DIVINE DESIGNER
3/1/2007 3:36:49 PM by David Morris
Karen Lynn Poulos creates sumptuous spaces for sea and sky — and she does it like a goddess.
Photos by David Warren
“Where people see black and white, I see a rainbow,” says Karen Lynn Poulos of Karen Lynn Interiors, the sea and sky in her eyes as she describes the inspiration and process that have helped make her a rising star in luxury marine and private jet interior design.
Answering the call of a growing constituency of those who command ‘the best of the best,’ Poulos’ firm, founded in October 2001, provides full service interior design, specializing in yachts, private aircraft and exclusive residences.
Based in Fort Lauderdale, center of the yachting world, Poulos travels to shipyards around the globe offering what she proudly calls “uncompromising design capabilities.” She manages multi-million dollar projects, directing every aspect of refit and interior modifications, for new and refurbished vessels, aircraft and even clients’ homes.
Barely into her thirties, she plays in the big leagues of interior design dominated by time-honored master designers whose studios reside in New York, Rome and London. Respectful of her elders, Poulos wears her intelligence, energy and charisma without presumption. “It’s one thing to get a big design firm to take on your project — but when people hire me, they know I’m there, every day, at the shipyard, sleeves rolled up, eyeballing every detail and making sure the workmen are earning their pay.” This combination of flair and pragmatism has already earned the confidence of major clients and industry giants like MarineMax, U.S. agents for Italy’s world-leading yacht builders, The Ferretti Group. Her credentials are substantial with more than 13 years of experience in the business. She has earned a four-year bachelor’s degree in Interior Design and Architecture and membership in the American Society of Interior Designers and the prestigious Superyacht Society, among other qualifications.
But what makes mega zillionaires hand the reigns of such personal expressions of opulence to Poulos? “There’s something both exciting and challenging about having a client for whom price is no object — and they tell you: ‘I trust your taste. Just do it.’” As the aristocrats and patricians of old consulted their gods, oracles and muses, Poulos finds herself in that rarified place in today’s ultra-affluent stratosphere.
The answer may reside in her family history in the marine world; or perhaps in her Danish and Greek lineage, hence the natural connection to those nations’ legendary seafarers and their gods. If one needed to cast the perfect muse for the privileged few, Poulos personifies it with grace.
Tasked with the transformation of these exceptional modes of transport into private palaces, Poulos imparts an ambiance blending her elite clients’ desires with her vocabulary of glamour and excellence. “We try to make their dreams become reality,” she says. “Yachts are the ultimate oasis, a world unto themselves. It’s their home away from home, expressed in a unique fantasy.” In fact, Poulos admits many of her solutions come to her from an involvement so intense she even dreams of how the project will look.
Connecting with her client’s personality is mission-critical. “The style can range from neo-classic to post-modern and all the variations in between,” she says. “I need to know not only what my clients are thinking, but how I can find the materials and techniques to make their ideas happen. So I’m constantly researching, traveling, looking and learning. An inspiration might come on a vacation in Spain, a ski run in Aspen, while in a museum in Paris, sailing off the Greek coast — or spending a day at the Design Center Of The Americas. ”
The mandate of a yacht and jet interior designer requires the understanding of specific practicalities. “It’s really so much more than just making it look fabulous,” she advises. “People sometimes forget, especially in the case of a yacht, that these are moving platforms that operate in very demanding environments. Obviously, in both of these situations, weight saving is a factor, so you may need to combine sumptuous surfaces with high-tech solutions.” She demonstrates how a piece of finely sliced blue marble is mounted on aircraft-quality honeycomb composite. “You can just imagine the effect of the weight of marble countertops when navigating rough seas,” or as in the case of the Gulfstream she just completed for a Saudi family, “on the balance of a jet in full flight.”
Everywhere in her studio, fabric swatches are mounted in presentation frames, looking like works of art in their own right. Poulos considers it essential to give the client as tactile and visual a preview as possible throughout the creative and construction phases. “With yachts, you also need to consider the impact of moisture and salt air on materials and fabrics. And of course, ease of care and resistance to stain and discoloration from exposure to sun and sea.” She cites some assumptions from clients used to getting everything they want, when they want it. “When you’re out on a cruise in Fiji, you can’t just drop the curtains off at the local dry cleaners.”
The complexity of projects on yachts ranging from 50 to 142 feet staggers the mind. Refits include extensive redesign of whole decks, overhead panel lighting plans, rewiring of electrical circuits throughout entire vessels, interior cabinetry and furnishings, motorization of window treatments, pilot houses, galleys, flooring, lighting, showers, exterior spaces and soft décor. Asked how she keeps from being overwhelmed by the details and resources she marshals, she takes a deep breath — and smiles.
Her most challenging assignment to date, the 10-month, $2 million makeover of the 142-foot U.S. built Christensen superyacht, Xilonen, takes center stage. Commissioned by a prominent Mexican family — where Poulos’ fluent Spanish was a clear asset — no expense was spared in the concept and execution. Mother of pearl, inlaid marble, African woods, painted silks with hand-laid silver leaf, Lexan staircases with marble inlays, omnipresent mirrors, scalloped crystal, custom fabrics, Murano glass, stainless steel, polished chrome and 24-Karat gold are woven into a statement of personal identity that is an unequivocal celebration of success. “No surface on this boat was left untouched,” says Poulos, with the serene assurance her clients know so well. Even the gods never had it this good.