From Immigrant Mother to Award-Winning Designer
When I found out I had won the Best New Designer of Ontario 2025 award from the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), I froze. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe – not because I was overwhelmed, but because I couldn’t believe that after everything, I was standing in that moment.
The award is more than just a professional milestone. For me, it represents every late night, every sacrifice, every leap of faith that brought me here.
My journey didn’t begin in a design studio – it began in Brazil, where I was born and raised. In 2017, my husband and I moved to Canada with our baby daughter. Like many immigrants, we left behind family, friends, and comfort to build a future we could only imagine. It was a fresh start, filled with hope – but also uncertainty.
Shortly after arriving, I found a job in a company that, unfortunately, became a source of deep emotional trauma. The experience affected me both physically and mentally, and for a while, I felt lost – disconnected from who I was and unsure of where to go next. But sometimes, pain cracks something open, and through that space, something new can begin.
One day, I picked up a pencil and started sketching again. That moment reconnected me with a passion I had always carried but never pursued fully. My first studies were in Hotel Management, followed by Business and People Management. I enjoyed those paths, but I always had a creative side inside me – and deep down, I knew something was missing. It wasn’t until I immersed myself in design that I realized what that missing piece was.
I began learning 3D rendering through online videos and enrolled in a design course to develop my skills. Although the course was designed to last a year, I completed it in just three months – driven by urgency and the need to contribute financially while taking care of our daughter. It was intense, but the more I learned, the more I felt like I was coming back to life.
Soon, I started selling renderings to other designers and contractors. My first portfolio came from helping a friend redesign their home. That led to small projects, then larger ones, and eventually, my own clients. What started as a survival strategy slowly began shaping into a real career – something I could truly build upon and be proud of.
In 2021, I became pregnant with our second daughter and made a bold decision: I applied to the Bachelor of Interior Design program at Yorkville University. I knew it would be hard – I was already working full-time and managing design projects. Balancing that with school and raising two young children felt impossible at times. I had days where I questioned everything, wondering if I had taken on too much. But I also knew that if I didn’t take this step, I would always wonder what might have been.
Yorkville made it possible. The flexibility of the program allowed me to study around my schedule, and the support from faculty gave me the encouragement I didn’t even realize I needed. It wasn’t just about learning AutoCAD or lighting principles – it was about learning how to believe in myself again.
The university created a safe space where I could grow, be challenged, and develop my design identity. I found myself experimenting, refining, and stepping out of my comfort zone. I was finally doing what I loved – and even though the path was demanding, it was also deeply rewarding. Each course offered new perspectives, and each assignment helped me define my aesthetic and purpose.
This year, I was also invited to be a main stage speaker at the National Home Show – another surreal moment that reminded me how far I’ve come. Standing in front of that audience, I felt empowered. It was proof that everything I had pushed through mattered.
Winning the NKBA award was more than just a recognition of a project – it was a recognition of my journey. It represented the nights I stayed up finishing assignments after the kids were asleep, the weekends spent on site visits with a baby on my hip, and the countless times I chose to keep going, even when it felt easier to stop.
To current and future Yorkville students, especially those who are also parents, immigrants, or juggling multiple responsibilities: don’t give up. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it. Your background, your challenges, your experiences – they all make your work unique. The road may not look like everyone else’s, but that’s exactly what makes your story powerful.
Today, I run my own design firm specializing in luxury residential interiors. I get to transform homes and witness how design can improve lives. Each space we create tells a story – and often, it becomes a reflection of the people who live in it. That’s what I love most about design: it’s never just about aesthetics. It’s about function, emotion, and connection.
But no matter how far I go, I’ll always carry those early days with me – the sacrifices, the doubt, the dreams whispered late at night when the house was quiet. They remind me of where I came from, and they keep me grounded in gratitude.
Yorkville played a huge part in my story. It gave me the tools, structure, and confidence to turn a spark into something real. It believed in me when I was still learning to believe in myself. I’m proud to be a Yorkville graduate and grateful for the role the school played in helping me find my voice – not just as a designer, but as a woman, a mother, and a leader.
This award is not the end – it’s just the beginning.
