About Karen
Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Karen Todman has lived in Los Angeles for over 40 years. Growing up in the South, gracious hospitality was paramount; and this philosophy has greatly influenced Karen’s perspective in designing. She is very mindful of her clients’ lifestyles, entertaining preferences and budget. She then adapts the space to meet their individual needs and desires. She approaches each design project with enthusiasm, creativity and a meticulous attention to detail.
Having traveled extensively worldwide, Karen has personally collected many unusual and unique pieces from across the globe. This translates into her design style in which she incorporates an international and eclectic mix of ideas and components with flair.
Karen blends many architectural and artistic elements — melding old with new. She has a passion for finding furniture, fixtures and decorative arts and then transforming them into a more contemporary, distinctive and customized look. Her focus is to make each piece individual and unique, while still maintaining its integrity. As she says, “Furniture is what you buy; design is what you do with it.”
Karen’s background is varied and multi-dimensional. She has taken post graduate courses at UCLA in interior design, art history, decorative arts, and architecture. She has designed fine jewelry which was handmade in Italy; she had a party planning business, and has been involved with many philanthropic organizations in Los Angeles.
All avenues of her life have brought an aesthetic perspective to her interior design projects which include full renovations, small remodels and sometimes just giving her clients’ homes a fresh, new look.
Karen believes that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to create a chic and exceptional style for your home. As per Karen, “Fabulous doesn’t have to cost a fortune.”