…and it’s all about color, collaboration and CREATING SOMETHING AMAZING together.

Hi, I’m Karen Manganillo—an interior designer and creative director who cares deeply about how spaces make people feel. At the heart of my work is a simple goal: helping clients love the environments they come home to every day. When a space feels thoughtful, personal, and easy to live in, it quietly supports daily life—and that’s what I’m most passionate about creating.

My path here hasn’t been a straight line. I spent more than 20 years working as an art director and graphic designer, beginning my career in New York City at nationally recognized advertising agencies before eventually founding my creative firm, KLP Designs, in North Carolina. Storytelling, brand identity, and intentional design have always shaped how I see and experience the world.

That foundation eventually brought me back to my roots in the furniture industry, where I partnered with my dad to launch a furniture company. Working closely with designers to develop custom pieces—and serving as creative director for the brand—reconnected me to interiors in a deeply personal way and ultimately led to the creation of Little Friday Design.

Today, my approach is about balance: creativity paired with purpose, beauty that supports real life. I believe homes should work hard without feeling precious—spaces that welcome family, adapt to changing seasons, and feel just as good on an ordinary Tuesday as they do when everything is put away. Drawing from my background in branding, product development, and visual storytelling, I design spaces meant to be lived in and loved for years to come.