When you know you aren't staying forever,
you build things that last.
I'm the temporary anchor your studio needs.
HI, I'M SHANTAL
I know exactly what it feels like to carry the weight of a preventable
on-site mistake, because I’ve been there. I know the burnout that comes when your passion for design collides with a broken, chaotic process.
My career in residential design started on the fast track. Working as an in-house designer for a contractor in Wisconsin, I went from a junior to a senior designer in just three years. When I arrived, the team was still relying on hand sketches. I introduced SketchUp, digitized our workflow, and built our technical drawing sets from the ground up.
I was eager to grow. I worked massive hours, ultimately touching over 100 projects in a short time frame—from simple powder room remodels to full custom new builds. But moving that fast without a solid foundation takes a toll. I made mistakes along the way, and I wore them heavy.
STUDIO CONSULTANT FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS
BY YEAR TWO, I EXPERIENCED BURNOUT
It completely shifted my mindset about
how the design world operates,
and how much protection our creative energy really needs.
A SHIFT IN PURPOSE
Right around that time, my long-distance boyfriend proposed. I made the decision to follow love, packed up, and moved to Central California.
California gave me the space to breathe, focus on my happiness, and build a beautiful life with my husband and our extended family. But as I stepped back into the industry out West, I noticed a universal truth: I was surrounded by brilliant, visionary designers who had amazing ideas, but completely lacked the technical systems to turn them into reality. They were facing the exact same operational problems I had left behind in Wisconsin, just through a different lens.
Because of my lifestyle—moving across the country and embracing a military-wife level of adaptability—I have always approached my work knowing my time in any one place might be temporary.
But that "temporary" feeling became my greatest asset as a Studio Consultant.
When you know you aren't staying forever, you are forced to build things that last. You create templates, workflows, and systems specifically designed to be handed off seamlessly. I don't want my clients to feel tied down to a permanent, expensive executive hire. I want to step into your studio, be the temporary, efficient anchor you need in a moment of chaos, and make my presence count.
I build the momentum and the permanent foundation you need, so that when I step back, your team doesn't miss a beat.
Embracing that adaptable mindset has shaped both my business and my life. Today, we’ve moved back to my roots in Wisconsin. While the lifestyle of quick adjustments and moving isn't always easy, it has taught me how to make every single moment and every single project completely worth it.
When I’m not reviewing drawings or mentoring junior designers, I am anchored by my amazing husband, our precious cat Luna, and the deep comfort of knowing that incredible Wisconsin cheese curds are only a five-minute drive away.
AS YOUR TEMPORARY ANCHOR, I TAKE YOUR STUDIO'S FOUNDATION PERSONALLY
_edited.png)
BUILT TO A HIGHER STANDARD
Growing up as a first-generation citizen, I watched my Mexican dad find a solution to every problem thrown his way. He even helped build our family’s Habitat for Humanity home with such high standards that they hired him as a supervisor. That relentless work ethic and demand for quality is exactly how I approach your drawing sets today. I don’t just draw lines on a screen; I design accurate, reliable plans built on the standard of doing things right the first time.
UNIVERSAL TRANSLATION
During my time walking job sites, I saw how easily a beautiful design could fail simply due to language barriers and overly complex drawings. A great drawing isn't about cramming 50 notes onto a single page; it’s about truly understanding the trades. I build templates and handoff systems that simplify the complex, ensuring your drawings communicate your vision intentionally, clearly, and universally to the people actually building it.
THE SHARED "AHA" MOMENTS
I have always loved the logic of numbers. As a kid, I would spend my summers working on math sheets - for fun! When I saw my classmates struggling with math, I became a tutor because I loved helping them reach that moment where it all finally clicked. That exact same drive fuels my mentorship today. When I review your team's drawings, I am not there to criticize. I am there to share those "aha" moments so your designers feel empowered, capable, and ready to grow.
