Decorating a home is hard work. Building a home from scratch is even harder. Nevertheless that is what my husband and I undertook 8 years ago. Within weeks I knew I was way over my head. Fortunately I was aware that the mother of my daughter’s friend was an interior decorator, so I reached out to her for help and that is how Fern Mottes saved my sanity. Through more than two years of work we chose everything in my house, from layout to flooring, paint, carpets, furniture, artwork and decorative pieces.  The most important part of this collaborative effort was the fact that she listened to me, she learned my likes and dislikes and she understood what I was trying to do, even though I didn’t know how to execute it. In addition she always worked within my budget and that to me was remarkable.   The result is a home that besides being beautiful is warm, inviting and comfortable.  I never get tired of the compliments my home receives. If you are looking for a designer with impeccable taste and a great work ethic then I highly recommend Fern Mottes; you will thank me later. In addition I would like to also mention that on October 29th 2012 my home suffered devastating damage from Hurricane Sandy.  Fern worked tirelessly to help us rebuild and refurnish our home as closely as possible to the way it was before the storm and she succeeded brilliantly.