LAURA MCGARITY

Senior Interior Designer

Laura McGarity, KYCID, IIDA, is a born and raised Louisvillian. She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and in 2002 with a Master of Science in Interior Design. She brings 25 years of experience to DKN and specializes in corporate office, senior living, healthcare and hospitality. Laura enjoys collaboration and being part of a team. She feels that the best projects occur when interior designers and architects collaborate from the beginning because details can be coordinated, resulting in a cohesive project.

Her master’s research involved color response in the workplace, and she has participated in Color Forecasting groups multiple times in the last few years.  She hopes to be able to continue to be a color expert amongst her peers.  She enjoys making an impact on well- being and strives to always advocate for her profession. 

One of her favorite projects stands out due to both the complexity and the duration of the project. Early in her career she created design boards for a Senior Living Community project her firm was bidding on.  Her boss called her one evening to let her know they won the project and the client really liked her design boards. She was on a second date with her now husband but was very excited. Fast forward nearly 8 years later with a husband and two kids, she attended the grand opening of The Homeplace at Midway, a five building Senior Living community in which she specified nearly every detail. She still receives positive feedback from families of residents there and it is very gratifying.

Outside of work, Laura lives to travel and is always planning her next trip. She enjoys cooking ethnic foods and is a pescetarian.  Her favorite cuisines are Ethiopian, Thai and Indian. She prefers podcasts and audiobooks over television. She is skilled at thrifting vintage furniture for both herself and friends. During her time as a YPAL member she assisted the team in obtaining LEED Platinum for a Habitat House the group worked on together.  Swimming is her favorite activity both for relaxation and fitness. Her favorite kind of art to create is collages from magazines.  She created a specific collage of Amanda Gorman during the pandemic and sold more than 250 copies- her first and only sold piece of art.

Question: My favorite word that has no direct English translation is ___________. 
Answer: Tsundoku is the Japanese word for the phenomenon of acquiring reading materials but letting them pile up in one’s home without reading them. (I love to read but also have loads of books on bookshelves that I have not read!)

Question: If I were a superhero, my superpower would be ________________.
Answer:  I would want to be able to teleport.  I love to travel but get very impatient in cars and on planes.

Question: When I was 5, I was pretty sure I’d be a ________________ when I grew up.
Answer: I wanted to be the person who named the Crayola crayons or paint colors. I love the intersection of words and colors.

Question: If we held an office talent show, I’d wow everyone with my ___________________ talent.
Answer: I can make a meal from random ingredients very easily. I almost never follow recipes but love reading cookbooks to relax.