“Karrie brought me in as a designer to collaborate with her on several of her projects. I appreciated her no nonsense approach to business. She was straight forward with how she worked and set her business up so that clients received a huge value by working with her. It was apparent that the clients appreciated her and trusted her very much. She was great at listening to what the clients wanted, even if they weren’t actually saying it, and delivering beautiful design at their price point. Coming from more of a typical boss and employee relationship I loved our partnership and always did my best because I felt respected for what I brought to the table and not like a lower level assistant. I hope to one day have staff and hope that I will treat them with the same respect as she did with me. ”
— Amber Cortes, Interior Designer|Creative Director INvision Design & Build
“My business partners and I struggled to combine our design ideas and move the project forward. A mutual friend recommended we meet with Karrie; she was prompt and organized, took the lead on the design, and gave our ideas a tangible vision. Karrie was involved in every step of the way, from the design concept and layout to the final installation. She coordinated with vendors and tradespeople and was onsite to opening day, ensuring our vision came to fruition. After The Creek Eatery was opened, I hired Karrie to help with one of my other restaurants, Mexico Lindo; with a modest budget, she consulted on interior updates and provided a much-needed facelift to our large outdoor dining area. I look forward to working with Karrie again.”
— Andres Valencia, Owner of The Creek Eatery & Mexico Lindo
“Karrie is creative and hard-working. She takes a job on 110% and thinks of every detail in making a home look its best. She has a fresh, modern eye, works within a budget, and makes the most of every dollar. Karrie’s designs started a shift in staging in the Santa Cruz area; her staged homes sold quickly with multiple offers. Since Karrie’s staging business took off, other Home Stagers in our area have basically copied her style and aesthetic. I look forward to working with her again!”
— Carie Sigur, Sereno Group Realtor
“Karrie Franks provided concise direction and insightful knowledge which helped sell my house in 9 days, receiving multiply offers over asking in a depressed real estate market. Karrie’s knowledge of design and space is beyond measure, her ability to communicate to me WHY she made such suggestions was invaluable to me as a proud home owner. She informed and educated me in a helpful and encouraging manner that left me feeling confident. Karrie gave specific direction as to what furniture and decor items needed to be kept/packed away/purchased. She provided the best floor plan for all rooms in order to optimize square footage. She recommended a paint color throughout the house, creating a cohesive back drop which allowed my house to shine. All of Karrie’s suggestions fit my VERY tight budget and for that I am grateful. It was an extremely satisfying experience that left me feeling respected and heard. ”
— Kathryn J, Market Prep Consultation Client
“Working with Karrie virtually was great. She communicated often, with clear and creative solutions. With room measurements and digital photos, Karrie was able to provide a room layout I would have never thought of, a mood board of inspiration along with shopping references. To be honest, the best way to design. Cost effective and easy. Look forward to working on my next space with Karrie.”
— Katherine E, E-Design Client
“Karrie hired me to help stage homes. I had been out of the workforce for 9 years raising children. Karrie provided a work environment that was supportive, encouraging, and full of energy and laughter. I gained so much confidence while working for her. Keeping to a high standard, Karrie helps others achieve the same standard. Karrie would tackle just about any project and I was lucky enough to get to do it with her. She is a go getter! She is good at delegating work and giving positive feedback and guidance. Karrie made me realize I have so much more to offer in the workplace.”
— Tiffany Chapman, former employee of Karrie Franks Interiors
“Karrie was recommended by a fellow realtor when I was trying to market a particularly challenging property. In a short period of time Karrie was able to gain the trust and willing assistance of the Sellers turning the home into an inviting and sought after destination for many Buyers. This resulted in a quick sale with multiple offers at a price well above what myself and the Sellers expected to receive. Time and time again since then, Karrie has demonstrated her ability to assess, design a solution and execute the transformation of her vision in a way which brings out the best attributes of the property without the disruption and chaos normally associated with this process. I would not hesitate to recommend Karrie to any future Seller or Realtor looking for a professional, stress free experience.””
— Norm Turner, Bailey Properties Realtor
“Karrie Franks defines true leadership and is someone I will always look up to in business. When working for Karrie, I was constantly pushed and shown how to be better at what I was doing. She has a way of carefully critiquing that makes you feel good because she backs it up with “why this works, and why it does not.” She’s not only fun to work with, but you can also trust her in any situation to make the right decision. Anything this woman touches turns successful, and you have to wonder what is her secret! Her confidence, charisma, determination, knowledge, and experience guides her success in business and in life. Karrie Franks is an incredibly smart businesswoman and has been an amazing mentor to me in my own business endeavors. ”
— Jenny Dobbs, Owner of Rayne Interiors (former employee of Karrie)
“Our Realtor gifted us a Post Close Consultation with Karrie. We scheduled her for a paint and styling consultation, I was a bit worried that a designer might make recommendations that were impractical for our budget but Karrie carefully assessed the space, furniture we already owned, and some new fixtures we were considering. She made recommendations that really worked and gave us a vision to follow.”
— Becka L, Post-Close Consultation Client
“We were super stoked with Karrie’s knowledge and professionalism. After being on the market for 3 weeks and receiving no interest from buyers, we were feeling a little hopeless. Karrie came over to our house while it was on the market and gave us some advice on rearranging and editing what we had in our place. She was quick, efficient and too the point. We took her direction and her help and within one week we sold our house. Karrie is easy to work with and we would recommend her to realtors and home owners. We are grateful for Karrie and her expertise!! ”
— Courtney N, Market Prep Consultation Client
“I had the pleasure of photographing one of Karrie Franks Interiors staged homes and I have to say after many years in the business this listing was a work of art and the single best staging I’ve ever seen on any interior. I haven’t seen any other stager on her level. Well done! ”
— Krista Abel, Photographer
“Karrie Franks Interiors has the ability to create unique, welcoming spaces with beautiful and unusual pieces. They captured the essence of the beach home I listed, all the way from picking the ideal exterior paint colors, to all the wonderful touches throughout the house, to the simple, yet tranquil outdoor sitting areas. They definitely took the time to analyze what would work for the house, and how to stage within the parameters of what was already there. Almost everyone who walked through the door commented on what a lovely job they did transforming the house into a warm, inviting, delightful beach home. You can tell Karrie loves what she does as it reflects in her work. I look forward to working with Karrie Franks Interiors again on future listings I have that need such innovative staging. ”
— Gloria Behman, Realtor
“We hired Karrie Franks for our second restaurant project The Creek Eatery in San Jose, CA. Karrie was very thorough, brought great ideas and ultimately was able to pull together different concepts from multiple partners. Karrie went above and beyond often researching and finding sources for materials, contractors and tradesmen while keeping the project on schedule. Karrie was very timely with responses and gathering information needed to complete the design. We are constantly getting compliments on the design and feel of the restaurant. Our customers even take pictures and often ask me which designer we used. I am very quick to refer Karrie without hesitation. We are very pleased with the outcome and overall concept. Karrie was awesome and I continue to utilize her for other projects, definitely my “go to” interior designer for any job!!”
— Jay Castillo, Owner, The Creek Eatery
“My wife and I are so impressed with Karrie’s staging of our house. The combination of her professionalism, her attention to detail and her artistic eye is very impressive. Karrie was able to present an enticing vision of what our house could be and she was able to mold the vision to our desires and requirements. From this vision, she created a detailed plan within a very reasonable budget. Due to circumstances beyond Karrie’s control, we needed to modify the plan several times in the process. Every time, Karrie accepted the changes in a positive manner and was always able to accommodate the changes within the budget. The result was incredible. We are convinced that Karrie’s staging added significant value to the house, measured both by the number of offers and the value of the final sales price.”
— Steve & Barbara, Market Prep & Staging Client
“Karrie Franks came highly recommended to me by an agent who works in my office. I first hired her to stage a home in Rio Del Mar, where she brought a fresh, contemporary look that made the house shine and received continual compliments from potential buyers and agents alike. I was so happy with the staging and with Karrie’s design aesthetic that I hired her to work with me on the re-design of my Real Estate office in Aptos. Karrie did a phenomenal job bringing creativity and new ideas to the table while working with my own strong perspective and tastes. I couldn’t be happier with the end product—she transformed my office into a design showcase with practical functionality that has helped take my business to the next level. I look forward to working with Karrie again in the future and whole-heartedly endorse her. ”
— Ben Strock. Strock Real Estate
“I love all that you did for me and want everyone to know it! I hired Karrie to stage my property for selling. She understood my needs and did everything possible to get it ready for prospective buyers. She put her heart into the project and gave the property a new, sleek look with her creative designs. No task was too big or too little to consider. She knew what to do and made sure it was done. She maintained long distance communication to keep me up-to-date with progress. I was thrilled with her results! Thank you for all your help. Your skills and creative design sold my property.”
— Dianna M. Market Prep & Staging Client
“Karrie has an amazing eye for color and spatial awareness. Our contactor suggested we hire her for a color consultation when we were doing a facelift on our home. Our home is spacious and open and I love color, if not for Karrie I would have ended up with each wall in my home a different deep, bold color…not a good thing! In each room Karrie incorporated splashes of my favorite colors making it feel warm and inviting. Karrie listened to what I liked and brought in her expertise to find the perfect items to fill our home. She also worked with us on choosing colors for our home’s exterior. We are so pleased with the work she has done for us and would highly recommend her!”
— Audre N. Interior Design Client
“After several frustrating months trying to identify a designer and contractor for my kitchen remodel, I was referred to Karrie by my realtor, Ben Strock as she was completing his office redesign. I was able to see her work in his office and at the Cantine Wine Pub and decided her esthetic fit my ideas for the kitchen. While we were not able to utilize as much of the cabinetry as I had originally hoped for environmental and cost reasons we might , Karrie never gave up on maintaining as much of a “reuse” concept as possible. The original kitchen was circa 1965 with its original bright yellow formica countertops. Karrie cleverly identified ways to keep a nostalgic essence of the yellow in the new space without going overboard. She worked bar stools with sentimental value into the design as well as the over sink light fixture with an upgrade from fluorescent tubes to LED. She had a vision for tiles above my range that I would never have imagined myself and they look stunning. I absolutely recommend Karrie. ”
— Eileen O, Interior Design Client
“Karrie is one of the top interior designers that I have worked with. Her style is flawless and definitely on trend with the current home styling aesthetic. She is creative and always finds ways to make an interior more interesting and unique. Beyond her interior design/staging talents, Karrie is a true professional—handling clients and accounts with educated decisions and efficiency. Her management skills are top notch! Karrie has been an outstanding role model and colleague to me—it is with my utmost confidence that I recommend Karrie Franks.”
— Rochelle, Rochelle Mort Interiors
“Urban Backpacker’s FAVORITE NEW Aptos wine bar & brew pub! A modern take on a European social club, CANTINE Winepub in Aptos, CA, is where Aptos locals relax in an intimate setting. The décor plays a big part in the experience, notably the gorgeous woodwork and cozy bench seating along the main walls, which are dotted with large, colorful pillows. An eclectic mix of tables and chairs occupy the open spaces around the bar, which is prominently featured in the middle of the room. It’s an inspired, eclectic vibe that creates a comfortable, cozy space that’s both mellow for locals and upscale enough for a date.”
— Urban Backpacker | Rochelle Carr, 2015
“Slowing down to savor the good life in Aptos, Calif. Cantine a spacious wine pub decked out like a globe-trotting thirtysomething’s living room.”