Karen Asprea is an interior designer known for her luxury residences, with offices in New York’s posh Tribeca neighborhood and also in historic Coral Gables, Miami. Karen Asprea’s studio was founded in 2017 and provides a multidisciplinary approach to interior design, with a focus on private residential estates and luxury residential developments. Karen and her team deliver a streamlined approach to design with a deep understanding of the development and construction process at a large scale.

Here, Karen shares with Haute Design her approach to design projects and the trends she sees are on the rise.

How did you get into interior design?

I’ve always been drawn to beauty, detail, and the way environments shape how we feel. I grew up with strong women in my family who were fashion icons, to say the least, and that is where I began to notice how strongly our surroundings and clothing influence us. Interior design became a natural path—an art form that allowed me to creatively blend imagination with purpose and technical skills. Over my 19-year career, I’ve learned to blend what nature gives us into spaces that are impactful, beautiful, and timeless.

I studied at Pratt Institute in New York City, where I deepened my understanding of design’s emotional impact. My time at their affiliated campus in Copenhagen gave me a deeper understanding of the use of natural materials and palettes that blend into their surroundings — emphasizing craftsmanship, minimalism, and the quiet power of intentional space. Those experiences laid the foundation for a career rooted in thoughtful transformation, where every project is an opportunity to tell a new story through design.

What trends have you been seeing and incorporating into your projects?

In recent years, there’s been a big shift toward quieter, more intentional luxury — nothing overly flashy or trend-driven, just really thoughtful spaces that feel personal. I love to layer natural textures, mixing custom pieces with modern lines, and focusing on how a space feels rather than how it photographs. We’re using a lot of natural stone, unlacquered metals, linen, and silk textiles — which feel soft and chic and generally age well over longer periods of time. While keeping the overall palette’s tonal, recently I’ve been adding in deeper clay tones, plums, and rusts, which still feel earthy while being sophisticated. Sustainability is also a significant part of the conversation when discussing trends. More often, clients are asking where things come from, who made them, and how long they’ll last. There’s a real awareness around longevity and craftsmanship. And if we can design something beautiful, support thoughtful design at every level, and be a little kinder to the planet in the process, that’s a win-win-win in my book.

What trends do you predict throughout 2025?

While I love to sketch in pencil by hand, tech is the leading trend. Different and ever-advancing technologies are able to blend seamlessly into every space. We have to think about integration every step of the design process, for example, we are installing speakers behind sheetrock and plaster, creating invisible, but amazing sound experiences in our client’s home. I believe these types of elegant details will become mainstream and expected over the next 5-10 years. People want smart designs that are intuitive and responsive, but they don’t want to see the tech; they want to feel it working effortlessly behind the scenes. I suspect we’ll be integrating more things like AI control systems, wellness lighting, discreet sound systems, climate control, immersive gaming systems, even scent diffusion — all designed to enhance how people live and work.

Where do you see the company going in five years?

In the next five years, I see the firm expanding internationally. The elegant and chic designs we create for our private clientele and our luxury condominium developments would be a perfect marriage for luxury hospitality projects.  We’re also exploring product design, since a lot of what we create for clients is custom, and it would be fun to bring some of that into a collection people can access more widely. The possibilities are endless, but at the end of the day, my goal is to keep creating meaningful spaces — that are beautiful, yes, but also deeply personal and rooted in how people actually live.

What has been one of your favorite projects to date?

My favorite residential project is a gorgeous estate we just completed in Connecticut. The clients are a wonderful family who embraced the design process and allowed creativity to flow throughout the expansive 22,000 square feet of their home. On the commercial side, I’m excited to announce that we are just about to break ground on a luxury condominium project in Coral Gables. Keep your eyes and ears tuned in to see these amazing projects come to life.

Asprea Studio is one of the exclusive interior design studios representing the Coral Gables, FL market as a member of the Haute Design Network. View all of their projects here.