Studio Kosma was founded in 2021 by design principal Kara Piepmeyer. With over a decade of experience in the field, Kara tempers luxury with utility and playful moments with character, to create spaces that are intimate, inviting and transportive.

Her approach is rooted in her life experiences as much as her design training. After working as a registered nurse for 6 years, Kara was desperate to tap into her core creativity and needed more than just crafty hobbies. She found the UCLA Interior Architecture & Design program, where she earned a Master of Interior Architecture degree and never looked back. It's clear that her search for personal authenticity fuels her approach with clients. Kara's design process isn't so much about developing a signature style, as it is about savoring the process of creating a uniquely customized space tailored to each client.

Kara's first design role, at a Santa Monica based architectural design firm, allowed her to work directly alongside the principal on projects such as custom, ground up homes, boutique restaurants, and experiential retail spaces for brands such as The Now Massage and Nike. Being part of the process from start to finish skyrocketed her understanding of the trade.

In 2017, Kara moved to San Francisco to work at ROY Hospitality Design. From overseeing the design to managing projects during construction, Kara worked on over 30 bars, restaurants, and a hotel during her time there. The projects, spanning from the Bay Area to NYC, were deeply conceptual, custom designed and fabricated, and fast paced - a niche where Kara thrived. A few notable clients include: Mina Group, New Belgium Brewing, Yonder Escalante Luxury Glamping, The Riddler Champagne Bar NYC, and Michelin-starred SPQR. As the Creative Director, Kara worked collaboratively with clients, nearly all of which were small business owners, to help them build their dreams. Those relationships ignited something new in Kara - a yearning to build a business of her own.

As was true for many people, the 2020 pandemic created an opportunity for huge change and growth. Ready to launch out, Kara returned to Los Angeles to create a truly client-focused interior design firm. Today the studio creates both residential and commercial spaces across California, always focusing holistically on balancing beauty with longevity, comfort, and function.