CLARA CASTILLO

-anage a full-service interior design studio, overseeing residential and commercial projects from concept to completion.
-Lead all phases of design, delivering high-quality FF&E, construction documents, and project execution tailored to client needs.
-Oversee project finances, including budget management, proposals, invoicing, and purchasing, ensuring cost-effective yet high-quality outcomes.
-Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with clients, industry professionals, and trade partners, fostering business growth and collaboration.
-Contribute to marketing and networking efforts, elevating the studio's industry profile.
-Integrate sustainable practices into design processes, promoting environmentally responsible solutions.

• Managed day-to-day business operations.
• Developed and maintained strong relationships with clients, resulting in repeat business and referrals.

- Worked closely with firm principals to oversee residential and commercial design projects from concept to completion, ensuring designs aligned with budgets, milestones, and client and operational requirements.
- Led interior design projects, including visioning, programming client needs, space planning, conceptual design, schematic design, design development, and construction documentation.
- Participated in the selection and presentation of interior and exterior materials, furniture, furniture systems, fabrics, equipment (FF&E), color palettes, and decorative lighting.
- Developed concepts for finish plans, facades, landscape plans, furniture layouts, RCP, lighting plans, elevations, details, specifications, material selections, and millwork.
- Provided design support and documentation during the execution of design concepts, including construction drawing production and 3D rendering.
- Managed vendor quotes, prepared purchasing budgets, and maintained project budgets.
- Collaborated with external consultants, product representatives, furniture dealers, and fabricators to achieve project objectives.
- Supervised contractor bids, attended site meetings with contractors, subcontractors, clients, and architects, and coordinated production-to-installation logistics.
- Interfaced effectively with design team members, including contractors and vendors, to resolve issues and exchange ideas.
- Integrated new technology and tools to enhance project outcomes and design efficiency.
- Strived to elevate design quality on every project.
- Led design presentations and developed strong client relationships as a trusted advisor.
- Engaged in marketing and business development initiatives to support firm growth.
- Tracked task completion and coordinated with procurement teams to monitor order logistics.

- Contributed to the production of construction documents and design presentations, ensuring clarity and alignment with project objectives.
- Managed client databases, coordinated meetings, handled communications, and supported cost estimation and product sourcing to streamline project workflows.
- Assisted with construction site visits to monitor project progress, collaborate with consultants, and engage with the architectural team to address on-site needs.

- Managed bookkeeping for multiple companies, collaborating with accountants to implement and refine accounting policies and procedures.
- Reconciled intercompany transactions and performed detailed analysis of financial data.
- Created and maintained an inventory of millions of dollars in antiques, ensuring accurate valuation and record-keeping.
- Prepared and filed sales tax returns, ensuring compliance with local and state regulations.
- Handled accounts receivable (AR), accounts payable (AP), and data entry for several companies.
- Prepared and analyzed period-end work papers, including cash reconciliations, prepaid and inventory analysis, fixed assets, and accumulated depreciation.
- Managed reconciliations for payables, sales tax payable, customer deposits, and accrued expenses (including payroll, property taxes, and vacation accruals).
- Assisted in property management by processing tenant invoices, preparing monthly rent rolls, and generating tenant account statements from lease agreements.