I have wanted to do work on my house for years, but have found designers to have strong opinions that I couldn't stand up to. You have worked with me to bring out what I want for my house not what you think I want for my house.

R, St. Ben’s

Dina knows structure, she knows materials and she also knows design. Her input was incredibly useful to me when I was doing a whole house rehab on a recently purchased 70s ranch house, and planning on spending a lot of money to build a studio. To start with, I had water issues in the crawlspace, and didn't know where to begin talking with contractors — everyone gives you conflicting information and wants a lot of money. Dina gave me an education, and basically told me, "You get down there and crawl around and get to know your own crawlspace. Before you hire anyone, you need to know exactly what's down there so someone doesn't sell you a bill of goods. You have to know whether the house is redeemable before investing a bunch of money in it."

Dina taught me about the basics of what I needed to know as a home owner on that issue and others, like educating me on radiant heating systems, so I could make smart choices with contractors.

Beyond the structural help, she also has a great eye. She was able to go through plans I had for build-outs, as well as choices for materials, and make crucial suggestions that I had overlooked. I would have made some costly mistakes if she had not been there to counsel me.

Because Dina has no vested interest in selling any type of product, she is a free agent. She is straightforward, and a joy to work with. I can't recommend her enough. What you spend on her services may save you a great deal in the long run.

Christine B, Chesterton

My mind was at ease when Dina was on the job. She gave me options for contractors and she help me sort through what was critical and what was optional. She treated my home like it was hers.

I need to call her again!

Nora, Palmer Square

I have had the pleasure of knowing Dina for a number of years and recently benefitted from her guidance and help pertaining to the finishing details with my home renovation. I was having a problem with deciding on which interior door style to buy, a totaled of 30 doors. I originally thought I would go with stained maple doors but when Dina saw the project she advised me to go with painted doors to match the trim thereby expanding the look and flow of the home. I followed her advice and must say I'm very happy with the results, something I would have not thought of without her help. She also gave me guidance with regards to trim style, interior paint colors and kitchen layout all of which was helpful in the final phase of the project.

Sincerely,
Errol J, Bucktown

Dina's services got us off our collective butt.

Dina helped us get the ball rolling. Once it was started tackling the other projects we had was a lot easier. If we screwed up, we knew we could call on her for guidance and assistance.

Dina's help took the fear out of the process. Being new to the city and not knowing any contractors made it hard for us to get started with our projects. What if we picked a horrible contractor? Dina helped us prepare a spec and evaluate the contractors who came to bid on the spec.

Andrew and Mandy, West Edgewater

Dina and Littlerock Construction came to us by way of a glowing recommendation from a friend who had worked with her on a condo renovation project. Our friend, a business executive with little time and little inclination to make esthetic decisions was thrilled with the outcome of their project and very much enjoyed the interaction with Dina who made the project “a fun experience”. We, on the other hand, have very specific esthetic ideas and a desire to be integrally involved with most aspects of the project. Dina gladly works under either scenario, providing insight and experience to every aspect of the project while keeping a close eye on the budget to assure you get the most for your investment.

Paul & Bill, Uptown

Dina and Littlerock Construction have enabled me to move forward on major rehabilitation projects through acting as my agent on projects. Even though I live in Florida, the communication regarding progress in work activities was clear -- any glitches that came up were reported immediately, and Dina inspected jobs prior to payouts. Most important, the project administration process kept the contractor, the tenants (the apartment building that she was working on at the time was fully occupied), and her client (me) well informed of progress so that there were no surprises.

Rita, Florida

The hardest thing about remodeling is making the right decision. Dina's years of experience and her wonderful taste makes helps me make the right decision.

Dina knows where the money will be well spent.

Dina sees things in remodeling that I couldn't, that adds value and enjoyment to the end product.

Dina offers short cuts and tips that get the best value out of the job.

Dina captures my personality in designing and remodeling my home.

Jimmy, Edgewater

Dina knows how I live, what I like in design and focused me on that, keeping the job moving when I got distracted. I rely on her to tell me what is worth an extra expense and where a less expensive replacement wouldn't make a difference in appearance, function or resale value. She knows what she's talking about, where to get things, and keeps the process moving forward without unnecessary confusion, fuss or drama. She's a professional

Mary C, Lake Shore

Dina took the fear of making big mistakes out of the process. I’m stubborn and opinionated and she still managed to give me ideas that made a huge difference. She was diplomatic but insistent when necessary. She wouldn’t let me make a big mistake, no matter how hard I tried.

Joan B, Evanston

Dina really helped us make our upstairs bathroom a reality. Her knowledge of construction, trends in materials and a strong aesthetic sense made for a dynamic consulting experience.

Thanks, Dina!

Celia and Cyndy, W. Rogers Park

Knowledge with attention to detail, able to capture the big picture and break down into steps for the "beginner", respectful of reality of finances and creatively look at options.
"The great part about working with Dina is that she understands what the 'civilian' needs and wants, and is able to translate it into words that the contractor, tradespersons, workers, can understand. And vice versa, she is there to talk in plain English to me, the customer, what the mechanical facts are, and what the contractor's lingo means.

She's a Gracious Translator. Plus, she's a visionary, in terms of practical ideas for design.

Jane C, Wicker Park

We used Dina as a consultant on our duplex down to create a master bedroom suite in our basement. She listened to what we wanted and offered an imaginative yet realistic approach. Her common sense advice and extensive product knowledge helped relieve the stress of the decision making process. Dina was always available to answer questions and provide support. She was professional, flexible and utterly reliable. We’re delighted with the results.

Jim & Jo, Ravenswood

I'm delighted with your service. You always give me a number of good ideas. Even if I use just one idea that I wouldn't have thought of it's worth it. I've also found your referrals great, most recently on the granite sink top. Your source did a completely professional job, at a good price---better than what I'd found on my own. Running my ideas by you to see what you think and add gives me confidence in what I'm doing. It's hard to get opinions and advice from a neutral and knowledgeable source. Many sources have a vested interest or attitude. Bottom line, I've always found our consultations very worthwhile and cost effective.

Linda, Bucktown

STAGING CLIENTS:

Dina was able to work with what I had and made my space more livable. The traffic patterns work, there is more free space, paintings are in the right place. Overall there is a balance and a function that I couldn’t achieve on my own. It was not a matter of buying new things or repainting my home. She worked with what I had. Everything made sense.

Pam D, Andersonville

Dina helped me to see my living room in a different light. Her imagination switched the functions around and added new uses for existing pieces. Also, her sense of color gave me a fresh perspective of what would make the room inviting and comfortable.

Kris N, Sandburg Village

After I separated from my partner, there were empty spaces and clutter – things that had been stored in the furniture he took. I couldn’t sort it out. Dina came in and made everything work. His old office became the living room. The dining room expanded. A cozy reading area was tucked in a corner. A cluttered corner became a small office and library. I did not have the clarity to see it myself. Without the expense of new furniture, carpeting or painting, I have a new home.

Stephanie W, Bucktown

I had lived in my home for eleven years and could not see the problems or potential. I had adapted to what was around me. Dina came in with fresh eyes and made changes. Furniture from the bedroom ended up in the living room, a small unused space became an office. I no longer had to walk around my coffee table, and you can now see the beauty of the best pieces of furniture.

Celia J, Palmer Square

Dina has been able to breathe new life into our office. Her natural ability to create more space out of nowhere is amazing. She has been able to add a quality of attractiveness and open up our office space simply by using her creative eye and offer suggestions.

Laura N, Loop

Knowing that my intention was to put my home on the market. Dina made several suggestions to improve my mountain home (i.e. update my kitchen faucet without spending to much money.) The results were terrific! It's remarkable what one update can do even though my home is only 10 years old. I never would have thought of it.

Dina also has an eye for design, clean lines and truly improved my 5 bedroom home with out spending additional money just rearranging what I already had did the trick.

Being a professional business woman myself it was easy to work with an efficient professional' who knows what she's doing.

I'd recommend Dina anytime and would hire her services again in a minute.

Jane S, Vail, Colorado