KAREN MUTSCHELKNAUS
JLG Architects
SAY IT LOUD - SOUTH DAKOTA Exhibitor
South Dakota Based Designer
Who or what inspires you professionally?
I came to JLG Architects because this firm inspired me; at that time, the CEO and COO were both women. Working with strong women leaders uplifted me professionally and personally. Here, glass ceilings were gone, and the sky was the limit!
KAREN MUTSCHELKNAUS
Bio:
As JLG Architects' Interior Design Leader, the great designer Karen Mutschelknaus emphasizes intuitive function, creative solutions, and people-centric learning, all approached with thoughtful consideration of users and owners. With 26 years of experience, she expertly aligns client preferences, branding, and budget to create a harmonious fusion of fabrics, colors, textures, patterns, and biophilia. Karen has extensive experience in all interior styles, from highly sophisticated and modern to traditional, transitional, and eclectic.
How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
As a child, I loved drawing furniture out in old floorplan books. In high school, my proficiency exam pointed directly to interior design. Shortly after, I shadowed an interior designer in Sioux Falls and immediately knew it was a perfect fit.
What do you do?
As the Interior Design Leader at JLG Architects, I mentor and supervise 12 interior designers, from senior to level one. I love mentoring interior designers and really enjoy working with our wonderful clients, architects, and project managers.
What excites you in the work you do?
I love mentoring interior designers, helping them grow professionally, and sharing my experiences to further their path. I also love designing for clients, enriching lives and workspaces in a way that dramatically changes how they feel and work.
Who or what inspires you professionally?
I came to JLG Architects because this firm inspired me; at that time, the CEO and COO were both women. Working with strong women leaders uplifted me professionally and personally. Here, glass ceilings were gone, and the sky was the limit!
What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
I'm very proud of completing the 2014 Women’s Embe Leadership program, and my work at the Dow Rummel Village Memory Care unit, a design that is both aesthetically pleasing and fully functioning to enhance staff and residents' quality of life.
Featured Project Name:
Nistler Hall at the University of North Dakota serves the College of Business and Public Administration
Featured Project Location:
Grand Forks, ND
Featured Project Completion Date:
August 2022
Role in Featured Project:
Lead Senior Interior Designer
Featured Project Description:
Within UND’s NCoBPA, welcoming FF&E forged a spectrum of social and "touchdown" study spaces that encourage casual collisions. Faculty have a kit of parts for personalization, and classrooms offer tiered furniture to optimize views. The well-branded design branches to an open atrium and community plaza, with unique banquettes tucked into the floating stair's first landing. At NCoBPA, equitable space fuses safe distancing and inclusivity, displaying flexibility, durability, and comfort.
