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chrisp/chris pallett interior design

Multiple locations

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About

Design and solution driven firm. We really listen to our clients, and then offer them soundly planned concepts that are then fleshed out and made a reality. From home decor, to renovating or building a new home. Vacation rentals, some retail and event planning as well.

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37 hires on Bark
2 day response time

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Reviews (21)

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5/5

21 customer reviews

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25 August 2022

Residential Interior Designers

We haven't started the project yet but so far Chris has been proactive and coming up with great ideas. We are on the same page and it makes it easy to work with Chris . He is pragmatic and does everything he can to keep the budget under control, which we highly appreciate. More...

verified
24 July 2022

Home Staging

Chris was a fantastic designer. Excellent ideas, on point and went above and beyond to design my rental unit. I would highly recommend his services to anyone.

verified
20 February 2022

Architectural Services

He approached me and provided a lot of useful information but distance to location not feasible.

8 May 2021

Chris is a thoughtful designer always creating a mood and a vibe. He seems to find the loveliest clients as well. As a retailer I have worked with Chris over the past decade helping him with furniture sourcing and selection and had the pleasure of meeting many clients. When Chris walks through the door it always brings a smile. More...

19 April 2021

ALTHOUGH I HAVE NEVER BEEN A CLIENT OF CHRIS, I HAVE STAYED AT HIS DOWNTOWN CONDO THAT HE TOTALLY RENOVATED AND DESIGNED. NOT ONLY WAS THE CONDO AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL, IT WAS SO WELL PLANNED FOR A SMALL SPACE AND VERY FUNCTIONAL . HIS ATTENTION TO DETAIL WAS OBVIOUS AND APPRECIATED. MY HUSBAND AND I WERE VERY COMFORTABLE THERE FOR OUR 2 MONTH STAY. NOT ONLY IS CHRIS EXTREMELY TALENTED, BUT HE IS ALSO A KIND AND CARING PERSON. WE FEEL SO LUCKY TO HAVE MET HIM!! More...

14 April 2021

Chris is very professional and has a lovely, warm personality. He is very knowledgeable about many things and always willing to help. He offers creative solutions and ideas not matter how big or small your budget is. I highly recommend Chris. More...

12 April 2021

Chris was invaluable during my home project...addressed everything from lighting to space planning to drawings for a murphy bed unit. He delivered his sense of style and solution oriented process with incredible patience and a lively sense of humour!! More...

11 April 2021

When we moved into our townhouse after downsizing from our large home, we asked Chris to help place the furniture and art work that we had kept. Chris made suggestions regarding installing pot lighting which we did, where to place our furniture which we did, arranging art work which we did, painted our fireplace (Chris suggested the colour) surround instead of tiling which we did. The transformation was fabulous. We have had so many compliments from our friends as a result! Another suggestion that Chris made was changing out the original legs on a teak side board to stainless steel to modernize the look. He was so right with everything! We highly recommend our now good friend Chris. Marylin & Brian More...

8 April 2021

We have been working with Chris for years. It is always a pleasure to meet Chris. He has a great eye in color and fabric. Chris helps renovations and interior design for two of our properties . Chris is very professional and creative. He could cope with different styles. We love the way Chris plays with the colors and redefine the art pieces we have. More...

8 April 2021

Chris is amazing! He helped us with the design of our home, beginning with reviewing the architectural plans all the way through to selecting colors and fabrics. He has an excellent eye for color and can weed through the color wheel in an instant to find the perfect shade for your space. He had excellent tweaks for the floor plan - where to place the door so that the toilet is not visible - as well as the lighting plan. A true professional! Would not hesitate to recommend Chris for your interior design needs! More...

7 April 2021

Chris is fun to work with. He takes a real delight in creating beautiful and functional interior design. He takes your ideas and runs with them and comes up with solutions that are exactly what you would have designed, if only you had his skill and eye. And what's better -- he doesn't believe you have to spend a fortune to have good interior design. More...

5 April 2021

Chris started working with us after completing a custom built home for our friends, the Rong family, who were very pleased with Chris' design work.

We started by reviewing the architect's blueprints, which Chris thought did not really work as well as they could, so he made a number of great suggestions, which we then sent back to our architect for her to change to Chris' ideas.

Those changes made a big difference in the way the bedroom level worked.

Over the next couple of months, we worked with him to approve the lighting plan, paint colours inside and out, the custom kitchen, and all of the 5 bathrooms. There were many shopping trips to suppliers as he showed us everything from windows, to flooring, tiles, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, etc that we needed for our home, and then put all of it together so well.

We worked hard ourselves during the period of construction, and Chris made site visits twice a week during the progress of construction, to act as a set of professional eyes on the accuracy of work being done, and made sure that if he saw something wrong, immediately drew that to our, and our builders attention. It was a very smooth year from start to finish, and not only do we love our home, but know that Chris does as well. We were very open to his design ideas, and our home has many very unique and personal features.

Initially we had concerns over the cost of his involvement from start to finish with our project, thinking that it might be too much for us, but we agreed, and after almost 1900 hours of his planning, shopping , site visits, communication with suppliers and general contractor, our home was finished, and it was worth every $$$ he charged. We would never have made our home so comfortable without his assistance.
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5 April 2021

Chris helped us design our dream home on the west side of Vancouver. He was referred to us by neighbors who had shown us their home that Chris helped design. The unique nuances and amazing use of space impressed us so we decided to work with him. From the start Chris was kind, knowledgeable and skilled, putting us at ease during this huge life event. What we loved about Chris was his flexible approach, willingness to meet the client’s requests and diligence with overseeing the plan. If there is one thing we can say about Chris, it’s that he ROCKS when it comes to coffered ceilings and lighting, okay, that was 2...He also gave us this great, unique idea about where to put a powder room, which we couldn’t do but are still wishing we did! Chris has been in this industry a very long time and he has the ability to hone in on details that a client building their first home may not understand. For example, in our master suite, Chris was able to assure us that with our room measurements we could fit the side tables, armoire and chair with foot stool in our bedroom without making it look over filled. He nailed it!! We were so happy. Chris is very invested in the work he does for his clients. He will endeavor to do his best and keep his clients happy. To this day, every time I look at my gorgeous coffered ceilings, I smile and think of Chris!! Give him a try, you won’t be disappointed!! More...

4 April 2021

Chris has been an invaluable asset in our renovation journey!

We are coming towards the end of a deep renovation to our primary residence, a rental secondary suite and a rental studio.

And Chris has been with us every step of the way, from; re-imagining space and creating flow in a living area, and bringing fresh perspective and ideas, to picking out flooring and counter top.

We have found Chris to bring great energy and be really responsive to our needs, whether it be doing sketch ups and mocks up to texting photographs of design features or where to get light fixtures, Chris brought our project value in many ways.

We are really pleased with what we have achieved and so glad we didn't try and go it alone!

Matt & Miho.
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4 April 2021

Chris helped us a lot in lining up the trades people for painting and creating the fireplace wall. He did a great job designing the fireplace wall!

3 April 2021

I had the pleasure of renting a unit from Chris, which he wonderfully decorated. Subsequently sold by Chris, the unit at the Carlyle Vancouver was just spectacular. The inviting and warm decor served me well when I first rented the unit for 30 days. I went on to rent the unit a few more times. Chris a master of decor, blending the modern with the traditional. More...

3 April 2021

Chris is excellent at space planning. If you get your new home while walls and doors are easily changeable, call Chris. He’s very good at how you can make better use of your space.
Also, he’s not afraid of colour.

3 April 2021

I've known Chris for over two decades now. Over the years, he has helped me with several renos and projects in my home - full renovations of my kitchen and both bathrooms, balcony trellis design and construction, furniture reupholstery, lighting, flooring, etc. HIs keenness, taste and attention to detail are all impeccable. I would highly recommend his expertise to anyone for whatever project they may have from initial design to construction and accessorizing. More...

3 April 2021

I hired Chris Pallett to get my house ready to put on the market. It was sold in one weekend. Also two condos that Chris designed, were sold totally furnished and fully equipped.
The whole projects were so well put together, all that within my budget, and respectful of my taste and needs.
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chrisp/chris pallett interior design
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Reply from chrisp/chris pallett interior design

Thanks for correcting so spelling and grammatical errors from your first review...and for being such a faithful client over so many years.

2 April 2021

I have been doing Painting Projects with Chris Pallett for over 20 years
All of the project I do for Chris the clients are very happy with the final outcome of Chris’s designs.
Our company enjoys working on his projects because they all are well planned out and that makes our jobs as painters simple.
I would highly recommend Chris Pallett for your future projects.
Robert Murray
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chrisp/chris pallett interior design
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Reply from chrisp/chris pallett interior design

Thank you Robert. The reason I refer you to so many of my clients, are your skills (as well as your long time team) efforts to give my clients the best paint job possible. I also believe we are nearing the $1,000,000 mark in value of projects that I have sent your way in the last two decades.

1 April 2021

Chris worked with us and helped us create some unique features in our home. Excellent suggestions came forward to us! Highly recommended

chrisp/chris pallett interior design
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Reply from chrisp/chris pallett interior design

Thanks Stacey. Stacey and Ron were building their first home, with so many decisions to make and refinements in the floor plan as well. Although my contribution to the project centred on details such as overall layout, my main contribution was to do the entire lighting plan for both interior and exterior, along with the paint colours used throughout

Q&As

I believe in the first visit being in person, in the space where design work is requested, whenever possible. A good visual of the space that needs design attention is often an offshoot of design and furnishing in other parts of the home, which gives a good indication of how you live, what your colour and fabric choices have been in other areas. If you are requesting a formal or casual look, but the rest of your home is totally different, I would want to know why you wish to have a style that might not fit with the rest of your home.

For many years I was director of design for a retailer in Ottawa, followed by 16 years as the senior interior designer at Jordans on West Broadway, where a lot of the projects were more transitional. I personally like contemporary for myself, but am comfortable working in any style, perhaps with the exception of "over the top" type of decor. I really prefer the "more timeless look", than the trendy. I also value buying quality when the budget allows.

Being creative, and making clients absolutely love the finished product. My main design business is currently fuelled by referrals, from both satisfied clients as well as my trusted real estate agents I work with regularly. Some of the hardest projects are the ones with a tiny budget, where you have to put on your thinking cap, instead of just shelling out $$ to purchase products. If I find value in existing pieces you already own, I will try my best to use them but sometimes do so with so upgrading the finish or upholstery fabric. If it is a kitchen or bath, there is a wide variety of price points, so can offer both budget and high end looks.

My parents built a custom built home when I was just starting high school, and our neighbourhood still had vacant lots that got built on over the years I lived there. I used to visit those construction sites very frequently, marvelling at how a house was built, and all the materials that were built into the house. I started out in a Scandinavian furniture showroom and worked my way up thru sales to management, to director of design, travelling to Europe and NYC to select the furniture our store would sell. It was a great experience.

I'm very personable, and listen well to what my clients have to say. I have a long track record of successful projects, very knowledgeable in terms of construction and renovation ( I have purchased, moved in, and renovated over 30 homes over the years). Most of all, I have a good sense of thinking in the third dimension, so it is easy for me to visualize a completed project from drawings. In reality, about 95% of my design clients have been referred by friends, family or neighbours who have been happy with working with me. When it is renovation project, I work well with all the subtrades, and understand site issues that often arise when a situation arises that requires figuring out a solution that will be a good option in lieu of what might have been planned, and am able to go back to my client, with the subtrade on board to offer a viable alternative path that we both feel is workable.

I can do both. Larger projects need some connection with being onsite, but others can be handled remotely. There is a lot more onus on the client when the project is handled remotely, as live video calls are very necessary to let me see the space, the issues, and the concerns a client has. I have a very discerning eye, so I see workmanship that is not up to my standard better than most clients, given my experience. I also find being on site, that I can offer suggestions as to how to do something, or even how to find a short cut that can cut down on the cost for a client. If I find items in good working order, that might continue to have life in them, I will try to retain them in the finished project.

I practice hand washing, keep sanitizer in my car, wear a mask, and keep a respectful distance from others.

Services

Registered Interior Designer serving the Sunshine Coast, Sechelt, Gibsons, Vancouver and the Lower Mainland of British Columbia

It all began back when…..

I graduated from the Ontario College of Art in Toronto after a four year course in Interior Design. I returned to my hometown of Ottawa, spent a year studying architecture at Carleton University, and began working at Van Leeuwen Boomkamp Ltd, a contemporary home furnishings retailer. Promoted from designer/sales, to store manager, and then headed the Interior Design division. As a senior buyer with the firm, I travelled to New York, Toronto and Montreal trade shows, with the year’s highlight being the Salon de Mobili in Milan, Italy. Next position was Contract Sales Manager, securing larger projects for the business.

After almost 18 years with them, I began my own interior design practice. Later, I started buying, renovating and selling homes, and met a top-selling realtor, who became the single greatest source of referrals of her clients to me as she moved clients in and out of their homes, and brought me in to help get those homes ready for sale, way before “staging” was even thought of.

I moved to Vancouver in 1996, and was hired by Jordans Interiors. As part of their design/sales staff, I had responsibilities for both large and small scale furnishing projects. As the senior interior designer on staff, I also achieved “Top Salesperson of the Year Award” for sales topping 1.2 $ million.

I have always maintained my own practice over those years with Jordans, doing a large variety of both home and commercial ventures. I prefer to become involved in the design process from the early stage of engaging an architect, as the best results come from a deep connection with the project at the outset, assessing the strengths and weaknesses that all parties bring to the table, and ensuring the project is brought to completion with all parties happy with the results. With renovation or addition planning, I prefer to work on my own, and only engage another professional when I feel that I need greater expertise than I possess. My professional skills are recognized by most City Hall Building Departments, so that I am able to work directly with them on most projects, without the need to bring in any other professional.

For many years, I have been furnishing temporary rental accommodations for high profile sports figures, movie stars, and the rest of us. I now own a suite in downtown Vancouver, that is a full time and very successful, furnished rental. For those of you who have an interest in bringing in summer income, the market here is strong for good properties, renting at exceptional rates, and can be viewed either on Vacation Rental by Owner (VRBO) or Air BnB.

Here on the coast, I quickly became involved with Habitat for Humanity, and am on the Board, with responsibility for ReStore.

If you are thinking about changes in your living environment, or are planning on something new, feel free to give me a call to discuss your ideas, and see if we connect. I love working with the public, and my unsolicited testimonials say as much.


Registered Interior Designer serving the Sunshine Coast, Sechelt, Gibsons, Vancouver and the Lower Mainland of British Columbia
5945 Beachgate Lane, Sechelt BC V0N 3A3 / 604.828.9629 / chrisp@chrisp.ca

Site visit to your home. Daylight preferred. Complete tour of all rooms in home to see what you have currently, and then focus on the areas you wish to paint, and offer 2 to 3 choices for each area.
Codes for Benjamin Moore paint are given, and you pickup the colour chips in a store afterwards.

Cost $200

Complete hard look at what every room in you home looks like. Determine whether you are willing to add some new paint colours to neutralize colours that could put off potential purchasers.
Discuss what I see as having to be removed from the house, and what might be good to add.
After client has de-cluttered the space, and painting is completed (if being done) return and then re-arrange item to best showcase the home's features. This includes hanging art, perhaps side panel drapes at some key window locations.
Once this is done, is the time to get the professional pictures taken of your home while it looks the best.
If you do not want to purchase anything for your home, bu items are needed, be open to renting the items from a staging company.
Charge is by the hour.

Staging with rental furnishings. All prices are approximate.

Basic minimum of design time is 6 hours, for a total of $600. plus cost of rental items. This includes a visit to your home, with advice on how to rearrange current furnishings. Warehouse shopping trip to select all proposed items within a target price point. Set up in your home when furnishings are delivered. Pick up and return of all rented items is extra. Billing is every 28 days.

Master bedroom: with queen bed, mattress, bed coverings, two night tables and lamps and 2 pieces of artwork, bedding would cost you $550 per month.

Living room: 1` sofa, 2 occasional chairs, 2 end tables, one table and one floor lamp, coffee table, area carpet, 2 plants, 2 artworks, 2 large plants would cost you $1350 per month.

Dining room: table plus 6 chairs, 1 buffet $700.

Accessories and toss pillows extra.

I will try to use as much of your furnishings/accessories as possible. Client has no input at all with respect to items selected for staging, as this furniture is not going to be yours after it is returned to the staging supplier.

Site visit, determine best way to approach staging, as it is not always necessary to furnish every room.
Determine budget allowed for the staging, and then prioritize how much of the home can be staged for that budget figure.
We do not fill up a room with furnishings, but do give purchasers the indication of how each room could function, and create a mood and vibe that accentuates the best features.

Typical cost for a two bedroom home, living and dining and kitchen is around $3000 per month.
Fees, based on time at $100 per hour

Many previous design clients have used this service to maximize the potential of their property.

My own (previous) condo in The Carlyle (on Alberni Street) was in the vacation rental market for 4 years, grossing over $55,000 annually, and my new home on the Sunshine Coast grosses over $50,000 per year.

You can set up your property for full time rental, or just select the time frame you desire.

You may work with what you have in terms of furnishings, or work with me to assist in selecting and setting up of your property to maximize your return.

I can also direct you to the best platforms on which to post your rental.

PRICING: Either a set (fixed) fee or hourly.

As we age, we often feel we live in too large a home and perhaps too much work and $ to maintain.
Site visit to existing home, then to new home, to evaluate what are the best items of furnishings to move to the new place. I also determine if it is now the time to purchase some newer items to better suit a new location.
Full set up of furniture, hanging art, and arranging decorative items.
Fees: hourly or fixed fee.

Over the years in business, especially my time in retail, I have organized and hung 1000's of pieces of art, with the goal to make it look pleasing to the eye, and to showcase the favourite pieces you own.
One type of project is downsizing, often from a larger home to a smaller one, and then assembling all the pieces that need to be hung by type, style, size, and medium. I want to know whether there are preferred pieces to be hung in specific rooms and then go to wok hanging them myself. I believe in using two picture hooks, along with a small wad of museum putty to hold the corners tight to the wall, and to help keep the art hanging level. I supply my own picture hooks.

This service is billed hourly at $100 per hour, with a two hour minimum.

My most fun single room design job. I want to know, from the young client, what some of their favourite things and persons are, and with some input from the parents, devise a plan on how to make it all happen.
From a whimsical room for a boy who loves spaceships, to a little girl who wants a canopy bed, I try my best to deliver a really great theme room.
Over the last couple of decades, I am finding that parents really allow their children to have a major say in how they want their room to look, and I encourage them to think beyond a current trend to something that is more long lasting, which in kids rooms is about 5 years.

Fees depend on involvement and budget.

Condo buildings offer a chance only once every 20 years or so to update the common areas, from lobby to mailroom, to elevator cabs and suite hallways, and finally to pools, gyms and party rooms. The approach is always the same...chose durable and timeless over trendy, with a focus on quality materials.
Depending on how these various areas have held up to so many years of use, we evaluate whether to keep or discard certain elements.
The strata should put together a committee of no more than 3 owners to work with me as I come up with 2 distinctly different concepts, along with keeping a working budget. Once all details have been decided upon, we present two colour boards with all the information about what is proposed, and often there is a general meeting where owners meet to discuss and vote on which scheme is most appealing.
I always work with a general contractor to establish a budget for each aspect of the work, and once a scheme is chosen, we go out to tender to get 3 quotes.
Site visits weekly, and ongoing communication with an appointed decorating committee person.
Fees are fixed and based on degree of involvement.

My connections to local retailers affords me a "trade discount" which varies from 10 to 40% off retail prices.
When you shop with me, I charge an hourly fee of $100 (minimum of 2 hours), as we concentrate on what you are looking for in terms of style and price, and when you do decide to purchase items I have helped you with, the trade discount is passed on to you.
Generally the best way to start this process is to have me visit your home to ascertain your needs, take photos and dimensions of what is needed, and then organize a shopping trip to find those items.
Often clients have me do the research for them, and once I have a good selection of potential choices, we go and review together.
Fee is hourly for this service, minimum of 2 hours at $100 per hour.

I love being involved in doing renovation planning for clients as well as for myself . Over the years I have purchased dozens of homes/condos, and have then renovated and sold them for a substantial return.
When we look at a property (that you might be interested in purchasing), I use my experienced eye to determine if you are making a wise choice or not, and that a renovation will give you the desired home you expect.
Changing floorpans, adding on, or building up or out are also possible ways to make a renovation project work well for you.
A well done renovation, done with good planning and decent budget often sees a substantial increase in your property value.
I have contacts in the real estate field who can help you in your search as well.

Assisting with all interior and exterior finishes, lighting plan, and suggestion of any changes to presented floor plans in advance of construction.
Working with first time developers to achieve maximum return on investment.
Sourcing and set up of staged homes or selected rooms.

Whether you are just changing out the current fabrics either inside or outside on your boat, I can offer my design skills and experience in choosing the right materials for you. I recommend marine grade materials, and can often secure you a trade discount on anything you select.
As a long time boat owner (from the early days with a canoe, to sailboat to day cruiser, and now my SeaRay Sundancer 27) with completely redone cushions inside and out. Of course, I also have my Power Squadron certificate.
If your project is more of major upgrading of the interior of you vessel, I can assist with drawings and materials selections as well as lighting options.
Over the years I have helped boat owners with vessels up to over 100' with selection and installation of new furnishings as well as upgrading of existing items.