Today we’d like to introduce you to Kari Whitman.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kari. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Hello! I started my company 25 years ago, when I went from being an actress to a designer. I never really wanted to be an actress or model, I always wanted to be a designer. One day while on the set of NYPD Blue, I called my agent and told him to throw my photos away and I was going to start a new career. I’m very happy that I did this as I’ve always had a passion for design, and am very excited that my passion has come to fruition.
I was very lucky because I had just shot a movie with Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen, called Men at Work, so one of my first clients was Emilio Estevez. I also got a call from Discovery to do a TV show called The Dude Room. It was fun to go from being in front of the camera playing different characters, to actually being able to be myself. This beat the beginning of reality TV, so, it was fun. From there my show had very high ratings, and I actually ended up getting my own show on the WE Network called Designer To The Stars.
I’ve been very lucky to have some amazing celebrities hire me, along with Heads of State and Royal Families. I didn’t plan it this way it just happened. My offices are between Los Angeles, New York and Colorado, so I’m on a plane a lot. I take on jobs that I’m passionate about. It’s not always about the money, but the process. I’ve taken on jobs for no money at all, and I’ve taken on jobs where I made great money. It’s the creative process that keeps me going, and my connection to my clients.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I’ve been very lucky it’s been a pretty smooth road, but then there’s always deadlines, and subcontractors that don’t understand urgency. I will always do what makes my clients happy, as the houses are for them….not for me. Going through the creative process with a client can sometimes be a little bit challenging, but most of the time we work it out and make the house or the commercial space very conducive. I believe a good designer doesn’t just have one style, as I think it’s important to create a style for your client that they guide, and you push them a small amount.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Kari Whitman Interiors – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I feel my company is very artistic and not egotistical. We take on clients from all walks of life, we make the story about them. Plus the story is their home. If they have certain family heirlooms that they want to keep we make it work in the room or art they can’t part with. I feel it sets us apart from other designers, as we really make the spaces about the client. If you look on our website, all the homes and the commercial spaces are different and don’t have a set style. We prefer to be trendsetters, instead of trend followers.
Because of my love for the earth and all its creatures, we definitely specialize in earth-friendly, sustainable and animal-friendly designs. I have a nonprofit in Los Angeles, Ace of Hearts Dog Rescue, so I love it when clients make animals a big part of their homes or commercial spaces. I also love to bring the outdoors in and bring a lot of earth inside of the house or commercial space. Animals and the earth are a big inspiration for me, and are my muse. So I feel that sets us apart in many ways as we will always do what’s most conducive to Mother Nature and her preservation.
I’m very proud that we can be open to the client’s request, and be rewarded for it. We have so many covers of magazines, articles, and recognition, for being true to our art, craft and our clients. We also focused a lot of our design on custom artistic ideas and work. I also think it’s very important to support local artists in the communities that we are working in, as art is so important in a home or commercial space.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I’m very excited because we just finished a huge commercial project in Baltimore, Maryland doing a 43-story building with 395 units. This was very challenging yet very rewarding. The confinement of commercial spaces require a designer, this was a bit difficult for me but a fantastic learning process.
In 2019 we are focusing on our new clients and continuing to work on some products that I’ve been developing for a while. One of them is called Wall Makeup, it’s a paint mixing kit for people to create their own colors in their homes. It’s beneficial to the environment, making a color exactly right for a space, and creating your own colors. This is a fun, creative way for DIY-ers of all ages to have fun. I’m also developing a line of limited edition wallpaper, where known and unknown artist can profile their work. I’m tired of seeing the geometric wallpaper.
Contact Info:
- Address: 8560 Sunset Blvd
Suite 500 West Hollywood Ca 90069 - Website: www.kariwhitmaninteriors.com
- Phone: 310-652-8684
- Email: kari@kariwhitmaninteriors.com
- Instagram: Kari whitman
- Facebook: Kari whitman interiors
- Yelp: Kari whitman interiors
- Other: www.kariwhitmaninteriors.com
Image Credit:
Calvin Baines
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