Couple pays $5K for bed they never received

PEARLLAND – A Pearland couple is the latest to come forward against a celebrity interior designer, warning others after they paid more than $5,000 for a custom king-size bed they never received.

“My wife sends me an article and it’s KPRC. I read it and you’re the one reporting. We’re not the first,” Maurese Draughon told KPRC 2’s Re’Chelle Turner.

Less than two weeks ago, four victims said they paid the same interior designer, Christal Clear Designs, thousands of dollars for unfinished work.

Victims seek legal help after paying celebrity interior designer thousands of dollars for unfinished work

Draughon wanted to shed light on the situation, so this does not happen to other victims.

He and his wife looked at reviews and recent work from Christal Clear Designs.

They kept receipts and text messages. The couple say the whole situation has been full of lies.

“You know, I’m sick, but I have no choice but to just move on,” Draughon said.

He and his wife paid $5,500 for a bed they still haven’t received.

“We went ahead because we trusted she would be able to produce,” he said.

His wife, Taneisha, loves interior design and came across a bed design on the company’s Instagram page.

They reached out and an assistant came to their home to take measurements and choose a color on December 9. The next day, the couple paid a deposit of $2,750.

“She gave us a delivery window of four to six weeks. I would say halfway through that point she asked us for the remaining balance on the bed,” he said.

Owner Octavia Christal told the Draughons that the bed would be delivered on January 5, but there was a delay with the fabric.

“My thing to her was that either your supplier is incompetent or you are incompetent, because how can you give me a confirmation date of delivery knowing that the bed was not fully wrapped with the fabric we chose,” he said.

Two weeks later, Christal Clear Designs promised the furniture would be delivered on February 23, but Draughon says the excuses started piling up when they reached out.

The couple decided to cancel the order and ask for a refund.

“Twenty-four hours passed, no refund. Forty-eight hours passed, no refund. My wife reaches back to Tavia and she says, ‘Oh, you get it. In fact, look out for Ms. Blackmon is calling you.’ My wife is like, ‘Who is Ms. Blackmon? I’ve never heard of her through this whole process,” Draughon said.

Just like the other victims who paid the same interior designer for unpaid services and work, Draughon says Christal Clear Designs needs to be stopped.

“I only hope myself; my wife and the other victims are able to get justice behind this, he said.

The Better Business Bureau reminds people to never pay in full and says it’s important to have a reliable and vetted contractor when hiring someone for a job.

Here are some tips they suggest using:

• Research and gather information

• Ask for references

• Ask for more offers

• Get it in writing

• Verify license and insurance

• Arrange a payment plan

• Get a receipt

• Keep your contract

For more tips from the BBB, click here.

The Draughons plan to sue Christal Clear Designs.

KPRC 2 reached out to the owners of Christal Clear Designs and is awaiting a response.