Rising Stars: Meet Karen Manganillo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Manganillo.

Hi Karen, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today. 
I have always loved creating—coming up with an idea and then bringing it to life. For the first twenty years of my career, I did that as an art director and graphic designer, working with companies big and small to craft compelling brand stories and commercials to make people fall in love with their products. One of those companies was a furniture startup with my dad where I art directed beautiful room scenes and worked with interior designers to create products that were unique and solved their clients’ needs. 

Fast forward to March 2020, when marketing budgets disappeared—and people cared more about their home than ever before—and the only thing keeping me sane at home was renovating every room of my house… and then my friends’ homes—and I knew interior design was more than an itch, it was the culmination of everything I’d learned and worked on to-date. Through a business program offered through Wake County, I worked through plans and processes and how to make this dream a reality. Three years later, I have never looked back. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth road? That’s hilarious 🙂 In some ways, building Little Friday Design has been a fairly smooth road, but only because I have the experience (and scars) from surviving huge ups and downs throughout my career. I would say a pivotal memory was crying on the streets of Soho in my 20s when I couldn’t pay my phone bill or rent but absolutely REFUSED to give up and move back home. Less pivotal but still notable: the ongoing creative struggles of “what if I’m not good enough” and the solopreneur struggles of time management, prioritization, and “I really need to do my bookkeeping so I can get paid.” Thankfully, I’ve realized that having an amazing support network of friends and business assistance is key to keeping me going when both of those situations arise. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Little Friday Design creates truly unique, transformative spaces that speak to each client’s passions and personality and make them love their homes. I would say that Little Friday Design is known for unique color palettes and textures (and combinations of the two), wallpaper, and fun & personalized gallery walls. 

Because of my advertising background, I look at each home or business that I’m working with as a brand and that every decision we make comes back to their core vision of what they want to put out in the world—and while I love pushing clients to step out of their comfort zone—our final product should always feel authentic and true to who they are. 

It’s hard to say what I’m most proud of, because I am so invested in each project that (for better or worse) I won’t stop the design process until it is ‘right’. But I have found an incredible niche at Beau Monde Salon Suites in Holly Springs, where I’ve gotten to work with several of the salons to craft their ultimate space—and they are some of my most fun and outrageous designs. 

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I love a DIY project more than anything—and my most prized possessions are my electric drill and miter saw. 

Contact Info:

• Website: littlefridaydesign.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlefriday_design
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlefridaydesign
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenmanganillo/