Spring is Mother Nature’s big reveal, a time of renewal and growth, of fresh views and new perspectives. It seems then like the perfect time to introduce our newest addition to the Sawhill team, Stefany Taylor Krupke. We are thrilled to welcome Stefany as a kitchen & bath designer/consultant. Her passion, design perspective and attentiveness to detail make her an ideal fit for our team and our clients.
We sat down this week with Stefany for a little Q & A. We invite you to take a moment to get to know her – you’ll be seeing great things from her soon!
***
Question: What is your educational background and work experience in the industry? What led you to get involved in this industry?
Stefany: I am a recent graduate of the Kitchen and Bath Design program at Century College. After graduation, I worked at another design and build firm for a year before joining Sawhill this May. Before going to design school, I owned a faux finishing business until the housing economy began to fall, which forced me to seek a more stable career. I went to work in the legal and corporate world as a paralegal, but I always knew that I wanted to end up in a creative capacity again!
My interest in design and remodeling began at a young age. While growing up, my father was continually designing and remodeling our home. Throughout his projects, I was always his “little helper.” But what really drew my focus towards kitchen and bath design was when my husband and I decided to remodel our basement. I eagerly jumped at the opportunity to redesign it. After designing the bar and fireplace areas, creating floorplans, elevations and perspectives, selecting materials (and helping to produce the distressed heritage finish on our cabinetry), I fell in love with choosing materials and putting designs to paper!
Question: What made you interested in working for Sawhill?
Stefany: I was first introduced to Sawhill while in design school when I was asked to be student judge for the MN chapter of NKBA design awards. I fell in love with Sawhill’s designs and was impressed with the awards that they won.
Question: Do you see differences in how Sawhill works?
Stefany: Yes, there are a couple things that stand out to me. First, Sue and Tim are truly genuine people with incredible integrity that bleeds into the character of the firm and the people who work here. Secondly, the level of detail gathered for each project is extraordinary. Their designs are thoughtful and well planned which leads to exceptional experiences and designs for our clients.
Question: What do you enjoy most about kitchen and bath design? What excites you the most when working on a project?
Stefany: I feel incredibly blessed to have found a career doing something that I absolutely adore! I love meeting new and interesting people, hearing their stories, uncovering design challenges, solving problems and laying designs out on paper. But, my favorite thing is to see the joy on my clients’ faces after the design and build out are completed.
Question: Do you have a work or life philosophy?
Stefany: At an early age my dad, who was a perfectionist, taught me that if you’re going to do something, do it well and do it right the first time!
Question: What are your hobbies outside of work?
Stefany: I love traveling, exploring new restaurants, creating flavorful new healthy recipes, watching crime mystery shows, snuggling with my cat, Hazel, and playing with my two boxers, Chez and Harlow, affectionately known as “the girls.”
VISIT OUR MINNEAPOLIS KITCHEN & BATH SHOWROOM
We invite you to stop by our kitchen and bath showroom at International Market Square in Minneapolis to meet Stefany! From stunning displays for inspiration to expert staff to guide you through the design to build process, visiting our showroom is the perfect first step to a beautiful kitchen or bath.
Looking for more resources? Download our Free Remodeling Guide, full of helpful tips and advice for each step of the remodeling process.