W
hen it comes to luxury
designers, Kara Smith is
the cream of the crop.
Her style is classic and
modern and her clients
keep coming back for more. The
LA-based interior designer has
14 years under her belt with SFA
Design, and as the president of
company, she has been able to grow
the international recognition of
this boutique firm. Her ideas are
progressive and she’s involved with
all aspects of SFA’s design practice.
She is the go-to designer for
commercial and residential
properties, catering to celebrities
and other A-List individuals that
want the ultimate in luxury design.
Interior design has always been a
prevalent aspect of Kara’s life. Her
mother was an interior designer, but
the real catalyst for her love affair
with interiors was travel. Kara says,
“I visited many places around the
world that exposed me to a large
spectrum of different styles, each
so extraordinary. Before I became
President at SFA Design, I had
started a woman’s contemporary
collection, called Karanina. In
designing fashion, I was very
inspired by vintage - honing in on the
lifestyle of an era and reinterpreting
it to be very current. When I shifted
my career into interiors, focusing my
efforts on luxury market was a
natural profession. The same
approach I used when designing
fashion was ever so applicable and
really works… I love understanding
era’s, styles, vintage pieces and
really working them in a very
modern and new way.”
Kara Smit
of Hollyw
Best
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Kara prefers to work with residential
clients. She says, “I love the ability
(and challenge) to create a space
that speaks to the owners’
personalities and is a true
representation of who they are.”
With design being an interpretive
art, she says it takes an incredible
amount of collaboration. Kara works
very closely with each client, from
inspiration to design vision, from
selection to installation. Mood
boards and color boards are staples
in her design process and helpful in
stewarding the process and making
sure everyone is still on the same
page, throughout each project.
One of my biggest questions for an
interior designer is how they draw
the line between their own personal
style and the taste of the client. “It
is definitely a challenge. My approach
is always about getting in the
mindset of my clients and
collaborating to bring life to their
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