From Detroit to the World: How Karma by Design Is Building a Different Kind of Art Brand
Most online art stores sell prints. Karma by Design is building something else entirely: a Detroit-rooted creative platform that treats artwork as a form of brand strategy, cultural storytelling, and social impact. The distinction matters because the art market is changing. Collectors, interior designers, and hospitality brands are no longer satisfied with generic decor. They want pieces that carry meaning, that connect to a place, and that reflect the values of the people who live with them.
Karma by Design was founded by Mohamad Fardous, a multidisciplinary creative director and Detroit entrepreneur whose background spans brand development, marketing, technology, and visual art. That combination shapes everything the studio produces. When you explore Karma by Design's artwork collections, you are not browsing a catalog of interchangeable prints. You are looking at a curated ecosystem of original Statement Pieces, the precision-crafted Elements Collection, and bespoke custom commissions — each designed to be customized, personalized, and placed with intention.
What Is Karma by Design?
Karma by Design is a Detroit-based art studio and creative platform producing customizable, made-to-order artwork with national and international ambitions. The company's guiding philosophy is simple: Art with a Purpose. Every piece is designed to spark conversation, reflect identity, and contribute to something larger than the wall it occupies.
The artwork spans multiple formats and collections. Statement Pieces are bold, large-scale original works — resin, mixed media, and designer-inspired compositions that serve as the focal point of a room. The Elements Collection includes themed series like Motor Metrics, Beauty Alchemy, Passport Series, and Table of Professions — each customizable by size, format, and personal details. The Unwilling Accomplice collection offers social commentary through bold visual language. And custom commissions allow collectors and businesses to commission entirely bespoke pieces from scratch.
Customers can customize elements such as size, frame style, frame color, format (canvas versus framed print), and in some collections, personal subject matter. This is not mass-produced decor. It is made-to-order artwork designed to fit the space, the story, and the identity of the person or brand it is created for.
Why Detroit Matters to Karma by Design
Detroit is not a backdrop for Karma by Design. It is the foundation. The city's relationship with design, automotive culture, architecture, music, entrepreneurship, manufacturing, reinvention, and creative independence runs through every collection the studio produces.
Detroit built things. It built cars, it built music, it built movements. That instinct to make — to take raw material and transform it into something functional and beautiful — is embedded in the Karma by Design aesthetic. The Motor Metrics series within the Elements Collection pays direct homage to automotive excellence, translating the soul of iconic vehicles into precision-crafted wall art. The raw, unapologetic energy of the city shows up in the Statement Pieces, where high-gloss epoxy resin meets urban grit.
But Detroit is the starting point, not the boundary. Karma by Design is Detroit rooted and available nationwide. The studio's recent collaborations with Miami-based artists and its expansion into luxury hospitality art demonstrate that the brand's creative language translates far beyond Michigan. To learn more about the founder's vision, read our founder profile on Mohamad Fardous.
The Ecosystem: Art, Marketing, and Technology
What separates Karma by Design from a traditional print retailer is the ecosystem surrounding the artwork. The studio does not operate in isolation. It is supported by House of Karma, a Detroit creative agency that provides brand strategy, creative direction, web development, digital marketing, SEO, content development, and campaign development. This expertise allows Karma by Design to approach artwork differently — not as a product to be listed, but as a brand environment to be experienced.
On the technology side, Studio Escrow provides the CRM, marketing automation, and transaction infrastructure that allows the studio to manage inquiries, follow up with collectors, coordinate partnerships, and scale without turning every process into manual administrative work. To understand how this technology functions behind the scenes, read our article on Studio Escrow and art business automation.
Purpose-Driven Art and Social Impact
The phrase "Art with a Purpose" is not a tagline. It is a structural commitment. Through the Partner with a Purpose initiative, a portion of proceeds from the studio's collections goes directly to charitable organizations. The studio has also launched Project Water, a charitable initiative where a portion of all sales goes toward providing clean water and water wells in communities that need it most.
This philosophy extends to how the studio approaches collaborations. The Breaking Borders exhibit, hosted at Haus of Brunch inside the Westin Book Cadillac Detroit, is a cultural event that blends art, food, community, and purpose. It is an example of how Karma by Design thinks about art as an experience rather than a transaction. For a deeper look at this philosophy, read our article on purpose-driven art and the future of art commerce.
The Vision for an Artist Ecosystem
Karma by Design does not simply want to sell its own artwork. The longer-term vision is to create an ecosystem that gives independent artists access to design, marketing, technology, audience development, and business infrastructure. Through the Creator Connect platform, artists can join a network that provides brand development, content production, digital marketing, exhibition opportunities, and secure transaction tools.
This is the direction the studio is moving: a platform where artists, collectors, hospitality brands, and interior designers converge to create meaningful, impactful art. Detroit rooted. Available nationwide. Built for broader reach. To explore available artwork, visit the Shop Art page. To commission a one-of-a-kind piece, start with the Custom Commissions inquiry form.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Karma by Design?
Karma by Design is a Detroit-based art studio and creative platform founded by Mohamad Fardous. It produces customizable, made-to-order artwork including Statement Pieces, the Elements Collection, and custom commissions, with a focus on purpose-driven art and social impact.
Where is Karma by Design located?
Karma by Design is based in Detroit, Michigan. The studio ships nationwide and works with collectors, interior designers, and hospitality brands across the country.
Does Karma by Design create custom artwork?
Yes. Karma by Design offers full custom commissions, allowing clients to specify size, format, subject matter, and framing. The studio also offers customizable options across its existing collections.
What is the connection between Karma by Design and House of Karma?
House of Karma (HOK Detroit) is the broader creative and marketing ecosystem that supports Karma by Design, providing brand strategy, digital marketing, content production, and the Creator Connect artist platform.
Can businesses commission artwork from Karma by Design?
Yes. Karma by Design works with hotels, restaurants, corporate offices, and real estate developments. Visit the Hospitality Art Advisory page to start a conversation.
Does Karma by Design support charitable causes?
Yes. Through Partner with a Purpose and Project Water, a portion of proceeds goes to charitable organizations and clean water initiatives. Learn more on the Partner with a Purpose page.
Author: Mohamad Fardous, Founder & Creative Director, Karma by Design / House of Karma. Follow on Instagram @moedeuce or visit mfardous.com.
Published: August 2026 • Last Updated: August 2026 • Reading Time: ~8 min