A good renovation can change your life. Read about the results our clients achieved.
“Francesca took all the hassle out of renovating the top floor of our house. She came up with an ingenious idea to create a new bathroom in a tiny space that actually now feels much larger. She project managed so we didn’t have to worry about coordinating with builders or spend time on finding suppliers. Her building team worked extremely hard and did a great job, while keeping disruption in the house to a minimum”
Susan W., Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
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“Do you have the feeling that you live in a space you love but at the same time you know that it could look so much better if you would do this and that and the other thing, but you get lost on when, where or how to do it so that it all together makes sense ?
Well, then it is when you need to call Francesca. She will be able to do her magic. To make sense into all your wishes and respect your caring for that old family piece, the practical children corner and the digital world of today.
Francesca provided me a clear roadmap to the relooking of the house and have fun while she does it!”
Ruth E., Brussels – In Home Consultation
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“When I moved to Brussels at first, I was totally overwhelmed with a new city, a new job, trying to get the kids sorted. I had no idea where to start to tackle the task of making my new house a home. Francesca came over for a few hours for a consultation and her advice was invaluable - putting me on the right track with suggestions for first steps and where to look for some of the key items. Most important for me was the fact that Francesca helped me to think through how to go about tackling a huge project by breaking it down into small steps and trying different things. She followed up with some useful sketches and ideas about colour schemes”.
Susan S., Brussels – In Home Consultation
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“I called Francesca because I felt like I was suffocating in my small home office and I needed to free up storage and thinking space. Francesca looked carefully at the layout of the room and my design style, and listened to my requirements for space and lighting. She came up with easily implementable solutions to create space and efficiency in a few small steps.
I love seeing how Francesca’s design and decorating skills, combined with my personal preferences, has resulted in an office with a more spacious and warm feel and a more professional image.”
Wendy D., Brussels – In Home Consultation
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“ What a surprise! It’s wonderful to see the visual 3D plan of the room and with all your tips one can really do the changes so easily. It’s so handy and clear, really helpful to have as inspiration and guideline. Your great ideas make my office look so professional and inviting. ”
Hanna Kuikka, www.hannakuikka.com – Home Office Online Consultation
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“ What I appreciated was that you really listened to my concerns and you were open to look for additional suggestions and work with my constraints (my bookshelf that I didn’t want to get rid of!). You also wanted to hear me out, see the rest of the house to better understand what I was looking for. I loved getting the drawings afterwards, and of course your advice on colour was much appreciated too. You came up with unexpected yet simple and practical, and what will be beautiful solutions and I loved them. We are still waiting for the implementation but at least I know exactly what to do ”
Irina F., Brussels – In Home Consultation
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“I would like to start how we got to know Francesca. Last year in May, I was invited to a friend’s birthday party where she was as well together with her husband. We had a very nice conversation and at some stage, she explained what she is doing. As we were looking for a new house, I told her that if we find one and need advice on renovation, I would certainly contact her – and did when we found the house back in summer.
The house we bought needed a complete renovation. In the beginning, we were uncertain whether – from a timing but also financial point of view – all which was necessary was also feasible. Francesca helped us in defining the most important parts and guiding us to think about the others. Also, she looked for the people needed to do the renovation which was a big relief.
During the renovation process, her helpful advices, nice attitude mixed with firm manner were very much appreciated. She is very meticulous, organised and structured in her work and never forgets to get back to you. She was present when necessary and kept us informed when speaking to the workers.
Even now, since the works are finished, she is still asking if everything is o.k. or if anything is still required. The house has been renovated in a rather short time frame for what needed to be done. The workers and Francesca have always been flexible as to last minute changes which were necessary, some of which were also proposed by her as they suited better than the initial choice. On top of that, the renovation and her accompanying process have been done to very high standards.
To conclude, we can only but recommend working with Francesca. She made it a pleasant experience!”
Angela H. , Brussels – Full Scale House Renovation
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“My offer on the flat had been accepted and now I needed to find an entrepreneur to carry out some works in the flat. Not having a clue where to turn I had asked around for recommendations of entrepreneurs, but how would I know if they were reliable and with a busy job and young children, how would I be able to follow up on all the work. At this point I asked Francesca to come and take a look and see what she would suggest.
Francesca immediately came up with various suggestions which I hadn’t even thought of and she found an excellent entrepreneur who was able to start working within days of my getting the keys – so no time wasted at all and he finished on time as well, allowing us to move in on the planned day. Francesca’s follow-up was impeccable and the use of online project software enabled easy and effective coordination so I always knew how the works were progressing.
The whole process was very stress free and knowing that Francesca was supervising everything was an immense relief to me. The end result is much better than what I could have achieved by myself. I would highly recommend working with Francesca.”
Sally S., Brussels – Full Scale Apartment Renovation
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“Francesca provides an excellent service! She managed to transform my cold and disorganised home office into a very nice and cosy place to work.
I have a very busy life at work, two young children to take care and therefore not much time left for other things… Francesca did a wonderful job; she listened to my needs, hired the workers and ensured that things were done well and on time without a big involvement from me.
I am now very proud of my office and feel confident in inviting clients to meet me there.
I highly recommend Francesca!”
Sofia P. , Brussels – Home Office Makeover
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“With ten people sharing a rented office and none of us experts in renovation, we needed a solution that would satisfy all needs and wishes and one that was not too expensive. We wanted minimum downtime and for the project to take up as little management attention and time as possible.
Francesca is a true professional. She listened carefully to our needs. Did a thorough inventory and assessment of the office space as it was. Hired the contractors and ensured that everything was done on time, on budget with minimal involvement from us. Very smooth!
We would highly recommend her to anyone in a similar situation.”
Gerry M. and Rob B., Brussels – Office Makeover
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“Our house is a typical old Brussels town house which we partially renovated when we moved in five years ago. Early this year we decided that it was high time that we renovate our ‘stylish’ 70s James Bond-style bathroom and make some other necessary modifications to the 1st Floor.
We asked Francesca, who had been warmly recommended to us by friends, to make us a proposal. She came back to us with a recommendation that was clever, simple and ensured an attractive and practical use of the space available. This was, however, just the starting-point. When we hinted that we were looking in the medium-term to renovate the 2nd floor as well, she suggested in her extremely diplomatic, sincere and non-pushy manner that we would save ourselves a lot of grief if we were to do all of the renovations in one go rather than go for a further round of dust and disruption a year or so later. After we had seen her exciting proposal for the 2nd floor, we were absolutely convinced that she was right and decided to go ahead.
We are delighted with the results – as one of our guests pointed out recently, the house has not been renovated – it has been transformed. Whether you take the new ingenious use of the space on the top floor, the conversion of our dingy old attic into a modern bright office and the transformation of the aforementioned bathroom into a room that you no longer dread entering but actually look forward to going into in the morning, the results have completely surpassed our expectations.
During the past five months, I have come to appreciate Francesca as an extremely talented architect/interior designer who has a number of skills which are invaluable if you are embarking on such a project. Her ideas are creative, clever and most importantly practical. She has an attention to detail which is second-to-none. Her project management skills ensured that the whole process was managed efficiently. Her communication skills were outstanding whether in working with the contractor or in nudging us diplomatically in a particular direction.
Renovations are not to be undertaken lightly - particularly if you continue living in the house as we did. The dust and the disruption should not be underestimated. If you are looking for a great result and the minimum amount of stress, I would recommend anybody embarking on this journey to engage Francesca.”
Richard B., Brussels – Full Scale House Renovation
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“The main bathroom of my house was in a very poor state. It had been renovated some years before but its condition had deteriorated quite quickly. Even its roof was showing some worrying signs of decay … I knew I had to do something about it but I had no idea on exactly what to do and on whom to rely for the work.
That is when I found Francesca and her company Standing Renovation. What struck me is that in matter of a few days she presented me with various alternative projects, some of which I had not thought of. It was a step-by-step process, with each phase being carefully explained and followed through. At times I could not escape having to make a few decisions myself but I found Francesca’s advice always very helpful, and ranging wildly from the technical details to the use of the right colours … She has a clear view of what needs to be done and how but this is not to say that she imposes her views on the customer: nothing of the sort! Another very important element that I would underline is the team that Francesca can convene for the implementation of any project you decide …after listening to so many horror stories from acquaintances and friends on works gone badly, it was comforting to be able to rely on a dedicated and professional team …
So now I have a new, shiny bathroom … suffice to say that even my mother likes it!”
Fabio S., Brussels – Bathroom Renovation
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“In 2006 when we bought our house (a nice maison de maitre from 1915) we decided to have all the essential renovations done that were necessary for us to be able to live safely and confortably in it (central heating, sanding of wooden floors, painting of walls, electricity, etc). We did all these renovations before we moved in and got what we wanted. But there were are number of things that were left out in this first wave of renovations that we postponed to a later stage. None of them were particularly urgent because they were functional, even if far from pretty. This included our bathroom in brown and cork from the seventies, a very rustic and cold toilet, an unpractical and oddly shaped loft and our staircase painted in green and pink with dark green carpet.
In late 2010 – after the birth of our second son – we decided that it was time for more renovations. We got tired off our retro-bathroom, we did not seem to use the space properly and one, cold and uninviting toilet for the whole house did not seem to be enough any longer. We wanted to have a new and modern bathroom and make better use of the vast amount of space available. We also wanted to turn our old and rustic toilet into a bit of a confortable space which included a wash basin. In addition, there were some vague ideas of maybe renovating our loft, but ideally this was to be tackled at a later stage.
When we met Francesca at the party of friends she had just finished renovating their house and we could study the impressive results. We decided to meet with Francesca and discuss our renovations plans with her. Over a series of discussions with Francesca our renovations plans took shape and expanded significantly. In all of this Francesca never imposed her ideas on us or pushed us in a particular direction. She simply helped us to find out what we wanted to change in our house (not just in the bathroom) and how we could best go about realising our plans. Francesca’s proposals very closely reflected our wishes and needs but at the same time were inventive, creative and often very different from what we had originally envisaged. We finally decided to undertake a fairly big renovations project which involved renovating the loft and adding a small showeroom (stage 1) and repartioning our old bathroom and turning it into a modern bathroom as well as some storage space. A very brave decision (especially seen from hind side) as we would stay in our house and move to different floors during the duration of the renovations project.
We were reassured in our courage by Francesca’s meticulous planning and organisation and in the choice of her main contractor, Andrzej, who turned out to be extremely professional and very considerate vis-a-vis our family situation. While living in our house during the period of renovations was a testing experience at times we never regretted that we had undertaken this adventure together. This was due to Francesca’s excellent project management and Andrzej’s unfailing commitment to deliver a high quality product, on time and with happy clients. We could always rely on Francesca to keep us focused and organised, anticipate potential problems, deal with issues and problems and answer an endless series of questions. Francesca did not only oversee the renovations but helped us a great deal in sourcing the necessary equipment and furnishings. This in turn helped us to save a lot of time, energy and money. Moreover, Francesca turned out to be a fantastic style guide – she understood very well how we wanted to new spaces to look like and helped us to realise our ambitions. In all of this she was very mindful of our tastes, needs and our budget.
We are extremely happy with the final result of our renovations. Our house has completely changed and the whole family, including the kids, is enjoying the new spaces immensely. Even our house itself seems to be happy and relieved that it has shed some of its ugly ‘skins’ and that it has found back to its early 20th century style and grace. There are no more unloved and derelict spaces and we are using the house to its full potential. I have even become addicted to having baths now and I enjoy climbing the beautiful wooden stairs. In a nutshell: despite the turbulent and dusty existence of the last six months it has all been worth it. I am very happy that we undertook this adventure but I am also very conscious that we have been very fortunate to have had such a positive process as well as outcome.
The key to all of this has been Francesca. Her knowledge and skills as an architect and interior designer have helped us to find the most functional and yet most attractive solutions. Her choice of contractors and suppliers has ensured that we have ended up with a high quality but affordable final product. Francesca’s project management and organisational skills have kept us on track and on budget and allowed us to keep on doing our jobs and living our busy lives. Her communication and social skills have ensured that nothing got left out and everybody was included in the process. Above all Francesca’s respectful and diplomatic manner, her integrity and sense of humour has turned a potentially very disruptive and invasive process into a fundamentally enjoyable and positive experience. For all of these reasons I can only recommend to work with Francesca.”
Michaela B., Brussels – Full Scale House Renovation
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“Francesca opens up new, creative options that we would not have thought of ourselves. Really attentive to what we need, her input was of huge value.”
John N., Brussels – Office Makeover
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“Having spent 4 years renovating a house in Brussels which resulted in one nightmare after another and paying more than double our budget I can’t recommend Francesca and Standing RenOvation enough. You can’t afford not to take her with you on your renovation journey if you want it to be a pleasant and enjoyable experience. Francesca, if only we connected four years ago!”
Marcia O., Brussels – In Home Consultation
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“Francesca provided us with a turn-key project developed quickly, while listening to our ideas and budget objectives. Francesca improved our ideas without imposing her view, but showing improvements alongside our thinking. The project developed by Francesca exploits perfectly the available space, without compromising usability. Her availability during the execution was crucial as well. We really got what we were looking for!”
Dennis D., Brussels – Attic Renovation
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“Francesca was first introduced to us through a friend who heard that we had just bought a house in Brussels and were looking for some architectural and project management guidance. Little did we know at that point that what Francesca would eventually become was, quite simply, the person to whom we owe not only our dream home, but also a dream of a renovation process.
What made here do such a fantastic job during the 7 months we were working with her was that she manages to combine a very personal and responsive approach to renovation with an open and friendly personality and an immense competence in designing and managing her clients’ projects. Her extensive contacts are also first-rate, so that a reliable contractor is always easily found. For us she is the living proof that even large home renovation projects need not be stressful and difficult, but can in fact be a very rewarding and exciting experience. Thank you again.”
Robert K., Brussels – Full Scale House Renovation
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“Francesca joined us in the middle of a major house renovation project when it looked as though the whole thing would have to be cancelled.
Although we already had the architectural drawings, she made some important modifications that allowed us to finish with an amazing result. She provided a project plan, she coordinated the various builders, provided advice on materials (and how to place them) and did so in the most professional and friendly manner. The builders, the suppliers, and the other architect all enjoyed working with her as much as we did.
I can only say, if you need someone to help you from A-Z, or just with a little part of your project, talk to Francesca. In short, a 100% endorsement from me.”
Aida A., Brussels – Full Scale House Renovation
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“Francesca really offers it all: from technique to aesthetics, she considers every aspect, anticipates every problem, doesn’t overlook any detail … a true professional in a friendly and charming package! Highly recommended.”
Jean-Louis M., Brussels – Design Project
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“Nous avons fait appel à Francesca pour une petite rénovation d’appartement.
Avant de travailler avec Francesca cela faisait deux ans que nous tournions en rond en essayant de trouver des solutions et des entrepreneurs sérieux acceptant d’intervenir sur un tout petit chantier, dans un logement habité et dans un délai raisonnable.
Une fois la décision prise, la 1ère visite a eu lieu la même semaine et les travaux commençaient 15 jours après. Avec un suivi technique impeccable, et jusque dans les moindres détails.”
Cécile G., Brussels – Small Apartment Renovation
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“I hired Francesca to make a plan for the renovation of an attic room into a bedroom. The project was quite complex due to the sharp pitch of the roof and the small size of the attic. The most difficult part was to find where to build the stairway to the attic.However, Francesca came up with brilliant ideas to most suitably place the stairway and to maximise the space in the attic, with a minimum of rework in the other rooms. Francesca was also always available for additional questions. The building work has now started and I’m looking forward to seeing such good ideas come to life.”
Gilles S., Overjise – Design Project
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“I was immediately struck at our first meeting by how pleasant and well-organised Francesca was. In the subsequent phases of our fairly extensive renovation project she consistently showed herself to be meticulous in her planning and very good at letting us know where we stood, what the next steps were and how we could best participate (if we wanted). For instance, her knowledge of appliances and fixtures was phenomenal, so that she could give us very precise options. Little surprise then that with such good organisation the project was in fact completed 10 days ahead of the 5-month schedule and to a fantastic standard!”
Céline W., Brussels – Full Scale House Renovation
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“After meeting Francesca Puccio at a friend’s dinner, we were immediately attracted to her kindness, her positive character and at the same time her reserved sense of trust.
After a brief exchange, we agreed to ask her to manage the renovation of our apartment and we do not have any regrets for that choice. Francesca has been a very important anchor and absolutely indispensable part of our project. She revised the renovation plans providing useful and original tips. She planned the works and supplied the technical drawings in order to be achieved without the slightest error while taking care of the relations with the workers and the suppliers evading this heavy responsibility and a lot of unpleasant tasks.
The results were impressive. We experienced no pressure and minimum stress during the work period and the works were delivered on time without extra charges.
Therefore I have no problem to recommend Francesca on her high-quality services and professionalism”
Sergio N., Brussels – Full Scale Apartment Renovation
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