Meet Kara…
Kara O'Connor has always been a creative individual. After obtaining a BA in Radio & Television from the University of Dayton, she headed out to LA to work for a major television program. In order to pursue other creative endeavors, she made the move to Chicago a year later, to study acting, comedy and sketch writing. Kara preformed on several Chicago stages, did a few print ads, a local tv show, tradeshows, small independent movies, and all things in between.
During those years as a performer, she held several different jobs, as actors do, to be able to make time for those late night rehearsals, and daytime auditions. One of these jobs was "decorating" a friends place. One turned into another, and another, and so on, and eventually she found her true calling... Interior Design. Kara enrolled in, and obtained her AD in Interior Design from Harrington College of Design in 2006.
While in school, she worked for a high end furniture showroom, gaining valuable knowledge of that aspect of the field. She was soon hired as the lead designer at a new Chicago based home store, Mongo Home. In January of 2009, Kara began her boutique design firm, Kara O'Connor Interiors. She focuses primarily on high end residential interiors, rehabs & construction, as well as real estate stagings.
As a designer, she is committed to client satisfaction, and her goal is to maintain a fun and approachable experience for every client. Her designs range from funky boho condos, to traditional single family homes, and literally everything in between.
Interior design inspiration
What People Are Saying…
"We have worked with Kara for the past 4 years. She is both a consummate professional as well as a lovely person. Throughout our time working together, she balanced hearing our decorating preferences for our home while also giving her professional input. As a result, we are extremely pleased with the end result regarding the interior of our home. Many friends whom I spoke to before hiring Kara complained that their designers were "pushy" in some way and/or did not respect the budget that they set for a particular room. As a result of hearing the concerns of others, I have been so appreciative that Kara works very differently with her clients. I have recommended Kara without hesitation and wil continue to do so."
"My husband and I were in the middle of building a home in Chicago when we decided that the project was bigger than we anticipated and decided to hire a designer for the finishing products. I found Kara O'Connor through a local business website, sent her an email and then she called me. We chatted for over an hour on the phone half of which was work the other half chit chat about everything. We got along so well that I decided to hire her from that phone call alone. She was never pushy, always listened to our thoughts and then added her ideas to the mix. She introduced us to an amazing light store and site for all of the lighting in the house, helped us transform a simple powder room to an amazing bath room. She is a joy to work with."
“I am a Professional Paperhanger with the NGGP (National Guild of Professional Paperhangers) and I've been working with Kara for many years now and have found her work amazing. Her attention to detail and function add warmth and sophistication to any space. It's been a pleasure to be a part of what she creates. I highly recommend Kara O'Connor Interiors for all your design needs.”
“Kara O'Connor worked with me through an entire renovation -- kitchen and two baths (it took over a year to complete). She helped me design each room to be unique yet flow together. Finishing my house took another year due to my hectic travel schedule. She was extremely patient and focused. She connected me with reputable vendors to update my closets and patio, etc. There wasn't a problem she didn't solve for me. She was easy to work with, listened well and created beautiful areas of my house. She designed a collection of mirrors that I display in my hallway. My house is now a haven thanks to Kara and her team.”
"We hired KOC Interiors to revamp our studio space specifically our client meeting area. The process started out with brainstorming including sketches and mock up renderings of the space. The planning process was very thorough which helped the end result turn out perfectly. KOC Interiors was able to work with our manageable budget by suggesting areas in which helped her keep the project on budget. Clients always rave about the special touches in our new meeting space. We would hire KOC Interiors again if we needed updates, we were very happy with the overall process."
Kara O'Connor Interiors, LLC design work has been featured on several local and national platforms.
Kara has also had a variety of appearances on local TV & radio, has been a blog contributor, an event designer, and volunteers her design services to charity.
