First and foremost, Kara is just a genuinely nice person. It was really a pleasure working with her from start to finish. From the very beginning, she invites you to address any questions or concerns you have about the job. And the best part about it, she and her installer were responsive and reliable. I contracted them to install ridge roof vents in my attic. Glen, who is also just as nice, followed up after completion. They determined that I might need one or two more vents installed. And it wasn’t going to be an add-on to the original price. They even replaced an old fan at no extra charge, just to make sure everything worked together as it should. They went above and beyond for total satisfaction, and I would recommend them highly.
Sharon Gabrielli
I have had Kara and her crew do two separate renovations for my 1930’s Tudor-style home in Lake Claire.
From Kara’s help in working through the scope and budget, the courtesy and skill of her crew, the timeliness of the work and the incredible advice helping me select finishes and fittings (I’m an engineer so those are skills I lack) both projects turned out better than I could have dreamed.
Kara also did a great job helping me find cost effective solutions without compromising quality as well as adding features which I wouldn’t have dreamed of.
Some examples were the tub refinishing and re-purposed stained glass window in the bathroom and construction of wine cubbies and beer keg cabinets in my laundry room which now serves as an awesome home brewing and wine collection area as well.
I highly recommend Kara!
Very happy former customer!
Brenda M.
A friend had recommended Kara to help us with our Grant Park home in June/July 2012. We needed some minor renovations, and they were done with loving care and detail. The projects were not complex on paper – adding a closet, renovating a bathroom, customizing another closet, etc. But they were done to make them look like they’d been there from the start. And some turned a bit more complex than they seemed at first – extra storage closets/shelves bumped into walls, clever lead-glass transom window installed in an interior bath providing light and a customized feel, and a challenge of a master closet that now holds a world of clothing in amazing space. Kara was easy to work with, and I highly recommend her. In fact, I’ve come back to her now with some more projects.
Markie B.
I contracted with Kara O’Brien Renovations to redo 2 of my bathrooms in my 65 year old home. I had my own ideas for color and materials but Kara had even BETTER ideas! Her crew was very tidy and efficient. The end result was 2 fabulous new bathrooms. I especially loved how she incorporated vintage materials in the design and picked wall colors that were used back in the 1940s. The pricing seemed very reasonable too. Overall, I’m very happy with my new bathrooms!! Thanks KOR!!!
Les B.
Kara clearly loves her work, and she is very good at it. I hired Kara to do some much-needed interior painting in November 2011. I was pregnant and in full nesting mode when I decided–at the last minute–that I HAD to have the house updated before my upcoming baby shower. Kara rushed to my rescue, assisting me in choosing the perfect colors for my home and scheduling the work so my house would be ready in time. She approached the job with her characteristic gusto, transforming my home from blandness to a beauty that satisfied even this picky pregnant lady. I received a lot of compliments on my home during my shower. I will definitely call on her again for my next renovation need.
Cindy G.
I was lucky enough to purchase the first home Laughing Sun Renovations ever did at 123 Howard Street. It was my dream home. The attention to detail in the restoration was impeccable. Laughing Sun renovates and restores by amplifying the original charm of the house which is what I love about them! In fact, they go out of their way to find those rare architectural gems which will add dimension to your house that you won’t expect. All of this with a well-communicated and collaborative vision in the planning process!
Laughing Sun also completed a bathroom installation for me in another house. The space planning ideas they had were brilliant and the project was under budget and on time.
Very happy former customer!
Katherine Strong
“We hired Laughing Sun to convert a screened in porch to an all-weather room, place new hardwood flooring, install custom bookcases and build custom furniture. What was particularly hard was that we did all this from Massachusetts where we previously lived. Kara and her crew made this incredibly easy. She was very detail oriented with a focus on our budget, timeline and design requirements. she gave us a clear sense of the process and we could trust that everything was of the highest quality. In the end the work turned out perfectly. We’re so happy to have picked Laughing Sun and will certainly use them again for future work.”
Carmen & Arun Mohan
“”My husband and I have seen your work in various magazines, as well some of the houses around town, and we both greatly admire the respect you have for older homes and their historic details. Every photo we’ve seen of your work makes us ponder the potential of our own 1924 bungalow. The fact that y’all emphasize salvaging antique hardware, flooring, etc. and other “green” techniques/technologies is an additional bonus! We definitely plan to call you when we are ready to renovate our kitchen!”
Gabrielle Dean
“I drove through the streets of Kirkwood one day, looking at all of the ‘new build’ going on in this ever-changing neighborhood. But what caught my eye was not one of the new reproductions, but instead, a charming little bungalow…dressed to perfection. The attention to detail throughout the house, from the blend of colors on the outside, to the custom carpentry, both on the interior and exterior, gave this house a revival of character that it so deserved. That’s when I knew that Kara O’ Brien Renovations, and its owner/designers Kara O’Brien and Paula Rose were the folks I wanted to boost the charm of my home in Virginia-Highlands. And so they did! Reconstructing the porch railing, adding shingles in the eaves, laying slate and applying delicious colors to the period trim, gave my cottage the curb appeal I was looking for. Creative touches, such as period stained glass and french doors and hardware, are now part of my house, blending both the old with the new.
Laughing Sun has great integrity with all they produce, and not only are they friendly and delightful to work with, but they delivered the finished product to my great satisfaction!”
Amanda Bearse
“We would highly recommend anyone going through a renovation to work with you. We are happy that we went the Contractor route instead of trying to hire each of the resources separately. And, we love our kitchen. I sit at the bar and get really excited that the kitchen is ours and it looks so good. We had been so proud to bring family/friends into the house to see our new kitchen! I actually want to cook and spend time in there now, which is 180 degree difference from before the renovation.”
Deirdre & Keith Fleming
“Kara O’ Brien Renovations turned a potentially unpleasant situation into a great experience – and tranformed our master shower in the process. We hired Laughing Sun to shore up some loose tiles in our shower. Thanks to their years of expertise, they were able to quickly identify significant structural issues with the shower which had the potential to cause extensive damage. Their complete renovation repaired all damage, and gave us peace of mind that no future issues will develop. Their work is thorough, high quality and beautiful. They were there every step of the way to explain the issues, offer solutions and provide us with options and ideas for both structural and design improvements. As first-time homeowners, we appreciated the amazing service we received from Laughing Sun. A repeat customer is always the best endorsement, and we are getting ready to work with Laughing Sun on a back deck expansion. We know that will be an equally great experience and result!”
Beth Meyer & Sean Reifsteck
“A good friend recommended Laughing Sun when we were at our wits’ end. We’d had our Master bathroom shower retiled with disasterous results (think Salvadore Dali.. street shacks in Sao Paulo – no straight lines). Kara and her expert crew came in and worked a miracle. Not only did they complete the job professionally in an incredibly short time, but they took care of all the details, set everything straight, and did gorgeous work (think Klee, Bauhaus, beautiful clean). Thank you Laughing Sun!!!”
Ann Bostrom
“We have called Laughing Sun on two separate occasions to complete projects at our home. Both times they have responded quickly and done great work. We are completely satisfied with every part of their work, from fencing to roofing. Kara is great to do business with, and the crews that have come to the house are friendly and thorough. We will continue to trust Laughing Sun with our home renovations in the future, and recommend them to all of our friends and family. We cannot imagine trusting another company with our home!”
Wren Zabowski and Chang Yu
“After renovating our first house entirely on our own we decided to get help on the next, more ambitious project. Since we had lived through one renovation already we had a definite vision and idea of how we wanted our “new” house to look, feel, and work. The representatives of Laughing Sun worked closely with us to help us realize our dream. Whether it was a late night meeting going over hardware details or days of flipping through color samples, Paula and Kara worked with us to ensure we got exactly what we wanted. Their experience in old home restoration is unique in the Atlanta area and their access to craftsmen, who helped us restore everything from our original fire places and claw foot tubs, as well as their contacts in the industry to find reclaimed items, such as our stain glass windows and built-ins, were a great asset. The quality of the job, the attention to detail, and their willingness to work with the client exceeds anything I’ve seen other renovation companies in the area do. We know we will enjoy our house for many years to come and if another big project comes our way we will definitely keep LSR on speed dial.”
Chris & Greg Wilkinson
“Wow!!!!! That is all I can say! Who knows…maybe I’ll add another floor and stay here forever! I am only mad that I didn’t call you a year ago! Thanks!”
Emily Rihn
“It’s evident that Kara and Paula take tremendous pride in their work, and keep customer satisfaction a top priority. No matter how large or small the project, I have absolute faith that Kara and Paula will get the job done with the best workmanship and quality. It’s so great to know that there are renovators in the neighborhood who actually care about the neighborhood and strive to better it with each new project. You can always tell a Laughing Sun house, by the character and charm it exudes, as well as the craftmanship in even the tiniest details.”
Stephanie Boozer
“I must tell you ladies, in the week that we’ve had the house on the market, and thus far delighting in the groups of people who have toured, we have been beyond unable to accept credit for the work that has been done to this home that has rendered guests breathtaken by not only what they feel approaching the house, but what becomes them inside. From each and every thoughtful appointment– the tin ceiling salvaged from the 1800’s Canadian abbey to the soapstone sinks to the antique mantles to the clawfoot tub to the fixtures that are period to the home to the stained glass insets to the color scheme to the landscape, we have received a bevy of praise– all of which we attribute proudly to Laughing Sun that beckons the “I thought so” response from those who inquire of the renovation, appreciatively understanding LSR’s unique branding, specific touches, and inspired details that gracefully make a house… a home. (Yes, I suppose that was one very long run-on sentence!)
Surprised ourselves to even have the house on the market, the responses received have further given us second thoughts about selling. If anything, as we know you are, be so proud of the work you have done, and the efforts you have pioneered in this area. You have truly made a name for yourselves and have garnered the respect and admiration from those near and far, both friendly and unfamiliar to Kirkwood. We simply mention your name and folks are readily aware of the quality, demeanor, and style. Laughing Sun has made things look as easy (and as lovely) as “123.”
We thank you…
Stefany Holmes
“Kara O’ Brien Renovations did a fantastic job on my house. Picking paint colors is an art – a color that looks great on a swatch takes on a different character once it covers an entire house. I gave Kara a general idea of the colors I wanted, and she pulled together a collection of color schemes for my perusal. In many cases, she was even able to show me examples of previous LSR projects using those colors, giving me a good idea of how they would look on my house. The colors that she suggested looked wonderful and were exactly what I wanted. Furthermore, their reputation for quality and commitment to exceeding their clients’ expectations gave me the confidence to go out of town during the job, knowing that no detail would be overlooked. Sure enough, when I returned I was thrilled with the result. Thanks to Laughing Sun for a job well done!”
Susan Bryant
“Working with Laughing Sun was an absolute delight. When Kara made the first visit, I showed her about twenty necessary renovations/repairs/upgrades, ranging from the sublime (fresh external paint job; new roof; landscaping) to the ridiculous (changing my refrigerator light bulb). I was astonished to find that she had accurately recorded and remembered each and every task, and they were executed swiftly and perfectly. The price charged was never different from the initial estimate. Kara and Paula are also very interactive; we emailed back and forth sometimes several times a day. To give just one example, when I found that the noise from the new sump pump was too loud, they quickly wrapped it in acoustical insulation and solved the problem. They are also nice, interesting people who are fun to talk to. I would never call on anyone else for any home improvement need.
Ann O’Leary
“LSR did an excellent job on our dream house. They delivered a beautiful Victorian home we are proud to show off. Their wealth of knowledge of the antique products used in the home was captivating. They have truly made this house a home.”
Darrell Crull
“I hate contractors, but when I met Kara and Paula I fell in love!
I had done a number of minor renovations in the two homes I had owned previously. Huge nightmares and the end results were never as good as I hoped for. Nonetheless, I still wanted to renovate an old home. With Kara’s help, I found a great place to buy and refurbish. By “great place” I mean that it had great bones – big Craftsman bungalow with potential. The place was a complete disaster . . . everything had to be redone – roof, walls, floors, systems, etc. One of the most important things to me was keeping (returning) the integrity of the original Craftsman bungalow house, while still making it a modern, updated place to live. After wandering through a couple of the other homes that Kara and Paula had re-done, I knew that I was in good hands.
I had a blast throughout the renovating process. Kara and Paula were careful to include me on the important decisions; allowed me to do as much or as little work on the house myself as I wanted; and insulated me from the tedious day-to-day contractor “stuff.” I cannot say enough good things about Kara and Paula. My house turned out beautifully – a true work of art. I think attention to detail is the key – stained glass, beveled glass windows, refinished old doors, period fixtures, picture and crown molding, etc. Please do not hesitate to holler if you would like to chat about K&P or if you want to take a look at just what they can do.”
Andrew Block
“You don’t often hear “renovation company” and “integrity” uttered in the same sentence, but when I think of Kara and Paula at Laughing Sun, that’s the word that comes to mind, and for a couple of reasons. There is consummate integrity and honesty and reliability in the way they deal with people, and they are fiercely true to the historical and aesthetic integrity of every house they work on. I would recommend Laughing Sun to anyone.”
Frank White
“We started our real estate business in intown Atlanta, because we believed in the restoration of historic home, and the revitalization of communities. We found beautiful historic homes that had become neglected and consequently left in tragic disrepair and started renovating them back to their original glory. After growing our real estate business we had little time to restore homes and began to focus primarily on the business of running our business.
When it came time to complete more renovation on our own personal residence..we were really concerned about finding a company that would take as much pride and care in the restoration of historic homes as we had in the past. We immediately thought of Kara O’ Brien Renovations as the company to use. We had seen so many of their carefully restored historic homes and were so highly impressed with the degree of care and investigation they made into restoring these homes back to their original grandeur. They came over took a look at the project, gave us an estimate broken down in an easy to understand fashion. Their workers took such care to clean up at the end of every day concerned that we were also living in the project. They were all so professional and experts at each skill that they were performing. They also filled us in all along the way during the job as to everything that they were doing and everything that was involved all along the way…They made what could have been a long extended project, pass quickly and professionally . We hardly knew they were there and the job was finished. It was the most painless renovation that I have ever experienced! They stayed on top of the job until every tiny item was completed to perfection and to our total satisfaction. They didn’t just meet our expectations they far exceeded them. When we get ready to renovate again. We will definitely be calling Laughing Sun, Kara O’Brien and Paula Rose.”
Janie Gray & Benita Carswell
“Outstanding work from an outstanding company with an outstanding crew!”
Greg & Chris Wilkinson
“Kara O’ Brien Renovations has done work for me twice now and I don’t think I’ll ever use anyone else. No project is too big or too small for them. They make you feel like your home is the most important job. Their attention to detail, their efficiency, their expertise and their affordability all add up to a wonderful experience. To top it all off, they’re a pleasure to work with. I look forward to seeing their next project.”
Maggie Glenn
“The Laughing Sun experience exceeds every expectation. When I have called Laughing Sun for my last two emergency repairs with plumbing and HVAC, they were there within the hour. Laughing Sun has renovated two houses and a triplex for me. Laughing Sun meets deadlines and provides quality workmanship. Kara and Paula are responsive, dedicated and great hand-holders. I would recommend them to anyone.”
Katherine Strong
“Kara O’ Brien Renovations has been responsive, flexible, and attentive. I would recommend them highly.”
Meaghan Hogan
