Diana Gourguechon

Diana came to my home for an initial consult. I had already visited her website and liked her gallery of pictures of work she had previously done. During this visit we toured the area I wished to renovate and discussed design options. Diana asked many questions about colors, design elements, etc. that appealed to me. Diana described what her services included and her hourly rate.

Diana and I met again for a more in-depth discussion about what I wanted in the way of design, color, the feel of each room, the emphasis of each room, etc. She brought many home decorating/design magazines for me to peruse and tear out anything that appealed to me. In this way she could obtain an idea of type of designs and colors that appealed to me.

Diana met with me and my contractor to go over his design for the renovation of the 5 rooms - living room, dining room, side bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. She asked him many questions and offered suggestions. I felt she held her own with the contractor without a problem. I also had Diana present when the electrician came in to discuss the lighting for the various rooms. She also had definite ideas regarding the lighting issues which I really liked.

Diana and I narrowed down that I wanted modern clean lines with a tranquil feel to the rooms. I quickly found that we had similar taste which worked well in our collaboration. Diana brought in color samples to choose from. From there we went shopping for furniture and lighting. Diana also picked out samples of kitchen floor tile, wood floor stain colors, and so forth that would pull the rooms together into a cohesive design flow.

Throughout the 7 week renovation and afterwards, Diana was available by email and phone to answer questions and help with design issues. She often stopped by during the renovation to see how the work was going and to discuss issues that she felt needed addressed with the contractor's site manager. I now have a beautiful and tranquil main floor that matches my tastes exactly.

Diana is an excellent communicator and listener. At no time did she try to pressure me into incorporating a design idea that I was not totally in agreement with. With well directed questions and viewing the pages I pulled out of magazines that I thought spoke to my aesthetic, she quickly identified the flow of the rooms, design, color, furniture, lighting, flooring, etc that would best match my aesthetic. I felt that Diana and I "clicked" immediately.

Diana was always prompt in answering emails or phone messages from me. She always had answers and offered a variety of design options for me to choose from. At all times she reinforced that what I liked was the primary concern. Saying that, when she felt something might work better to reach my goal Diana would gently guide me toward the idea, explain her concept in full and why she thought it was a better option. When she did this, I found that I always went with her idea and was always pleased with the results. Diana was organized and worked efficiently thus reducing the hours she charged me for.

I was extremely stressed out with the renovation process. Diana was a miracle worker at how she calmed me and reduced my stress level by putting the renovation process in proper perspective. She has a warm and calming demeanor mixed with a great sense of humor. I just loved spending time with Diana.

Diana grew up in an artistic family and throughout my main floor renovation I see her artistic eye and excellent taste. I walk through these rooms and still am amazed that I have something so beautiful in my life. The rooms are made even more beautiful by the fact that they are rooms that you can actually live in and enjoy. Thank you Diana for the wonderful service that you gave me and the stunning rooms you left behind.

Rebecca Zimmerman

"Diana designed our approximately 21,000 square feet of downtown office space.  She is a person of extreme talent coupled with a stimulating personality and an endless desire to please the client. She genuinely values your input, takes every detail into consideration, and then flawlessly delivers on your vision.  Practical and down to earth, Diana has a unique talent for the art of placement and will incorporate old and new pieces into your space in a way you never imagined.  We could not be more pleased with our new space and the “feel” we get each and every day walking into our beautiful office.  Fantastic work, Diana!

Philip R. Warth, Jr.
President and CEO, First Nonprofit, Insurance Co.

“Diana's impeccable taste and comforting manner made our journey from house to condo a joy ride.  Throughout the moving process, Diana helped us articulate (and refine) our needs, and then convert them into the perfect home, down to the last detail.  Not only did she help us move walls, pick color schemes, improvise the layout, select furniture, countertops, and artwork,  and arrange and organize our 35 years worth of belongings, but she also connected us with local artists and artisans who not only added a special touch to our furnishings, but also saved us money.  Every visitor to our new digs has been blown away by the decore.  THANKS!”

Richard Kolsky, Chicago, IL

“During the four months we spent working together, I watched you work your magic in my home.  I feel that you are forever woven into my life as well as the space I call home.”

Jackie Mattfelfd, Chicago, IL

“Thanks for all your help – you were so easy to work with.  I was always afraid that a designer would mean an end result that was not like ‘me’ – but my kitchen looks just like me.  The kitchen is a project to be proud of.”

Diane Schorsh, Morton Grove, IL

“I love working and living in spaces that have been ‘touched’ by Diana.  We greatly appreciate your thoughtful and creative work.”

Judy Crampton, Park Ridge, IL

“Again, thank you for everything you’ve done to make our house a home.  It’s so nice to see your special touch from tile to pillows.”

Chris Peters, Morton Grove, IL

“Roy and I are in a wonderful mood tonight. I am sure it has to do with the wonderful work you did here today. We love having our stuff around us.

Now that we have, I think completed our task in getting our apartment finished, I want to tell you once again what a great job you did and how pleased I am with the results.

From our initial meetings about which floor plan to use, you were a careful listener, responsive to our thoughts and needs; your creativity and good taste enhance the pleasure of our everyday living as well as making it convenient and efficient; you were equally good about doing some of the real grunt work  In short we feel so at home and content in the ambiance, for which in many ways you are responsible.

Thanks for all you did.  I wish you continued success in the future.”

Ruth Belzer, Evanston, IL

"When I moved, Diana helped me make my house a home by personalizing it with color. Recently she came over to help me freshen it up, and literally in one hour, moving 50 things it went from cluttered to serene and airy. Diana is a genius with redesign!"

Susan Page Tillett, Executive Director, Ragdale Foundation