Griffin Designs

I recently completed a whole house renovation project in Montclair NJ. The house, more than 3000ft2 and 100+ years old, needed pretty much everything redone. It is now a great two unit rental property. Alison designed two full kitchens, and three full bathrooms for the house. One design challenge was that the house has a lot of original woodwork, including aged chestnut trim, oak and maple flooring with a wide range of wood tones. It is beautiful, and we wanted to preserve the classic character of the house. Alison spent a lot of time picking natural colors for the cabinets, counter tops and floor tile, which integrate the modern kitchen and bathroom designs beautifully with the classic wood throughout the rest of the house. She also redid the design and layout of a bathroom to include a working laundry room in what would otherwise have been unused space, this also resulted in a walk-in closet in an adjoining bedroom: Really thoughtful design, and a big improvement over what the Architect had come up with. Alison is not just a design professional, she was on site, taking careful measurements, and working with the contractor making sure that all the cabinetry was installed correctly down to the millimeter. She made great choices in the specifications of the cabinetry, appliances, and plumbing fixtures. The result is really remarkable, and we constantly get compliments from both tenants and realtors. She was a real pleasure to work with, and super detail oriented, particularly with the specification and installation of the cabinetry. Alison was also a procurement genius, in that we were executing the project when supply chains were still disrupted in the aftermath of Covid. I highly recommend Griffin Designs, John Wisniewski

Our kitchen went from small, very tired and inefficient to absolutely perfect. We had a challenging space to work with and Alison designed it -- and a mudroom -- with incredible efficiency and thought. We honestly wouldn't change a thing: the space is now very efficient and modern, yet classic. It is truly like we have a new home. Not only did Alison design the new layout, which included a small addition, her tasteful "eye" for details and practicality were beyond helpful each and every step along the way. Alison is organized and very responsive, and made a large project as easy as it could be thanks to her vast experience and professionalism.

Alison met with my husband and I in the Fall of 2020 to help bring our "dream kitchen" vision to life. As new home owners, we knew what we wanted to transform our kitchen into a functional, updated environment - but had no idea whether it was feasible in the minimal space we had to work with. Alison not only took our needs into consideration but also gave several ideas as to how we can utilize every inch of our kitchen/dining room to create a space perfect for our growing family. She was invested in every step of the process from design and cabinet delivery to appliances and lighting. to She was readily available to answer any and all questions and truly took the time to ensure everything ran as smoothly as possible. We could not be more pleased with the final result. She completely surpassed our expectations and created a kitchen and mudroom/bar space we look forward to entertaining in for years to come. We could not recommend Alison enough!!

We worked with Griffin Designs to renovate the kitchen and powder room, as well as upgrade the dining room, in our 1928 house. We started with lots of issues: previous homeowners had made decisions that were out of character with an older home, tearing down a wall between the kitchen and dining room, adding arched windows, and crowding an already tiny mudroom. We had some challenges too: limited space (and no plans to expand!) and a professional chef in the family who cooks 5+ hours a day and requires serious optimization for access and storage. Alison Griffin solved for all of the above, attacking the problems with creativity, thoughtfulness, and lots of communication. We couldn’t be happier with the result, from the aesthetics that fit our home and personal style to the dreamy functionality of the kitchen and reconfigured mudroom. The process of working with Alison was as wonderful as the result. Alison broke the project into stages so we never felt overwhelmed. She helped us better understand and articulate what we wanted both from an aesthetic and practical perspective. She helped us choose a contractor and partnered with him and us at every step to ensure the work was being done properly and up to her high standards. And she had our back whenever problems arose, as they inevitably do when you are renovating a kitchen during a pandemic! We can’t say enough great things about Griffin Designs, and would recommend them to anyone. We hope to be able to work with them again!

Alison is a wonder to work with. She really can do it all: she completely reimagined our kitchen and dining room, giving us a space that far exceeded what we thought was possible. When we started, our 1930s house had a tiny kitchen with almost no storage and terrible function, a cramped powder room in a former closet, and a dining room that was mostly wasted space. Alison took the time to get to know us, understand our needs and lifestyle, and put together a truly transformational design. She reoriented the space, more than doubling the size of the kitchen, relocating the powder room for better functionality, added a mudroom (a complete game changer!) and brought in much more light with clever additions of windows and a new exterior door. Before the renovation, hardly a day would go by without one of us saying "I hate this kitchen" - and after Alison's work, we're finally falling in love with our house. Alison has also given us great advice throughout the process - advising us where we could trim costs, communicating with our contractor, and making herself available as a sounding board as the renovation progressed. She's not only a talented designer; Alison is thoughtful, even-keeled, empathetic and has a great sense of humor. We truly cannot recommend Alison highly enough, and can't imagine our renovation without her!

I have hired Alison for two separate projects. She can see a room not for what it is but for what it can be. She has an ability to lay out a kitchen so that you have full functionality and ease....and still look beautiful!. She truly listens to what the client wants but also knows what the client needs. It’s been several years since my last project with Alison and I still love every detail about my kitchen. She’s a pro.

We started down the kitchen renovation road with a few different companies until we found Alison, and I will be forever grateful that she came along when she did. Our old house, built in 1937, had never had a renovation, and the kitchen was comprised of 3 small, dark, dysfunctional spaces. We had about 18" of countertop and multiple awkward doorways impeding foot traffic. Immediately, Alison had a vision we'd not had after about 8-9 years of head scratching. Previous design consultants had not had Alison's clear vision either. She is the original "old house whisperer." Fast forward from planning sessions and shopping trips in November and December, to demolition in February, to a finished project in May, and we are VERY happy customers. I am so glad we decided to trust Alison. She has given our family a whole new life in this old house. Now, we have a place to gather, cook, eat, entertain, and enjoy one another. We're eating better. We're cooking more. We're spending more time together. We're hosting parties and holidays with relative ease. This kitchen is a dream, and the fact that it was accomplished on budget and on time makes it kind of a miracle. You can count on Alison. She will give you the kitchen that works for your family, for the style of your home, and in a style that will stand the test of time. She works incredibly hard and makes herself available every day. We learned so much about design and function from witnessing her expertise up close. Trust her. Listen to her. Let her work her magic on your home. You won't regret it!

Alison just gets it. She was able to hone in on the aesthetic we wanted to achieve in a concise manner. She made the selection process effortless. In addition, she wove in diverse textures and colors so the overall effect was soothing and unique. We love our kitchen. We highly recommend Alison for all your design needs.

After long thought whether I should even hire a kitchen design company to work with, I chose Alison Griffin and I'm glad I did. I knew what I wanted, the cabinets, materials, even the appliances, but it was Alison's architectural ability, creativity, attention to detail, and fabulous aesthetics, that truly brought it all to life. And all the while, with patience, flexibility, fun, and a true sense of what I was looking for, which is so key. It was important to me to work with someone that had style, great taste, and an ability to create something unique... she delivered, without sacrificing on functionality. She even changed the architecture of our mud room leading into the kitchen, creating a whole new useable space, which I wasn't expecting at all. She helped make decisions on paint and grout colors, lighting, chairs, finding the marble I wanted-- through several vendors, which wasn't easy. Answering emails and texts at all hours and going beyond the scope of work. She also referred me to their fantastic Contractor and appliance vendor, all with the same level of detail and design aesthetic. Fantastic to work with, dependable, talented -- a great experience working with this company, they truly delivered top of the line results, from start to finish.

It was wonderful working with Alison on our kitchen and bathroom renovations. She guided us every step of the way and seamlessly coordinated with our general contractor. From the design stage to materials selection to installation, Alison was readily available and attentive to every last detail. Her comprehensive assessment of our needs, creative vision, and design expertise ensured that our project would meet (and exceed!) our expectations. We are thrilled with the results and love both the look and functionality of our redesigned space. Alison is an amazingly talented and professional designer who I recommend without reservation!

Alison Griffin helped us with a full renovation of a 1920s original kitchen and a home office with built in desk and cabinetry. Alison is an incredibly talented designer. Most people complain about how difficult it is to do a complete kitchen remodel, but because of Alison, we can honestly say that the entire process was pleasant and we couldn't be happier with the outcome. Alison was patient with us at every stage of the process and always made us feel like we were her only client. The most amazing thing about Alison is her creativeness and ability to solve challenging design problems. We would not hesitate for a second to call on Griffin Designs for any design project in our home.

Over a three years later, my kitchen still dazzles all, gasps abound. Alison Griffin took a town home cardboard box kitchen and turned it into a jewel box. I couldn't be happier. With such a beautiful new kitchen it was only right to renovate the entire home!

We can’t say enough about the design work that Alison Griffin created to change our “builder grade” kitchen into a fabulous entertaining space. We challenged her to create a place that we and our friends would enjoy relaxing and being together - not so much the feel of a kitchen but the enjoyment of a cafe. Alison was open to listening to our ideas and taking thoughts about an atmosphere we wanted to create and bringing it to reality. We absolutely love our new “kitchen” and the reactions from our friends and family has been one of amazement at the transformation and then they quickly settle in to having a wonderful evening at our “cafe”. Thanks to the team, led by Alison, for all their passion, creativity and dedication to quality.

Alison was able to take our small and dated kitchen and turn it into our family's FAVORITE room. What was once a dysfunctional eye sore is now the HUB of our lives. Alison saw potential where others couldn't. She guided us every step of the way and helped with every detail to completion. She has an incredible design aesthetic and elevated all my ideas to what I now consider a room that is magazine worthy. Thank you Alison, let's get started on my bathrooms now!!!

We can’t say enough about the amazing way Alison renovated our 1960’s house from an outdated design that did not meet our needs to a beautifully functional design that we now love! We renovated our kitchen and two bathrooms, which can be a daunting task when the situation seems hopeless and you don’t know where to start. Alison brought a holistic approach to the design, creating a functional space that was consistent with the period of the house. She made sure the design worked well with the adjacent space, and helped us with every detail along the way including selection of tile, plumbing fixtures, flooring, appliances, etc… Our kitchen and our master bath were both extremely space challenged and very dated. Somehow Alison found space where there wasn't any before. Our master bath was a postage stamp sized cubicle with a closet style shower and 1960s green tile. Alison had the vision to expand that space into an adjacent closet while maximizing our other closet space in the master bedroom. She designed a beautiful walk-in shower with waterfall tiling and a new expanded vanity, which allows my wife and I to use the bathroom at the same time. We now have an expansive walk-in closet in our master bedroom without sacrificing significant space in the master bedroom. Our kitchen may have been even more of a challenge than our bathroom and the changes that Alison made completely transformed the functionality and beauty of the kitchen. We started with a 1960's galley kitchen with original cabinets, very limited storage space, an undersized oven, and laminated countertops that were space constrained with our microwave and other appliances. Cooking together in our old kitchen was an impossible task as we were constantly bumping into each other. Alison's vision for our kitchen included bumping out the kitchen wall adjacent to our dining room and using the space where the wall had been for new gas cooktop, serving area and additional cabinets. The dining room side of the expansion now includes beautiful glass cabinets that display our formal china. Alison totally reorganized the flow of the kitchen to allow several people to work in the kitchen comfortably. She expanded the entrance from our living room into the kitchen giving it a much more open feel. We now have over twice the amount of cabinet space we previously had and numerous features that make the kitchen far more functional. We are extremely grateful to Alison for make our home so much warmer and more beautiful.

Alison Griffin is a highly talented designer and we were lucky to have had the opportunity to work with her. I interviewed many kitchen designers and found that Alison most closely aligned with our vision and budget. We live in a historic house with an unusual kitchen layout and needed to find someone who had a keen sense of spatial awareness and ability to reconceptualize our space. Alison was able to take our oversized kitchen and unusual layout and turn it into our dream kitchen while also adding a mudroom and pantry - without adding on to the size of the house. She did all of this while maintaining the historic integrity of the house. I was afraid that making the kitchen smaller would result in less cabinet space and less ability for me to organize effectively. However, just the opposite happened. Alison developed a layout that was beautiful and functional with more storage space and cabinetry than we had before. Alison was completely invested in our project from start to finish. Her level of excitement and passion about designing our kitchen was such that it was like she was designing her own. My husband and I are so happy with how our kitchen turned out.

No stranger to kitchen remodels, my wife and I collaborated on three previous kitchen renovations. We met Alison Griffin and quickly bonded over her approach to designing a beatuiful kitchen. THE PROBLEM: Outdated kitchen that lacked clear function and layout. THE SOLUTION: Design open kitchen and family room with walk-in pantry. Alison has incredible vision. I think that has to be one of the best skills you can have as a designer which is the ability to see the design before it happens. She sketched her vision using white paper and charcoal - love that! Maybe it’s because the results are so fast and immediate, or maybe because seeing your kitchen in charcoal is so dang cool. She addressed all of our needs with updated galley design that had few cabinets and focal point of a large island into open concept family room. With walk-in pantry we eliminated the need to buy more cabinets which allowed us to add more windows with site lines into family room and sun room. Pretty cool! Alison is a great designer with incredible vision. Highly recommended. On to the next project with Alison as we look for next house in Florida. Dilly Dilly!

Our kitchen was a "mess"! There was no wall that didn't have some obstruction breaking it up. We decided to call in a kitchen expert to make "mess" beautiful. Well, we went through three of these so called experts but none of them could help us. They were unable to work out a solution to make the kitchen normal forget beautiful. Then we met Alison A Griffin. She was someone who could think outside the box. Oh, and by the way she might be brilliant. She created a stunning functional design. She addressed everyone of our needs and held our hand throughout the entire project. She was truly a pleasure to work and all her recommendations from design to paint color were spot on. I have had many renovations and two previous kitchens done and never experienced such a perfect journey.

Alison was absolutely fabulous to work with. Her kitchen design experience came shining through in her proposed plans and recommendations. She was so easy to work with and truly listened to what we were looking for in our kitchen renovation. We love our new kitchen! We entertain quite a bit and continually receive raving compliments on the cabinets and the overall appearance of our kitchen. Thank you so much Alison!

I recently completed my kitchen renovation. Allison Griffin of Canterbury kitchens was invaluable in the process. In addition to help and guidance with cabinetry ,appliance selection etc. she made sure I kept the flow of my entire first floor in mind. I not only have a beautiful new kitchen, but feel like I have a new home. I am a thoroughly happy homeowner. Thanks Allison

We can’t say enough about the amazing way Alison renovated our 1960’s house from an outdated design that did not meet our needs to a beautifully functional design that we now love! We renovated our kitchen and two bathrooms, which can be a daunting task when the situation seems hopeless and you don’t know where to start. Alison brought a holistic approach to the design, creating a functional space that was consistent with the period of the house. She made sure the design worked well with the adjacent space, and helped us with every detail along the way including selection of tile, plumbing fixtures, flooring, appliances, etc… Our kitchen and our master bath were both extremely space challenged and very dated. Somehow Alison found space where there wasn't any before. Our master bath was a postage stamp sized cubicle with a closet style shower and 1960s green tile. Alison had the vision to expand that space into an adjacent closet while maximizing our other closet space in the master bedroom. She designed a beautiful walk-in shower with waterfall tiling and a new expanded vanity, which allows my wife and I to use the bathroom at the same time. We now have an expansive walk-in closet in our master bedroom without sacrificing significant space in the master bedroom. Our kitchen may have been even more of a challenge than our bathroom and the changes that Alison made completely transformed the functionality and beauty of the kitchen. We started with a 1960's galley kitchen with original cabinets, very limited storage space, an undersized oven, and laminated countertops that were space constrained with our microwave and other appliances. Cooking together in our old kitchen was an impossible task as we were constantly bumping into each other. Alison's vision for our kitchen included bumping out the kitchen wall adjacent to our dining room and using the space where the wall had been for new gas cooktop, serving area and additional cabinets. The dining room side of the expansion now includes beautiful glass cabinets that display our formal china. Alison totally reorganized the flow of the kitchen to allow several people to work in the kitchen comfortably. She expanded the entrance from our living room into the kitchen giving it a much more open feel. We now have over twice the amount of cabinet space we previously had and numerous features that make the kitchen far more functional. We are extremely grateful to Alison for make our home so much warmer and more beautiful.