What happens when creativity meets innovation in the world of luxury design? Meet Karen Okner, the visionary behind Design Collaborative.
Karen Okner is more than the president and show house producer of Design Collaborative, an evolving collection of top designers and architects known for creating artful living spaces. With over two decades of experience in fine art, graphic design, and gallery management, she is a passionate curator and visionary dedicated to highlighting the best mid-century modern design and other architectural styles through artfully curated living spaces known as show houses.
A commitment to continuous learning and fostering meaningful connections lies at the core of Karen's philosophy.
"I believe it's all about education and the relationship—what you know, who you know."
Pushing Creative Boundaries
Her willingness to explore unconventional applications and daring material combinations characterizes Karen's work.
"I always want to push the envelope and see how you can do things," she says.
This commitment to innovation manifests in her work, where she seamlessly blends unexpected materials, unconventional applications, and daring combinations to craft visually stunning and emotionally resonant spaces.
Showcasing Island Stone
Karen's spirit of innovation extends to her use of Island Stone's products in her show houses. The Design Collaborative Desert Oasis Show House, located in the exclusive El Dorado Estates in Indian Wells, is a prime example. In this project, she collaborated with a team of designers, builders, and landscape architects to create a tropical paradise celebrating the homeowner's fascination with Polynesian and South Pacific themes.
Designer Chris Barrett masterfully transformed the primary suite into a captivating oasis, enveloping the bedroom walls in grass cloth and paisley wallpaper while incorporating Island Stone's three-dimensional Dunes tiles in Crystal White with a tumbled finish with Level Pebbles tile in Java Grey Honed on the floor. The sitting area is anchored by a fireplace in Palms tile in Lagoon.
Island Stone's products were also used to create a stunning outdoor shower. The floor features Spindrift Marble in Tempest, and the shower walls showcase V Squares in Temple Lava, arranged in diverging angles for a contemporary touch.
The Importance of Continuous Learning
Education is a cornerstone of Karen's work, and she firmly believes in the transformative power of knowledge sharing. "It's so important because they don't know what they don't know," she explains. This commitment to education extends to her collaborative efforts with Island Stone, where she and the team have jointly taught educational programs for industry professionals.
"Island Stone is a collaborative team. We taught people together because my style of selling is education."
Her relationship with David Fatula, the company's Director of Technical Services, is at the heart of this collaboration. Describing him as her "tile brother," Karen has worked with David for more than 20 years. She greatly respects his unmatched expertise and ability to make complex information accessible.
"If I ever run into any technical or installation issue, Dave Fatula is the first person I call," she says. "There's nobody better than Dave for understanding installation in a pool specifically or any kind of installation."
Luxury Tile for Luxury Homes
Karen doesn’t just appreciate Island Stone’s innovative spirit and focus on product education—she’s also a major fan of the products. "Island Stone's variety is remarkable," Karen says. "Their tiles make projects extraordinary."
At the Design Collaborative Dolphin Terrace show house, a $20-million property in Irvine Terrace, Corona del Mar, Karen's team collaborated with the homeowner, designer, and builder to elevate the sense of luxury throughout.
Brandon Architects designed this 7,800-square-foot home with four bedrooms, an office, eight bathrooms, and extraordinary luxury appointments. It epitomizes elegance, sophistication, and unparalleled architectural scale.
The home boasts soaring 11.5-foot ceilings above white oak wood floors and custom floor-to-ceiling glass Renlita doors that vanish into the ceiling, maximizing Newport Harbor views and seamlessly connecting indoor and outdoor spaces.
So, the zero-edge infinity pool, spa, and outdoor fountain wall couldn’t feature any old tile. Karen knew exactly what products she wanted to use: The Lava Glass collection for the pool and spa and three-dimensional Dunes tiles for the fountain wall feature.
A Shared Vision of Excellence
At the heart of Karen's long partnership with Island Stone is an alignment of core values—a shared commitment to quality, innovation, and a deep respect for the art of design. This synchronicity allows for seamless collaboration, where we work together to discover what's possible while staying true to our principles.
As Design Collaborative continues to shape the future of luxury design, Karen Okner's vision remains a driving force behind creating extraordinary spaces that inspire and delight. Through our collaborative efforts, she’s redefining the standards of luxury living and celebrating the artistry and innovation that make each project exceptional.
"Just creating these beautiful spaces together, there is just so much joy," Karen reflects. "Because I got to choose all the people I admire and find so exceptional."
In the world of luxury design, few partnerships exemplify the power of collaboration and shared vision as vividly as that between Karen Okner and Island Stone. Together, we are crafting timeless spaces that elevate the very essence of luxury, one exquisite detail at a time.
Design Collaborative USA is creating a new show house, "The Black House," which will be featured at the Modapalooza event during Modernism Week in Palm Springs in February 2025. This modern vacation rental home, with its dark exterior facade facing the airport runway, draws inspiration from airport architecture and air travel.