Holt Design House - Los Gatos, California

Dina S.

We could not recommend Melissa more highly. We added a small addition and went down to the studs on the rest of the house. We brought in Melissa before construction based on her design aesthetic. Her expertise was critical in making design decisions when things had to pivot throughout the remodel process due to COVID delays and the inevitable speed bumps that come with a remodel.

Even though we loved everything on her website and thought she would replicate elements from her existing projects, she created something that was uniquely ours and created a style that we didn’t even know that we wanted but fell in love with. She perfectly blended the modern elements that we wanted for the exterior with the more traditional elements of the original ranch style home and my personal aesthetic.

We quickly became comfortable enough that we relied on her guidance to help make tough decisions. There were a few moments when individual parts were completed that caused us to worry about whether we made the right decision, though she ensured us that we did. As an example, the shower tile went in before anything else in the master bathroom and we thought we had made a huge mistake with the color we chose, but once the cabinets, hardware, towels, and decorative elements were in, we could not be happier with the result. All of this is to say, trust Melissa’s process. When people see our house, they are always taken aback by the thoughtful details and surprising design elements. People always ask how we chose some design element that they love or figured out a creative use of space, and it’s always Melissa’s doing.

Melissa also worked well with the General Contractor, Architects, as well as all the trades and was valuable in advocating for her clients. There was a period during our remodel when we had to focus on family matters, and it gave us comfort that Melissa was there to ensure everything she designed went in according to plan.

One of our favorite parts was having her help with the final decorative elements and having her team do the installation. We were able to move back into a completely finished, functional living space with every detail taken care of, including flowers, vases, coasters, towels, picture frames, pillows and linens. Every element was clearly intentional and chosen with our exact space in mind. Given the relationships she has established with trusted partners, she was able to connect us with an organizer, handyman, wallpaper installer, and ensure we picked out the right window treatments.

I would 100% use Melissa again on another project.

Christina W.

We contracted with Cabana Rehab to design our kitchen remodel. Melissa is reliable, gracious and incredibly talented. Her ability to understand our vision but introduce us to fresh design ideas resulted in a very beautiful finished product. She is kind, approachable and is able to support the pace of the project, regardless of phase. Her guidance helped us select some really special pieces to incorporate into our design which we continue to cherish. I highly recommend Melissa as a designer.

E S.

I spoke with Melissa about doing several rooms in my new home. We discussed budget, timeline, and aesthetics. She visited my homey and took measurements and pictures. She was lovely and we had a nice conversation. I was looking forward to working with her and she had agreed to send a contract within two weeks. Then I never heard from her again. I suspect she had her reasons for not wanting to move forward with my project but it was totally unprofessional not to send a note declining business and to completely ignore my emails requesting some closure. Had I known she was not willing or able to take on my work I could have started the search for someone else sooner.

Erin D.

We did a complete exterior and interior re-model of our home with Melissa as our designer and I can not say enough good things or recommend her highly enough. She took the time to get to know us and our aesthetic and somewhat magically developed designs and styles that we just loved. She was great at taking input on anything outside my comfort zone and finding alternatives. And both my husband and I truly felt through through the whole process that she just "got us."

I am over the moon happy with the end result. And, strangely, for this area, she is incredibly reasonable compared with other designers. Thank you Melissa!!

Nunley F.

Melissa has beautiful and modern taste that she brings to every project. Her choices are both practical and charming and she takes the stress out of any project. She is forward looking and in tune with modern design trends, floor plans, appliances and amenities. Cabana Rehab is a great choice for interior designs.