Handman Berry Interior Design

Shelly and his team are wonderful designers, highly professional, and great to work with. We are currently using Handman to help in the new showroom we have designed for Pella Windows in the Merchandise Mart in Chicago which opens in January. They have been a wonderful asset to the entire process and we couldn't be happier. We have also worked with them on multiple residential projects. Having been in practice for over 30 years, there are only a few interior designers we recommend and Shelly Handman is one of them. Shelly truly understands our work and complements our projects through an acute attention to detail and a great design sense.

Handman Associates did a wonderful job designing and decorating a 2500SF gut-job condo for me. I am absolutely thrilled with the result. Why did it go so well? These reasons. 1) I knew their design sensibility was right for me before I hired them, which I could tell from a friend's condo they had designed and from their website. 2) I had ample budget (as they advertise, they're upscale -- you can also tell that from their website). 3) They have outstanding design and decorating skills and exquisite taste. 4) Their service was excellent. 5) They were friendly and responsive. The result was exacty what I wanted and I will enjoy it for many years to come.

The designers at Handman Associates were extremely professional, knowledgable and creative. They came up with ideas that we would have never thought of on our own. We used them for both architectural changes and decor in every room of our apartment. They were a pleasure to work with every step of the way. We could not be happier with our new home and everyone who visits says it is breathtaking!

We recently used Handman Associates to update our home and they did a fabulous job! The service was very personal, they made an overwhelming project feel manageable and the results are stunning. Handman Associates started the process by meeting with us and really taking the time to figure out what we needed and what our tastes were like. They worked with our builder to develop original and workable ideas to fit our needs. For example, we have several support beams running from the basement into the second floor. The steel beams go right through our family room and kitchen. Handman Associates put in a beautiful buffet to disguise that problem. Almost every room in our house needed work including four bathrooms, the master bedroom, the living room, family room and cabana area. The project felt overwhelming but Handman Associates made the process feel manageable. First they met with us and became familiar with our tastes. After that they presented us with concrete detailed sample boards for each room. Handman always gave us three or four options to choose from and worked patiently with us when we could not make quick decisions. We have been enjoying our new home for the past several months and love how it has been transformed. All of the staff at Handman are very professional and organized from the top designer to the office managers. They kept our project on track and were always available for questions. We would highly reccomend using this firm

I have only amazing things to say about every part of working with Handman Associates. I met with a few designers and knew immediately the only one I wanted my husband to meet was Shelly Handman and his team. From my initial meeting with Shelly his patience and dedication to making his clients happy was clear. I have also seen his work and just knew I wanted the quality that he brings. My husband was completely on board and we have both been completely happy. We are decorating our apartment slowly, and Handman has been very accommodating and patient. Everything has been done on our timeline and I never feel rushed or pushed to do more than we are ready to do. The whole Handman team is positive, supportive, and great to work with. Most importantly, the end product is better than I could have ever imagined. The rooms we have finished decorating reflect my initial vision plus so much more. Handman brings a level of detail that makes the space look and feel luxe and finished. I couldn't be happier with how our apartment is turning out and am excited to continue working with Handman on the rest of the space!

I have worked with Shelly Handman since 1980. He has completed work on 3 homes and now an apartment. Handman and Associates is brilliant at design work. The level of creativity never ceases to amaze me. However as the saying goes, "the devil is in the details". Every detail is thought through from lighting, to floor space, to colors to the most seemingly minute detail on a table. The end product - perfection. When people come to my home they all ask "who is your designer, the place is fabulous". Of course, the design is most important, but with Handman it is the entire experience. Working with Shelly and his team is fun. They are professional, courteous, on time and within budget. Shelly personally comes to the house and "plays". He fluffs the pillow, brings spotlight for the art, rearranges your books so the bookshelves are a piece of art, no detail goes unnoticed or untouched. If you want style, class and sophistication and enjoy working with delightful people who deliver - Handman Associates should be your next call.

Shelly Handman and his team are true professionals. We moved to Chicago from Dallas and counted on the Handman Associates team to handle our total remodeling of a Gold Coast townhome. An additional challenge was that we wanted to incorporate some of our traditional furnishings yet add more modern touches; this was no problem for Handman Associates. Shelly and his team have a talent for combining elegance and comfort such that we could move into our new house and immediately have it feel like our home.

At our Installation last week Shelly & his team truly outdid themselves. Our house looks beyond amazing. We felt like we were in a movie. All their hard work and efforts really showed in the final results. My husband Allan doesn't get excited about anything but his work and he was blown away. He kept commenting on how nice they are aside from noting their amazing talents. They shouldn’t be surprised if they get calls from people he works with down the line. I am having so much fun working with them and really enjoy having a beautiful home that we can truly use now. I also have to note that I appreciate their prompt response to any problems that come up. Things beyond one’s control always happens but the way Handman Associates handle it is a testament to their work ethic and dedication. I greatly appreciate it and look forward to finishing the rest of our home with them. Many, many thanks, Lynn

Handman Associates offers an adjunct to their existing design services they cleverly refer to as a ‘non-surgical house lift’. I was intrigued and investigated. It turns out to be a process that is done in one day, requires no construction, painting or purchasing of new furnishings. By massaging the existing elements in my home they created a totally new environment. They took my existing furniture, accessories and art, and through careful editing and re-placement give new life to my living, dining and family room. It was as simple as relocating a sofa, moving some chairs, stealing a small table or lamp from another room (that had too many anyway) and imbued the space with a fresh, revitalized sense of clarity. I want to thank Handman Associates for transforming our home from great to magnificent. It's a pleasure to see professionals at work, and the results speak for themselves. We didn't realize that we had the items to do it but they found the right place for everything. We love it! Sally Bernstein

I met Shelly almost two years ago. I was out in the city interviewing designers. It was my task to choose three firms and then have my husband David meet my top candidates. Shelly greeted me with warmth and tremendous confidence. A few weeks later, we invited Shelly and his associate to our home to discuss our dreams for our residence. When his car left the driveway, David told me to cancel the other two firms, he wanted to hire Handman Associates. I was shocked. Dave is a businessman. He always does a thorough investigation before consummating any deal. He said the two shared a passion for their work that could not be met by any other team. He was right. I am a Vice-Principal in a public school. That part of my life keeps me grounded. It allows me to work with students who experience real family issues: death, divorce, illness, financial losses, etc. That is the real world. When I come home, I have a very different life. All day today, I was thinking about my home and the wonders that awaited me. The house is unbelievable. It is 8:00 in the evening just after our “Hollywood Installation”. We have been eating candy and nuts & sipping extraordinary champagne. Relatives have been appearing to see the house. After almost 18 months of construction, everyone was tired of hearing about it. Jaws have been wide open, tears have streamed, and eyes have rolled. I feel like we are living in a movie. I am awaiting a Director to say "that's a wrap." and the tent to fold. The house it beyond our wildest dreams. I do not feel that I ever did anything in life to get to live like this. The house looks like a fairy tale. That has happened because of all of their efforts & tireless hours. It is all ever so perfect. From the bottom of my heart I want to thank Handman Associates for their long days, endless drawings, imagination, hand holding, friendship, concern, and most of all their passion for design. David was right, no other firm could match their integrity and love for interiors. Most sincerely, D. Stratton

Handman Associates. My wife and I built a rather large home on Chicago's North Shore. The process would have been a daunting one except for having Handman Associates on our team along with our architects, Cohen-Hacker. Shelly Handman and Shu-Yi Tsou patiently guided us through hundreds of material, electrical and plumbing selections till we found the ideal ones for the look we were after. As the architectural selections moved into furnishings, we were again overwhelmed at the choices. After Shelly pointed out the positives of the selected furniture floor plans for each room, he and Shu-Yi assembled presentation boards of furnishings and fabrics that allowed us to see how each room was unfolding and leading into the next. After years of planning and construction, our house is finally completed. It is through the patience, understanding and listening power of Shelly and his team that we are thrilled with the end result. We're actually looking for property across the lake for a weekend retreat and it's comforting to know who our team will once again be.

Shelly Handman designed our home in Chicago and Palm Springs. We've been thrilled with the results. He transformed our dated home into beautiful and timeless space. In addition, he accommodated all of our needs and worked around the budget we had set to make sure all of our design requests were fulfilled. Overall, our home renovation was a great success and I am thankful I hired experienced designers like Shelly. I couldn't recommend Handman Associates more.