About Us
Our story.
In 1998, designer Karen Graveline was determined to find vintage modern furniture to fill her new Baltimore rowhome. This search quickly became an obsession. And this obsession turned into a store. From a quaint storefront on Charles Street to a 9000 square foot showroom off Baltimore's Inner Harbor, Design Distillery continues to bring a stellar collection of furnishings that echo the elements of classic modernism. Our team sources innovative pieces that challenge the traditional norm to complement your modern lifestyle. Both fresh and meticulously filtered, each item is selected for its lasting quality, functional integrity and visual resonance—all artfully presented within a space designed to inspire.
Meet Our Team.
As the company’s founder, Karen Graveline has a keen business mind and a sophisticated eye for interior spaces. She credits her father, an architect, for developing her appreciation for good design and its positive effect on everyday living. Following in his footsteps, she has pioneered her place in the world of design—Design Distillery being the culmination of her work. Armed with a degree in interior design, Karen practiced commercial interior design, marketing and graphic design before creating Home on the Harbor, a storefront specializing in mid-century modern furniture. Over the years, Karen and the invaluable team she built transformed the small boutique into the full-service design showroom rebranded as Design Distillery. Today, Karen shares her innovative spirit and intuitive understanding of design to guide and empower clients in a collaborative environment.
Erin Friedel brings over 25 years of design immersion—and a lifelong love of beautiful things—to Design Distillery. Raised on a steady diet of antique shops, boutiques, and anything well-crafted, she developed an early eye for quality and design that guides her work today. With a degree in art history and interior design, her career has taken her from fashion management to the world of French and English antiques where she dove deep into designing interiors, creating custom pieces and furniture construction. For the past 13 years at Design Distillery, she has refined her modern design perspective under Karen’s guidance, blending clean lines with comfort and personality. Erin loves partnering with clients and fellow designers to create spaces that feel elevated, intentional, and unmistakably them.
