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Small Cool Judges: Kara Mann

This week, we are introducing all 4 of our Small Cool Contest judges.

Kara_02.JPG

Name: Kara Mann
Location: Lake Shore Drive in Chicago
Favorite weblink: karamann.com
Profession: Principal, Kara Mann Design

Best Use of Space You've Ever Seen: My favorite use of space is what we like to call "the girl's lounge" in a Lincoln Park home that KMD designed. After the family's eldest daughter went to college, twin adolescent sisters were left to take over her room.

Girl's Lounge 1 Small.JPG
The girls decided to continue sharing a bedroom which left the big sister's room open for something new. We created a fresh, yet comfortable, media lounge for them to retreat to after a hard day in middle school.
Girl's Lounge 2 Small.JPG
Now whenever I walk into the room, the thirteen year old girls and their friends are undoubtedly watching MTV, painting each other's nails and are surrounded by candy wrappers.

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Small Cool 2007 - news

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Comments (16)

Hot! that brown room and the skull lamp are fantastic. And I'm not just trying to suck up. :)

posted by Nathan_60626 on 2007-05-02 12:27:28
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Love, love, love the skull lamp! Me wanty bad.

posted by Maryja on 2007-05-02 12:34:49
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Found it! Look under lamps (of course!)

http://www.blackmancruz.com/

posted by Maryja on 2007-05-02 12:36:56
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yay! kara mann is awesome!

posted by katie on 2007-05-02 12:57:01
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Hot! (Oh, wait... we're not voting on the judges?)

posted by Enrique on 2007-05-02 14:07:20
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i really like that twisty paper lamp in the...whatever room for teenaged girls - wish i had a room like THAT in middle school.....

posted by elizabeth in AL on 2007-05-02 14:50:30
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I think that room is the *only* thing that has ever made me want to hang out with 13 year old girls.
Are those Marcel Dzama prints above the couch? I want some.

posted by jennifer in sf on 2007-05-02 15:05:15
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I'm really excited to see what the judges say (and what they pick as honorable mentions). Good job, AT, at wrangling up such a great panel!

posted by jessica on 2007-05-02 17:13:44
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Where is that curvy slipcovered chair from? I see it in another one of her interiors (on her website) too.

posted by justlikelead on 2007-05-03 13:15:18
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Kara-
Just saw you in Domino mag (April) and now here you are popping up on AT! Busy girl! Anyway...I wanted to know then and want/need to know now:

Do you recall what color you used for the walls? That color is perfect for a sunroom!

posted by BigTab on 2007-05-03 16:28:37
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Justlikelead - The curvy slipcovered chair is from B&B Italia and is part of their Apta collection. I am its pretty pricey, but you could probably get it at substantial discount by buying it through a company like europebynet.com. The chinese furniture company Camerich makes an "inspired by" version (model 5503) which is virtually identical and can be found for less than $1000. I don't know if Camerich has a representative in Chicago, but this chair is on the floor at the Camerich studio at HD Buttercup in Los Angeles. I am sure they could help you find a nearby representative or have one shipped to you.

posted by RichardinLA on 2007-05-03 19:01:57
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The photo in the brown room is awesome. Anyone have an idea of whose work it is??

posted by bbsf on 2007-05-04 00:44:34
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I believe that photo is Gregory Crewdson's.

posted by patrick74 on 2007-05-04 14:07:37
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Um...when I was 13 years old my "media lounge" consisted of my bedroom, a secondhand tape deck, and a Commodore 64.

Elizabeth in LA: The twisty lamp is a noguchi lamp available from DWR.

posted by Modfan on 2007-05-04 14:22:00
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I've been browsing galleries on art net... Is there anywhere that I can buy a Gragory Crewsdon print for under 30k? Some of the estimates that I've seen are a wee bit above my budget. o_o

posted by Mistrez_Mish on 2007-05-04 21:41:28
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I totally love Kara Mann, shes one of my favorites.

http://madebygirl.blogspot.com/
www.madebygirl.com

posted by jennifer ramos on 2007-05-05 23:27:57
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