client reviews
Hear what clients are saying about the impact of their space transformations & what it’s like to work with me!
MANNU SANGHA, TORONTO, CANADA
★★★★★
“We had such a great experience working with Sophie! She helped us design both a playroom and a bedroom for our daughter, and we couldn’t be happier with how both spaces turned out.
Sophie brought so much care and creativity to the process — from the big-picture layout to the small details that made the spaces feel truly special for our daughter.
We knew our family would be moving in the near future, and asked Sophie to make sure everything could easily come with us. She kept that top of mind throughout, choosing pieces and creating layouts that would transition well to a new home without sacrificing function or style.
Our daughter used to be afraid to sleep in her room, but now she’s genuinely excited to spend time there. She loves showing off both her bedroom and playroom during playdates — and it’s been so heartwarming to see how proud she is of her space.
We’ve had several parents ask us who helped design it, and we’ve happily recommended Sophie every time. The reactions from both kids and parents say it all!
Sophie also added thoughtful touches to help our daughter become more independent, like low hooks and a mirror for dressing herself — little things that have made a big impact in our daily routines.
She was always available to chat through ideas and iterate on designs until we felt really good about the direction. Sophie helped us see the vision even when it was hard for us to picture, and made the entire process feel collaborative, creative, and fun.
Highly recommend Chez Shay Designs if you're looking for someone with a great eye and a warm, thoughtful approach!”
TERESA WALLACE, TORONTO, CANADA
★★★★★
“I had a wonderful experience working with Sophie on our daughter's bedroom project. She excelled at translating my requirements and inspirations into a cozy yet sophisticated design concept.
I was particularly impressed by her professionalism, transparency, and attention to detail throughout the project.
As someone who manages projects in my own profession, I recognize and value the importance of clear communication and efficient execution. Sophie consistently demonstrated these qualities, ensuring that the project remained on track and within budget.
Her team of tradespeople—such as the handyman and millwork specialists—were also excellent to work with. We especially appreciate the custom wall unit they created.
The final design exceeded my expectations, resulting in a beautiful and functional space for my daughter. I would wholeheartedly recommend Sophie's design services. Thank you again for the outstanding work!”
FAMILY OF 4, TORONTO, CANADA
★★★★★
“My kids could not be more thrilled with their playroom that Sophie designed. Not only will it grow with them, but it is fun for all ages. My vision came to life with Sophie’s help, and couldn’t be happier.”
CRISTINA EMANUELE, TORONTO, CANADA
★★★★★
“I came across Sophie’s amazing company through a friend and I immediately knew I needed her help to spruce up my basement and create a great playroom for my kids.
She had awesome ideas, really listened and was so easy to deal with, very responsive and professional.
I couldn’t recommend her more for a playroom makeover or any children’s space that you’re looking to redesign — true gem.”
SAKSHI ATHWAL, MISSISSAUGA, CANADA
★★★★★
“Sophie is amazing! she makes your vision come to life! Super organized.”
JENNA WAWRYZNIEC (@HOLDINGSPACEMONTESSORI), TEXAS, USA
★★★★★
“Sophie was a dream to work with!
We partnered with her during a high-stress transition moving homes, and she made the process significantly lighter by designing a beautiful and functional upstairs loft for our family of five.
This space needed to be multipurpose — invite play for both the early years and tween years, and be versatile to grow into, and be inclusive to grownups for gathering and game nights!
This alone would’ve taken me forever to try to solve for, but with her thorough intake process and design expertise, she nailed the vision and made all of our needs and ideas come to life so quickly!
The best part as an e-Design client — communicating with her was a breeze. She is so professional and gave us access to an amazingly organized online portal, where we could see the project, the mood boards, write feedback, on our own time. The final phase of shopping our product lists was also super simple and polished.
We’re forever grateful. The kids have immediately taken to the space, and it’s already inviting high quality play, space for homework, social gatherings with peers and just as a family for our weekend date nights in!
I cannot recommend Sophie enough — if you’re overwhelmed with your kid or family spaces, go to Sophie!!!”
LAURA GOLDHOPF, TORONTO, CANADA
★★★★★
“We had such a great experience working with Sophie!
What can I even say… she has great ideas, and is very responsive. She was super easy to communicate with and any questions were answered with such care and detail. After every step in the process she offers a virtual meeting if needed to walk through everything.
She went above and beyond to personally test several different flooring options to make sure we got the best one for our space, and then she brought it over to test it in our space as well!
She was able to take our underused basement which was mostly being used as a storage space and turn it into a beautiful play/sports area for our kids!
We now use this space on a daily basis and it’s summertime! We spend so much time outside, but when we’re inside the kids want to be in the basement. I look forward to spending a lot of time in the basement moving forward :)”
ANDREA MOURAD, TORONTO, CANADA
★★★★★
“My basement was a place I never wanted to be. It was dark, disorganized, and blah. It didn't bring me joy, only a stark reminder of the huge project I needed to eventually tackle. I avoided being downstairs whenever possible, as I simply didn't have the time, will or know how to make our basement more inviting.
When I was introduced to Sophie by another client of hers, it was a no brainer. We hired her almost immediately to recreate our basement into a playroom/activity room for our young family of four. We didn't have the time to handle all the details so we hired Sophie to do the leg work for us. She was so professional.
She listened to my many days of indecision with a kind and compassionate ear and she created a room beyond my wildest dreams.
My seven year old said that it is the best basement in the entire universe. My husband goes down there every morning now to stretch and ride the bike. We find excuses to be downstairs together as a family.
Sophie was flexible and was able to pivot when the original design needed to be adjusted. She was very organized and she worked diligently to get the job done in a time frame that worked around our busy schedules. If you are looking to transform a space in your home into a beautiful, creative place for your children to learn and grow, Sophie from Chez Shay is your girl. She will not disappoint!”
NATHALIE AMLANI, TORONTO, CANADA
★★★★★
“When my grade school kids asked if they could update their room and get it decorated with their personalities… I knew I had to reach out to Sophie for help!
Sophie is amazing at tuning in, listening, and responding to what the kids wished for me and making it come true in their space!! I truly appreciate her ability to pull together designs and concepts for two totally different kids while also keeping within our (the parents!) budget and timeline (kids happy, parents happy - win win!)
The kids loved the feeling of being part of the design, from giving their input in the discovery process to then seeing it visually come to life in the designs… and in real life in their room!!
My son wished for a Minecraft theme room with a slide bunk bed while my daughter wished for a unicorn theme with a nook for hanging out in a sensory swing. The kids got their wishes granted and more! With thoughtful curated design elements and details I never would have thought of that truly uplevels the space (light fixtures and wall papers and wall treatments make a world of different - who knew!)
I highly recommend working with Sophie to get your kid’s rooms designed. She’s professional, creative, presents beautiful design options and has great customer service. We loved our experience so much and the kids are still asking when Sophie will be coming back again to work her magic!”
ARCHANA GELDA-KUMAR, TORONTO, CANADA
★★★★★
“We had an amazing experience with Chez Shay Designs and I'd highly recommend them to others looking to jazz up a space or create a special, inviting space for young children.
Sophie took our vague ideas for the (unused and unfurnished) front living room and turned them into incredible design options that we were able to choose from and make tweaks to. She was really supportive of our ideas and willing to make adjustments. And then she took care of the complete wallpaper removal, install of furniture, wall fittings, etc.
At every step, I was well informed.
The new space is far more beautiful than we could've imagined and the kids love how easily they can access their books, supplies, etc.
They have been using it every day after school! They love it so much they're even committed to keeping it tidy.
Thank you so much! We'd definitely like to use your services to reinvigorate the kids bedrooms too!”
CORINNE DURIEU, TORONTO, CANADA
★★★★★
“Working with Sophie was an absolute dream! My husband and I were stumped when it came to our 9yo daughter's room. We couldn't nail down a functional layout or a cohesive look. Then we found Sophie and it felt like fate!
My husband, our daughter and i all loved working with Sophie. Her space planning expertise and design skills have truly transformed our daughter's room. Now, our 9yo can't wait to host her next sleepover and proudly show off her new space!
If you're dealing with a tricky layout and want to get it right the first time, I wholeheartedly recommend working with Sophie!”
CONNIE KIM, TORONTO, CANADA
★★★★★