To Be Designed

I had the pleasure of working with Jamel for a second time as he designed our living spaces, dining room, master bedroom and home office. After his work transforming our kitchen, I had no doubt in what he would be able to accomplish. He is an outstanding interior designer who truly exceeded all of my family’s expectations. From the initial consultation to the final reveal, the entire process was an absolute delight. What sets him apart is his unparalleled professionalism and attention to detail. Right from the beginning, he took the time to understand our preferences and lifestyle to ensure we had the most amazing, functional space. Every element of the design felt uniquely tailored to our taste, creating a home that reflects our personality and style, while also appreciating the history of the house. Each room seamlessly flows into the next, creating a harmonious and inviting atmosphere. The selection of furniture, lighting, and accessories were not only of top high quality, but also timeless. One of the aspects we appreciate most is Jamel’s commitment to open communication. He kept us informed at every stage of the project, providing updates, incorporating our feedback, and ensuring that the final result was everything we had hoped for. The end result was a home that not only met but surpassed my expectations. Don’t hesitate to hire Jamel for your next project. I highly recommend him to anyone seeking a transformative and personalized design experience.

Jamel is the epitome of understanding the assignment. My husband and I were looking to do a renovation on the main floor of our home and Jamel took the time to get to know us, asked pointed questions about our style, and the feeling we wanted to exude when people entered the space. He was very careful in analyzing our space, looking at blueprints, and being very transparent with all the phases of the renovation/design process. We had a fairly tight budget and he understood this and always provided options with a span of price ranges. We were appreciative of his extensive knowledge in not only design, but construction work too. This was very useful when we needed to make decisions during construction. Jamel was able to provide some advice so we could weigh our options. Renovations can be stressful and can feel like a full-time job, so we were incredibly grateful for his calm demeanor and transparency. He communicated with our contractor often and was able to advocate for our needs. The end result is incredible, we are so happy with our space and try to find multiple opportunities to show it off. If you want a designer that listens, supports you through what can be a stressful process, and is very communicative--Jamel is the way to go.

This was the second project Jamel has done for us, and the experience was fantastic just like the first time. Jamel did a complete renovation of two bathrooms and wetbar at our vacation home - he came up with beautiful designs and layouts, picked amazing materials, organized deliveries and kept the construction crew on task. We couldn’t be happier with how it turned out, the end result was above and beyond our expectations. I highly recommend Jamel for any project and I hope we can work with him again in the future.

Jamel is a consummate professional who delivers what he promises and listens to his clients. I first hired Jamel to help me with some finishing touches on my apartment and helping me source a several custom items including a bed, entry items and shelves. He worked with me to find both custom and non custom items within my budget to complete the project. I liked Jamel's philosophy and style so much that I hired him to design and renovate my parents kitchen that hadn't been touched since the 80's. The kitchen redesign was phenomenal, my dad in particular is very picky and never satisfied but he has been raving about and showing off the kitchen renovation since it was completed. The design he created and the craftspeople he hired delivered an exceptional finished product that my parents are delighted to cook in. Jamel delivered big time, handled all the details with care and we are overjoyed with the results.

Where do I even begin? Prior to my most recent renovation, I had never been able to work with an Interior Designer. Jamel set the bar high and I will never look back. He was always stylish, knowledgeable and above all, customer service oriented. Renovation and design is difficult and long but Jamel helped to make it a pleasure every step of the way. Without hesitation, I would recommend him for any scope of work although I know he positions himself as a luxury/high end designer. 10s across the board.

We have had the privilege of working with Jamel on two occasions: for our apartment in NYC and most recently for our house in Westport, CT. To get to the answer first, Jamel’s work is truly exceptional across every dimension. Jamel has been nothing short of excellent in all aspects of the design, purchasing and service. Design - Jamel did an amazing job designing our house from soup to nuts. He helped us create an optimal layout for a new basement, and designed over a dozen rooms in our house. Jamel offered great options across various price points to help us stay within our budget yet allow us to splurge if we really loved a particular suggestion. Purchasing - Jamel offered unparalleled service with regards to purchasing and delivery. He took care of everything. He sought out discounts, and even in one case a floor sample we wanted, to save us some $$. With regards to delivery, Jamel took care of everything. He works incredibly hard to make this process seamless. In the rare instance of a delivery snafu, Jamel took care of everything until the issue was rectified. Service - Jamel is unbelievably kind, gifted at what he does and easy to work with. He is unbelievably responsive and willing to go the extra mile to make sure you’re happy. He was collaborative throughout the entire process and is just a great human being overall. We could not be more enamored with Jamel and his work and strongly recommend his services.

Jamel is an exceptional and creative designer who was extremely flexible and thoughtful. His attention to details, responsiveness to my expectations, and his flexibility were some of the best parts of my experience with him. Jamel helped me create a living space of which I am proud and excited to return to every evening. From his sharp eye for color schemes to his deep appreciation for the ways shapes and designs create emotions, he is truly a curator of a personalized experience. Thank you Jamel for everything. I’m looking forward to you designing my next places!!!

Jamel worked with us to make some modifications and put finishing touches on our newly purchased apartment. From the beginning, he was reliable, organized, thoughtful and thorough. He maintained great communication during the project, set expectations for when to expect things to be done, liaised with all contractors and manufacturers. He was able to hone in on our personal design aesthetic, as well as bring in fresh ideas. He balanced being collaborative with our own ideas as well as standing by his own opinions and making our apartment design more creative and interesting than we would've done ourselves. He custom designed some elements and we're beyond happy with the results. He also made a lot of the spaces in our apartment more usable. We're really happy with Jamel's work and would happily work with him again.

Jamel has been such a pleasure and ease to work with. He understood what I wanted and my aesthetics from the get go. He designed a beautiful, comfortable, and modern home for me + 2 cats + puppy. He designed a custom immaculately built cabinet to hide the cat litter and store pet supplies that blended very well with the aesthetics of the apartment. He also designed another custom cabinet to organize laundry equipment and hide the laundry basket. He thoroughly researched furniture that is durable and can withstand pet use as well as comfortable. I had specific requirements that I wanted for the furniture and found suitable pieces for each and every one. I particularly loved the modern dining room chandelier and bubble mirror. Everyone who walks into my home complements these unique pieces. Jamel was meticulous about all the details of the furniture and accessories including pet accessories, bedding, and the art work. I’m in love with art pieces he selected. He was involved in every single detail including picking cat scratchers and TV mount that fit the aesthetic of the apartment. He also took over the tedious process of coordinating with the building management to schedule deliveries, reserve the elevator, and make sure certificate of insurance are submitted prior to delivery. What I appreciate the most about Jamel is that he was very responsive and always there to receive furniture delivery and monitor installations and paint. There were days when I couldn’t be there to receive the delivery and Jamel accommodated me last minute and came all the way to the UWS to receive the furniture delivery and make sure everything is in place. He was also very responsive and helpful when I had to order replacements for pieces that sold out. This is just the first chapter of working with Jamel. I look forward to continue working with him to upgrade my bathroom and kitchen and would look nowhere else. Thank you Jamel for making my first home so comfortable and for me and my pets.

I had a fantastic experience working with Jamel. He and his team work tirelessly to create my vision for my home. I recommend To Be Designed for bringing your design vision to life!

Jamel is a wonderful professional to work with! His communication skills are exceptional. I live in a co-operative apartment in Harlem, NYC and Jamel handled ALL communication with the management company and kept the project moving forward. For those instances where there was disagreement about what's allowable in the project, Jamel was the adult in the conversation, who kept all parties focused and helped resolve whatever the issue. Jamel also possesses exceptional listening skills. He was always patient in our conversations, attentive to me as I rambled, made sense of what I was saying and put a vision to my disorganized thoughts. Further, and also of note is Jamel's de-escalation skills! Jamel is able to lessen the tension in the room which inevitably rises when dealing with multiple stakeholders. He keeps his cool, gets others to lower the volume and to come to some sort of agreement. As someone with a background in International Affairs, I was surprised by his ability to do this. I asked him many times if he took college classes in Negotiation Skills. In typical Jamel's de-escalation style, he smiles and expresses appreciation for the question. Unbelievably, Jamel was able to come in under budget for my project. How he did this without compromising quality is his skill, which I am thankful for. Jamel provided alternatives to my wish list which were less costly and actually, better quality and higher aesthetic value. Prior to the projects' beginning, Jamel provided me with a detailed estimated cost breakdown indicating the low and high estimate for each renovation service. This cost breakdown particularly helped guide my mind as to whether I could afford the renovation. Further, Jamel's estimate was detailed, highlighting by room (example - kitchen, bathroom ) and the contents of the respective room (example, kitchen appliances, plumbing items, etc...). Months later when the project began and as we acquired items, Jamel's estimate was always on point, as he provided earlier. Jamel's creative skills are incredible; a talented individual. How Jamel was able to hear my words, put vision to my words and provide me with many examples before we decided on the final, has me floored to this day. Jamel really got to know me and execute my vision. He helped me realize my dreams and the dreams still to have. I highly recommend Jamel to anyone thinking of hiring an Interior Designer; one who listens, communicates very well, has incredible design skills, de-escalation skills, is timely with meetings (he calls on the minute you are scheduled to meet, not 1 minute later) and projects, provides detailed estimates of the project (and doesn't go over the estimate) and executes clients vision. To Jamel - THANK YOU! And I look forward to you doing the same for my mum's house in the Caribbean (Trinidad and Tobago) that you did for my co-op apartment in Harlem, NYC. Thanks in advance for providing my soon-to-be 80 year old mum with a dream house.

My husband and I think hiring Jamel to help with our renovation was one of the best decisions we've ever made! We've never worked with a designer before, and were hesitant to do so at first, but we were beginning to renovate our 3 story townhome and realized it was too much for us to manage. Jamel stood out right from the start - we had several designers over to look at the house and give quotes. Most of them gave VERY vague/open ended quotes and did not give us the impression that they would be transparent or disciplined with our costs. Jamel was the only on who gave us a detailed breakdown of potential expenses (low to high range on everything from bathroom tiles to kitchen furniture), and he also put together vision boards with the quote to help us visualize the project. It was a no brainier choice for us, as Jamel has great artistry and creative abilities but also provides the detailed "business" aspect of things which gave us a lot of comfort. Fast forward to several months later with the project completed, and we couldn't be happier! Jamel actually did way more than we even expected - he worked directly with the contractor to coordinate design and supplies, tracked and managed furniture deliveries, and kept an eye on the overall project while we were out of town. It was the least stressful project we've ever done and we 100% have Jamel to thank for that. Not the mention the final outcome is BEAUTIFUL - feels like a brand new house and we are so lucky to live here. We highly recommend Jamel for any of your design needs - you won't be disappointed!

We've always wanted to redo our kitchen. It was small and had an awkward layout that seemed impossible to reconfigure. It was a source of great stress for my husband and I as it seemed like an impossible task to take on. Nine years later, when we finally decided to go through with the project, I came onto Houzz to try to find an interior designer that could help us. Initially, my husband was resistant to the idea. He didn't see the need for a designer as he believed not much could be done with the space. I contacted Jamel anyway after seeing his profile and website. After meeting him, I had no doubt I had made the right decision. Jamel was extremely professional and listened carefully to all of our needs. He came back with several designs that creatively reworked the space in ways that we could not imagine. Throughout the entire process, he was there to ensure that the work was being done properly and according to plan. Without his help and support, we would have been lost. When taking on this project, we had no idea of all of work and details that go into renovating a kitchen. We were so pleased with Jamel's use of space in our kitchen, that we decided to ask him to rework the space in our main bathroom as well. We just had our first Christmas in our new kitchen and family members raved about it. But the person most impressed is my husband who repeatedly mentions that hiring Jamel was by far the best decision we made. Pictures will be uploaded soon.

Jamel is the cream of the crop in his industry. I recently moved to a basement apartment with my partner and she and I both wanted to be sure that we furnished the home with our unique style, however, assigning specific rooms with specific goals so as to manage our noise levels as to not disturb our landlord or our neighbors. As you can imagine, this was a complex request. Jamel was very attentive and assured my request was not an unreasonable one. I'm not sure what price you would put on securing a professional who truly cares about your lifestyle post-design - to me this was priceless. If you're looking to spend time, energy and money on lackluster interior designers who will leave you with more questions than answers, look elsewhere. However, if you want the job done the first and last time, look no further than Jamel. The initial consultation is all you will need to assure that you made the right decision.

Jamel did a phenomenal job with designing my new apartment. I can’t thank him enough. He was very patient with me and super responsive. He truly has a gift for design and I plan to work with him for all my future home projects. 10/10.

Jamel is the reason our home is a beautiful, calm space to spend our days in. We moved from a small apartment to a house that required a full reno. Jamel helped us with every aspect of the design, big and small - paint colors, faucets, flooring, floor stain, cabinets, and everything in between. His presence was incredibly comforting during a very overwhelming process and we feel so fortunate to be living in the beautiful space that he envisioned.

Jamel deserves more than 5 stars! My wife and I moved into our new apartment, a 4 bed 2 bath, and were on a tight timeline (baby due within 6 months) to completely redesign our entire unit, including putting in a new kitchen. From the very start of the project Jamel's talent and professionalism were evident. He provided detailed renderings with beautiful options, through the initial process he worked around our availability, often presenting materials to us at night at our apartment. When we 'broke ground' on the kitchen he was with us every step of the way, keeping the contractors on track and up to his standards, dealing with every curve ball with ease. At times when we were at whits end, Jamel was there to talk us down and provide solutions, always remaining professional and calm... not to mention within budget! I have already and would continue to recommend Jamel to anyone looking for an amazing designer and experience.

It was a pleasure working with To Be Designed to make my new home beautiful and comfortable for my daughter and I. Jamel was both professional and personable. He asked thoughtful questions about my family in order to help make the space uniquely ours. Invoices were thorough, complete, and on time. Design proposals were spot on, and Jamel gave me lots of choices. I was able to incorporate a lot of my existing furniture and decor while still adding lots of new and exciting things to the space to freshen it up and make it feel like home. I’ve already recommended To Be Designed to a friend, and I would not hesitate to call on them again for another project!

Jamel is a great designer. He listened to our needs and not only was he able to transform the interior but also the exterior. He changed the original box-looking blueprint of the exterior and made it into a beautiful home. He was with us in every step of the way, from reviewing and ordering cabinetry, materials for exterior and interior, furniture pieces, to delivering the final design product. His sense of modern and clean lines are reflected all throughout. He is very patient, detailed, professional and very reasonable in price. We are very thankful to JAMEL and look forward to work with him in future projects. We definitely recommend To Be Designed to anyone looking for a design project.

Jamel was very professional and did a great job designing the interior of my apartment. He took the time to cater to my taste and come up with great ideas and pieces for my place! Thank you so much!

I chose Jamel because his designs spoke of warmth and minimalism. I have more of a vintage preference, but wanted a space that evoked feelings of coziness without clutter. Although Jamel has more of a modern preference, we were able to meet in the middle on the other points. His guidance helped me to be bolder in my choices than I would have been on my own and helped me to have more of a balance between traditional and modern. Together we created a space that reflects my unique taste, incorporating Jamel's eye for creating neat lines and spaces that work with how natural and artificial light blends in a room. Everyone who visits my home remarks on how welcoming it feels, how awesome the color choices are, and how everything comes together. Jamel is also very patient, flexible on changes, and takes his time to put thought and care into his input -would definitely work with Jamel again!!

Jamel is a fantastic designer and did a beautiful job on our home for a great price. He brought our vision to life in a way we could not have done on our own and we couldn't be more happy with the result. I highly recommend that you call To Be Designed first if you are thinking about any design project.

A huge thank you and shout out to Jamel at To Be Designed for his help with my apartment renovation! He selected a beautiful chair from your catalog. I am very happy with his work and the results. I would trust this company with future projects!

Extremely professional, punctual, and patient! It was difficult to let go of the reigns at first but soon I realized that I would be better off completely allowing To Be Designed to make magic happen without standing in the way. I’m greatful and will use the services again.