Small Cool Judges: Kara Mann

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

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.

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.

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.

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 May 2nd 2007 at 7:27am
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Love, love, love the skull lamp! Me wanty bad.

posted by Maryja on May 2nd 2007 at 7:34am
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Found it! Look under lamps (of course!)

http://www.blackmancruz.com/

posted by Maryja on May 2nd 2007 at 7:36am
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yay! kara mann is awesome!

posted by katie on May 2nd 2007 at 7:57am
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Hot! (Oh, wait... we're not voting on the judges?)

posted by Enrique on May 2nd 2007 at 9:07am
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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 May 2nd 2007 at 9:50am
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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 May 2nd 2007 at 10:05am
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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 May 2nd 2007 at 12:13pm
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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 May 3rd 2007 at 8:15am
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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 May 3rd 2007 at 11:28am
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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 May 3rd 2007 at 2:01pm
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The photo in the brown room is awesome. Anyone have an idea of whose work it is??

posted by breesf on May 3rd 2007 at 7:44pm
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I believe that photo is Gregory Crewdson's.

posted by patrick74 on May 4th 2007 at 9:07am
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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 May 4th 2007 at 9:22am
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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 May 4th 2007 at 4:41pm
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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 May 5th 2007 at 6:27pm
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