Teddy Karl

PRINCIPAL DESIGNER

A Long Road that Led to… Here

The idea of tasteful, functional design has been in designer Teddy Karl’s heart since he was just a kid. “I remember going clothes shopping with my mother and everything I wanted was more expensive than she, an accountant and a practical person, was willing to spend,” he remembers. While still a boy, Teddy earned money from a paper route so he could buy those nicer things, which gave him a greater appreciation for “working up towards” things that were more beautiful and higher quality.

When Teddy applied to college, well-meaning people suggested a number of practical directions: Mathematics, accounting, business, marketing, and so on. But one fateful semester Teddy took a textiles class, and he was in his element. He ended up graduating with a major in textile design, specializing in prints and handwovens, and even started a small side business making clothes of his own.

After several business ventures (and starting a family), Teddy settled down in the St. Louis area. He was asked by a former colleague to help run The Great Cover-Up, a full-service design studio, on a part-time basis at their Des Peres location. When the previous owner moved on, Teddy jumped at the chance to be at the helm. The company has now been in the same building for 15 years and has become a destination both for discerning consumers and the design community in St. Louis.

Teddy’s award-winning designs have been featured in numerous publications including Cape Cod and Islands Home, Cape Cod Life, St. Louis Seasons, St. Louis Homes and Lifestyle, At Home and Elegant Homes.

Teddy Karl, Allied ASID, Principal Designer at The Great Cover-Up

Teddy Karl, Allied ASID, Principal Designer at The Great Cover-Up

teddy karl, principal designerteddy karl, principal designerteddy karl, principal designerteddy karl, principal designer