Stars 2021: Karin Ross Designs

Kitchen & Bath Remodeler

Story by Ann Butenas | Sponsored Content

It’s been said a true professional is someone who does his or her best work even during the most tumultuous of times. As the owner of the award-winning design-build firm, Karin Ross Designs, Karin Ross stands as a testament to what it means to employ resilience, patience, understanding, competence and quality at a time when some things are out of her control.

During this past year and a half of the worldwide pandemic, professionals across all industries have had to exercise a certain amount of patience, creativity and steadfastness in order to maintain their businesses. Ross is no different. However, her approach has always been one of “we will get through this no matter what it takes.” Should hurdles cross her path, she simply navigates over or around them as needed in order to reach her end goal.

“I just want to thank everyone for their continued support of my business,” emphasized Ross. “Yes, there have been delays in terms of supplies and materials, which has been standard for our industry lately, and this can translate to price increases and some delays on our end. All of us have been experiencing this. For the client, this simply translates to the need to exercise a bit more patience during this time.”

Through it all, however, the quality and expertise delivered by Ross and her team will never diminish and perhaps have emerged a bit stronger. Ross considers what is beyond her control during this time, but still does everything within her power to keep all projects on track to the best of her abilities. As a result, she has implemented new systems and strategies to help her customers through these difficult times, which admittedly can take more energy and work to get projects fulfilled. However, the results achieved are always stunning, and when working with Ross, clients realize it is always worth the wait.

“There is only so much we can do during this time, but I will never abandon a job nor take short cuts,” explained Ross. “My team simply does the best it can and works tirelessly to maneuver through these situations. Our goal is to make sure clients are happy, but at the same time it is important for them to understand the current situation so we can work together to complete the project as they desire.”

A consummate professional, Ross intently and thoughtfully listens to the ideas of the client, provides her own insight, and designs a product with longevity in mind. Her expansive showroom in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, which has undergone a significant expansion, is open to the public and is full of myriad samples from which to choose.

“I plan ahead and am a firm believer of setting the right expectations,” reflected Ross. “Bearing that in mind, I realize I am not for everyone, either. I believe the client also has the right to select a contractor with whom they feel comfortable, one whose style will align with theirs. I will only take on projects for which I know I can give my all, as my clients deserve the best.”

A natural born leader of design style, Ross can effortlessly capture a vision. She naturally gravitates towards timeless, elegant styles that blend seamlessly with appropriate touches of modern and classic influences, letting each project she oversees bask in the limelight of the more distinguished and eloquent flavors of design for which she is known. As a result of her work, she recently was honored with two Bronze awards from the 2020 ASID Heartland Design Awards.

“I make sure everything is done correctly from the beginning,” she emphasized. “I have to think of the look and the function of the space as well as take into consideration how it will stand the test of time. I want it to last. I need to fully understand what the client is looking for so I can pre-select items to avoid overwhelming them and to avoid mistakes.”

Highly proactive in her approach, Ross anticipates what might happen and resolves issues before clients even realize there are any issues. A purveyor of truly custom design+build jobs, Ross is a strong leader in the remodeling industry. She can take a project from beginning to end that beautifully and effectively captures each client’s desires. Even when certain delays may occur, Ross emphasized her standards of service will never change.

“While you may have to wait a bit longer now to get a project completed, it does not mean you will get less of me. I am ready to service my clients as needed. I truly enjoy the end result, as it looks like it always belonged there and the clients are ecstatic.”