What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5am Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

KARA MANN

Interior Design & Architecture

07/31/2026

The references I return to again and again.

Each project has its own point of view but the foundation remains. Lived-in elegnace, timelessness, grit and glamour.

07/24/2026

Lately, in the studio.

A glimpse of what’s taking shape.

07/21/2026

Moons ago, I got a call that would define a chapter of my life and career: bringing the Hotel Chelsea to life.

If you know the Chelsea, you know it’s not just a hotel, it’s a piece of New York’s soul. Dylan Thomas wrote here. Leonard Cohen loved here. Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe happened here. Every hallway has a ghost story and a guest list that reads like a history book. Getting to design for that legacy, to translate a century of grit and glamour into a room someone could stay in, was the kind of project you don’t take lightly.

For six years, I lived inside every detail - the finishes, the furniture, the feel of a space that had to honor its past without becoming a museum piece. It was some of the most demanding, most rewarding work I’ve done.

Eventually, the hotel changed hands. New ownership, new direction. Our chapter closed. I won’t pretend that part didn’t sting, but I had the privilege of helping shape a small piece of an icon, and that is the kind of experience that lives with you for a lifetime.

Grateful for the years. Proud of the work. Still completely in love with that hotel.

07/18/2026

The things that inspire my work rarely begin with design.

They come from travel. Art. Music. Conversations. Time outdoors. The moments that shape how we see the world.

One informs the other and keeps you curious.

07/16/2026

This building has history.

Clean architectural lines. Rich textures. Unexpected details.

The bedroom came together slowly, through layers of antique rugs and lighting, collected artwork and contrasting materials.

Refined, personal, and deeply lived in.

07/14/2026

The best spaces reveal themselves one detail at a time.

The Shop is filled with pieces worth living with. Rare finds with histroy. Texture. Character. Things that ask you to slow down and take a second look.

Stop by. Take your time.

Photography William Jess Laird

07/11/2026

Bathrooms have always been one of my favorite rooms to design.

They’re a place for quiet. Natural stone. Soft light. Materials that grow more beautiful with time. Every detail considered, but never overworked.

A few favorites from the archive.

07/03/2026

Summer soundtrack.

A collection of songs currently on repeat in the studio and inspiring the work taking shape this season.

Link in bio.

07/02/2026

Some homes feel settled from the beginning.

Built new but rooted in something timeless, this home draws from classic architecture while embracing a quieter way of living. Belgian oak floors. Hand-applied plaster walls. Richly textured materials that create warmth and quiet depth.

A home that resists lakefront formality in favor of something more personal. Refined. Unhurried. Like it has always been there.

Photography Richard Powers
Architecture Northworks

06/30/2026

Opening night at The Shop.

Old friends. New ones.

To everyone who helped build this space, and everyone who gathered to mark its beginning - our thanks.

Address

1200 N North Branch
Chicago, IL
60642

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5am
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13128937550

Website

http://www.karamann.com/

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