--- title: "Bear Trap Design — Interior Designers & Decorators | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/bear-trap-design-pfvwus-pf~1988932324 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~1988932324.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Bear Trap Design" category: ["Interior Designers & Decorators"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/97130b450372d129_3578-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "10441 Lansing Ave. No., Stillwater, Minnesota 55082, United States" latitude: 45.0614 longitude: -92.8474 phone: "(651) 338-3689" website: http://www.beartrapdesign.com rating: 4.8 review_count: 16 best_of_houzz_awards: 2 followers: 44 last_updated: 2026-09-02 --- # Bear Trap Design Original Houzz profile: [Bear Trap Design](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/bear-trap-design-pfvwus-pf~1988932324) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Interior Designers & Decorators - **Location:** Stillwater, MN - **Serves:** Stillwater - **Houzz rating:** 4.8 out of 5 (16 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 2 awards (2015–2018), for Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 1,000 Ideabook Saves Tami Holsten is the owner and principal of Bear Trap Design, a residential interior design firm specializing in enduring, classic style. With a passion for sophisticated beauty and clean design, Tami believes in the importance of surrounding ourselves with the things we love. Her design style exemplifies timeless beauty with an element of surprise – and her clients are delighted. With an uncanny attention to detail, Tami gets to know her clients very well, then reflects their style in an authentic representation of their tastes, lifestyle and preferences. Tami enjoys the “thrill of the hunt” to find the perfect piece that not only embodies the client’s style, but is something they LOVE. “I tell clients, if you don’t love, love, love it, we’ll keep looking. Settling for anything less is just not an option. ### Services Provided - Interior Design - Kitchen Design - Bathroom Design - Living Room Design - Bedroom Design - Color Consulting - Space Planning - Furniture Selection - Kids Bedroom Design - Dining Room Design - Custom Cabinets - Custom Kitchen Cabinets - Lighting Design - Home Office Design & Construction - Custom Built-ins - Floor Plans - Custom Furniture - Custom Bathroom Vanities - Laundry Room Design - Custom Blinds & Shades - Custom Home Bars - House Plans - Closet Design - Universal Design - Basement Design - Custom Bookcases - Custom Walk-in Closets - Custom Entertainment Centers - Custom Fireplace Mantels - Home Theater Design - Custom Shelving - Custom Pantries - Downsizing - Holiday Decorating - Kitchen Remodeling ### Areas Served - Stillwater ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Bear Trap Design | | Address | 10441 Lansing Ave. No., Stillwater, Minnesota 55082, United States | | Phone | (651) 338-3689 | | Website | http://www.beartrapdesign.com | | Followers on Houzz | 44 | ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Bear Trap Design](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/bear-trap-design-pfvwus-pf~1988932324) - **Website:** http://www.beartrapdesign.com - **Phone:** (651) 338-3689 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - Tami holds a degree in Interior Design, as well as, a Certification in Kitchen and Bath Design. She has won numerous design awards in both ASID and NKBD organizations. - \*Luxury Home participant - \*Kitchen and Bath Tour participant - \*Best of Houzz 2015 Award - **Best of Houzz:** 2 awards (2015–2018), for Service. **Affiliations** - [American Society of Interior Designers](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/american-society-of-interior-designers-pfvwus-pf~1510192642) - [National Kitchen & Bath Association](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/national-kitchen-and-bath-association-pfvwus-pf~1351084655) ## Reviews **Overall rating: 4.8 out of 5 — 16 reviews** ### Reviews **★★★★★ — Juliet Bryan, June 2017** > We have had Bear Trap Design do three significant projects for us over the past 8 years. Tami and her team are outstanding professionals, each excelling at their area of specialization. Tami took the time to understand how we were going to use the spaces she was designing and then matched her designs to our style, needs and budget. She worked with us in a collaborative way incorporating our suggestions when it was appropriate and steering us in other directions when needed. We will continue to hire her again and again as we remodel our 1969 split-level house. **★★★★★ — rvmichaletz, June 2017** > Bear Trap came to our project with great ideas, that we then readily accepted. We never would have been as creative on our own. Features enhanced property value on a very efficient basis. The project came in on budget and timely. **★★★★★ — Julie Anderson, May 2017** > I am so grateful to Tami Holsten for taking my vision and making it a reality. My husband and I purchased a 1930's cabin in serious need of some renovation, and our vision became Tami's. From the communication, the friendly back-and-forth getting to know us, the relationships she has with highest-level local craftsman and her unwavering pursuit of quality and excellence...we were absolutely taken with our experience. The cabin has won numerous design awards, is a source of tremendous pride for us, and more than all of that a place where my famly simply feels at home because this place was created with us in mind. **★★★★★ — Joe K., May 2017** > If hiring the right designer is a home run, then hiring Tami from Bear Trap Design was a Grand Slam! Tami truly got to know us and what we wanted to accomplish with our kitchen remodel that, when she came to us with design options, it was as if we were handed a personalized gift from a good friend that had known us for years. She had an endless source of knowledge and suggestions that were invaluable to us making good decisions. She continuously brought us multiple samples of styles, colors and fixtures. She stayed on top of her workers to make sure things happened on schedule. When we changed a couple of big items midstream - which we had originally asked for but then later decided against - she made the changes with a smile and got us exactly what we wanted right away. And our project was not one penny over what we had agreed to before any work was done. I am speechless at the incredible creativity, attention to detail and overall professionalism that we received from Bear Trap Design. I would refer Tami and her crew to any individual that is serious about a success remodel project! **★★ — John Dwyer, April 2017** > Tami has great contractors working for her, very professional. Follow-up has been average. Could have done better managing the budget as there were cost overruns that were not communicated. The finished product is good, just some bumps along the way. I would probably not use this designer again. **Comment from Bear Trap Design:** > I am glad you like our team of professional contractors and are happy with the finished project. We are a construction family that genuinely care about our projects and do our very best to provide top quality service and workmanship. We appreciate your feedback and the opportunity to learn from your project as we continually strive for > improvement. **★★★★★ — seidensu, Aug. 2014** > I've utilized Bear Trap design on several occasions over the past few years, for product (furniture and window finish design and purchase) and color consultation. Our home is of contemporary eclectic style and Tami did a fabulous job of integrating new pieces with current ones and her selections were spot-on. I will continue to use Bear Trap Design going forward - outstanding quality, excellent workmanship and great service. **★★★★★ — Denise Bauer Photography, May 2014** > Tami Holsten is a wonderfully talented designer! She works closely with her clients to be sure they absolutely LOVE their homes and works tirelessly to be sure everything is "just right". She loves to add little surprises and unexpected details to each project. She is honest, reliable, fun and easy to work with - you will love her! **★★★★★ — saoun, May 2014** > Remodeled Kitchen. Added a sunroom. Remodeled master bedroom and kids bedrooms. > > Tami is very professional and creative. She listened to our ideas and our 12 and 7 year old boys and incorporated them in the project in a highly functional esthetic way. We never felt pressured to go with high end stuff rather Tami offered options on the continuum and let us choose what we felt comfortable with. > Contractors working with Bear Trap Design are highly professional, dependable and do a meticulous job. Every day after they were done with work they cleaned up the area. They kept to the schedule. Tami, owner of Bear Trap design, supervised closely the project and provided us with daily updates. The builders, electrician, carpenters and Tami treated our house as if it was their own. > This is the second project we had done with Bear Trap design. Tami was always available to answer any questions. Her motto is: if you do not like it, will change it. She made sure we felt comfortable and were happy with the outcome of each part. **★★★★★ — teridk928, May 2014** > Tami has great design insight and ideas. She has a warm and engaging personality and is very easy to work with. Consultation fees were a little out of my price range, so I hired her for a limited number of hours to obtain assistance with my kitchen and bathroom. She provided great service and I was pleased with the results. **★★★★★ — kamrath1, May 2014** > As a General Contractor, I have worked with Tami from Bear Trap Design for almost 4 years. She has brought my business to a whole new level . Her designs are so unique , and she listens so well to what the clients taste are. > She is professional in her approach, and very personable. I recommend her with the highest rating possible. She will always look out for the clients interest. > > Sincerely, > > Tim Curran > Curran Construction, Inc **★★★★★ — scuthill, May 2014** > Tami Holsten at Bear Trap Design has done several projects - small and large - for us over the past 4 years. She has done an amazing job on every single project. Her real strength - her gift - is that she is able to design for the personality and perspective of each of her clients. What she helps us create and bring to life in our home fits us and is completely different from what she does for anyone else or what she might do for herself. She makes it her mission to understand what will be the best environment for us and then she works with us to make it happen. She has truly created our space, our home, in each of the projects she has done with us. We love, love, love her work. **★★★★★ — brock1007, May 2014** > Tami Holsten at Bear Trap Design is a wonderful designer and a consummate professional. We had a completely unfinished basement that we wanted to have finished. Our house is a somewhat unique arts and crafts style home. My spouse and I had some ideas as to what we wanted done from a design perspective. Tami was able to take those ideas, incorporate them, but also add her uniquely creative flair. I was constantly amazed at the ideas she came up with; ideas that hadn't even entered my imagination. She had access to a dizzying array of woods, fabrics, carpets and stonework materials. She was very good about keeping in touch, giving us options, and allowing us to stay on budget. She was also very skilled at teaching us where to focus our money/energy in a given room and where to be less concerned. She brought in a masterful carpenter, who did a wonderful job with our cabinetry and trim. Finally, even when a room was nearly complete, she was always able to add a little extra touch or extra detail to really make the room stand out. Its been nearly four years since we completed this project and we still get comments from friends and family who walk through our basement. The friends of ours who asked who designed our basement and end up working with Tami on their own projects, have, without fail, been very pleased with her work. We were very pleased with Tami at Bear Trap Design. ## Selected projects - [Vintage Wine Cellar](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/vintage-wine-cellar-pj-vj~812780) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 5 - [Contemporary Condo](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/contemporary-condo-pj-vj~812724) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 6 - [Cat/Laundry Room](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/cat-laundry-room-pj-vj~812839) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 4 - [Rustic Elegance Log Home](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/rustic-elegance-log-home-pj-vj~812629) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 6 - [Award Winning Laundry Room](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/award-winning-laundry-room-pj-vj~548267) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 6 - [Early American Country Bathroom](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/early-american-country-bathroom-pj-vj~812927) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 5 - [Fun & Funky Kitchen](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/fun-and-funky-kitchen-pj-vj~825001) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 4 [See all 7 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/bear-trap-design-pfvwus-pf~1988932324) ## Ideabooks - [Favorite Photos](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/46777367/list/favorite-photos) — 2 ideas - [Anderson Cabin](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/34907054/list/anderson-cabin) — 12 ideas [See all 2 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/tamibtd) ## Community Q&A **Q: rods above bench** *(in Photo Questions)* did you build the three rods above the bench? if so-how? if not, where did you purchase? thanks very much :) lovely room btw A: The cabinet maker custom made this drying rack using fiber glass rods. This type of material will withstand moisture from wet clothes. There are actually three of them that fit directly in front of the window. The racks can easily be put into place and removed depending on the number of clothes they wish to dry at one time. It was designed to be functional yet conserve space. **Q: Tell me about the fabulous blue counter tops! Love them** *(in Photo Questions)* A: It is an Avonite Acrylic Solid-Surface counter top. Very fun! Check out Avonite.com to learn more. **Q: What is the flooring?** *(in Photo Questions)* A: The flooring consists of luxury vinyl 12X12 squares made by Amtico. They have a 3D industrial textured look but are smooth to the touch. A great look and extremely durable! **Q: The mouse's drawing!! Adorable!!** *(in Photo Questions)* If you can share the name of the artist who did the mouse's design, please share. I would love to contact him/her. Thank you in advance. A: My pleasure! Good luck! **Q: Drying rack** *(in Photo Questions)* Where can you purchase A: This particular drying rack was custom made by the cabinetmaker. **Q: Is the plank flooring tile? If yes, would you share the source?** *(in Photo Questions)* A: This floor is not tile. It is real wood. If you are looking for a rustic plank tile, check out Minnesota Tile & Stone. --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-02.*