Kara Grant
IIDA, NCIDQ, LEED AP BD+C
Interior Designer
Specialty
Historic PreservationLocation
LawrenceKara enjoys getting to know her clients and their organization. She helps them celebrate their unique features, marrying old with new to tell a story that owners and occupants can take pride in. Her approach to renovation projects is giving historic and aged spaces and buildings new life. Similar to new designs, renewing historic buildings requires understanding the client and their brand and incorporating inclusive design, sustainability, and wellness into the building to support the occupants and facilities.
Over her nearly three decades of work, Kara has guided interior architecture and design on higher education, K-12 education, commercial, justice, and historic preservation projects. Her favorite projects to date include Hamad bin Khalifa University Al-Janoubi Village & Al-Shamali Village – housing, restaurant, and coffee shop – in Doha, Qatar, Texas A&M University Hullaballoo Hall, Kansas State University Wedfald Hall, Emporia State University Memorial Union and Abigail Morse Hall, and University of Missouri Gateway Hall.
Kara is proud of pushing past her comfort zone and earning her First Degree Blackbelt in Taekwondo, and surviving rafting the Upper Gauley in West Virginia with legendary class V rapids. She loves spending time in nature, photography, sketching, kayaking, and enjoying a relaxing movie night with family.
Get to know Kara
What is the best part of your job?
For renovation work, besides giving historic and older spaces and buildings new life, I enjoy getting to know the building, celebrating its unique features, and then marrying old with new to tell a new story that owners and occupants can be proud of. Working on new construction, there are similar aspects I appreciate, but learning about the client’s brand and incorporating it and wellness into the new building design to support the occupants and facilities is the aspect I enjoy he most.
What is your favorite building or landmark?
This is hard because there are so many places that I have not been. However, a favorite that I have been to is Chichén Itzá in Yucatán, Mexico. The ruins are much more expansive than just the main pyramid—so much interesting history, religion, and culture, and I love stone!
What is your advice to young professionals in your field?
Set reachable short- and long-term goals (both personal and professional) and make them a priority. Otherwise, your project load will always be able to fill up the gaps that can be spent on reaching your goals.