Kara Mann Design Company Information

Profile

Kara Mann is the founder and creative director of Kara Mann Design, established in Chicago in 2005. She expanded her offices to Manhattan in 2011, where she works with an international roster of discerning clients and industry leaders on both residential and commercial projects. The New York Times describes her signature style, a balance of edgy yet sophisticated design, as “interiors with a subversive side”. Mann is known for creating environments that align her background in fashion, art, and design by re-imagining the possibilities of spatial design. Often referencing iconic fashion houses, contemporary art, and classical interiors, she conceives unexpected combinations through materiality and architecture with a focus on strong, longstanding composition. Positive tension is a focal point in her practice. Mann further elevates spaces with her distinctive approach to interior architecture, and often transforms the physical structure of a space by creating dynamic compositions with a heightened sense of drama. Architecture informs the designer’s choices of palette and texture. It is this synthesis of disparate elements that showcases Mann’s balance of a classic and experimental aesthetic. Mann was recently tapped as the interior designer and design architect for the renovation of the historic Hotel Chelsea. In addition, she’s had many successful collaborations, including with the venerable leather house Moore & Giles. Her work has been featured and referenced in leading international outlets including: Elle Décor, The New York Times, Traditional Home, House Beautiful, Design Bureau Magazine, Coastal Living, Chicago Tribune and domino, to name a few, as well as multiple design books.