.

We are aware that our contract with SS stated that SS purchases all items on the client’s behalf, but we asked if we could use our Home Depot discount to purchase items ourselves. In an email to us, SS told us that was fine. After this, however, we found multiple items for cheaper prices than the invoice provided by SS, which would save us several hundred dollars. We also calculated the shipping costs for items on the invoice from SS and found that there was about a $100 difference between their invoice and our calculations. Rather than explaining any reasons for these differences or helping us find savings on these items, SS decided to terminate our contract that day.

Overall, the value of the services SS provided was not commensurate with the services rendered. We will not be using Splendid and Swanky for any future...