“Just Do What You Do…” – Homeowner Julie Portman A designer’s dream is when a client trusts their vision. Trust is believing the designer and jumping on board with their vision and advice. Especially when that vision involves happy color everywhere! This project is for a beautiful century-old Tudor home that is abundant in natural charm and graceful architecture. Such a fun palette to work with. As is usually the case with old homes, the bathrooms are outdated and need some 21st century Karr Bick talent and love.   The attic bathroom is for a young girl who is passionate about life and dance. She is excited for her charming little bathroom to be expanded and made cheerful with pink touches; pink cabinetry and pink penny dot tile on the wall behind the free-standing tub (which is everyone’s bathroom dream). All sitting cheerfully on grayish taupey flower porcelain tiles. The pink cabinetry will extend to a framed wainscot mirror that frames 3 precious wall sconces that hearken to historic industrial architectural days. It’s the bathroom every young girl wishes they had in their life.     The boy’s bathroom is for a young, energetic, hockey loving boy and will also […]

“Every once in a while I take a giant step outside my normal confined “kitchen/bath lady” role. I agree to take on a project that includes an entire renovation from top to bottom. That means window selection, HVAC discussions, fighting for old doors to be used and dreaming of details that would do justice to a home. The thing that these projects all have in common is not what you might think. The thread that ties them all together is the people. Really dang good people. If you have been on a journey like this with me it’s because I really like you. I also at some point along the way have fallen deeply in love with your home. I am fully invested in its happiness. These pictures were taken yesterday. The day before move-in day. It’s one of my favorite days to be on site, listening to the panicked scramble and hustle and bustle. So much happens in this day. Lights get hung, paint gets a final coat and door hardware finds it’s home. I get asked a million questions about Where? How? When? and I love to make those quick decisions that keep it all moving. It’s where […]

I’m a sucker for a good quote. The ability to sum up an idea or concept succinctly is a very compelling thing. Words are powerful. String the right words together and they have the ability to heal, to hurt, to motivate and turn something on inside the soul. To me the digestion of words is therapy. When I just can’t, words help me do. They help organize my thoughts and emotions and motivate me to act. I have collected a few insanely well-written sentences and included my not so dynamic ramblings about why they are fuel to me. “Creativity is a highfalutin word for the work I have to do between now and Tuesday.” –Ray Kroc I am often thought of as a “creative”. What does that even mean? On most days I feel like Ray Kroc hit the nail on the head. Plus, I like that really successful people use the word “highfalutin”. “Leave it better than you found it.” –Bruce A. Nordstrom This is a dang good way to allow yourself room to breathe. The redesign of a room can be rather suffocating at the start. The expectations of what you can and need to do can out […]

It is my belief that the “Craftsman” is becoming an endangered species. A nose to the grindstone, unassuming species, adorned with tool belts slung across their shoulders or hung around their waists, their name is “Craftsmen.” By nature, they are accommodating and analytical, and they produce highly precise and accurate work; but they have been hunted to near extinction by an aggressive and unhappy race of new consumers. Now they can be found wandering around alongside the giant panda, the Grus Americana whooping crane, and other endangered species. A person of this species is highly skilled at working in the manual arts and is motivated by the mastery of his trade. He is an artisan with distinctive, technical, tireless skill. He builds the infrastructure of our daily lives through the trades which include electrical, mechanical, framing, HVAC, finish carpentry, stone masonry, plumbing, and more. We believe these are jobs and people we must value. Let’s get to the “how do you kill them” part. To kill a craftsman, you’ve gotta hit ‘em where it counts. A true craftsman is highly skilled and innovative. He puts his soul into everything he touches. He deserves our respect. So, load your ammo and […]

A kitchen can be filled with beautiful cabinets, countertops and decorative accoutrements, but if the layout and space don't work well, it's not an effective design. In kitchens, more than any other room, a good space plan is critical. The most efficiently designed kitchens are focused around a “work triangle”.

A look back at 2017 reveals that we have a lot to be grateful for and we thought we would share our Top 7 list of things you helped us accomplish last year. Our Top 7 List !!!! 😄😄 We built a new website, and you responded to it with vigor! Thanks to your input we have more great resources on the way. What’s to come? Many more “before and after” projects, a comprehensive cabinet buying guide and a crazy cool pricing feature to help you understand what kitchen remodels cost! We were part of a 🏠 St. Louis renovation project featured on HouzzTV.🏠 It was one of 5 episodes highlighting designers from around the nation working with celebrities to renovate one of their family member’s homes. You loved our blog post about small kitchens so much that we get visitors to our site from all over the internet searching for “small kitchen remodels” 🏆🏆 Thanks to some gracious customers who permitted us to submit their projects, we won several design competitions, including the most recent double win in St. Louis Homes and Lifestyles Magazine for Kitchen of the Year 2018 – Gold & Kitchen of the Year 2018 – […]

A kitchen can be filled with beautiful cabinets, countertops and decorative accoutrements, but if the layout and space don't work well, it's not an effective design. In kitchens, more than any other room, a good space plan is critical. The most efficiently designed kitchens are focused around a “work triangle”.

A kitchen can be filled with beautiful cabinets, countertops and decorative accoutrements, but if the layout and space don't work well, it's not an effective design. In kitchens, more than any other room, a good space plan is critical. The most efficiently designed kitchens are focused around a “work triangle”.

Recently, I’ve been up late at night. Thinking. About you, the consumer. What can a small business like mine do to set themselves apart? How do we tell you, show you, that we are unique or different? How do we communicate to you that we are #nothingordinary? I can honestly say that some days it feels like an almost impossible feat. Right now, in fact, I can imagine it to be a little like hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) barefoot with no supplies, all 2,650 miles of it. Everyone is competing for your attention. Companies like Google and Facebook have entire armies of people dedicated to the acquisition of your attention. Entrepreneurs like me, well, we have ourselves. So here I sit, on a Tuesday night, kids tucked into bed, a full day of work complete and my job (well my second job) is to figure out what I can do for you. What can I do to be relevant and helpful? What can I do to get you to keep coming back? If I think about why you seek us out, what you need from us, the answer is easy…information. Lots and lots of information. We have to […]