Karrie Drinkhahn, NCIDQ, LEED AP
As a successful veteran with over 25 years of diversified experience in the hospitality & multifamily design industry, Karrie’s expansive network and a myriad of accomplished roles position her as a leader in interior design, business development, marketing and public relations. She has seamlessly built her career fusing a fresh design approach with a deep understanding of the business with real-life experiences throughout her life and global travels.
A proven professional throughout her years in Chicago and Miami on design & leadership teams; Karrie’s role evolved from talented Designer, Design Director, to Principal in Miami where she managed a design office, led successful projects and was responsible for growing business in South Florida, the Caribbean and Latin America for nearly a decade. Her unique perspective on the industry led her to focus on managing the global business development, marketing & public relations for The Gettys Group.
Karrie furthered her 360-degree view of the industry with a role as Vice President at DAC Art Consulting, managing key accounts around the country. Her background in design and project management allowed for her to build strong relationships with influential interior designers and strengthen the collaboration between clients and the DAC team.
This experience working with a diverse array of firms formed and molded the idea for One Line Design Studio. Partnering with Susan LaFleur, their focus is on providing leader-led interior design to their clients and mentoring the next generation of talented interior designers.
Throughout her career, she has led notable projects in the United States, Caribbean, Latin America and private palaces in Saudi Arabia for the royal family. Her projects have been featured in a variety of publications, including Hospitality Design, Boutique Design, Hotel Business, Hotels magazine and Interior Design magazine.
Having graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in interior design, Karrie is a licensed interior designer in the state of Florida and NCIDQ certified. She has earned her LEED accreditation and is a member of the Network of Executive Women in Hospitality (NEWH) and Urban Land Institute Detroit Chapter (ULI).
Specialties:
NCIDQ Qualified
LEED AP
Licensed Interior Designer in the State of Florida
Certified Interior Designer, State of Virginia
Registered Interior Designer, State of Nevada
Graduate of the ULI Detroit Larson Center for Leadership
• Licensed Interior Designer
• Michigan State University - BFA
• Urban Land Institute - ULI
• NEWH
• National MS Society
• Humble Design Detroit
What do you attribute your success to?
My parents, without a doubt! They both instilled my foundational core values, work ethic, a thirst for knowledge + growth, and at the end of the day to always be respectful and kind.
Kindness wins.
Treat others how you wish to be treated.
It is these core values and ideals that have shaped me as a woman, friend, sister, daughter, aunt, entrepreneur, business partner, teammate, and in every aspect of my life.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I received was from my father during my early years in college and began to interview for jobs. He walked up to me and handed me a pencil and said, 'sell this to me'.
I began talking about the pencil and its physical qualities...an eraser at the top, writing tip at the bottom. With which he responded, 'don't tell me what a pencil is, sell me what it will do for me'.
From that moment, I realized that you could find value in everything, and how it can help someone else. A pencil allows you to write down your dreams, make a checklist of things you need to do, will sketch out design ideas, and about anything else you can think of.
Do not just tell people what you do. Tell them how you can help and inspire them.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be Passionate. Be Authentic. Be Honest.
There might be hundreds of talented interior designers in the industry, but those that continue to grow, create, be flexible, and showcase their true vision and personality are those that rise.
We are in an industry, as I like to say, selling creative capital and time. Nothing tangible that you can hold or a product to sell. Delivering a creative, energetic, and memorable experience and process for the client is what reminds them why they will want to collaborate with you again in the future.
It also is not for the faint of heart. Sometimes deadline hours are long, the fees might feel bleak, but if you have passion for creative memorable spaces – it makes it all worth it!
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in the design industry is finding talent. Designers who want to learn, want to grow, and want to put forth the time it takes to develop into being the next generation of leaders. In a world overwhelmed with instant gratification, design maturity and experience is a slow-burn and not overnight. Try to remember, we are always learning!
The opportunities are endless! With development at a steady pace, and the end-users increasing sophistication due to things like HGTV, attainable and stylish brands through retailers like Target, IKEA, and Wayfair the demand for brilliant design is there. Finding your niche market makes it even that much more fun!
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Be Respectful. Have Fun.
Respect for my clients, my projects, my team, my business partner, my friends, and family.
Respecting my time, my talents, and my energy and doing the same for those in my circle.
It comes back to being responsible for my efforts and the effort I feel meets and exceeds what those around me need and require. Being aware that these efforts might change from time to time, but the result should be the same.
We delivered well; I had fun and enjoyed the ride!
Locations
One Line Design Studio
Plymouth, MI 48170