After the situation is resolved, OP, would you consider sharing her name here or on GardenWeb so none of us hire her?

Best of luck. Hard to believe a friend of the family would rip you off this way. If I got hired to help a friend's family member, I would be extra accommodating, not the other way around!

Sue her. You're crazy if you don't.

Send her a demand letter letting her know she has 10 business days to return your money or you'll proceed with a suit in small claims court.

Took her no time to give you swatches and unlikely she paid the window guy ( he did it on th expectation of business). 10 hours is more than generous.

Lesson: do not fork over money (esp substantial sum) without a clear contract and set of deliverables within specified time frame!

PP here - sorry, I just re-read your original post a little more closely. So if your $5k wasn't to go toward items, what was it supposed to go toward? Her time? (Which you also haven't gotten much of?) I've never hired a designer so I don't know the protocol. Any lawyers out there know what the implications are that OP never signed the contract? Is that good or bad for her?

6 months and $5,000 - ouch. I really hope you get your money back, OP.

You and your husband were right to avoid another meeting with her - that just would have let her burn further through your pre-paid amount without spending any of it on the construction of your table. What a bummer. I wonder if she's stalling until she gets another client - maybe she spent all your money in Europe and now has nothing left to pay for the furniture maker who's supposed to make your table!

Anonymous wrote:Op, how are you going to take her to small claims if you didn't sign the contract??? I would tell her that she needs to refund the money or you will start bad mouthing her on review sites.

They don't have a written contract, but by accepting the initial payment they do have an oral agreement. With an oral agreement you can't nit-pick on details, but a judge certainly can consider that there was some expectation of work and that the OP is due some reimbursement for services unfulfilled unless the contractor can show definitively that she spent the money on actual work for the client. In this case, OP is not requesting a full reimbursement, but only reimbursement of unused retainer funds which is a reasonable request and judges normally do award partial reimbursement judgments in cases like these.

Does she belong to any professional organization? The more credentialed designers do (ASID, for example). If so, file a complaint with them, and the BBB. At

I think interior design is one of those fields that has a low barrier to entry, so anyone who thinks they have good taste thinks they can make a go of it. I suspect there are a lot of decorators like this who don't have the business skills go with their taste.

It's a pity, because it taints the waters for the good ones.

We had a bad experience with an interior designer (friend of a friend situation) and lost $1000. Doubt we will ever use one again, lesson learned.

Anonymous wrote:Op, how are you going to take her to small claims if you didn't sign the contract??? I would tell her that she needs to refund the money or you will start bad mouthing her on review sites.

Sounds like a case for Judge Judy!

She spent your money on her trip.

I also would tell you sister what her "friend" did to you. your sister should be furious for her behavior too (I would be beyond ashamed if sa friend I introduced to my sister did this to her). and let the interior designer know that if the money is not returned you will make sure to tell everybody you knwo about your experience with her

Op, how are you going to take her to small claims if you didn't sign the contract??? I would tell her that she needs to refund the money or you will start bad mouthing her on review sites.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I paid her $5000 and her hourly rate is $175.

Say what now?

You need to get your money back ASAP! If you have money like that to throw around, I'm sure you have a lawyer who can draft up a letter and scare her into returning your money.

I did draft a letter and it's going out certified first thing tomorrow. I also calculated around 10 hours, and have asked to be reimbursed the balance within 14 days or it's off to small claims. I'm so upset!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I paid her $5000 and her hourly rate is $175.

lol

The table needed for that space would be $$$ but I totally got suckered.