When women head to the hardware store, we're not necessarily thinking about buying a new framing hammer, socket wrench, retractable tape measure, Phillips head screwdriver, or carpentry square. Instead, we're thinking about purchasing the tools necessary to hang up a painting, to change a light fixture, or to replace the cabinet doors in the kitchen. Women think in terms of a problem - the door handle is broken - and we shop with the solution in mind.

Barbara Kavovit, the Ms. Fix-it behind the barbara k! enterprise, is in tune with women's unique way of thinking, and bridges the problem and solution with a line of tools and how-to advice geared specifically for the fairer sex. Under the name Barbara K, the entrepreneur designed and launched high quality tools, toolkits and accessories for women in May 2003, and has since expanded into other categories including automotive, craft and the college market. And for Barbara, the focus isn't on the drill, the wrench or the pliers - although she has tweaked the tools to fit a woman's hand - but instead on how the tools can be used to bring music from the living room to the bedroom, or how that darned rattle in the car can be hushed.

"It's not necessarily about a hammer," she says. "It's about how to marry a hammer with a picture hook and a tape measure to accomplish your goal."

But for some women, even thinking about tools is too foreign and uninteresting to occupy a second of mind space - these gals would rather buy a pretty little blouse at Bloomingdales than pick up a state-of-the-art Dremel at Home Depot. The barbara k! line stands in the face of that preference, showing women that a tool kit can allow you to make your home both beautiful and stylish, as you bring a wall to life with self-hung artwork or a coat of paint, and this ability is just as wonderful as strolling through the shoe department at Bloomingdales. The tools and the know-how can give you the same instant buzz, self-esteem boost and intoxicating empowerment as a successful trip to your favorite boutique.

"Even though you'd rather have that beautiful blouse, I'd rather spend $50 on paint and make my house look beautiful," says Barbara. "That's the same gratification that you get from buying a blouse."

The gear

Feeling that post-purchase bliss is also helped by the utter attractiveness of the barbara k! tools. No matter how excited you are about your newfound abilities around the home, the sleek, feminine design of these gadgets and gizmos will have any woman satisfied. Barbara has made slight alterations to the traditional shape of the tools, creating a more ergonomic shape that fits in a woman's hand. The hammer, for instance, has a gentle curve, has been equipped with a non-stick rubber grip, and the handle is thinner, although the weight of the tool has stayed satisfyingly the same. Since the barbara k! tools work as a system, the entrepreneur also thought about how all the items fit together, and how they're transported, and so packed everything into stylish handbag-like pouches and bucket-shaped totes. Read more >>

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