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 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”.

Long gone are the days of throwing a basic brick pattern tile job or 4×4 backsplash up. Tile manufacturers continue to up their game in providing the consumer with increasingly artistic ways to design their spaces. From subtle and traditional to bold and bright. You’re going to be glad you have a design team to help you wade through the countless options. Choosing which tiles to use is the hard part, loving the look after install is a given.     An old favorite that is anything but tired is the subway tile. Look for debossed, textured, glossy, extra wide or extra narrow versions of this classic look. And although the traditional brick pattern layout is still a rock solid choice, you may choose to shake that up a bit with a chevron install or by having some tiles running perpendicular around the border. There are many different install possibilities to play with.     Ceramic tiles are no longer your grandma’s ceramic. Laser cut ceramics will dazzle your eye with their patterns and design. Quilted ceramics are a way to go if you’re looking for more understated beauty than dazzle.     Laser cut glass and stone also offer […]

Nothing breathes life into a room with the impact that the right lighting does. Choosing your lighting is part science and part style. Having your Karr Bick designer by your side will make lighting selection fun and ensure that your room shines. Let’s cover the science part first and then move on to the fun stuff. Color temperature is measured in kelvins. The higher the kelvins, the cooler the lighting effect. Lumens and lux measure the output of the light fixture and how that light hits at a certain point on a surface. Why do you care? One visit to a clothing store dressing room with bad lighting and you know why you want the right color temperature and intensity in the space you live and breathe in every day.     When you position a fixture, the light spreads out like a cone. Cabinets, countertops and people can get in the way and cast shadows. This is why it is so important to have several kinds of lighting (ceiling, wall, under cabinet, etc.) combined in your space. There, now that you are practically an optics expert, let’s move on to that fun stuff I promised…     Using pendants […]

Scroll down!   That would be a Karr Bick Kitchen sitting at the number 3 spot of top 10 trending kitchens on Houzz! Trending: The Top 10 International Kitchens on Houzz

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 […]

Famously Sought-After Design By Grounded Professionals  In a world more and more focused on personal divides, sometimes it’s something as domestic as home design to remind us that we all have more in common than we think. Sometimes the very idea that we are each unique, and want that uniqueness reflected in our spaces, is the common thread that binds us together. So it’s not really surprising then, that the resource you and I use for design inspiration and professionals would be the same tool used by famous Hollywood actor, Jenna Fischer. When St. Louis native, Fischer, wanted to surprise her sister with a complete living space renovation, she turned to Houzz.com and local expert, Jenny Rausch, Designer/Owner of Karr Bick Kitchens and Bath, to make her unique renovation dreams come true. Fischer’s sister, Emily, and her family live in a St. Louis home that originally belonged to their grandparents. Chock full of wonderful family memories, the home was a diamond in the rough with its cramped, closed-off floorplan and outdated kitchen. Once Jenna brought Jenny from Karr Bick on board, the two were able to communicate design ideas and vision cross country using the tools on Houzz.com. Jenna wanted […]

“Stay true to yourself and listen to your inner voice, it will lead you to your dream.” Author, James Ross. Words to live by, and, as it turns out, to design by as well. 2017 is already shaping up to be an award-winning year for Jenny Rausch and team here at Karr Bick. This year’s magazine features have included Midwest Living May/June 2017, Beautiful Kitchens and Baths Spring 2017, and the cover of At Home St. Louis’ March/April 2017 issue. Not to mention winning rooms in At Home’s Architect & Designer Awards in the Kitchens Larger than 300 sq. Feet and New Construction categories. So what’s our secret to winning? Simply, we don’t try to win. “We don’t worry about what a good room is ‘supposed’ to look like,” says Jenny. “Instead we focus on your needs, and how you use your space.  Then we listen to how different colors, styles, and design pieces make you feel and go with what makes you feel good.” At Karr Bick, we design customer-inspired spaces. And yes, they happen to win a lot of awards. That’s just what Jenny and her client did as they designed his garage turned bonus kitchen which ended […]