The DesignNC Book Series presented by Protocol is an opportunity to hear directly from significant figures working in the field of interior design and beyond in an intimate and relaxed setting. Join us on Friday, January 27 as we welcome interior designer and cookbook author Karen Allen to Cameron Art Museum’s Roya and Henry Weyerhaeuser Reception Hall.

Karen Allen is the author of Ooh La La ! French Inspirations for Entertaining and Travel. Published in 2020, this beautiful cookbook is filled with gorgeous full-page photographs of 150 recipes inspired by Karen’s travels to this wonderful country. The Moulin Rouge in Paris inspires a bohemian Toulouse-Lautrec dinner party complete with goldfish swimming in cups. Coco Chanel’s apartment is re-created for a celebratory birthday party with gift bags for everyone. The lavender fields of Provence give way to honey cakes and fresh vegetables. And the seafood of the French Riviera inspires towers of oysters, shrimp, and lobster. Each chapter also contains inventive French-themed cocktails.

Karen will discuss her cookbook, tips for entertaining, her inspirations and more followed by an audience Q&A and book signing. Signed copies of Ooh La La! French Inspiration for Entertaining and Travel will be available for sale at the event, in CAM’s Museum Shop and at Protocol..

Author Biography

Karen Allen was born in Salem, Oregon, and graduated from the Bassist Institute (now Art Institute of Portland) located in Portland, Oregon, in interior design. She worked at Henry Meyer Interiors and House of Design, and managed the interior design studio at Meier and Frank before owning her own company, Design Etc. located in Corvallis, Oregon, for 30 years and counting. She loves designing home interiors, photography, gardening, painting, flower arranging, reading from her library of 3,000 books, being with her grandchildren, shopping, cooking and traveling, and all things French.

About DesignNC

Since its inception in 2019 as an educational outreach and financial support event for Cameron Art Museum and its cultural mission in the community, DesignNC has drawn accolades for its visionary celebration of the art of design and decorative crafts. With a platform of internationally recognized artisans and designers, DesignNC brings to Wilmington and CAM an enriching annual aesthetic feast for the senses rarely assembled in one place! Cameron Art Museum’s commitment to education reaches deep and wide. From frequent discovery opportunities with children and schools, historical narratives that enrich human and diversity consciousness, and vibrant exhibitions that articulate the breadth of artistic media, CAM stands as an educational gem in our community. DesignNC is a unique addition to CAM’s educational arm, and through its new book series, it is now a year-long program, offering audiences the opportunity to hear and learn from significant figures in design beyond the May seminar.