Latina Design-Build Group

Latina exceeded our exceptions in every way. They were extremely patient with us in the early stages of our addition and home renovation project. We went through several iterations of plans before nailing down a floorplan that gave us everything we wanted. With a relatively small addition, we were able to add two new bathrooms, an entire new bedroom; while also being able to significantly expand our kitchen and master bedroom. One of our main concerns in renovation our home was maintaining the character of our 100 year old home. Latina's design resulted in a beautiful house that seamlessly weaved the charm of our old home with the functionality of a new home. Latina did a great job keeping us apprised of the status of our project and constantly walked through our home to discuss any changes we wanted. We were very impressed the contractors and craftsman that worked on our home. Everything was of the highest quality. We never expected our home to turn out as beautiful as it did. We would highly recommend to Latina to anyone looking to renovate their home.

If you are looking for a team that gives you a personal touch, allows you to work directly with the owners and someone who sticks to their word... This is the team for you. Darla and Anthony were very patient throughout our selection process on finding a builder to help us remodel the first floor of our recent home purchase. We were looking for a builder that wouldn't disappear after we signed the agreement, would allow us to make changes throughout the job and that was experienced in the community. They checked every box. A day never went by where we couldn't pick up the phone and reach Darla and Anthony if we had any questions. They took down walls, changed the floor plan, created a mudroom, remodeled the kitchen, new hardwood floors, converted our house to central heating/air, updated electricity and more. I can't speak highly enough about their work and would recommend them to anyone looking to have work done on their house. It is refreshing to come across builders who cares about you being happy and will go to great lengths to do so. Darla who handles the design does a great job at taking your vision and making it a reality. She is up to date with the latest trends and comes up with unique creative ideas to make the space your own.

It was obvious from our first meeting that Latina were the contractors for us. It was like having a conversation with long lost friends. At our second visit, Darla and Anthony presented their proposals for renovating our bathrooms. They had truly listened to our needs and wants. Everything was clearly presented including timelines, pricing and expectations for everyone involved. Darla did a great job of helping us choose all the fixtures, tiles, colors, etc. I had a lot of ideas and she helped hone in on the best of those. Once demolition began, problems became advantages with their problem solving and creative solutions. From then, everything ran smoothly. All the trades were very professional and friendly. Both Darla and Anthony communicated all that was going on and what would be happening next. Either one or both of them checked on progress daily. The projected finish date for the project was met and the few minor issues were fixed immediately. We love our new bathrooms and have recommended Latina to several friends and family members who are thinking of renovating. We will definitely call on Darla and Anthony again.

Lisa and I had a dream together dating back to 2005 after we happened to come across a timber frame project in our area in the Spring of that year and became enamored with the architecture and wide open spaces and rustic elegance. We met and quickly became friends with the timber frame builder, Brian; thus beginning our quest for our dream home. Fast forward to 2017, eight years into our new home, Lisa and I had become disenchanted with the small laundry room, patio, and dining room which housed our grand dining room table,. We sketched out our own ideas for a larger dining room and lauandry/pantry through various iterations as well as a covered, screened in patio; eventually incorporating timbers into the theme. Finally, through what we believe was divine intervention, we crossed paths with the Latina Design and Build Group, Darla and Anthony, through our boys highschool connection. Simple conversations at football games turned into serious discussions and eventually an in home consultation. We discussed our philosophy and respect for nature and openess; our need to rekindle our twelve year old timber frame dream; and our expectation of satisfying our need for spaces that will accomodate large family gatherings, entertainment, larger dining area, larger and separate laundry and pantry, and incorporate western themes of stone, large timbers, fire places and light. We already had our timber framer, Brian, now a true blue friend; had already sourced our own countertops from our friends in Chautauqua Lake, and had chosen lighting form a local Amherst, Ohio merchant as well as New Orleans during a spontaneous walk down Royale St. We were set; all we needed was a direction, and architect and a design group that could handle our theme. We wanted something that would transport us to Telluride or Aspen. The Latina Group more than came through; they excelled. The entire process of transposing the existing home to the new home took seven months (March through October 2107)—-done in time for our Halloween party! Phase one started with transforming our small dining room into a new rear entry and laundry with shelving, repurposed cabinets from the old kitchen, an old piano crate repurposed into a bench with cubbies for hats and gloves, a new rustic powder room, a dog shower station and a bird sanctuary! This was, where, at least we could hang our coats and cook and live. Phase two included bumping out the existing family room and moving the fireplace over by 28 inches to keep everything centered and repurposing our existing Anderson windows(saving thousands of dollars). This would eventually be our new larger dining room. Phase three was the ‘Big Dig’; excavating the patio and replacing it with the new family room timber structure and timber over-hang with outdoor patio area. Phase four was the entire interior rebuild; new kitchen, wine bar, walk in wine cellar, stone pillars and arches, slate floor entry, barnwood siding, wood flooring that Darla managed to grab for pennies on the dollar. The wood floors have twelve different species of wood and idea that I decided would be a cool look from past visits to the Rockies. Darla set us up with the right folks for cabinetry and appliances making it extremily easy for us given our hectic schedules. The wine bar is a nearly 400 lb slab of Black Walnut as is the new powder room vanity with stone sink and contemporary industrial copper fittings. The entire project incorporated a new sound system through out the new four rooms and out door area with sixteen speakers and a SONOS based system designed by a high end personal entertainment sound engineer. Anthony ran the show. The amish workmanship he employed was extraordinary and incredibly friendly. We had friends walking through our home for seven months, no one was a stranger; n’er was an evil word between anybody. The masons, plumber, electricians, carpenters, all gave 100% effort to the project, as they were as vested in it as we and Latina were since it was so utterly different from their usual work. The stewardship by Latina Group and the workmanship under their guidance was outstanding. They understood our dream and visualized it and made it happen. They helped us save money and conserve elements by repurposing windows and cabinets. In the process, not many people can say they are friends with their contractors—— we are forever friends. They helped make our dream come alive and we are forever grateful. Scott and Lisa

We worked with Darla and Anthony on remodeling the kitchen and first floor of our house. We met with several other contractors, who only gave us a verbal price for a vague scope of work. Darla and Anthony were so easy to work with. After our first meeting, they took our ideas and concerns with the previous layout and developed a great floorplan and a detailed estimate for us to review. Darla had a great vision of what could be when she looked at our house. She gave us a layout that opened up the house and gave it a better flow. Where other contractors balked at knocking down walls because of the electrical or HVAC in the walls, Darla and Anthony were able to reroute the mechanicals or incorporate them in the new structures. Our family lived upstairs while the renovations were going on. Darla and Anthony were at our house at least twice a day to manage the construction. The house was cleaned up at the end of each day. They made sure we had a working stove, until the end of the project, so that we could continue to function in the house. When we started this project, we knew the timeline put us right up to the holidays. Darla and Anthony kept the work moving throughout and ensured that it was finished on time. We were able to enjoy the holidays and entertain out of town guests in our beautiful new space!

Darla managed our master bath remodel project. She made the space look amazingly beautiful yet very functional. It's one thing to look at a Pinterest photo and think that would like nice. But to actually do it takes a lot more work, especially with a realistic budget. Darla was very organized, had fresh ideas and made our vision into a reality. She is very knowledgeable and guided us on what would work and wouldn't work with our space. All deadlines were met timely and the budget on paper was the final budget. We had a few contractors prior look at the master bathroom and we felt that Latina had competitive pricing/estimating. Tony our contractor provided high quality work and kept the work and surrounding areas clean which was important since we were living in these spaces. I would definitely work with Latina again in the future. Highly recommend!

We debated for a while whether to sell our house or have some major renovations done. We, ultimately, decided on the latter and started meeting with various contractors. Our project included a complete renovation of our first floor including new walls, floors, kitchen update among several other items. Our initial meeting with Darla and Anthony from Latina builders was supposed to be a one hour meeting but it lasted several hours. We went through all details and they took their time explaining in detail what we would expect. Our initial impression wasn’t just that they seemed very professional and knowledgeable but more so their personal and genuine demeanor. This became more apparent in the weeks to come. Their crew members were right on time and I would see either Darla or Anthony several times a day in our house. They were always quick to communicate with us. Yet, what strike me the most with Darla and Anthony was their willingness to always go the extra step. It was like the project was personal to them. They understood our situation with having a young child and therefore would personally come at times on weekends to accelerate the process. I had dealt with various contractors in the past but never encountered such a kind, unique and genuine work attitude. I can now see now the amazing quality of their work and we are already in discussion with them about a major addition project to our house. The one simple reason why I would recommend them is that not only they deliver the finest quality of work but they make every project personal and work so hard to make it perfect. They are honest when it comes to unexpected delays and will truly work hard to overcome any obstacles. At last, I am happy not only to consider them business partners, but great new friends.

When we were contemplating our kitchen remodel, we knew we wanted to use Timberdoodle Custom Cabinets in Westlake OH, because of the great work they had done for us previously. So I called Timberdoodle and asked them to recommend a designer, and they introduced us to Darla at Latina. We're very glad they did. The ideas that Darla brought to our initial meetings really resonated with us. She really took the time to understand our sensibilities and needs, and brought some fresh ideas that we had not thought about previously. Our home has an unusual layout, which required us to make some structural changes to achieve the open look we wanted. We found Darla to be a creative problem-solver, not only in her selection of colors and materials, but also with a few thorny challenges regarding plumbing and HVAC. She brought the right mixture of boldness and pragmatism in her designs. Darla and Anthony were sensitive to the impact on our lives of having a big portion of the house inaccessible during construction (she even brought us dinner one evening). They were attentive to detail and were quick to address anything that looked awry, and Darla was particularly good about anticipating potential challenges and addressing them before they became problems. Overall, we're thrilled with our new space and are very happy we worked with Latina to create it.

Last year we used Bellissimo Design for a complete kitchen remodel. Darla was exceptional to work with. She has a thorough knowledge about the technical aspect of design and pays attention to the details. She has a great eye for design including creating a cohesive style while being budget conscious. The kitchen turned out amazing and we are enjoying our new space with family and friends.

We found Bellissimo Designs via the Houzz App. We had interviewed and met with over 10 general contractors during our process. Darla, the owner of Bellissimo Designs was the only contractor/designer that came with a detailed list of Itemized plans/costs. Her drawings were excellent with many custom and unique amenities that were tailored to our families needs. She was involved in every step of the process from picking out tiles, flooring, cabinets and appliances. She has superior relationships in the industry and team of experts that got the Job done right. We honestly felt Darla was excellent at what she does; trustworthy, honest and easy to work with. Also it was amazing we did a huge kitchen remodel and have 2 small children. We were never with out a fully functional kitchen sink, fridge, stove or Microwave. Any other contractor would have just demolished the area and let us struggle. With every project comes unexpected surprises and it was the way that Darla personally made sure everything was addressed properly and up to her high standards that made the difference.

Darla Kurtz, owner of Bellisimo Designs, does excellent work. She combined good taste, knowledge, skill and leadership ability to get the job done beautifully, on time and within budget. We have hired her in the past and would hire her again.

We have worked with Darla Kurtz, owner of Bellissimo Designs, on various projects in our old house and our current house for the past 6 years. I can't say enough about her-- she is a fantastic designer who knows what choices to present to her clients and who actually shops with them to select materials. Then she jumps in and does a lot of the work herself. She is skilled and knowledgeable and has a great group of vendors and contractors who help with the tasks that require more specialized expertise and perhaps strength. Our most recent project with Darla was just completed and involved some repairs and corrections in our large master bathroom. Due to faulty seals, the entire shower had to be replaced including the floor and pan underneath. Also, all the caulking on the bathroom's tile floor had to be removed, replaced, and sealed. Ceiling seams were replaced and re-painted, and fixtures were also replaced. There was a problem getting the shower door, but it was the company's fault. The project was completed just a little bit later than promised for a cost of $11,844, and it came in $150 under the estimate. This was kind of a "behind-the-scenes" project and photos would not do it justice.

“Darla was a pleasure to work with. Her ability to drill down to our perfect kitchen was fantastic. She gave us everything we were looking for in a new kitchen without compromising our budget. Her attention to detail and follow up skills are exceptional. Darla made the process easy and fun all the while ensuring we were happy throughout the process. She also consulted with us on interior colors for our home and we couldn't be more pleased with the selections.”

We worked with Darla to gut and remodel a bathroom. She was able to determine exactly what we wanted to do and plan accordingly. I was amazed at how she was available whenever we had a question or concern. I have even contacted her with totally unrelated ideas for our home and she was happy to help with suggestions. Darla is just a good and contentious person.

We had such a great experience working with Darla. The re-design of our kitchen and bathroom was a challenge because the spaces were small. But Darla embraced the challenge and approached the project with an open mind and a problem-solver attitude. One of our favorite memories was when Darla reviewed preliminary drawings with us for the first time. She said, "I just want you to know, I don't think any of these versions are 'it' yet. I wanted to get your feedback to see what you like and what you don't, then we'll go from there." We respected and appreciated that so much. Her attention to detail and professionalism came through in every encounter and every conversation. We felt like Darla cared about the project almost as if it were for her own home. The completed kitchen and bathroom surpassed our expectations. We receive many compliments and continue to enjoy them every day.

Darla Kurtz did an excellent job managing our remodeling project. Her knowledge and expertise in interior design and construction was evident in every aspect of our project. If you know what you want, she will make it happen, if not, she will give you great suggestions without being pushy. If you get overwhelmed with all the choices, she'll go shopping with you to help you decide. She is very personable, fun to work with, and always available. We love both our new bathrooms, master bedroom, and closet, and would definitely call her for any future projects.

Darla helped me remodel my master bathroom and my daughter's bathroom. We both just love our bathrooms! The tile and paint color are perfect. The tile design in my master is just beautiful! I have never seen a bathroom like it, it is unique! Darla is also very easy to work with. Thank you, Darla!

I hired Darla for my kitchen design in 2011. It turned out amazing! She is very creative and respects a budget. I was so happy with her services that when it was time to gut our bathroom, Darla was the first person that I called. For that project, and for the remodeling of our family room, Darla acted as designer and contractor. Again, we were very happy with her services. She is professional, reliable and gets the project done on time and on budget. If you are not satisfied with something, she fixes it. She is a delight to work with and I have referred her to many of my friends.