Kara Bowman-Williams

A note from Kara

It started with a love of home

As a child, starting at the age of four, I was drawing house after house, complete with floor plans. I asked my parents to take me to open houses, read real estate magazines for fun, and rearranged the furniture at home. I was also the child bringing out the Christmas decorations in October when my mom wasn't looking. I guess some things never change!

Becoming an interior designer felt like the most natural thing in the world. I spent 20 years designing for clients, primarily high-end residential new construction, along with larger remodels and commercial projects. Little House on Chestnut came along later in my career, when I began sharing on Instagram as a creative outlet. What began as sharing for fun gradually grew into brand partnerships, magazine features, and a community that opened up a whole new chapter.

Why House Dressed

How House Dressed came to be

As that community grew, so did the messages. Which sofa would work in this room? Could I help design a kitchen from across the country? What could someone do with their backyard?

I wanted to help everyone. But there was only one of me, and I couldn't personally take on every project. Those conversations stayed with me, though. So many people had ideas for their homes; they just needed help seeing the possibilities and knowing where to start.

That became the inspiration for House Dressed: a place to envision your everyday spaces, dress your home for the seasons, plan something special, or rethink your outdoor spaces. And then take the next step, with a curated shopping list to help bring that vision home.

Human at heart

Real people at the heart of it

I wanted the app experience to feel beautiful, fun, and personal—the kind of guidance I'd hope to give you if we were sitting together talking about your home.

That's why House Dressed brings visualization and shopping together with the option to book a one-on-one video consultation with a professional interior designer. Whether you want to fine-tune a design, talk through your choices, or ask a few questions, there's a way to get that extra support.

As a designer myself, I believe technology should support our profession, not replace it. There will always be a place for working directly with an interior designer, especially for a major remodel, a new build, or a project that needs guidance from beginning to end. Technology can help you explore the possibilities, but it can't replace a designer's experience, personal understanding of how you live, or hands-on attention to all the details.

Supporting that work is part of why I'm building House Dressed. Along with creating opportunities for designers through consultations, we're highlighting designers and creators across our website, app, and social media, helping more people discover their work and the people behind it. In early 2027, we're also planning professional tools to help designers, creators, realtors, and builders support their businesses and work with their clients.

For me, House Dressed is a way to share what I've always loved about design: helping people see what their homes can become, and making the process feel just as exciting as the result.

Your home, your way

Designed by real people for the way real people live.

I worked closely with our developer—an artist and creative himself—to shape the House Dressed visualization tools around the way I approach design and the standards I bring to my client work. Together with our team, we've created an experience rooted in real design knowledge, with room for your individual style.

Start with a photo, choose your style and budget, and tell us what you have in mind. Design an everyday room, decorate for a season or holiday, plan a special occasion, or reimagine your outdoor space. The experience is flexible, whether you're looking for a few finishing touches or exploring a whole new look.

From there, shop a curated selection of pieces to help bring your vision to life. And when you'd like more guidance, you can book a one-on-one video consultation with a professional interior designer. It all comes together in one place, making the journey from "What if?" to "That feels like me" easier, more personal, and a lot more fun!

I hope House Dressed helps you see new possibilities in the place you call home. Let's create something beautiful together!