“We had a very outdated kitchen that was in desperate need of a renovation. We did a lot of research and worked with an in-house kitchen designer for about a month before seeking out an independent designer (Karen). We wanted an independent designer that would not have company-influenced biases when putting together a plan for our kitchen. We were confident after our first meeting with Karen that she was the right person to do the job.
Karen is a great listener and took the time to understand what our needs were and how we use our kitchen. We didn’t need to change much about the layout but removed all the old cabinets, countertops and flooring. Karen worked with us to plan a revised layout to suit our needs. She also helped us find an excellent local cabinet maker to implement her design. She made many creative suggestions for the layout of the cabinets that makes our new kitchen look unique.
Karen is truly invested in her work and it shows in her attention to all the details. After our kitchen was finished she came by to see the finished product and spent time carefully looking everything over and listening to feedback so that she can carry the experience forward to future projects. She was very responsive and reliable throughout the project.
We are thrilled with our kitchen and can’t imagine a better outcome! We are amazed at how easy it is to work in the new space – everything fits perfectly and is just where we need it.”
“It is with pleasure that we highly recommend Karen Warner as an extremely capable bathroom designer.
She recently assisted us with an “aging-in-place” remodeling/renovation of a very tiny powder room into a three-piece European style “wet room.” This challenging and successful transformation includes a wall-mounted toilet, a lever-controlled, wall-mounted shower which can be hand-held as well, and a long, narrow sink with ADA approved faucet — all in one floor-to-ceiling tiled room. The three Toto fixtures mentioned received on-target placements in such a small space.
Initially, Karen took sufficient time to listen to our ease-of-use and simplicity concerns as a retired couple in our late 60s and early 70s in order to incorporate them fully into the final design.
Her thoughtful and clever addition of a marble storage shelf over the sink, utilizing the top of the necessary north wall bump-out for pipes, is an outstanding highlight of her design. In addition, we much appreciate the inclusion of maximum storage via a tall and narrow mirrored medicine cabinet, a “hotel style” train rack towel shelf area, and a combination grab bar and cosmetic shelf in the shower area. And, the curved shower curtain rod provides more room in the shower area.
The three trips to choose tile, plumbing, and lighting materials became less stressful and overwhelming because of her presence, clear and confident guidance, and broad knowledge of products available in stores and the Internet.
Karen’s skill in communicating by e-mail, in person, and by phone with both our general contractor and us was invaluable before, during, and after construction. She compiled a looseleaf book that remained on site during the whole construction period which contained descriptions of materials and products to be used/installed as well as copies of final plans. Many members of the construction team remarked on how helpful that reference was when a question arose.
Lastly, Karen was always punctual or called us when she was unavoidably running late, maintained a calm demeanor throughout the entire period, and went that extra mile when a construction problem surfaced.
We would not hesitate to recommend Karen Warner to our associates and friends as a top-notch bath designer.”
