We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Karen Larkin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Karen below.

Karen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?

It all started with a simple desire to make my own home feel better without spending a lot of money. During the height of the pandemic, I found myself rearranging furniture, repurposing what I already had, and getting creative with what was available. I started sharing these DIY makeovers on social media—just for fun, as a creative outlet. I wasn’t thinking business, career, or calling. I just knew that transforming my space helped me breathe a little deeper and feel more at peace. I had no formal training, no vision for what it could become. It was just something I loved doing, a side hustle at best—or so I thought.

To my surprise, people started noticing. Friends and followers began reaching out, asking, “Can you help me do this in my home?” And without hesitation—or honestly, a clue what I was doing—I said yes. I started offering consultations, walking into homes with no design background, no strategy, just heart, faith, and a willingness to figure it out along the way. I didn’t have a business card or even know what to charge. But something inside of me said, Just go. So I did. And every home I entered, every room I helped refresh, I began to understand that this wasn’t just about decorating—it was about creating spaces that made people feel something.

Over time, what started out as a fun hobby turned into something deeper. I began to feel a divine pull, like God was revealing a hidden gift I never knew I had. I started investing time into learning—watching tutorials, studying interior design concepts, and listening to my clients’ needs. Little by little, I started to believe in myself. I gave my dream a name, built a brand, and turned those early “yeses” into a purpose-driven business. It was messy, unpolished, and full of growing pains—but it was mine. It was real. And it was God-breathed.

Now, when I look back on those early days, I smile because they were filled with blind faith and raw obedience. I didn’t have the answers—I just had the courage to show up. And that courage birthed Karenna’s Design Studio, a place where creativity meets calling. I now help others find peace, joy, and inspiration in their homes—just like I found in mine. This wasn’t something I planned. It was something God planted. And I am forever grateful I said yes.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Karen Larkin, and I am the founder of Karenna’s Design Studio, where interior design becomes a vehicle for healing, restoration, and wellness. I didn’t start this journey with a degree, a blueprint, or even a full understanding of what I was walking into. I started with a simple desire to make my home feel like a sanctuary during one of the most uncertain times in our world. That desire turned into an unexpected calling. What began as rearranging my living room to feel a little more hopeful during the pandemic transformed into a passion-driven business—built on faith, led by purpose, and rooted in a deep understanding of how our environment affects our spirit, our mind, and our overall well-being.

I now realize that I wasn’t just called to create “pretty” rooms—I was called to create spaces that heal. Through my own experiences with trauma, health challenges, and spiritual growth, I’ve developed a deeper connection to what I do. I design with intention. My work is inspired by holistic principles and supported by science—using elements like lighting, color psychology, textures, and spatial layout to support mental clarity, reduce anxiety, boost creativity, and cultivate peace. I serve not only homeowners, but entrepreneurs, creatives, and women navigating life transitions who are seeking more than a look—they’re seeking a lifestyle of harmony and restoration. I create environments that align with who you are becoming, not just where you’ve been.

At Karenna’s Design Studio, I offer residential and commercial interior design services, virtual design consultations, curated home décor pieces, and design workshops—all crafted with the intention of creating emotionally supportive spaces. My clients often come to me overwhelmed, stuck, or disconnected from their environments. I help them reconnect. I help them breathe again. Whether it’s transforming a chaotic home into a calming retreat, or refreshing a business space to reflect clarity and purpose, I help people create an atmosphere where they can thrive—spiritually, emotionally, and mentally.

What sets my work apart is that I see design as more than visual—it’s spiritual. I listen with my heart. I feel what my clients may not be able to express. I believe every wall can speak healing. Every corner can offer clarity. Every room can reflect your worth. That’s the core of what I do. My greatest joy isn’t just in the before-and-after photos—it’s in the text messages that say, “I feel peace again,” or “This space feels like me.” That’s the power of intentional design, and it’s why I pour everything I have into every project.

I am most proud of the way this calling unfolded—not by accident, but by divine appointment. I want readers to know that what I do is spirit-led. It’s personal. It’s purpose. And it’s proof that when you surrender to the whisper of your calling, God will turn your creativity into a conduit for healing. My brand isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about atmosphere. It’s about helping people rise, reclaim their space, and step fully into the life they were meant to live—starting with the very walls around them.

My guiding mantra is simple yet profound: “Live in Peace to Be at Peace,” confirmed and rooted in Colossians 3:15—“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” This is more than a slogan—it’s a way of life. I believe peace isn’t just something we stumble upon; it’s something we must create with intention. And when we surround ourselves with peace in our physical spaces, it begins to dwell in our hearts and ripple through every area of our lives. That is the essence of what I do, and it is the gift I’m honored to give others every day.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Absolutely. The core mission driving my creative journey is to use interior design as a vessel for healing, transformation, and wholeness. This work goes far beyond style and beauty—my goal is to create intentional spaces that nurture peace, elevate wellness, and restore the soul. I believe that the environments we live, work, and rest in deeply affect how we think, feel, and show up in the world. So when I walk into a space, I’m not just looking at walls and furniture—I’m listening for what the space wants to become, and how it can better serve the person who lives there.

At Karenna’s Design Studio, I design with the belief that peace is not just a feeling—it’s a foundation. Every piece, every placement, every color, every texture is chosen to support emotional, mental, and even physical wellness. My mission is to help people reconnect with themselves through the spaces they inhabit. Whether they’re healing from trauma, launching a business, or navigating a new season of life, I want their surroundings to speak life, possibility, and peace into their journey. I want my clients to feel safe in their space. Inspired in their space. Whole in their space.

My journey is driven by the deeper revelation that this isn’t just about interiors—it’s about interior work. It’s about aligning the outer world with the inner one, using design as a form of therapy, clarity, and care. When you walk into a space I’ve designed, my hope is that you instantly feel something shift. I want your spirit to exhale. I want you to say, “This feels like home,” not just because it looks good, but because it honors who you are and where you’re going.

At the end of the day, my creative mission is rooted in service—serving God through the gifts He’s given me, and serving people by creating environments that support their healing, growth, and peace. I’m not just here to decorate rooms—I’m here to transform lives, one intentional space at a time.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

There are moments in life that shift everything. In November 2023, I received the diagnosis that shook me to my core—stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. In that moment, time stood still. I was faced with the reality of a storm I never saw coming. My faith was tested. My strength was tested. And yet, in the middle of the fear, I felt God remind me of everything I believed, taught, and stood for. I knew I couldn’t just talk about peace—I had to live it. I couldn’t just design healing spaces for others—I had to create one for myself. My home became a sanctuary. My environment had to reflect the healing I was praying for. I was not going to abort my calling in the face of adversity—I was going to anchor myself deeper in it.

Just days after my very first chemotherapy treatment, I was scheduled to attend and speak at Author Allstars. I had every intention of showing up quietly, offering support from the background. I didn’t feel prepared to speak—not physically, mentally, or emotionally. But as I sat in that room, I felt the Spirit of God press so clearly on my heart: “You must speak.” In that moment, I understood—this wasn’t just about me. Someone needed what I carried. And so, despite my condition, despite my fatigue, despite the uncertainty swirling inside me—I stood up.

I didn’t speak from notes. I spoke from my soul. I shared what it looked like to pivot and shift when life flips the script. I spoke about what it meant to live out your purpose in the middle of pain. I shared how I was still designing, still creating, still breathing life into others—while walking through my own valley. When I finished, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. I didn’t just share my story—I gave people permission to keep going, no matter what they were facing. That weekend, the phrase “Pivot and Shift” followed me like an anthem. It became more than a moment. It became a movement. A reminder that pain does not cancel purpose.

What I learned through that experience was this: even in the darkest seasons, you must still create light. I had to intentionally build an atmosphere conducive to healing—emotionally, spiritually, and physically. I had to lean on every truth I had spoken into others and now speak it over myself. And in doing so, God showed me that healing isn’t just in the medicine—it’s in the environment, in the mindset, and in the obedience to keep showing up. I was living my own message: “Live in Peace to Be at Peace.” And peace became my weapon.

So now, when I say Pivot and Shift, I say it as a woman who has lived it. A woman who knows what it means to redesign not just a room, but a life. I want others to know: when life changes, your purpose doesn’t. When storms rise, your calling still stands. And even if you have to crawl forward, do it with grace, faith, and bold obedience. Because there’s still someone on the other side of your testimony who needs you to rise.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://karennasdesigns.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karennasdesignstudio
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/karennasdesignstudio
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karennasdesignstudio
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@karenlarkin

Image Credits

Rhayna C. Photography
Jay Bentley Media