About

Hi! …and Welcome!

My name is Michelle Portesi, and I’m an Interior Designer specializing in Kitchen and Bath Design. Well actually, I now specialize in gutting entire homes down to rough stud and starting over, if that’s what is wanted by the client. You see, it always starts with the kitchens and baths, and now that those rooms are updated and wonderful, homeowners decide that the rest of the house looks tired and dated in comparison. And so it begins…

Unlike the majority of interior designers, I deal with more of the construction end of the design process- remodeling and new construction. My running joke is, if it’s anything that gets nailed down, screwed on or hardwired in, I’m your gal.

I do everything from the initial consult to space planning and overall design of the space, C.A.D. drawings (computer aided drafting), finishing materials selection, construction documents and project management by coordinating with your contractor to turn a 2D concept into a 3D reality.

I can also suggest local contractors and vendors if you’re completely at a loss.

Contact me today to start the process of creating the Kitchen, Bath and Home of Your Dreams.

Michelle Portesi

530-563-8385

e-mail: muchadowithnothing@outlook.com

P.O. Box 186, Carnelian Bay, CA 96140

Go to the “Info & Contact section for more information about the process, planning guide and fees.

THE RESUME

Long time resident of the Lake Tahoe basin, with 2 decades of experience in the design field, focusing on Kitchens and Baths. I have an addition decade of experience in Graphic Design and Illustration

Graduate of Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. Denver, CO – Bachelors Degree in Interior Design

Graduate of L.A. Pierce College. Woodland Hills, CA – A.A. in Art.

2 years of study at C.S.U. Northridge, CA – Graphic Design and Illustration

Graduate of several courses of the National Kitchen and Bath Association

Some of my design work has been featured in both ‘Women’s Day’ magazine and The Tahoe Quarterly.

First, let me demystify the process.

1) We start with an in home consultation. The first thing we will discuss is your ‘Budget’ for the project. Now don’t be coy with this figure, I really am not trying to spend all your money. What I need is a realistic figure that doesn’t give you heart failure so I know best how to design for you, and how to direct your budget so as to get the best bang for your buck based on what you’re trying to accomplish.

Next, we discuss your wants and needs for the project. A good exercise is to make a list of everything you would want in your design. Next to the items you know you just won’t do without, put a star. You now have some priorities set on the items most important to you, and you may have to make budget compromises on the items that aren’t.

Pictures are worth a thousand words. If you already have some ideas as to what you want, please do show me. Photos give me a sense of who you are and what your tastes are, even if you can’t quite put your finger on it yourself.

2) I will then move on to the design phase. I usually start with C.A.D. drawings to get the layout and overall look completed. After you approve your layout, we move on to specific materials selection. They include:
. Cabinets

.Appliances

. Countertops and Backsplashes

. Plumbing Fixtures

. Lighting Fixtures

.Flooring

. Flooring