Gilchrist Olsson Designs

We decided to renovate our master bathroom in 2019 but were at a loss as to how we would be able to accommodate all the elements we were looking for. Thankfully we engaged Karen and Sven who were able to make it all come together! Karen redesigned a challenging space that incorporated everything we wanted. This included the removal of a large corner tub, the movement of a door, a large steam shower, an extra large vanity with double sinks and additional storage to solve the lack of storage that we had. Karen’s guidance allowed us to choose colours and materials that have created a calm, spa-like atmosphere. Sven’s craftsmanship and attention to detail is second to none. We are so happy with all of his work which included new cabinets and the creation of a pocket door. He also encouraged us to include in-floor heating which although we were reluctant that we needed at first has turned into a very necessary feature! Thank you Karen and Sven! Our master bathroom has easily become our favourite room of the home!

I was originally referred to Karen from a good friend of mine who had contracted her to design their 2 million dollar renovation. When I first met her I had immediately noticed her excellent ability to listen to what was important to for me and what I needed to from the project. In my interview process with other designers I noticed they had a vision for the space that was their vision and not what was functional for my lifestyle. Karen had ideas that blew me away. If you stand in my kitchen the site lines are perfectly cemeterial with the middle of the fireplace at one end of the room being exactly in the middle for stone fireplace. We had a funny corner piece when we ripped out a wall and she came up with a brilliant design to make it look like it was part of the original kitchen without the corner coming into play. I totally love Karen's work and think she is a brilliant designer. I am so grateful that she agreed to take on my extensive renovation project even though she was totally booked solid. Her ability to quickly determine what my needs were and create a design that fit our lifestyle has made our home a great place to be. I wouldn't have any issue highly recommending Karen for any project she thought we could complete. She is professional, extremely gifted, brilliant, forward thinking, accommodating and a great listener. I am thankful for my friend who introduced me to her.......unfortunately they make me buy dinner for that referral regularly.

Karen designed our new kitchen and family room and did an excellent job. She came up with two options for us to choose from, then guided us through the entire renovation. She communicated directly with our cabinet makers to make sure everything was done perfectly. We would highly recommend her.

I have worked with Karen Gilchrist on numerous projects over the years. Karen is not only a design professional, but more importantly an absolute delight to work with. Her experience and knowledge of building and renovating residential homes, makes it a pleasurable experience for all of us involved. I value the relationship we have and look forward to working with her on many more projects in future.

I had to do a 'forced' renovation as a result of a flood to my condo and needed help on an urgent basis for ideas and designs to update the condo before the contractor could start work. Karen Gilchrist was recommended to me by a friend and provided excellent, fast and cost-conscious advice. She worked efficiently with my limitations on time for design and decisions, and on my budget, yet still took the time to get to know my personal style preferences. Karen often had more knowledge than the contractor on the required steps for parts of the construction! My redesigned and updated kitchen is beautiful, as is the new master bedroom plan. I happily recommend Karen and would certainly work with her again.

Karen assisted with our home renovation, mostly focusing on the design of the bathrooms throughout the home - kitchen will come later! The experience was excellent, and Karen comes with my recommendation. Some benefits and highlights: - Karen has a knack for understanding my tastes and choosing a direction that is not "wasted effort" - Karen has a deep knowledge of both design and construction, so her ideas are practical and can be implemented - they are not just paper designs - She saved me substantial money by assisting in avoiding mistakes and understanding options that would be cost effective. She understands where budget should be allocated, and where you can avoid needlessly wasting resources. - The outcome is what had hoped it would be, so that's the best compliment!

We worked with Karen and Sven on our Kitchen/Family room renovation last year. We were so pleased with the result, we decided to work with them again on the final part of an 8yr. project which was our basement. Karen and Sven are both professionals, but beyond that they are creative and most importantly able to budget and organize the project leading to an orderly wind up with fabulous results. Nothing short of a pleasure!! We can not recommend them highly enough. They have made a big project fun for us both for which we will always be Thankful.

Choosing Karen as our designer was the best decision we could have made when it came to our new build. She was there from day one, advising us on everything from our home design to the last finishings. Her thoughtfulness and attention to detail was what really made our home beautiful and complete. We actually had finishers competing over who would work on our cabinetry and built ins when they knew Karen was our designer, as her measurements and completeness of drawings make their work so much easier. She always knew where to look and who to call when it came to interesting and unique items and finishings for our home, and she was respected and liked by those we met with and who came in to work for us. Our home, that we absolutely love, would not be what it is if we hadn't worked with Karen!

We worked with Karen on our house renovation in Elbow Park - 100 year old home, complete gut, down to the studs. From day one, Karen was a true partner. She advised us on matters from structural to design. She collaborated very well with our contractor and various trades. She was always professional and fun to work with. What I loved most about working with Karen is she focused on understanding who we were as a family and the type of home we wanted to create, such that every design decision always reflected us. She also worked within our budget and respected doing so. We are now back in our home and loving every decision we made, thanks to Karen's expertise and advice.

Fun to work with, incredibly knowledgable and talented. The attention to detail is always incredible, and that makes every project perfection.