We were lucky to catch up with Katie Rapp recently and have shared our conversation below.

Katie, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

Our company name, Baurhaus Studio, plays on my mom’s maiden, Baur, and Bauhaus, an early 1900’s German art school later turned into an international design movement defined by its modern, less is more approach.

My mom is a talented interior designer who has worked in the industry for over 35 years. And the Bauhaus movement has undoubtedly influenced my minimal style and aesthetic. What better way to pay homage than to name the company after two of my biggest influences?

I should add that my father has also enormously influenced me and my love of houses. (Sorry, Dad, there wasn’t a good play on words with your name.) Some of my earliest memories are of following him around, I’m sure “helping,” as he built an addition to our family home. I can’t even begin to guess how many times we’ve trespassed on houses under construction. My grandfather, his father, was a home builder in Chicago, IL. So the love of design and houses loves runs deep in my family.

Katie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Soon after graduating from the University of Texas in Austin, TX in 2002, I got my real estate license, and we bought our first fixer-upper. This started a 20+ year journey in real estate and design. Over the years, we’ve done simple flips to renovations with additions, and last summer, we completed our first new build. Although there are many hats to wear in the real estate flipping business, my favorite “hat” to wear is the interior designer one.

Because of my love of interior design, I recently created Baurhaus Studio, an online interior design studio. Traditional interior design services can be costly and are not accessible to all. Our mission is simple. We believe well-designed homes lead to happier lives and strive to make quality spaces affordable for all.

Although we have been flipping properties for over 20 years, Baurhaus Studio is in its infancy. We currently sell curated room designs on Etsy and share design/lifestyle info and inspo on Instagram.

Our Etsy shop offers almost 40 pre-designed curated rooms, including living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, offices, nurseries, and entryways. We also provide custom service, where we will modify the pre-designed room to fit the client’s space and needs.

Some of our most popular curated rooms are our “dupe” designs, where we take high-end brands like Restoration Hardware and curate similar yet more affordable room designs.

Our Instagram is a free resource, providing design tips, trends, dupes, deals, inspo, and some food and lifestyle content mixed in as well. Instagram has been a fun platform to share our love of design and all things home. We’re excited to grow this community.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Sure! I hoped to attend medical school after graduating from The University of Texas. However, in my senior year at UT, I became ill due to complications of a chronic illness that required a six-month hospital stay. It was a rough ride, with touch-and-go moments, and even though I pulled through, this experience forced me to rethink my childhood dream of becoming a physician.

Because my chronic illness won’t go away, I decided that a career in the medical field wasn’t the right path for me. It was a sad decision, but I knew it was right.

As the saying goes, as one door closes, another opens. Letting go of that dream allowed me to pivot to another passion of mine, real estate and interior design.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

That’s a hard one. There are so many rewarding aspects. I love bringing ideas and visions to life. I love the challenge of creating functional and beautiful spaces. I enjoy looking back and observing my growth. But maybe the most rewarding aspect is when creating, there’s an aspect of letting go and becoming still. It’s ironic that in the state of “no thoughts,” your best creations are formed…and this never ceases to amaze me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BaurhausStudio
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baurhausstudio/

Image Credits
Katie Rapp