Proceed with caution: Red flags about House of Novus & owner
While working with Noelle Simon, who owns House of Novus, tragic challenges have consistently surfaced for us and multiple of her other clients that we have spoken with, such as interior design plans that do not fit the space, last-minute notice that she is going to miss a meeting with a vendor or contractor that she scheduled due to side effects of medication she is taking (happens frequently), and significant errors in planning, pricing, coordination and vendor/contractor communication. Further, her choice of low cost contractors has led to very subpar work, requiring additional time and costs for correction, as well as tremendous stress and anxiety for the client!
A major concern revolves around Noelle's offer to use her vendor discount for clients, with a commitment that she will not add any markup. However, multiple clients have shared that Noelle refuses to share the vendor or contractors original invoice and in some cases when she did share it, provided an invoice that appears to show digital alterations. When the company who provided the invoice has been asked, they uncomfortably said that the invoice does not match what they gave to Noelle and that it's better to speak with her.
Potential clients: Please be advised to exercise caution and explore alternatives among more established designers. If considering Noelle Simon, it is recommended to sign a contract with her outlining the scope of work, agreed-upon pricing, and mandate that you directly pay the contractors and vendors. Also include that House of Novus cannot, under any condition, charge you for anything that is not in the contract. This will further avoid her invoicing you for work that you never agreed to.