What clients are saying:

We are the proud owners of a historic home in a small town outside of Zurich, Switzerland. With the recent additions of our two sons, aged 4 and 6, we realized that the home we love so much wasn’t well suited to our growing family. We needed to expand our children’s bedrooms, kitchen, living and dining area and add more natural light to the whole house — at the same time, it was important for us to preserve the main architectural characteristics of the historic house. We originally hired and architect to design the project, but throughout the design process, felt that our ideas were not being addressed and in the end found that the new designs lost the charm of the original house.

We began to work with Larisa, and she helped us to plan the renovation of our home from the “inside out” —beginning with the functionality of how we use each of the rooms, and our family’s needs and then working outwards to plan the exterior look of the house.

Larisa was able to help us to plan more harmonious spaces, to place new large windows that still were in line with the architectural style of the house, and redesign shape of the roof. After planning the first and second floors of the house, Larisa helped us place furniture in the rooms and designed lighting layouts. We very much appreciate Larisa’s creative ideas and dedication to finding perfect solutions for our challenging project. She was able to walk us through the challenges that we could not resolve ourselves and work with us to create a new home that we adore and suits our family so well.

Helen Fisher
Zurich, Switzerland

My wife and I had been planning a major first floor renovation for quite some time. We finally took the plunge in 2018. Many people assume (as we did initially) that only the wealthy hire a designer to help create whatever needs creating (we are not wealthy). Most people tell me they have their contractor sketch it up. We thought of maybe going to Home Depot. Use their in-house people to come up with a layout, and go that route. Though after watching enough HGTV, we thought “why not hire our own Hillary Farr (Love It Or List It)?”

After some research, we came across Designer Larisa McShane. From the first phone call I knew we found someone special. I asked about her role. Exactly what could she offer? She said she could do anything from entire layouts of homes, to designing the tassels on a curtain rod and everything in between! We were going to re-imagine our whole first floor. So this was exactly the kind of professional we needed.

We are currently using Larisa on our Master Bath project. I just mentioned to her the other day how I’m so glad we spent the time we did on the layout of the first floor. Every single time I walk downstairs I’m in awe! Larisa blends art & science beautifully. Her designs are beautiful, but they are also beautifully functional. The work flow in my kitchen is just fantastic! I love and enjoy every detail, every day!

Working with Larisa I’ve found that she does a wonderful job of guiding you through the process. She’s very methodical, and simply wants to help you achieve your remodeling dream. I love that she will tell you in a heartbeat if you are considering a “bad” idea. One example, we went with a Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring for the whole downstairs. Larisa asked if I had a plan in mind for the floor. I was only thinking of horizontal vs vertical when you walk in the front door. Larisa explained that if we ran every plank the same direction it would feel like a bowling alley, or skating rink. She was ABSOLUTELY right! She created a floor plan that defined various spaces around the room. This was just one of many game-changing ideas Larisa brought to the table. I really can’t say enough about our experience with her. The ONLY reason our home remodel exceeded our expectations is because of Larisa. Plain and simple. We will never NOT use her on any project we care about going forward. Paying for a designer like Larisa is definitely an added cost as opposed to some of the other options I mentioned earlier, but worth every penny!

Paul Fariello
Blue Bell, PA

I am a middle aged woman disabled from Rheumatoid Arthritis. My husband helps me in the shower. Our small master/bathroom had a tiny corner shower. I sat on a turned over tall trashcan while my husband helped me. Needless to say, it was a close fit. I employed Larisa McShane and Associates whose vision for a better functioning bathroom far exceeded my expectations. There were storage shelved next to our small corner shower with a main pipe taking up most of the inside. The pipe was moved back and the shelving eliminated to make a roomy shower with two showerheads so my husband and are both able to be under the water at the same time. There is now a beautiful wooden fold up shower seat for me. Larisa made up for the lost storage area by designing elegant wooden cabinets with from counter to ceiling that hold much more than the old storage area. Amazing!

Larisa took into account my needs, the style of our home and the tranquil colors we liked to design a beautiful bathroom for our home with. I can’t believe my small old bathroom was transformed into a much more spacious feeling room just likes the ones you see on HGTV. Larisa was professional and very personable. I recommended her to all my friends and look forward to using her expertise again.

Judy Dennis
Wayne, PA

Larisa McShane far exceeded our expectations in the design of our house remodel. Her attention to detail was beyond amazing and we couldn’t be happier with the end result. She was with us every step along the way from initial concepts, through permitting, and in construction. We could also tell that our contractors were pleased to have such thorough designs to work from. Nothing was left to guess work.

Jason Dunn
Topanga, CA

Larisa, thank you for re-invigorating my bedroom. It certainly looks gorgeous. You do have a great eye, design talent and a wonderful insistence for quality in every detail. You are such a pleasure to work with!

Leslie Boris
Haverford, PA

I found a needle in a haystack when I found Larisa. She helped me to come up with a design concept and develop a floor plan for all 5 levels of my house. We collaborated on design, lighting and furniture ideas. She introduced innovative materials, finishes and details. If it wasn’t for her taste level and design aesthetic, this would not have happened. She managed the renovation and made sure all details were executed to perfection. It feels good to come home to a place that reflects my style and personality. I enjoyed the process and love the outcome. I look forward to working with Larisa on my next project.

Diane Pinelli
Broomall, PA

Dear Larisa, congratulations on your award. In April, we moved to a smaller townhouse in Berwyn and so I just used the colors and ideas we did on Beaumont Rd. here. When the house in Devon went on the market, we sold it that afternoon after a realtor’s open house and I wish you could have heard the compliments for how it looked. You would have been pleased. Good luck in your future activities.

Judy and Parker Blatchford
Berwyn, PA

Hello Larisa, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you yesterday, and I thank you for encouraging me to trust my instincts and have more confidence. I appreciate your approach of helping the client find what they like rather than what you like. It was really helpful to hear your perspective on everything from paint color to lighting to cabinet pulls in the kitchen – as well as the furniture arrangement in our family room. I hope to move the family room sofa this weekend, and then will work toward finishing that room too. We certainly covered a lot during our brief meeting! Best wishes for continued success. I’ve already passed your contact information to my manager. She was very interested when I told her about our meeting. I’m fortunate that my daughter gave me the gift of our consultation. Thanks again. Best, Theresa

Theresa Lawson
Media, PA

I had a very positive experience with Larisa McShane and Associates, and we accomplished our goal of designing a comfortable and elegant family room. I had tried on my own many times, and had so many paint samples and fabrics around, but I had no idea what to do. That’s why I hired Larisa; I was very happy to have her input. The important thing for me when we started was lighting, and that’s great! Even my son-in-law the architect is impressed. The people Larisa works with are a huge asset- like Kevin who made the furniture and Barbara who did the drapes. They were all really knowledgeable and great to work with. I love my room now. There’s light, we can finally see in there; it’s delightful!

Donna White
Radnor, PA

Larisa’s innovative style survey has been a unique and useful tool for creating a framework for designing our family room. The survey required a few hours upfront. However, we saved considerable time, angst, and money in the end by going through a written and oral concept development process at our first meeting. The survey provided Larisa with a clear understanding of both of our tastes and visions about the space before sketches were developed. Our family room had a lot of difficult design issues to over come in order to make the space attractive, comfortable and inviting . The survey had us right on track from the start of the project and now we have a beautiful new living space that exceeded our expectations.

Lori and Michael Banks
Villanova, PA

My living room project began with a large highly carved antique French walnut mirrored bookcase which required special lighting to spotlight the intricate details and carvings of the dark wood figures which would then make it become the deserved focal point of the room. I was fortunate to find a lighting expert in Larisa McShane.

She began by measuring and then placing every piece of furniture in the room to scale. After the furniture layout was completed, she then designed the lighting layout. With careful calculations and comprehensive knowledge of recessed lighting fixtures, switches, spread of lights, angles and lenses she was able to bring the entire room to life. The most pleasing outcome was the ability to totally change the mood in the room with easily controlled dimmer switches.

In addition, her discerning eye seized upon one predominant piece of red in an over mantle gilt framed painting. Building upon this, we then changed the wall color and introduced red and gold into the new draperies and area rug with dramatic results. Together the draperies and lighting have transformed my living room into an elegantly beautiful space and winning a design competition.

Realizing that proper lighting can effectively alter any room, I moved on to redo the dining room. The same format was followed and now plates on the walls, paintings and sideboard knife boxes are each individually beautifully highlighted. Simple, but very impressive, are two small lights flanking the chandelier, directed downwards and supplied with special lenses make my silverware sparkle beautifully on the dining room table.

Larisa’s flair for design, color and balance are outstanding. Her added lighting talents make her truly and uniquely an “integrated interior designer”. Pleasant to work with, she listens to and incorporates her client’s thoughts in all her planning. The end results having been well conceived and then well executed are worth all the effort.

Dee Dee Blain
Villanova, PA

As Director of the Cushing Center for Counseling and Academic Support at Eastern University, I was involved with our renovation project from start to finish. Thanks to a generous donation from a former student who wanted to improve areas of our center used most by students with learning disabilities, we undertook a project to renovate our Tutoring/Writing Center, special testing rooms, and reception area. Our space was functional, but greatly needed a facelift. We initially thought we would only be able to make some cosmetic improvements, but Larisa helped us accomplish much more. She really sought our input about how we use our space and what we wished we could have. As we have to do a lot in a very small space, incorporating everything was a challenge! Larisa was patient as we deliberated over choices. She gave us direction, but let us make the final decisions. We believe that our fresh and updated look is going to be welcoming and inviting to students. We also have maximized our work space so more students can be served at one time for tutoring and special testing. Our reception area has been expanded, and more confidential spaces have been created. Reaction from the first students to see the center this summer has been very positive.

Lisa M. Hemlick, Ph.D.
Director, Cushing Center for Counseling and Academic Support
Eastern University, St. Davids, PA 19087

Larisa, I love the furniture! Soft… velvety fabric. Comfortable. Love the modular versatility. Thanks again. Your eye for color coordination is always right on target… sophisticated and elegant… even in a family room.

Amy Sacchi
West Chester, PA

It was a pleasure working with Larisa from the very beginning to the very end of our project to redesign areas used by students who need academic support to help them succeed in their university studies. Larisa spent countless hours meeting with us to make sure that the new design would fit our current needs and desires for how we would like the space to be used in the future. She always went the extra mile to offer us the best service possible, and was very responsive to us during the both the design phase and the construction phase of the project. We are very pleased with the final look, and have gotten very positive feedback so far from students, and are excited for the way the redesign will enhance our services in this area.

Katie A. Brenneman
Student Development Office Manager
Eastern University, St. Davids, PA

Larisa, the shower area is just wonderful! What a great space. It is so roomy. I can’t get over it. The bathroom feels so big because of it. Thank You!

Michael Dennis
Wayne, PA

I was always looking for ways to improve my old bathroom—new wallpaper, different window treatments… But it never turned out the way I really wanted it to look. Larisa’s design process is unique and so effective. She was able to seamlessly bring together the elements and take care of all the details to make the bathroom exactly right for me.

Sharon Ritt
Bryn Mawr, PA

I redid our bathrooms without the help of a designer and my husband and I were very unhappy with the results, which were drab and generic. Larisa totally transformed our bathrooms by first gathering information about our style and aesthetic preferences and then adding to it with her creative vision and experience. She found and recommended elements I would never have imagined, did an excellent lighting plan, and communicated with us efficiently. Larisa is also very knowledgeable about the nuts and bolts of construction and can manage a project from start to finish. The results of our project were spectacular. I cannot recommend her highly enough.

Ona Hamilton
Haverford, PA

Thank you. Working with you is really fun…Not even like work at all.

Eileen Devine
Wayne, PA

I have worked with Larissa on several projects and have always found her to be very creative, knowledgeable, and fun to work with.

Anthony O. James,
Architect

Larisa transformed our dark lower level family room. She beautifully designed two large built ins and lighting. She also helped select furniture, the engineered wood floor over a cement slab and transformed the space into a wonderful room for our family.

She was easy to work and stayed on budget. Her designs and final selections are creative and timeless.

Lori Banks
Villanova, PA

Working with Larisa is truly an innovative experience. I have been her fabricator for many years and have worked closely with her and her clients on many projects . She gives great attention to detail as well as the bigger overall design and flow of her projects. Larisa always goes the extra mile to make sure her clients achieve what they set out to do. She brings her experience along with exciting new ideas to her clients. It is a pleasure working and growing with her.

Barbara Gauthier Designs

Larisa, thank you for all your coordination, follow through and forever insightful perspectives.

Leslie Boris
Haverford, PA

Larisa, I just wanted to let you know that we (finally!) painted the kitchen the beautiful milk chocolate color that you helped us pick out. What a wonderful color! My husband and I are very happy with it and we never would have chosen that color on our own. Thank you very much.

Meena Soleiman
King of Prussia, PA

I have invited Larisa to help plan and manage one residential project a year for the last 14 years. The results are always beyond my expectations.

Amy Sacchi
West Chester, PA

I have worked with Larisa McShane and Associates for many years. Larisa is professional and very collaborative by nature. She designs with precision and the utmost attention to detail. She is a pleasure to work with and I always look forward to the opportunity to partner and celebrate the successes it brings.

Devine Designs Incorporated

Larisa McShane designs from the heart and soul - to the heart and soul. You'll be amazed at what you discover about yourself with her unique style survey. We had a great experience going through the design survey process. I highly recommend contacting Larisa before you begin any design project. She is professional in handling differences between couples design preferences. Her attitude is positive and her expertise is masterful.

Lynne Okaily
Vero Beach, FL

Larisa, I am thrilled about the new dining room. Thanks so much!

Sharon Ritt
Bryn Mawr, PA