Reviews and Testimonials
Remodel
I can’t speak highly enough about this talented and professional designer. Lisa recreated our home with an elegant and serene palette listening always to our ideas and implementing them in such a refined way. She maintained a carefully articulated budget and found accent pieces that were unique within those perimeters. The finished project came in on time and on budget. What a wonderful experience it has been to work with Lisa.
– August 2018
Remodel
One question I am asked more frequently than any other is - "How did you get all that work completed so fast?" My answer is always the same - Lisa! Her design concepts are beautiful and innovative and have enhanced the livability of our new home. Designing Works has access to the best people I have ever worked with - from painters to electricians to carpenters to plumbers to HVAC experts. They came when scheduled, were easy to have in my home, did excellent work and, when necessary, returned to finish those small but final details of the job. Lisa managed it all. And working with Lisa is nothing short of a pleasure. She is organized, always available for questions, and thinks of solutions. We had a challenging timeline and Lisa kept everyone focused and organized and got it done. The budget was met. The timeline was met. The work was everything I wanted. On a personal note - Lisa is also enjoyable to work with which makes the whole process easier. Job well done!
– Mary Beth Shaffer, December 2016
Remodel
I am writing regarding our experience with Lisa Whittet, who staged our home in Bayside and arranged EVERYTHING for us in our NEW home in Mequon. Everything included: carpeting every room in both homes, quartz counters in kitchen and 2 bathrooms, removing wallpaper and painting every room in new home, gutting a bathroom and building a new one (new home), new flooring in 2 bathrooms in Bayside home and many other details which I cannot enumerate. BUT, you are getting the idea! Lisa was wonderful, and the men and women she hired were professional and helpful in every way. In addition, everyone was so pleasant to be with and have in our homes. We are truly blessed to know Lisa and her "helpers" and to have them in our lives.
– Susan & Henry Sokol, October 2016
Occupied Staging
We love the work you did. When the house sells and we find an apartment or condo to rent, we would like you to help us decide what to bring with us and to arrange the new place.
– Joan & Wally Givler, New Berlin, WI
Occupied Staging
Lisa, again, many thanks for creating a look that was able to use so many of my items and look hip, urban and contemporary for the space. Best of all, you are inspiring and have given me ideas for future living areas.
Thank you.
– Polly, Milwaukee, WI
Occupied Staging – Sold in 5 days
I wanted to thank you for your efforts in staging my home for sale in Cedarburg. I could not have had a better experience. As you know, I am a confirmed bachelor. My style was completely non-existent. I had friends come over and say that it was completely evident that a single guy lived there. I did quite a bit of work on the house to modernize and refresh the place in its entirety. The problem was not the structure, but rather the content in the house. You came in and completely turned that around. Never could I have imagined how good the place could look. Your ideas and your touch were impeccable. You transformed my abode from a sparsely decorated, empty house into a very well appointed home. The proof was definitely in the pudding. We sold in five days on the market. It was incredible. Your speed in execution and dedication to getting things ready on a short schedule were truly amazing. You can definitely count me a future client when I'm ready to take the dip back into the homeownership pool. Thank you again for all of your hard work, your kindness and expertise in knowing exactly what to do the place. I will recommend you to everyone I know. Thanks again and talk to you soon.
– Ed Blau, Cedarburg, WI
Occupied Staging
I started as a skeptic and ended up being totally sold on the value of having Lisa come in to stage the house. She is a professional who knows how to get things done efficiently and effectively. It took her little time to judge what needed to be changed, and she has great resources who can get things done quickly and well. Next time, I would ask her in to decorate a newly purchased house as well as one that is going on the market. I wish I had known her when we first moved into our home on the market. Oh - she is also excellent at answering the many questions that a skeptic poses, with clarity, kindness, and a little humor. A true professional.
– Betsy McElroy, Whitefish Bay, WI
Occupied Staging
It was a pleasure to watch Lisa stage our house. She rearranged pieces of our furniture in ways we had not conceived, and we love the result! She has a wonderful eye for design and we will certainly call on Lisa to design our next home. However, because we love how she worked her magic in our present house, we might not want to move!
– Joyce & Jon Gudeman, Milwaukee, WI
Vacant Staging
After 6 unsuccessful months on the market, our Whitefish Bay house was staged by Lisa. Clearly, Lisa captured "the look" that young buyers are looking for, giving a neutral, contemporary feel to our classic home. Immediately, buyer traffic increased, and we accepted an offer shortly thereafter. Lisa knows what buyers want to see...and she provides it.
– Meredie & Tom Scrivner, Whitefish Bay, WI
Occupied Staging – Sold in 4 days
Lisa was great to work with. She knew exactly what needed to be done to get my house up to date, which had become very dated looking. She has a great eye for color and style and knew what people in the market looking for properties wanted. In fact the property we bought had also used her. She has great resources of people and places to get all the work done and these people were also a pleasure to work with. I have recommended Lisa to others and would not hesitate to continue doing so.
– Becky Komisar, Bayside, WI
Occupied Staging – Sold in 2 days
As a result of the staging of my home to prepare it for selling, I received multiple offers after just 3 days on the market, and each was over the asking price! I can't begin to describe what a magnificent job Lisa McGoohan and her staff did, working well within my budget, to transform my home into something stunning. In addition to staging my home, they also provided services such as organizing, packing, storing, home repairs, etc. Lisa was genuinely interested and concerned about making things exactly right. She was very easy going and put me at ease throughout the entire process.
I highly recommend Designing Works and would definitely hire them again.
– Joan Kappes, Whitefish Bay, WI
Occupied Staging
Despite the economic downturn making it nearly impossible to sell one's house, our house sold quickly and at a good price due to Lisa's expert staging. Lisa has a true gift for taking a house and turn it into an appealing, comfortable home for any buyer. The estimate was expertly made, well explained, and on the mark. Unfortunately, we had several disasters (basement flood and electrical problems) during sale preparation. Lisa's calm, caring, expert advice was a quick phone call or email away. I couldn't have done it without her. It was one of the best investments we ever made.
– Mequon, WI
Interior Design
We were out-of-town buyers previewing homes and loved the décor of a house that Lisa and Designing Works had staged. We bought a different house due to school jurisdictions, and had just one month between closing on our new house and having our household furniture container delivered from Asia, where we were living. Lisa was magnificent in coordinating all the details to make our new house our home. She selected great colors, helped us shop for furniture and rugs to complement our existing pieces, assisted in choosing countertops, purchased wonderful accessories, and arranged painters, carpenters, and flooring experts to pull everything together seamlessly and on time. Lisa is a true and trusted professional—she has an expert eye and knows the people and places to generate gorgeous and inviting rooms. It was a real pleasure to work with her and we love our new home. Thank you, Lisa!
– Christa Rosenberg, Whitefish Bay, WI, Spring 2013
Vacant Staging
It was a wonderful experience working with Lisa to help me stage my home to sell. She helped pick out every color of the house, both inside and out, and it turned out fabulous. We received countless compliments on the home and I know they were due in large part to Lisa's color selections. She also staged our home with furniture during the selling process. The items she brought in instantly warmed up the home and made it very attractive to buyers. She added tremendous value to our home which we realized during the selling process.
– Jennifer Deslongchamps, Whitefish Bay, WI, Spring 2013
Occupied Staging
Lisa is a magician, transformer, and an absolute delight, all rolled into one, energetic superwoman! She was able to look past all of our collections, artwork, rugs and (tasteful, of course!?) clutter to the bare bones of our home on Lake Drive in Whitefish Bay. At her suggestion, we, reluctantly at first, removed 6,500 lbs of "stuff", removed wallpaper from our dining room walls and transformed it into a family room, de-cluttered, stored several rugs so the wood floors were enhanced and only hung certain artwork pieces so the house showed off its open-space concept and appeared larger. Result? Our very first viewers submitted an offer above our asking price and the 2nd viewers submitted a secondary offer. We could NOT have done it without Lisa ~ I wholeheartedly recommend her and her magic wand!!!!! She is fabulous!
– Nancy Mahany, Whitefish Bay, WI, April 2013
Occupied Staging
Lisa was a total joy to work with in transforming my mother’s beautiful but dated lake house into a warm and inviting updated home. I was left wishing we had made the changes long ago when we could have enjoyed them. Lisa was cost conscious throughout the process and truly focused on keeping the job from becoming a burden to me. She was efficient, organized and communicated well during the project. I hope to have the opportunity to work with her again.
– Nan Gardetto, Muskego, WI, April 2013
Occupied Staging
We contracted with Designing Works in order to stage our home. The circumstances were difficult by the speed with which we required the job to be completed. We found Lisa to be particularly efficient and capable in creating an environment which is inviting and warm. She recommended we change our paint colors and added accessories while also rearranging furniture. The rooms look updated and comfortable. We would advise anyone looking for such services to seriously consider using her expertise. Thank you Lisa for a job well done!
– Marci, Mequon, WI, March 2013
Occupied Staging
I know kids use the words “awesome” and “amazing” for the most prosaic things, but I sincerely think that accurately describes your talent. WOW . . . impressive! Thanks for your hard work to meet a challenging timeline.
– Maureen & Al Sherwood, Whitefish Bay, WI, January 2013
Occupied Staging
I had my house on the market for over 6 months with little interest....After Lisa Staged property within a matter of 30 days i got multiple offers with relatively same price.
– Jennifer, Mequon, WI, Summer 2012
Occupied Staging
Lisa is probably one of the easiest people we have ever worked with. She was always very accommodating and professional in all our conversations. The makeover transformed our house into something that was very warm and inviting. And she didn’t demand that we purchase all new furniture and accessories or rent from her. We can’t say enough good things about Lisa and what she was able to accomplish for us in a very short timeframe. We hope to use her services again in our new home in New Mexico.
– John & Marcia, Cedarburg, WI, Spring 2012
Realtor Recommendation
I am a Real Estate Agent and I have used Lisa on numerous occasions to stage homes and get them ready to put on the market. Lisa is creative, professional, a great communicator, efficient, and reliable. My clients have always been happy with Lisa's results and her staging is a key factor in selling my listings with very few days on market. I would highly recommend Lisa for her design and staging expertise."
– Karen Wertz, Shorewest Realtors, Fall 2012
Vacant Staging
Designing Works provided expert professional advice in staging our house in Whitefish Bay, WI. This was due to our relocation to another state prior shortly after we had the house on the market. The minor repairs and changes did substantially improved the visual appeal, enhancing the existing décor. Staging pieces were tastefully chosen and positioned. We highly recommend Designing Works for home improvement and staging purposes.
– Steven & Gretta Wong, Whitefish Bay, WI, Spring 2012
Occupied Staging
I want to thank you for working with me and doing such a nice job. You were easy to work with and also very helpful. I appreciate that. Some of my close friends could not believe how different and lovely the house looks. They were also surprised that you used a lot of ethnic pieces in your decor. Actually you maybe getting a call from my friend for interior decorating advice. How about that?? I will also call you from Pittsburgh for advice when I start looking for a house. Thank you again and take care.
– Dr. Jaishree Hariharan, Mequon, WI, March 2012
Occupied Staging
Dear Lisa,
We want to thank you for your professionalism and expertise in helping us stage our home for sale earlier this year. Within five weeks of having our home on the market, we received three offers and accepted one which was over our asking price.
Positive comments came from all who toured the property including realtors, prospective buyers and the ultimate buyers. They acknowledged the interior appearance and your suggested improvements as very appealing when compared to other houses they had seen on-line and then in person. The selection of flooring, furniture, light and plumbing fixtures, wall colors and accessories updated and highlighted our home’s features and gave us a definite advantage in the selling process. Selling ones home can be a trying and daunting experience and your excellent communications from start to finish allowed us to meet the established budget, timing deadlines and the ultimate goal of selling our home.
It was a pleasure working with you and we would highly recommend you and your services to others who are preparing to sell their home.
– Chris & Diane, Hubertus, WI, December 2011
Occupied Staging
I had a wonderful experience with Designing Works. Lisa had lots of wonderful ideas and was a pleasure to work with. Our home looked amazing for the buyer, but we still felt comfortable at the same time.
– Lisa Lindsay, Mequon, WI, September 2011
Vacant Staging
There is no doubt in our minds that Lisa’s efforts made it possible for us to receive an offer at full price in less than a week on the market! Her work transformed a rather tired older house into a beautiful home that the buyers could picture themselves in. Thanks Lisa, is was great working with you.
– Greg & Denise Cole, River Hills, WI, September 2011
Occupied Staging
David and I have been very pleased with your assistance. You rolled up your sleeves and transformed the house into a showcase that we know will help us sell it very quickly. The end product is a beautiful, warm, and inviting environment that we know will make the future homeowners very happy. Thank you very much for all your help.
– Gus Zoumas & David Izzy, Mequon, WI, June, 2011
Vacant Staging
“We would highly recommend Lisa McGoohan for any staging needs. She moved quickly and professionally through the process of on-site consultation to delivery and set up of our items. Her expert design sense and style made a big difference in the appearance and impressiveness of our home. After being on the market for six months, Lisa came in and staged the house and it was sold in three weeks! She was courteous and reasonable, and a pleasure to work with.”
– Colin & Colleen Hutt, Whitefish Bay, WI, May 2011
Occupied Staging
To whom it may concern, Lisa is:
• Professional
• Efficient
• Friendly
• Creative
• Responsive
• Dependable
• Reasonable
• Decisive
• Cooperative
• Flexible
• Trustworthy
These adjectives describe the part of Lisa and her job qualifications which contributed to our enjoyment and satisfaction with her work. I would recommend her without reservation.
– Nat Beckwith, Milwaukee, WI, May 2011
Occupied Staging
What superlatives can I use in recommending Lisa McGoohan to stage and prepare your house or condo for sale? She has a terrific sense of style and color coordination. I had my complete house painted and carpet replaced. She is the pro; knows instinctively what will appeal to people looking for a house. She reduced the clutter and created the “wow, we can move right in and won’t have to do a thing.” Without Lisa and her staff, there were times I wondered how I could possibly get everything done. Needless to say, I recommend her without reservation and you will be luck if you hire her to help you.
– Jake Jacobson, Milwaukee, WI, May 2011
Occupied Staging
Thank you for the amazing job you did. You transformed our home into a warm, very appealing place. We are very appreciative of how you accommodated our tight schedule and worked within our budget. Best wishes for your continued success. Lisa; Thank you again. I am so appreciative of what you did for us. I still walk room to room amazed at the transformation. You certainly have a gift.
– Linda & Brian Borofka, Mequon, WI, May 2011
Occupied Staging
Despite the economic downturn making it nearly impossible to sell one's house, our house sold quickly and at a good price due to Lisa's expert staging. Lisa has a true gift for taking a house and turn it into an appealing, comfortable home for any buyer. Unfortunately, we had several disasters during sale preparation. Lisa's calm, caring, expert advice was a quick phone call or email away. I couldn't have done it without her. It was one of the best investments we ever made. Thank you, Lisa.
– Jean Linn, Shorewood, WI, May 2011
Occupied Staging
Thank you for the great job you did staging my home. Your eye for decorating is impressive to say the least! I especially appreciate your willingness to combine my furnishings with the new furnishings purchased. I had some sentimental pieces which you worked into the “plan,” and I am happy about that.
My house truly has been transformed; I absolutely love it and am enjoying it. It will be a pleasure to work with you again should the need arise.
– Cindy Betts, Whitefish Bay, WI, September 2010
Retirement Community Presentation
We invited Lisa McGoohan to come in and speak to a group of guests about getting ready for the sale of their homes. She had the audience in the palm of her hand. Her before and after photos were striking…prospects were immediately able to grasp the concept of what Designing Works can do to stage a home for sale or make their present space more appealing. Lisa utilizes practical ideas to get the most bang for your hard-earned money. Thank you Lisa!
– Betty Christen, Director of Homes & Apartments, Cedar Community, West Bend, WI, July 2010
Occupied Staging
The Staging was the easiest part of getting the house ready to sell. Lisa Whittet McGoohan made the whole process painless and cost effective. I met Lisa through my realtor who provided the initial Staging analysis as part of the sales services. It was obvious during this first encounter that I needed assistance in making my lake home more saleable. It was configured for family comfort but not to make the best show of the property. Lisa was thoughtful and professional in describing the advantages of Staging services with specific cost estimates for the various options open to me.
Once my decisions were made, I relaxed and Lisa did her magic! She did all the shopping for eight rooms, including artwork, rugs, towels, furniture and accessories. All the rooms were Staged in one day and I returned home to find the house fabulously redone. Not only is the house more attractive to buyers, but it’s actually more livable for us. I only wish the designer that helped us with the original layout had been as skilled as Lisa. Since the completion of my house, I have recommended Lisa to several of my friends, all of whom have been equally pleased with the results in their homes. I can guarantee you that I will be asking Lisa to assist with our new house!
– Kay Fleming, Hubertus, WI, June 2010
Occupied Staging
Lisa was great to work with. She not only made our home look sleek and modern, but she also made the process painless for us. She told us exactly what needed to be done, purchased all of the accessories and came in and in one day - made our home look like a model. We’ve received nothing but positive comment from potential buyers.
– Jenny & Rob Kreil, Franklin, WI, March 2010
Occupied Staging
My husband and I engaged Lisa McGoohan of Designing Works to help stage our home for sale in January 2010. We are delighted with her work and would highly recommend her to any prospective client. On a personal level she is a pleasure to work with, and on a professional level she miraculously transformed our home for sale in a very short period of time, finding economic solutions wherever possible, and significantly adding value to our sale price.
We have lived in our home for over 25 years. While it is a beautiful property, valued in excess of $800,000, it had become somewhat crowded with furnishings and personal effects. Likewise it had suffered some natural wear and tear over the years. Lisa worked tirelessly and creatively to transform the space into one that would offer maximum appeal to buyers.
As my husband and I have both been retired for 20 years, the task of staging the house was daunting, both physically and psychologically. Lisa made this overwhelming job feel manageable, and completed the work is a very short period of time.
She contacted our real estate agent to arrange for us to view other homes that were in our sale price range to have a better sense of what others were doing well or, in some cases, not so well. She cleared clutter that would prove distracting to buyers, removing books, furniture, and personal effects. She packed up and stored clothing and other household items to make rooms appear larger, and rearranged what was left in the rooms. Lisa worked with painters, and other workers who were hired to move and store excess furniture. She took charge of gardeners who reworked our landscaping to show more of city lights and views of the pool. She shopped for accessories to freshen and enhance key zones of the house. She stayed within budget and often found solutions cost that less that we anticipated, shopping at discount stores, negotiating special deals, and employing methods that saved us money in the staging process. For example, we planned to re-carpet. She sourced an alternative to our choice of carpeting at one half the original price including her discount. By selecting carpet that was already in stock we eliminated 6 weeks of waiting time and she was able to oversee the installation herself.
The overall result of her work was excellent, and helped us realize the full potential of our property. Sometimes the issues that create a barrier to sale are very small, and easily remedied. Lisa has a keen eye for these red flags and a comprehensive set of simple solutions and seemingly boundless energy to make things happen. We would certainly recommend her work to anyone planning to sell there home, as an investment that will pay back in both time and money.
– Bette Sullivan, Scottsdale, AZ, February 2010
Color Consultation
Year first hired: 2004 (hired several times)
Top qualities: Great results, personable, high integrity
Let's be honest here - who hasn't started a project in the home, pulled countless paint chips from various paint stores, and spent more time contemplating the choices than it took to give birth to an infant? Then the final insult, the disappointment once the color has covered each and every wall. Maybe we all need to realize the importance of color. Lisa McGoohan is the guru of color, plain and simple. Her eyes take in the light, the ambience of the room and the surrounding area before offering her choices. Subtle or bold and sassy, it will make a difference in the appearance of your living space. Regardless of your belief in the power of color, one will appreciate Lisa's discerning eye for color. We could not have achieved the balance of color in our home with out her expertise.
– Donna Olsen, Bayside, WI
Vacant Staging
Lisa McGoohan can ‘change your world’ with her decorating and Staging skills. She brings a whole new outlook with her positive energy. The real estate market needs all the help it can get - her ideas can make the experience less stressful and bring about the results to make it happen! Working with Lisa is a true blessing and I BELIEVE in Lisa so I give her a #1 recommendation.
– Doris Deputy, Mequon, WI, September 2009
Occupied Staging & Color Consultation
I have had the opportunity to work with Lisa McGoohan of Designing Works on several of my listings this year and the results have been so exceptional that her services are now a regular part of my marketing program for all of my new listings. I believe that her Staging services have been an integral part of not only a quick sale for my clients but a top dollar sale as well. She has worked on listings ranging from $100,000 up to $1,000,000 and she approached each with the same amount of enthusiasm, care and eye for detail with several properties receiving multiple offers and one going over list price. My clients have thanked me for introducing them to Lisa and all have commented that they never feel pressured, that she is easy to talk to, easy to work with and that she truly cares about doing a great job…many of them have enjoyed working with her so much that they have enlisted her help in decorating their new home! I can’t say enough about Lisa and I look forward to each listing so I can work with her again!
– Lori Eckhardt, Shorewest Realtors, August 2009
Occupied Staging & Interior Redesign
Working with Lisa has been a very enjoyable experience. She is professional yet easygoing and was able to ease me through what could have been a daunting process. While working with Lisa, I was able to be involved as much or as little as I wanted. She has excellent taste and is extremely creative. Lisa seems to know exactly what a room needs and was able to transform my home from ordinary to extraordinary. I would definitely welcome the opportunity to work with her again.
– Karen Costomiris, Whitefish Bay, WI, August 2009
Occupied Staging
It was a true pleasure to work with Designing Works. Lisa McGoohan was quick to respond to my inquiry about a Staging need. She made contact with my Seller right away and within two weeks the house was Staged and looked fabulous! I think Staging is vital to today’s real estate market and would definitely recommend Designing Works and Lisa McGoohan.
– Bradley Wabiszewski, First Weber Realtors, Shorewood, WI, August 2009
Interior Redesign
I have had the pleasure of working with Lisa on several different occasions. I am very impressed with her talent as a Real Estate Stager and as one who Redesigns living spaces. Her sense of color, textiles, space and balance are truly gifts that cannot be taught. Her rooms emote a feeling of peacefulness. Just the repositioning of furniture changes everything. She was faced with transforming a cavernous family room into a peaceful and inviting setting. She created two social spaces out of what had been one space, and the change was dramatic. It was just like HGTV, a total transformation that took my breath away. All without purchasing a thing! Lisa is very easy to work with. She is sensitive to the needs and desires of her clients. She is very efficient, direct and most importantly a good listener. I would recommend her to anyone.
– Lynne Rhyan, Mequon, WI, July 2009
Vacant Staging
Lisa was very flexible and creative in working with us to come up with a Staging plan that maximized the presentation of our home while staying within our budget. Once we decided on a plan, she made it happen quickly and there’s no question that our house showed much better.
– Jon & Sarah, Mequon, WI, May 2009
Realtor Recommendation
Lisa accommodates the timelines and needs of the sellers and agents, and finds creative solutions within the home. Working within the budgetary constraints of the client, I have been working with Lisa to stage most of the homes I listed over the last several years. I truly believe my successful sales statistics have been aided because of Lisa’s touch in each of the homes that I have sold. I feel so strongly about the value-added of Designing Works, that I hired her when I sold my own home in 2008. It sold in less than 2 weeks for 4K under the asking price, in a sluggish market. I then hired Lisa to help me move in and redesign and repurpose our furniture in our new condo. Lisa and Designing Works are worth every dime you pay for them. If you don’t talk to this Staging and Redesign professional, you may be missing your best opportunity to get the best price in the shortest amount of time.
– Kelly Seaman, First Weber Realtors, Mequon, WI, October 2008
Vacant Staging
Lisa is a pleasure to work with. My partner and I gave her a blank canvas with challenges in regards to floor plan. Lisa took it and transformed a house into a home. I would recommend her to anyone looking for Staging services.
– Luke Todryk, Owner, A.L.T. Investment Properties LLC, Shorewood, WI, October 2008
Occupied Staging
Lisa, I just wanted to thank you for the work you did with me to get our house ready to sell. We were successful in selling our home at just a few thousand under list after two and a half weeks on the market. We received so much positive feedback on how well the house showed, thanks to your good eye and advice.
– Betsy & John Lavigne, Mequon, WI, December 2007
Occupied Staging & Color Consultation
My initial reaction to the Staging was that it enhanced the look of the house. I particularly liked how you rearranged the furniture in the family room and created a conversation area. In addition, I really liked how you used articles that we already owned. We also liked that you offered the option of renting items rather than purchasing items. Great job!
– Shari O’Laughlin, Mequon, WI, May 2007