When the market began to crash in 2007, opportunity presented itself: A friend had told Mark Dalton about a house in his neighborhood that just came on the market, and that it had “Mark written all over it.” Although Mark wasn’t in the market for a house, he went and looked at it anyway. Two days later, the house was his — the offer was accepted and the bank note was approved.

Previously, when the market was doing well and Mark’s career was strictly high-end, he made smart financial decisions and his condo, car, and rental properties were all paid off. That freedom granted him the opportunity to remodel his new abode. The Herald-Tribune caught wind of his work and wrote a story on his process. Because Mark was strategically incorporating some expensive finishes and design ideas in his home, the writer entitled the story “Chic on the Cheap.”

Voila, a business was born from his endeavor.

At the same time, Jill’s employer in Atlanta downsized, which prompted her to move back to Sarasota, her hometown. Jill’s mother had recently read the “Chic on the Cheap” article and suggested that she call Mark to inquire about a job. The rest is history.

And as Paul Harvey notably said, “And now you know the rest of the story.”

Chic On The Cheap’s talented design professionals have been featured in the newspaper over 30 times. We are a well-respected interior design firm in the Sarasota, FL community, not only by our clients, but by the people we collaborate with to execute unique and sophisticated spaces.