Thirty Under 30: Katy O’Connor

By Donna Heiderstadt

Katy O’Connor is known for her approachable style — in fact, she says the word “personable” best describes her. That trait is invaluable in her job as a Design Consultant in Fisher & Paykel’s Costa Mesa Experience Center in Southern California, where just a year into the role she interacts daily with designers, architects and consumers. One day she’s helping a local homeowner select appliances for a renovation and the next she’s impressing a high-profile designer with her expertise, an interaction the 27-year-old counts among her proudest career moments.

“The designer originally came in just to have a look around,” she explains, “but after I walked them through the space and shared our brand story, they were genuinely impressed — not just with the product, but with how I brought the brand to life.” As a result, the designer told Katy that they would be pitching Fisher & Paykel products for their upcoming projects. “It’s a great reminder of the impact we can have when we tell our story well,” she says.

A New England native, Katy graduated from Wesleyan University before pursuing her passion for interior design at Pratt Institute in New York., where she interned at acclaimed design firm D’Aquino Monaco and also taught woodworking. These experiences, she says, deepened her understanding of materials and the power of detail in design.

What specifically drew Katy to kitchen design? “Growing up, the kitchen was truly the heart of my family’s home, and often the kitchen becomes a huge focal point in the design of a home, especially given the popularity of the open floor plan,” she explains. “So, I like working in the kitchen industry because it is a singular space in the home that is extremely impactful, both in terms of design and social connections.” 

When she’s not honing her professional skills in the Fisher & Paykel showroom, you’ll find Katy at home in Newport Beach cooking with her boyfriend, Brendan, or indulging her passion for embroidery. As for her personal design style, Katy says it has layers. “I wouldn’t call myself a minimalist, but I’m definitely not a maximalist either,” she explains. “I’m from New England, so more traditional home design really speaks to me — I love when a space feels a little older, has a rich history, some real character.” As a result, she appreciates when a designer with a classic design hand seamlessly integrates their vision, without stripping away the existing sense of place. “That’s when it really resonates with me. It’s that balance between heritage and refinement that I find most inspiring.”

It’s no wonder, then, that Katy is sentimental about Westerly, RI. Growing up, she spent summer vacations there with her family and loves its abundant architectural history. But ever forward-thinking, she also has a life goal of one day designing a home of her own.