Today we’d like to introduce you to Manuella Dourado.
Hi Manuella, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I like to joke that since I was 18, I’ve been eating blueprints for breakfast! Or even before, when I was a kid and would spend afternoons at my uncle’s engineer firm, drawing at the drafting table!
My career started in Brazil, where I’m originally from. I spent 6 years at architecture school at a University there. Even while I was in school, I was already working in the design field. I started as a part-time apprentice at a design firm and eventually became a full-time employee. That experience gave me the opportunity to work on a really diverse range of projects: from workplaces, retail shops and restaurants to vacation homes and condo renovations. I was involved in everything from site visits and surveys to drawings, schedules, reports and client meetings. I’ve always been a very organized and detail-oriented person, so I naturally gravitated toward the technical side of design.
When I moved to the U.S., my path began to shift toward interior design, and that transition happened pretty naturally. Moving to another country was probably one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever taken on. I had to adapt to a new culture, learn a new language and a completely different professional environment. But it also pushed me to be open to new experiences and relationships and I grew tremendously from it (both personally and professionally).
Going back to school at Portland Community College to study interior design was an important step in that transition. At the same time, I was raising my young child, so starting my own residential design business from home allowed me to continue building my career while being present for my family and completing my degree.
Over the years, I’ve had the chance to be involved in just about every part of the design process, from the first conversation with a client and developing the concept to construction documents, specifications, working with contractors, and ultimately seeing the project come together. I’ve also built wonderful relationships with local showrooms, tradespeople. I have collaborated with other designers along the way, helping with projects throughout the PNW, California and Utah.
Looking back, I think the common thread throughout my career has been curiosity. Every project and every job has taught me something new. I’m still constantly learning, meeting people, discovering new materials and products and finding better ways to approach design.
Today, that experience has come together in my own studio, Golden Inch Design. My work is rooted in the belief that a space should feel deeply connected to the people who live, gather, work, or stay there. I don’t think a space should simply look beautiful: it should feel comfortable, functional and full of identity!!
Golden Inch Design is a full-service interior design studio focused on new construction, renovations, and additions. I bring my technical design background, my love for thoughtful details and years of education and hands-on experience to help clients move from those early ideas all the way to a finished space.
And I’m especially happy to be building this next chapter here on the coast. I love being surrounded by the natural beauty, creative people and a community that values place, character, and connection. It feels like a very natural evolution of everything I’ve been doing all along and I’m really excited to see where it takes me!!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No at all! I have all the odds against me: Im a woman, single mom, immigrant from America Latina. As I mentioned in the previous question “Moving to another country was probably one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever taken on. I had to adapt to a new culture, learn a new language and a completely different professional environment. But it also pushed me to be open to new experiences and relationships and I grew tremendously from it (both personally and professionally).”
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Golden Inch Design?
I’ll paste again from the first answer: “Today, that experience has come together in my own studio, Golden Inch Design. My work is rooted in the belief that a space should feel deeply connected to the people who live, gather, work, or stay there. I don’t think a space should simply look beautiful: it should feel comfortable, functional and full of identity!!
Golden Inch Design is a full-service interior design studio focused on new construction, renovations, and additions. I bring my technical design background, my love for thoughtful details and years of education and hands-on experience to help clients move from those early ideas all the way to a finished space.
And I’m especially happy to be building this next chapter here on the coast. I love being surrounded by the natural beauty, creative people and a community that values place, character, and connection. It feels like a very natural evolution of everything I’ve been doing all along and I’m really excited to see where it takes me!!”
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
There are so many ways! Of course, people can work with me directly through Golden Inch Design. I work with homeowners on new construction, renovations, additions, and interior projects, whether they need full-service design or support with a specific part of the process.
I also really enjoy collaborating with other professionals. I have a strong technical background, so I can be a great resource for architects, designers, builders, and contractors who need help with construction drawings, CAD drafting, space planning, or bringing the details of a project together. I love being part of a team and finding ways to make everyone’s work a little easier.
And because I’m building my studio here at the coast, I’m especially interested in connecting with local people and businesses: realtors, builders, tradespeople, artists, makers, showrooms, and other creative professionals. I think some of the best projects and opportunities come from simply getting to know each other and building genuine relationships.
But supporting me doesn’t necessarily mean hiring me. If you know someone who is planning a remodel, building a home, or feeling overwhelmed by where to start with their space, sending them my way is incredibly meaningful. Following along, sharing my work, stopping by the studio, or simply making a connection all make a difference.
And my door is always open, literally! I want the studio to feel like a welcoming place where people can stop in, have a coffee, enjoy one of my homemade treats, and chat for a while. You don’t have to have a project or even know exactly what you need. I love talking about homes, design, materials, ideas, and just getting to know people.
I’m hoping Golden Inch Design can become more than just a design studio, it can be a little place for connection, creativity, and community here at the coast. So come say hi!
Pricing:
- varies depending on the service
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.goldeninch.design
- Instagram: @goldeninchdesign
