Schatelier Architectural Studio

Karina made us feel comfortable. She was open to questions, and helpful in explaining the steps that would need to be taken to get see our project to completion. I would highly recommend her. We ended up not doing the project due to a sale of the property, but were planning to hire Schatelier Architectural Studio/

Karen completed two projects for my wife and I. The first was to take a raw basement-- concrete walls and studs-- and create an office suite and family room. The second was a guest house and garage combination. In both cases the work was imaginative, using ideas and approaches I would never have thought of. In spite of being a small space the guest house is open, bright and extremely functional. My wife has never changed a single thing in the office suite which she loves. In her design, Karen had made very good recommendations on both materials and colors. More than anything else Karen listens well and then starts from that point. I strongly recommend her work.

When my husband and I decided to build our “dream house” we hired Karina to help us visualize and create a fresh and different space for our new life as empty-nesters. We started from scratch on a piece of land that was a mile away from the house we lived in for over 37 years. Karina's insight was impeccable and thoughtful. Her first suggestion was to position the house in such a way that it would have solar efficiency all year long. That initial decision was the first of many that yielded a distinctive and one-of-a-kind design just for us. During our weekly meetings over many months, Karina listened intently to our ideas and made them visible on paper. We worked as a team, and with Karina's unique insight and creativity we designed an exceptional, warm and beautiful new “forever” home. We would highly recommend Schatelier Architectural Studio for any design service.

I worked with Karina Schacht on a multi-phased project to completely restore and renovate our 1850's Greek Revival home. Karina was able to create a home that beautifully met our needs while respecting the history of the home. Our goal was not historic preservation (though I'm sure she could have helped with that too!) but rather to update and restore an old home that had been unfortunately divided into three apartments. Karina worked iteratively with me to develop plans that exactly met our family's needs. She hand-drew designs, turning things around quickly. She had many, many ideas to create beautiful, functional spaces while being mindful of our budget. Notably, in the original, unnused, parlor, she designed a stunning library of ebony-stained beech (affordable!) shelving and built-in lighting. She transformed out kitchen with a new island and layout, while saving us thousands by recommending refinishing of existing cabinetry. These are just two examples of the ingenuity she brought to the task. She works very well with our contractor and helped with recommendations for plumbing and lighting fixtures and interior finishes as well. All in all, Karina Schacht is talented, professional and it was a pleasure to work with her.

Karina is a joy to work with! My husband and I consulted with Karina to try to figure out how to make our house work for us, my in-laws and our growing family. She had some wonderful ideas about how we could make it work. Ultimately, we decided to buy another house but are looking forward to working with her on my dream kitchen remodel once we get settled. I highly recommend working with her! She is so easy to get along with and really takes the time to understand what your vision is and advise you on what may or may not work. I was also impressed that she didn't want to advise anymore work than was within our budget, saving me the heartbreak of falling in love with something I couldn't ultimately have.