ABOUT

My husband and I were interested in building a small casita on an adjoining lot. We reside in rural Utah and spoke to a few local "building designers". Although they may have been technically competent I wasn't satisfied with the level of detail or design they proposed. I found Ellen McKenna on Houzz and thought it was fortuitous. She had the expertise we were looking for. Her proposal was geared to creating a structure that mimicked our existing adobe house. She incorporated design components and drew the plans herself. She and I shopped together for interior fixtures, tile and countertops. I always felt guided but respected and never felt as though her taste overrode my own inclin...

Nanette Wood

Working with Ellen is a dream! She is very talented, kind, and considerate. She just seemed to get me. Her drafting skills are fantastic! I love to design myself but have no experience in drafting. We did a full remodel of kitchen, dining room, living room, office, laundry room, and music room. We also did a partial bathroom and 2nd office re-model. Walls were removed, beautiful arches created. She created a beautiful office for me that is tucked away instead of being in the kitchen. She designed a beautiful butler pantry from a frumpy food pantry. She also did my lighting design. She does it all. Ellen will work with you at your pace and your price range. She is in constant com...

Houzz User

From backsplash to countertops, Ellen’s sense of color and design was smart, stylish and professional. She considered my budget and personal preferences in all our decisions. Her long career in design gave me confidence. She kept me informed regarding the latest in trends and was not afraid to veto some of my ideas. It didn’t take me long to totally trust her sensibilities and taste throughout the process of my kitchen remodel. I was confident that she was making the best decisions for my husband and me. I felt comfortable contacting her any time I had questions or concerns. My new kitchen is beautiful and the finished product is even better than expected. It has been six months since the co...

Helen McMahan

I hired Ellen last year to decorate our vacation home in Utah. Living out of state, it was proving very hard to try to do it myself. It was without a doubt the best decision I made. She was so attentive and responsive. She would email me mood boards and ideas and it made my life so much easier. Our house is stunning. It exceeded my expectations and there is no way I could’ve done it without her. I highly recommend Ellen.

Becky Torrez

Ellen is an extremely talented designer and a joy to work with. She's smart, funny, and efficient, and has great taste! We restored a home in coastal New England from 1917, including an addition, and we touched every surface in the house. It was a huge project, and we were in California for most of it. Ellen managed to coordinate with me and with our local builders, all from her location in Utah. We picked every finish for every room, including the kitchen, five bathrooms, and about 85 light fixtures, together on Zoom and with a couple of in person meetings at the house. I would have felt very intimidated walking into stone yards and tile showrooms without her, given the scope of our project...

Mary

My husband and I were interested in building a small casita on an adjoining lot. We reside in rural Utah and spoke to a few local "building designers". Although they may have been technically competent I wasn't satisfied with the level of detail or design they proposed. I found Ellen McKenna on Houzz and thought it was fortuitous. She had the expertise we were looking for. Her proposal was geared to creating a structure that mimicked our existing adobe house. She incorporated design components and drew the plans herself. She and I shopped together for interior fixtures, tile and countertops. I always felt guided but respected and never felt as though her taste overrode my own inclin...

Nanette Wood