There’s almost nothing as satisfying as an amazing transformation. Whether the Before features awkward cabinetry, poor lighting, lack of storage, or all of the above, the After is always pleasing to the eye. Naturally, all spaces have their own unique story. We’ve been lucky enough to help families finetune their story and create a space that shares their happily ever after. Below, you’ll find some of our favorite transformation stories. Before its stunning transformation, this kitchen felt awkwardly cut off and dated. Even with optimal natural light, the room still felt gloomy. With wallpaper featuring ivy vines, dark wood cabinetry, and countertop splitting the space in half, this space wasn’t making the homeowners happy. That is, of course, until it underwent its own facelift. Now when you enter the kitchen, you’re happily welcomed by a polished and sophisticated space. When your laundry room is dark and stuffy, laundry is a chore. Once it underwent its transformation, doing laundry in this space became a peaceful activity. With beige walls and tiled floor, the room just felt blah. After its remodel, the space had a charming cottage feel. Natural lighting and light cabinetry brightened the room up, while also bringing a fresh […]

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”.

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”.

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

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 […]

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 […]

Here's a story about a pesky upgrade that nobody wants to spend money on but it does save lives! We recently were involved in a remodel in St. Louis County and as in most municipalities they make you upgrade the smoke and carbon monoxide detection system to be hard wired together. A new smoke/monoxide detector is often not where you want to put your dollars in a kitchen or bath remodel. Here is an actual text we received one month after completion of the kitchen remodel.

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 […]