Studio Etérea Competitors

Kara Mann is the founder and creative director of KARA MANN established in 2005 with offices in Chicago and Los Angeles. Over the past fourteen years Mann has acquired thereputation of a cultural vanguard for her study of the possibilities of spatial design while pushing the boundaries of tradition. Her impactful, refined interiors draw inspiration from a myriad of creative fields including art, architecture and fashion, where Mann began her career. Described by The Wall Street Journal as a “sparkplug in the world of design” Mann juxtaposes formal design elements with unexpected materiality, architecture and an irreverence that has attracted high profile clients in the art, fashion, finance, music and entertainment industries. A steady stream of residential and commercial projects around the world caught the attention of Gwyneth Paltrow’s goop, which sought her out for a collaboration in Chicago in 2015. The same year she was enlisted to reinvigorate Baker Furniture’s Milling Road line and debuted a collection of furniture that blurred the lines between classical and contemporary. In addition to ongoing residential projects around the world, Mann is currently at work on two high profile furniture collaborations launching in 2020 and several luxury hotel projects throughout the United States.

Our mission is to create beautiful, livable spaces that meet our client's aesthetic, functional, and economic goals, while respecting the environment. Our perspective is informed by a respect for historical architecture coupled with an appreciation of the playfulness and freshness of modern design. Our experience and expertise applies to all types of projects: on smaller residential and renovation work we can produce the drawings necessary for permitting and construction, on larger commercial and new-construction projects we focus on the interiors and work in tandem with architectural and engineering teams. Our approach is flexible and responsive. We work with some clients who know exactly what they want and we help them achieve it. Others are less sure and we guide them through the design process, helping them to formulate their own aesthetic as we go. Our network of collaborating professionals, formed through ten years of practice, includes architects, builders, artists, and artisans who share our vision. We are based in Portland, Oregon but work across the United States. We enjoy the diversity and learning opportunities offered by working in communities other than our own.

Renowned for balancing refined beauty with welcoming, livable appeal, the firm is widely recognized and championed as an industry leader. Rooted in long-lasting and valued relationships with clientele, Williams’ ability to mentor yet another generation of talented designers firmly establishes her firm as one of the most important voices in the evolving history of design.