A good renovation can change your life.
Read about the results our clients achieved.
Our Brussels townhouse was rundown, it felt dark and depressing. But with a busy work-family schedule we did not have the time – nor the talent! – to manage the renovation ourselves. Where do you even start? Enter Francesca.
Our Brussels townhouse was rundown, it felt dark and depressing. But with a busy work-family schedule we did not have the time – nor the talent! – to manage the renovation ourselves. Where do you even start? Renovating is hard enough on its own, so many decisions to be made, so much choice – and to renovate in a foreign country just felt completely overwhelming.
Enter Francesca. She saw the potential straight away, and visualised ideas for improvements, colours and furniture that came together beautifully, while keeping as many original details of the house as possible. We absolutely love our new classic, bright, warm home.
Francesca was an incredible project manager, from start to finish. Making sure everything went according to schedule, attentive to details, and making sure we were informed and involved, while limiting our visits to once a week. For us, that was perfect. The contractors she worked with were honest, hard-working, and solution-oriented. The entire renovation process went incredibly smoothly, despite the inevitable surprises hidden in an old house.
I truly cannot recommend Francesca highly enough to anyone feeling overwhelmed at the idea of renovating and not knowing where to start.
Nunos, Brussels – Refresh Your Home
We really appreciated how she listened to our needs and ideas and helped us create the family home we were after.
We worked with Francesca renovating our townhouse in Brussels. We really appreciated how she listened to our needs and ideas and helped us create the family home we were after. Francesca was really organised at all stages in our 6 months renovation and made it clear what decisions we needed to take when. Working with an excellent builder she had recommended, it meant the stress of a major renovation project was really minimised.
Deirdre, Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
Francesca is great at taking half-baked ideas and shaping them into solid plans.
My apartment needed a lot of painting, a bit of structural work, some embellishment, a few repairs and a good dose of rethinking. But it was not clear to me in what order and to what degree. Francesca is great at taking half-baked ideas and shaping them into solid plans. She has a very strong technical background and a strong aesthetic and spatial sense, which made her the ideal person to work with. I also appreciated her calm manner as much as a very structured and professional approach to managing the project, which meant that we safely navigated the inevitable challenges along the way.
Andrew, Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
We are now in our newly refurbished house and couldn’t be more satisfied with the level of cooperation and quality of work. This was such a transformation that the house is almost unrecognisable.
Before we decided to embark on our house renovation, our main issue was that we were not living in the country and that our house was rented out. Our tenants sudden departure made things easier and we decided to embark on the project with Standing Renovation. I have lived many years in Belgium and have experienced problems with various smaller renovations that went wrong. I knew after our first meeting that it would be only with Francesca or not at all.
Almost two years after my initial email to Francesca, we are now in our newly refurbished house and couldn’t be more satisfied with the level of cooperation and quality of work. This was such a transformation that the house is almost unrecognisable.
The only issue we have had is that, once you start opening and changing, you end up wanting to do more. Therefore, we went over budget and decided to do more than planned. Francesca’s team catered to our wishes, changes of plans – and sometimes even going back on the decision making. It really was a big and demanding project.
I would recommend Francesca to anyone who wants to be free of fear that something might go wrong. Because even if it does, rest assured that it is not because of Francesca or her team. They are trustworthy and hard-working people, they are considerate and respectful.
We visited the site only two times, given the fact that we lived in another country and that the travel restrictions were imposed. Everything was done in agreement with us, we were informed and consulted, advised and listened to. If you are thinking of putting your home in their hands, you will make the best decision! It is well worth it!!!
D&J, Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
Francesca and the brilliant entrepreneur she chose worked together to transform our house in what is now a completely different place. Not only it looks different and a hundred times better, it feels different, more “like us”, not only a house, but “home”.
In 2014, we bought a 1950s house in a nice tree-lined street in a lovely Brussels neighbourhood. It had plenty of space and so much potential, but the more we lived in it, the more we realised how much the previous owners had mistreated it with their DIY renovations. They had painted over the wooden staircase, redone kitchen and bathrooms with dubious choices and low-cost materials, cut the original doors, placed new flooring very poorly, not to mention their neglect for installations such as electricity, heating, and plumbing. In short, the house needed a makeover.
We started from the technical side, but after living in the house for a while, we were soon looking for more: changing the kitchen layout to make it more spacious and functional, removing partitions and enlarging doorways to increase the light, redoing the bathrooms, replacing all doors, giving the original staircase and parquet a much-needed renovation.
We knew what we wanted, but we were not sure how to make it happen. We shopped around with a few entrepreneurs and architects, we asked quotes to various suppliers, but we were not happy. We dreamt of having one single point of contact, someone who could take care of the whole process, deal with all suppliers, while listening to our needs and ideas, and why not, someone who could also advise us on our furniture and lighting choices.
Enter Francesca. From our very first meeting in 2019, it was clear to us that we had found “the one” who could do all of this and more. So we started our renovation journey, carefully going through the options, choosing layouts and materials, getting closer and closer to the start of the renovation until… COVID hit. We had to put our plans on hold, while getting more and more frustrated by the difference between the house we lived in and the house that Francesca had designed for us, which had to stay on paper for two full years.
Thankfully, in spring 2022 we were able to start our renovation, moving out for 3 months. From day one, we knew we were in good hands. Francesca and the brilliant entrepreneur she chose worked together to transform our house in what is now a completely different place. Not only it looks different and a hundred times better, it feels different, more “like us”, not only a house, but “home”.
None of this would have been possible without Francesca. She was able to capture and improve our vision but also proved to be an excellent project manager, juggling suppliers, deadlines and the inevitable hiccups along the way with aplomb and expertise, as well as a brilliant interior decorator, coming up with a colour palette and a selection of furniture and fixtures that looks stunning.
We were super happy to work with Francesca, so much in fact that we are already planning to work together on the next chapter of our renovation journey. Two floors done, one more to go – and we already know it will look great!
Francesco, Brussels – Full Renovation
Francesca has a good sense of style and provided the whole package. It saved an amazing amount of time and I love the end result.
In 2020 I became an owner of a newly built apartment in Brussels. The only things I had were white walls and a kitchen. As I do not know the local market I felt I needed professional help. Francesca has a good sense of style and provided the whole package – she listened to what I like and offered a few options to choose from. It saved an amazing amount of time and I love the end result. She also took care of delivery, assembly and installation. Instead of talking to every supplier separately and arranging delivery dates and assembly for each item separately I just had 1,5 days when everything was delivered and assembled and installed. She has an amazing crew to do the job and also takes care of any defects. Overall, I am very happy with having chosen Francesca and would recommend her services to anyone creating or renovating their home.
Giedre, Brussels – Refresh Your Home
We had an active part in the project and very much enjoyed both the process and the result!
A friend recommended Francesca for our renovation project, a complete makeover of our house. Francesca came up with original design solutions, followed up all the phases of the project, helping out when the inevitable problems came out, coordinating different professionals, advising on the materials and looking out for the extra detail. She’s also been very open to our ideas and suggestions, trying to integrate and combine them with her own. We had an active part in the project and very much enjoyed both the process and the result!
Gianluca, Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
If I had to summarise the 3 main benefits of working with Francesca, I would mention: 1. Single point of reference, 2. Custom made approach, 3. Precision and Care
I stumbled upon Francesca’s professional profile while I was looking around on Houzz. We had just signed the “compromis de vente” for our new house and I was looking for someone to help us doing some adjustments to our new property.
The house was in good conditions, but there were a few things to take care of. In particular we wanted to create a Pilates studio for my wife in the basement and this required a complete renovation. We started with the idea of doing only the minimum (e.g. paint walls and ceilings, sand the parquet, isolate the roof, redo the guest bathroom, …) in the rest of the house, but while working with Francesca and her team, we decided to catch the opportunity and redo also the main bathroom as well as some other elements.
When all the works were discussed and agreed, Francesca and her team drafted a detailed plan with the financial proposal. This was the reference throughout the entire renovation.
Francesca was always very attentive to our needs and she reacted extremely quickly to all our requests. With calm and professionalism she explained what were the possibilities with their pros and cons. The initial plan was adapted accordingly as we progressed during the renovation (sometimes you discover things during the journey or you simply change your mind). In all occasions Francesca was extremely clear to point out the financial impact of our choices so that we could keep the budget under control.
We had a tight schedule because we needed to leave our apartment for a certain date. The team that Francesca put together worked extremely well and respected the deadline. The quality of the works, the attention to details and the kindness of the team were outstanding.
If I had to summarise the 3 main benefits of working with Francesca, I would mention:
1. Single point of reference: she takes care of all the coordination with the team of workers and she asks your contribution in due time when choices are needed. This approach prevented the feeling of being lost due to the amount of things to be dealt with, but at the same time it kept us in control of the situation. When we had questions or requests she took care of acting as an interface between us and the various suppliers.
2. Custom made approach: she can assist on multiple topics, from the details of redoing a bathroom/room and of placing the pipes/wires to the purchase of furniture or accessories. The customer can decide to tackle only certain topics and build a custom renovation package and Francesca will handle its execution.
3. Precision and Care: Francesca listens very carefully and remembers all your requests or needs even after months. She reacts very quickly and her work is always precise. She is well organised as she makes use of some collaboration tools to keep track of all the renovation process. This includes the financial part and the schedule, which are kept regularly monitored.
Before knowing Francesca we were scared of buying a house that required a lot of renovation works and therefore we looked only at houses in good conditions. Now I can safely say that if I had to buy another house I would certainly consider also the ones that require a full renovation and I will entrust Francesca and her team to make it happen.
Oliviero, Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
All my tenants have loved the decoration and floor arrangement that she chose.
Francesca did an excellent job at my tiny studio in Brussels. It was very challenging to find the right arrangement to make this little space into an enjoyable place to live with all the necessary spaces and a nice touch of good taste and so to be rented out to a good target tenant.
Francesca asked all the relevant questions to make it cozy, unisex and efficient. All my tenants have loved the decoration and floor arrangement that she chose. She gave me a very comprehensive plan of every piece I should buy and where to located on the area. It was easy and cost effective. It really goes together. Thank you Francesca. We will be seeing each other soon again.
Aura, Brussels – Refresh Your Home Maxi
Not much had to be done urgently but it was great to discover how much could be done to make this a much better place.
I was renting a nice apartment at a nice location but I always had an eye on this penthouse up in the same building with its space and magnificent terrace. When I could suddenly buy it, I didn’t think much about what a renovation would entail: not much had to be done urgently but it was great to discover how much could be done to make this a much better place: a new bath, the heating, electricity, new windows, isolation and so on. There were too many small rooms and walls that took away the light. Some radical measures turned a too compartmentalised apartment in a generous loft. I am no longer living in a pre-defined box but rather in a customised bungalow.
Christian, Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
She brought her special vision and excellent ideas for refreshing various rooms and niches in our house.
Francesca was a pleasure to ‘journey’ with – calm, professional and of course creative. She brought her special vision and excellent ideas for refreshing various rooms and niches in our house. We highly recommend her.
Fiona, Brussels – Refresh Your Home
Francesca provided excellent suggestions on how to reorganise the structure of the apartment and make sure every space was used efficiently, while at the same time making the flat brighter and more liveable.
I hired Standing Renovation to renovate my very first apartment. While relatively small, the apartment had suffered from years of poor maintenance and needed an almost full renovation and “face-lift” to bring out its full potential.
Francesca provided excellent suggestions on how to reorganise the structure of the apartment and make sure every space was used efficiently, while at the same time making the flat brighter and more liveable.
Importantly, Francesca and her team were able to match my overall vision for the project with my available budget, recommending excellent yet affordable suppliers and, when the inevitable “renovation surprises” arose, suggesting solutions that solved the issues without incurring in additional expenses.
Furthermore, if like me you feel lost when it comes to colours and the million models of tiles and fittings available on the market, Francesca is the person for you! With just the help of a few “pinterest favorite pictures” she understood my style perfectly and suggested a few alternatives for wall colours, floors, and fittings for me to choose from, all panic-free. When she approved some of my choices I wasn’t sure about, I was immediately reassured they would look great once finished…and they did.
Finally, Francesca’s main contractor Andrzej and his team are very skilled, professional and attentive to details, adapting quickly to my decisions and even suggesting useful ways to reuse leftover material.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a hassle-free renovation process, I would strongly recommend Francesca and her team!
Luisa P., Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
You hear a lot of scary stories in case of renovations. Well, I am happy that we could share another experience.
We were looking for possibilities to get more out of our existing flat, refresh it and make it more comfortable for the growing family needs. We needed somebody who can help us on that, without making it an oversize and uncontrolled project.
That balance is exactly what we found in working with Francesca: she guided us in understanding the things to be done in line with our budgets, expectations, and energy that we could invest in that, basically helping us to stay within the acceptable scope. You can hardly do that without expert help.
The team she is working with was excellent, professional and nice to be around. You hear a lot of scary stories in case of renovations. Well, I am happy that we could share another experience. The transformation of the space was remarkable and the journey to there was well prepared and executed.
Thanks Francesca for helping us,
Daniela V., Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
Francesca and her team walk you through a very stressful time of your life in a very smooth and pleasant way.
When we bought our apartment we knew we wanted to change it into something bright and beautiful. We asked Francesca for help because she was highly recommended by a friend and we wanted a quality renovation.
Not being familiar with renovation works, she helped us to understand what we liked and how to create our new place in a harmonized fashion. She presented her proposals respecting our point of view and she was very good at showing you what makes sense, what does not, what is possible or not possible, both technically and in terms of coherence and good taste. Open minded, she adapts to your requests respecting your preferences and budget constraints.
She works only with serious and trustworthy professionals. Francesca and her team provide you with very detailed schedule of the works that is updated weekly. She personally monitors the process throughout its lifespan, from design to end of the project, and makes you feel that everything is under control requesting action from our side when needed. A handy application takes track of all schedules, projects, to-do list, actions required, which is an non-intrusive way of communicating with her and keeping track of the progress. She is your point of contact and she is responsible for all the works and professionals working on the project. She solves problems that arise smoothly and effectively.
The outcome of the works was done to the state of the art, clean and timely, her suggestions proved to be very appropriate.
Francesca and her team walk you through a very stressful time of your life in a very smooth and pleasant way.
Pablo & Anna, Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
A house renovation is a big project and has a significant impact on your daily life. With Standing renovation, we felt in very good hands.
A house renovation is a big project and has a significant impact on your daily life. With Standing renovation, we felt in very good hands during the one year journey that started with the very first meeting at our place to analyse our needs (a new kitchen, a new shower room and two rooms to redecorate) to the final completion of the last detail. Francesca is a trusted professional who organised every aspect of the various works to be done, and kept everything in check including us. We appreciated her numerous suggestions, her professional knowledge and her sense of details. The results are great and having her by our side made the whole process so much easier at a fair price.
Christel V., Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
I had ideas in mind of the kind of improvements I wanted to make to my home but I wasn’t sure of my choices. Francesca really helped to bring everything together.
Working with Francesca has been a very positive and enjoyable experience. I had ideas in mind of the kind of improvements I wanted to make to my home but I wasn’t sure of my choices, how to go about it or if I’d actually thought of everything. Francesca really helped to bring everything together, confirmed what would and wouldn’t work, and made plenty of very useful suggestions, pointing out things I would never have noticed myself. She has really helped me to get the ball rolling and I’m delighted that I brought her in as a consultant. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her services.
Alice C., Antwerp – Refresh Your Home
Working with Francesca is a delight – I felt that the project was in very safe and capable hands right from the start.
Working with Francesca is a delight – I felt that the project was in very safe and capable hands right from the start. Her friendliness and willingness to listen to my ideas made it so easy to bring the project to being. As an ex-pat it can be daunting to even approach a renovation, not having contacts or knowledge of how to navigate the process. I found Standing Renovation a true resource and am very pleased with the outcome. I was kept informed and involved, the project came in on budget, and was completed on time. I have no hesitations in recommending Francesca to my friends and colleagues who are contemplating a renovation.
Kristen M., Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
Francesca and her well coordinated team helped me rapidly optimise my apartment.
Francesca and her well coordinated team helped me rapidly optimise my apartment by setting up a cleverly designed partitioning. The new set-up didn’t just provide me with two extra rooms but also allowed for maximum wall-space; long walls for plenty of bookshelves, couches and closets. Very clever!
Dona B. Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
Francesca has been constantly present, patient, truly involved like if it was her apartment.
I had the chance to be accompanied by Francesca through the entire process of choosing, buying and renovating my apartment.
Being alone with a small child and working the whole day, I couldn’t deal successfully with this important stage of my life. When I say successfully, I mean to buy the right place, to define the renovation project, choose a competent team of workers, monitor the site, all this respecting the budget and time limits and guaranteeing a hight quality of the works.
Francesca has been constantly present, patient, truly involved like if it was her apartment.
She has been able to interpret my practical needs into architectural language still keeping my style and taste as “file rouge”. I can strongly recommend Standingrenovation as your partner for making the home of your dreams come true.
Gabriella S., Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
On a mélangé nos cultures, nos forces et nos connaissances et nous sommes arrivés à un résultat spectaculaire!
J’avais le projet de finir la rénovation de notre maison et de rectifier quelques faux pas précédents. Francesca est une maman d’école nous nous croisons tous les jours depuis 4 ans. Alors un bon café à la main, je lui ai parlé de mon projet et nous avons décidé de travailler ensemble à cette rénovation. Une vraie collaboration est née.
J’ai choisi Standing Rénovation pour cette particularité que peut apporter Francesca Puccio, un mélange de douceur et d’Italie. Une signature en finesse avec le respect de l’environnement, des matières nobles et des lignes pures et simples.
Un respect de la maison bruxelloise, un peu d’audace, un joli mélange de coloris et des luminaires pour éclairer tout cela. On a mélangé nos cultures, nos forces et nos connaissances et nous sommes arrivés à un résultat spectaculaire!
C’était une très belle aventure, merci Francesca
Natacha D., Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
Throughout the works we had no stress and we felt that she really cared about the outcome and that we were more than just a “job”.
We had a fantastic experience with Francesca, she is very professional, extremely organised and pleasant to work with. Right from the beginning she provided us with all the options, their cost and pros-cons and we felt we were able to make all the right choices at the right time.
Then, during the works, Francesca and her team delivered way beyond our expectations, being on time, proactive if needed and, in general, a pleasure to work with.
Throughout the works we had no stress and we felt that she really cared about the outcome and that we were more than just a “job”.
I have since recommended her to anyone who asks, and many people have been impressed with the results in our house.
Paola O., Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
We gained space, even though we didn’t extend!
We are thrilled with the outcome.
My husband and I bought our house before we had children, and at the time, it seemed huge. Amazing how, 3 children later, the same space seemed cramped and crowded and totally outdated. Having seen what Francesca did when renovating a friends’ house, we called her in to help and together we re-designed our ground floor to create a modern, spacious kitchen and dining room, which was both bright, grown up, yet family friendly and practical.
We gained space, even though we didn’t extend, we got direct access to the back garden + a new terrace which was like an extra room during the summer, we got a smart, classy, bright kitchen which we love and most of all we got an island which is the focal point around which we congregate.
I love the fact that the girls can sit at the island doing homework, while I’m getting dinner ready, or Micheal and I can have a catch up on the day there while the girls are watching tv in the dining room. I also love grabbing a rare quiet moment, sitting at the island, with my back against our snazzy radiator – bliss! The other big plus is counter top space. I bake a lot and now, finally, I have place to put things while prepping, cooling, icing etc. I don’t know how I did it before!
We are thrilled with the outcome. We have a new, smart, grown up ground floor which works for our family and it’s a space we are proud to share with friends! Thanks Francesca
Sinead T., Brussels – One floor Full Scale Renovation
Contrary to all my previous experiences this renovation was enjoyable and exciting – I watched my shabby, run down apartment turn into something that makes my heart skip with pride each time I walk in the door.
It really is only when you talk to others about their renovation projects that you fully understand and appreciate how incredible it is to work with Francesca. Having renovated before in Belgium, I was reluctant to take on another renovation project as it never went according to plan, was always somehow over budget and never stress free. Then friends recommended Francesca saying that even after the project ended they stayed in touch with her because they actutally missed her – I was suspicious – if it sounds too good to be true then usually it is.
Well, it is now been 6 months since I moved into my newly renovated home and I can tell you that everything I heard about Francesca is true – she is professional, talented, reliable and above all a really great person who cares for her clients and the work she takes on. Contrary to all my previous experiences this renovation was enjoyable and exciting – I watched my shabby, run down apartment turn into something that makes my heart skip with pride each time I walk in the door. Francesca quite simply made my dreams come through and for that I will always be grateful to her for example she went to such bother finding beautiful cheaper versions of things I had fallen in love with from expensive decor magazines and it was this extra effort that really impressed me.
She is service oriented to the highest standard and the contractors she uses are highly skilled and well managed. I cannot recommend Francesca and her team enough, after a stressful few years she has taken a huge weight off my shoulders and not only given me the perfect home but also increased the value of my property because of the quality of the work and design… need I say anymore?
Edel and Aleks Rettman-Crosse, Brussels – Full Scale Renovation
Francesca took all the hassle out of renovating the top floor of our house and came up with an ingenious idea.
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
Francesca provided me a clear roadmap to the relooking of the house and have fun while she does it!
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
I had no idea where to start to tackle the task of making my new house a home.
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
She came up with easily implementable solutions to create space and efficiency in a few small steps.
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
It’s so handy and clear, really helpful to have as inspiration and guideline.
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.nowlicious.com – Home Office Online Consultation
You came up with unexpected yet simple and practical, and what will be beautiful solutions and I loved them.
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
The renovation and her accompanying process have been done to very high standards.
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
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.
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
I am now very proud of my office and feel confident in inviting clients to meet me there.
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
Everything was done on time, on budget with minimal involvement from us. Very smooth!
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
The house has not been renovated – it has been transformed.
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
So now I have a new, shiny bathroom … suffice to say that even my mother likes it!
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
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.
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
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 – Full Scale Renovation
Francesca improved our ideas without imposing her view, but showing improvements alongside our thinking. We really got what we were looking for!”
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
We owe not only our dream home, but also a dream of a renovation process.
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
Francesca has helped us to take important decisions easily, with her constructive comments and points of view. Now we can say that we live in our dream house, and we enjoy it every day.
We fell in love with a house and bought it straight away, because we saw lot of potential in it, but we didn’t know where to start from.
In fact we were afraid of not having enough time to dedicate to the renovations. Still we wanted to be involved and “enjoy” our project.
Working with Francesca was fun and effective. She took on the technical part leaving to us the fun of choosing materials and designs.
Francesca has helped us to take important decisions easily, with her constructive comments and points of view. She has always followed our desires, even when they were a bit … peculiar. She is also very patient.
Now we can say that we live in our dream house, and we enjoy it every day.
Francesca R., Brussels – Full Scale House Renovation
She made some important modifications that allowed us to finish with an amazing result.
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
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
Avant de travailler avec Francesca cela faisait deux ans que nous tournions en rond en essayant de trouver des solutions.
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
Francesca came up with brilliant ideas to maximise the space in the attic, with a minimum of rework in the other rooms.
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
The project was in fact completed 10 days ahead of the 5-month schedule and to a fantastic standard!
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
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.
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