by Ginger Ebinger

"Commercial real estate is not the usual catalyst for a residential interior design career, but that's exactly how Karen Moore got her start.  'I went from managing office space to designing office space,' she explained.  "Then, after years of working on large-scale commercial design projects in the corporate world, I decided to try my hand at residential design and I love it."

Karen's transition from overseeing construction, tenant management and the build-out of up to 80,000 square feet of office space to designing refined residential homes and high-rises was surprisingly easy  and successful.  "The business skills I learned - managing costs and negotiating and meeting deadlines - help me every day in my residential design work," she said.  "My clients often call me 'Mx. Fixit'" because when a problem pops up, I solve it.  I get things done."

This high-energy dynamo grew up in Pennsylvania, but headed south for warmer weather and friendlier people to study real estate at the University of Houston, where she earned a business degree while majoring in real estate and working full time.  Karen then completed Rice University's executive business management program, and later she attended the Art Institute of Houston, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in interior design.