What clients say...

I knew she had moved to the Cape, opened a home decor shop and was following her passion for interior design. Many years later, my husband and I downsized our home in the Boston suburbs. Our new place was much more modern so most of what we owned didn’t work in the new space. I met with a local interior design firm, showed them exactly what I wanted. However, when they laid out a design plan, they hadn’t listened to me at all. I walked away disappointed and decided to drop the idea altogether. My best friend had just gone through a very bad experience with a designer so I was nervous about the entire process and concerned about the cost. It’s not easy to trust someone enough to put your home in their hands!

Some time later, my husband and I decided to move ahead with hiring a designer, the house was so bare. That’s when we thought of Casabella. Michele and Shannon came to our house (which was over two hours away), asked me in-depth questions about how my family lived in the space and took pictures and measurements. Their positivity, honesty, and candor immediately put me at ease. And they really listened!

My husband and I have very different tastes so Michele and Shannon had their work cut out. They also had to incorporate pieces we already owned – including two black leather sofas that I can’t stand but my husband loves, and a few things I cherish: A picture my son made in the 4th grade, a painting from a close friend, and sea shells that I collect from my travels. My two best guy friends are extremely savvy about interior decorating so I brought them with me to the design presentation at Casabella’s studio. The three of us loved every single aspect of their design plan - which included all but one room on our first floor, and everything from rugs, drapes, lamps, and furniture to a custom bar, and accessories (pillows, mirrors, etc.). My friends are very hard to please so in many ways, it was a huge relief for me.

The day came for Casabella to install everything. When I walked in, it looked like a fancy hotel. I cried like a baby. It was so beautiful. And they pulled off what I thought was impossible – the perfect marriage between my husband’s style and mine. I don’t even see the black sofas anymore - the transformation is hard to conceive. They took every little factor into consideration and made sure it wasn’t just gorgeous to look at but functional. One of my friends summed it up nicely, “They really got you as a couple.” I can’t say enough glowing things about Casabella. From the first day we started working together, the project was easy and smooth. And so worth it!"

I was looking to redo my 2-bedroom condo in Brookline. (Besides my kitchen and bathrooms, the project was a complete overhaul.) I narrowed down my search to three designers in the Boston area. After speaking with Beth by phone, I knew I wanted to hire Casabella.

A few weeks later, Michele and Beth came to Brookline for my in-home consultation. We talked about the space, I showed them a handful of pictures I ripped out of a magazine, they measured everything, and took pictures. There was one image I showed them that I was especially drawn to – and Michele and Beth zoomed in on it. That picture became our design inspiration – partly because it captured a feeling as much as a look. After that meeting, I was expecting a lot more back and forth for us to get on the same page. I thought I’d have to push back too. And it just wasn’t like that at all - which was a big relief since at the time I was going through a lot personally and my daughter was having a baby. I was expecting to be overwhelmed. Thankfully, it was surprisingly easy. Watching the whole project unfold turned out to be a welcome distraction. And working with Michele and Beth was fun.

A month passed and I went to the Casabella shop for their design presentation.  Over the course of four to five hours, I looked at fabric, touched rugs, and reviewed everything they selected for the project. Beyond a few pieces that Michele kept in the design – including a mirror that I adore— my living room, bedrooms, dining room, and hallway were completely reimagined - down to the smallest detail. From the wall paint and draperies to the bed linens, accessories, rugs, and furniture, everything would be new. I was excited because they just got me.

When I came home to the final reveal a few months later, it was very close to what I imagined…only better. The pieces we picked out looked even more beautiful in my space. All the design elements came together so one room flows into the next. It's stunning and polished, but comfortable. When Michele asked if I had a favorite room, I said I didn’t because I loved them all.

The most unexpected part of this process was that they picked up on what would make me happy better than I could. When I think about what I provided to Casabella in terms of what I like (input) and what they produced (output), it’s very surprising. I wasn’t good at articulating what I wanted so they had very little to go on. Yet in return, they gave me everything I hoped for and more. There were ideas they came up with that I would never have thought to do on my own. And pieces that I never imagined would look perfect in my home, but to my surprise, they do. My biggest takeaway?  Don't experiment on your own. You’ll waste money, and you won’t be happy.

If and when my friends and family are ready to hire a designer, I’ll recommend Casabella with confidence."

I stopped in, bought a few things, and met Michele Holbrook. After a few more shopping excursions to Casabella, my sister and I bought our Cape house on the beach. The house was in beautiful condition but the look and colors we envisioned were different from what the previous owners had chosen. We knew right away that Michele was the person to help us with the new design.

I have always loved decorating but knew that neither my sister nor I would be able to take time away from our Company to facilitate a full design project on our own. We trusted Michele and had full confidence in her professionalism and abilities. We loved the pieces she curates in the shop so when it came time to choose fabrics, furnishings, rugs, window treatments and accessories, Michele and Shannon would narrow down the options to make the selection process that much easier. When we were on the fence about something, which only happened a few times, they had a non-obtrusive way of directing us towards the right choice. In the end, there were never any regrets with our decision.

A southern California coastal aesthetic was the look we wanted. We felt it was important to bring the ocean indoors by incorporating soothing colors and furnishings rather than busy patterns or loud colors that might distract the eye from the stunning ocean views. Friends and family often comment about the calming feel of the space, which was by design. Our home turned out beautifully - - serene, timeless and sophisticated. The look we envisioned was achieved, and more. In fact, Cape Cod Life featured our home on the cover of their magazine!

A short time after the Cape house was completed, I hired Casabella for my Boston pied-à-terre. Both times, Michele was respectful of project expenditures and timelines and worked brilliantly to incorporate my own pieces into the design, as she did with the Cape house.

Michele and the Casabella team were a pleasure to work with; they always kept their word, were on top of every single detail and overall made the project seamless from beginning to end.
I get a little a melancholy when a project is over because it is so much fun working with Michele and Shannon. I only wish I had more rooms to decorate!"

See space one   See space two

After moving furniture over from the old house, the space had a hodgepodge look to it. So for the second summer in the home, I wanted a well-furnished place that my family and friends could enjoy. I found the first designer through Google – and it turned out to be a painful experience. I walked out 30 minutes into their presentation because they did the exact opposite of what I asked for. Basically they wanted to build a showpiece for themselves with very expensive items. After paying for their time, I decided to do the decorating myself. On the way home from meeting with them, I happened into the Casabella shop, and found high quality pieces that I liked right off the bat (artwork, ottoman, coffee table), and at very reasonable prices. I met Michele, who in a very polite and un-pushy way said she could help in any way I needed. The more we talked about the project, the more excited she became, so I thought to myself she’s the one who should be decorating my home.

She helped with all the furnishing, paint scheme, trim work, and light fixtures, picking pieces that fit with my lifestyle and were easy to maintain.  She had great ideas that I never would have thought of.

For example, instead of suggesting a new couch and loveseat for my family room— which were both in great shape—she suggested reupholstering them. She has a store full of furniture that I liked, and I would have bought them new. That’s when I realized she was really working with me not for herself.

I work in construction so I can say this from experience that typically interior designers and construction/ install crews don’t have a good reputation with each other. With Michele it was the opposite. Because she’s gracious and treated everyone with respect, her crew thought the world of her and went above and beyond.

When the project was over, I hosted a party.  There were quite a few women who wept when they saw how beautiful the place was. They were overjoyed for me. Some of my friends were upset because they didn’t hire her before they decorated their own places!  I hired Michele again in the spring of 2015 after purchasing a 2-bedroom condo in Boston’s intercontinental. She did a phenomenal job again – it looks like a showroom—and she only had a 2-month window. Needless to say, I’ve referred her to a dozen people and can’t say enough good things about her."

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Where the style is darker and Mediterranean so when we moved to the Cape the goal for our home was to complement the style of the area. We were looking for coastal elegance - a formal look with a little glamour. Not beachy but sophisticated.

When I walked into Casabella Interiors, I knew immediately that Michele’s style was exactly what I’d been looking for– but couldn’t find on the cape. We just clicked right away and I knew I wanted to work with her.

What made Michele different is that she gave me options and she just got me. I loved everything she showed me. Also, the whole design process was flawless and seamless. Everything was done for us. We’re beyond happy with the results."

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just outside of Boston when we stopped into Casabella Interiors looking for help with this gigantic project. As soon as we walked in the door, we fell in love with their beautiful East Coast aesthetic. They had those unique one of a kind pieces that had a sophisticated edge – items we had been looking so hard for. While we were there, we met the owner Michele and one of her designers, Shannon. We shared our concept — which was a very open floor plan where our guests could see our chefs cooking behind the scenes combined with a gift shop.

I have a design background so I wasn’t looking to hire anyone, but they were excited about our plan and really understood construction, so one thing led to another and what started out as a lighting project turned into a substantial collaboration.

They were so helpful finding fabulous pieces, and really capturing the essence of our vision. From accessories, artwork, accent furniture pieces, wallpaper and other finishing touches, to having pieces built and commissioned for us, they were really instrumental in pulling the whole project together.

Michele was great in that she was very upfront about showing us the value of what she was doing. She’s also very hands-on, coordinating with contractors and really getting her hands in some of the more gritty details– which ultimately freed up my time and made the project much smoother for everyone. We couldn’t have asked for more thoughtful, inspirational, and professional partners – and I especially like that they respected our budget, timelines, and our tastes.
Part of what makes Michele and her team so successful is that they are really invested in their clients. They take their craft very seriously, but at the same time they are fun to work with. They really care about pleasing you and delivering a beautiful end product. The space came out better than we ever imagined. And I have two new people I think of as friends now."

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