For some, the early stages of considering a remodel project can feel like a personal Indiana Jones adventure. Searching through the deep dark caves to find the legendary crystal skull, or in this case, a #NothingOrdinary kitchen, bath, or wherever space. Whatever your design dilemma, the Karr Bick family is here to help guide you along the way. Few people realize that home designers are all very different creatures. There’s a special skill set needed when it comes to home design. Some designers and builders are short on design skills and long on building expertise, while in many other cases, design talent and training doesn’t necessarily come with technical skills. While these professions revolve around home and building design, there remain some skills that necessitate the hiring of one over the other. Karr Bick Kitchen and Bath designers are masters of their home designing domain. Hiring Karr Bick ensures a smooth transition from dreams to reality. Here’s the how, why, and helpful distinguishing characteristics in the home design profession. Skills Karr Bick Designers Master: Space Planning Karr Bick designers are experienced in interior space planning and additions. If you’re remodeling a kitchen, bathroom, or adding a family room, our designers […]

In the early stages of considering a remodel, you may feel overwhelmed, confused, and lost on where to start. With so many opinions floating around, it can seem hard to find the starting spot. Maybe you even begin to ask your fairy godmother for a magical list that would show you step-by-step of what to do and expect? Lucky for you, the Karr Bick fairy heard your pleas and has come to make your life that much easier! Below, you’ll find the start to finish of a remodel. Inspiration Start gathering ideas for what you want to see reflected within your own space. Are you looking to add a fresh new color, marble countertops, fun wallpaper, or all of the above? Also think about how you want the space to make you feel. Remember, we all naturally have an inner voice. Quiet down, so you can listen to what it’s trying to tell you. Oh, and don’t forget to go with your gut! Inspiration can come from all directions. The following are some quick links to get your creative juice flowing: – Our Virtual Showroom – HOUZZ Portfolio – Our Pinterest Page – Our Instagram – Meet the Designers – […]

Whenever a project is finished, we’re always eager to take professional pictures of it. With the willingness of our wonderful clients, our team stages the space and photographs it in as many ways as possible. While it can take some time, we keep our eye on the prize — beautiful photographs of brilliantly designed spaces. What does a day on set look like, you ask? The first thing on our to-do list is staging. For us, this involves hauling decor from our showroom or our own homes. We often clear out the space and completely redecorate so that it’s suited for a magazine. Much like everything we do, there’s a lot of collaborative work on set. We work very closely with our photographer, in order to get the best shots. Most of the time, this includes trying different angles, lighting, and staging positions. Not only do we bring in a photographer, but we also collaborate with a videographer. Once we’ve decided to also capture a video of the space, our set day takes on a few extra tasks. Mainly, this means interviewing the designer, the homeowner, and Owner Jenny. Naturally, the interview looks different every time, but we try to […]

Up at 2am dreaming about the changes you want to make to your home? Feeling like you can’t wait until the morning? Your new best friend has just arrived. Meet the Karr Bick Virtual Showroom. Equipped with tools that aid you in your exploration, our virtual tour allows you design freedom to explore at any hour. Like any great tool belt, our virtual reality feature can be used in several different ways. Below is a list of some of the best ways you can utilize it. Ways it can be used: A New Way to Explore and Visualize Let’s be honest; sometimes it’s hard to visualize. This new tool does all the hard work for you. By seeing direct examples of different spaces, you can gain a sense of “trying before you buy.” Experiment with seeing what materials grab you and what styles you like. No more visualizing frustration! The Measurement Tool With any piece of design, there comes measurement. How far apart should your counter and island be? What is too wide for an island? How high should your cabinets be? Our Virtual Showroom has the answer to all of your questions. At the bottom left hand corner, you will see […]

Remodeling your home is exciting, but can also feel daunting. You might need help answering questions like: Where to start? When to visit a showroom? When to engage a home designer, architect, project manager, etc.? We will answer these questions as well as provide helpful things to know before you get a remodel started that will help ensure your process is amazing and efficient. There are 2 key phases in renovation installation timing: 1) How quickly plans, permitting and material selections can be completed. 2) How soon the contractor can start your project and complete it. Be flexible during installation. Demolition, tear out, framing, plumbing, electrical, wall prep, paint, flooring, cabinet install, countertop install, decorative accents, appliances (WHEW!) and more, can take longer than expected to install. The key to keeping your sanity is to know before your project starts that there may be hiccups, and be ready to flex when that happens. Be­low are typical time ranges for each phase. Use this as a reference as you plan. The two factors that affect a remodel timeline most heavily are the size of the kitchen and the project scope. Build in buffer time. OUR JOURNEY TOGETHER: THE KARR BICK TIMELINE PROCESS *Generically there […]

At Karr Bick we believe it’s all about the right team. The people you pick can make or break you and be the difference between agony and ecstasy.  Things will go wrong no matter how much you plan for problems as construction is an art not a science, but it’s the people on the team and their ability to navigate through troubled waters for quick and effective resolutions that makes the difference in the end. What typically makes up a good team?  All good teams are lead by a general contractor (or a really bossy kitchen designer) but depending on the scope of work you might need some additional team members. General Contractor: His job is team leader.  He coordinates all subs and ensures everything is running on time and on budget. Architect: If you are doing any structural changes to your home then you will need to have a great architect on the team.  They will draw plans and get all the necessary seals for permits. Kitchen or Bath Designer: Think Karr Bick. Interior Designer: An interior designer can be a great addition to the team.  She or he will help you with things like furniture plans and thinking through paint colors. A […]

The Skinny on Cabinets (Basic Construction & Styles) Kitchen cabinets are available in all shapes, sizes, colors, finishes, and construction levels. It can be confusing and hard to tell them apart. Why does one cabinet line cost more than another? Here is a description of basic cabinetry construction and style options as well as an initial sense of the factors that affect your bottom line. Framed Cabinet Construction: A framed cabinet is what we traditionally think of as kitchen cabinets in the United States. The box of the cabinet has a face frame that provides support. When you open the door there is a wood face frame outlining the front of the box to which hinges are attached. This frame provides a small lip all the way around the inside of the cabinet. The frame also helps keep the kitchen (or bathroom) cabinet square so that the doors hang level and the drawers function properly. Within a framed cabinet product line there are typically 3 types of door configurations: Standard overlay: The doors are slightly larger than the cabinet opening, showing the frame of the cabinet when the cabinets are screwed together in a line. This is the least expensive […]

Before we meet with clients to discuss their project we encourage them to do some homework. We ask them to bring in pictures from magazines and their Houzz ideabooks so we can get an idea of their likes and expectations. But with so much information available, many people go a little overboard on some topics and neglect others. Here is a syllabus for preparing for your renovation project: Renovation Project Syllabus By doing your homework, you can save a lot of time and heartache as you prepare for a renovation project. Happy studying!

1. I need a lot of help! Do you have design services? How much does it cost? Upon beginning your project with us you pay a design retainer fee which is credited back to you on your first materials purchase. We do not charge extra for design services. The design retainer gets you full access to the designer’s mind throughout your entire design process. This includes site measuring, existing layout plans, new layout proposals, material selection, and detailed cabinetry, tile, and plumbing designs. 2. Have your designers worked on a project like mine? We are more than a kitchen and bath dealer at Karr Bick, we are certified design experts.  Our designers have a combined 30+ years of industry experience. We are a National Kitchen & Bath accredited firm. We understand the pressures of the design process and remodel. We deal with it on a daily basis. We know how to design your space the best way for YOU. It may seem like a challenge to you but it’s most likely nothing we haven’t seen before. 3. Can I get ALL of my materials at Karr Bick? Yes! We work with the best of the best in custom and semi-custom cabinetry. We provide […]