MANA
SYSTEMS
Mana Systems is a collection of tools, resources, and advisory services created to support interior designers throughout their practice. From documentation templates and design consultations to ongoing studio support, each offering is designed to help you work with greater clarity, efficiency, and confidence.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
DRAFTING DOCUMENTATION
Do your drawings look a little different every project? Over time, have they become a collection of details, symbols, and graphics rather than one consistent system?
Or maybe your plans are technically correct, but they don't quite reflect the same level of thought and care as the spaces you're designing.
I felt that way for years.
I wanted a documentation system that felt intentional from the very first sheet to the last, but building one always took a back seat to client work. There was always another deadline, another revision, another project.
So eventually, I stopped waiting and built it.
PLAN / 01 is the documentation system I developed after years of refining my own workflow. It gives you a consistent and aesthetically-pleasing foundation for your drawings, so you spend less time rebuilding standards and more time designing.
Over time, that consistency means less rework, more billable hours, and a studio that's simply easier to run. Instead of reinventing your documentation every project, you can focus on the work that actually benefits from your creativity.
If your documentation no longer reflects the quality of the spaces you're designing, or you're tired of starting over every project, take a look at PLAN / 01.
Looking to supplement PLAN / 01 with an expanded Kitchen and Bathroom Collection? We just launched a new documentation system that encompasses both, for designers who design kitchens and bathrooms on a regular basis.
Not quite ready to make the investment? Start with the free PLAN / 00 template and experience the system before moving to the complete documentation set.
Design can feel like lonely work.
You're up late, staring at the same project for hours.
You've compared furniture, fixtures, finishes, and layouts more times than you can count. Yet you're still asking yourself:
Is this the best approach?
What haven't I considered?
Am I overlooking a better solution?
Sometimes it isn't a lack of skill.
It's a lack of confidence.
You keep searching for one more option. One more opinion. One more sign that you're making the right decision.
You don't need more inspiration.
You need another experienced designer.
Someone to help you evaluate the options, refine the design, help see what you're missing, and make decisions with confidence.
And design isn't the only thing on your mind. You're running a business, too.
How do I handle this client conversation?
Should I even be worrying about this right now?
What should my next steps be?
If these are the questions you're asking, Design Dialogue is for you.
A focused one-on-one session for personalized design and business strategy—so you can stop second-guessing and get back to designing.
"My value become clearer. The biggest shift wasn't my pricing. It was finally understanding what made working with me different from everyone else."
Zilia Zhou, Chanova Design
EXTRA HELP FOR MY STUDIO
Sometimes you don't need another employee.
You just need another designer.
An experienced designer who joins your studio exactly when you need another senior set of hands. An all-in-one partner so you don't have to hire multiple junior designers.
Projects overlap. Deadlines creep closer. Your team's already at capacity, but hiring another employee doesn't make sense.
That's where I come in.
For a few weeks or a few months, I become an extension of your studio, contributing wherever I'm needed most—all remotely.
Three ways we can work together:
1 | Ongoing Design Partner
The simplest way to work together.
I step into your existing workflow and help move projects forward using the systems your studio already has in place.
That might mean concept development, space planning, AutoCAD documentation, SketchUp modeling, rendering, detailing, presentation work, or simply another experienced set of eyes before drawings go out.
Most studios work with me on a monthly retainer, giving them consistent senior-level support without hiring another employee.
Monthly retainers start at $3,000.
"Calvin repeatedly brought a fresh perspective to a tangled web of design elements. He presented his perspectives gently and in a way that doesn't alienate others. But I could always rely on him to have an opinion, and our team regularly relies on him to help clear the air amidst a torrent of ideas."
Jonathan Taylor, Taylor + Taylor
"It has been such a pleasure working with Mana Studios on technical drawings and renderings. They are incredibly efficient, detail-oriented, and always deliver on time. Their responsiveness and excellent communication have made our collaboration seamless. Calvin has been an invaluable part of our team for several years, and I couldn’t recommend him more highly."
Erick Garcia, Maison Trouvaille
2 | Workflow Audit
Sometimes the work isn't the problem.
The system is.
Over a series of sessions, we'll look at how your studio actually works: from documentation standards and file organization to communication, quality control, AI, and day-to-day processes.
I'll talk with your team, identify friction points, and recommend practical improvements that make future projects smoother and more consistent.
3 | Custom Studio Assets
Some studios already have a system.
Others are still building one.
If you're starting from scratch, or your current standards have grown organically over the years, we can create a foundation that's built specifically for your studio.
That might include CAD templates, drawing standards, title blocks, symbol libraries, detail libraries, rendering assets, documentation systems, AI workflows, or anything else your team relies on every day.
Instead of adapting someone else's system, we'll build one that fits the way your studio works.
How we work
Everything is done remotely.
Rather than booking a fixed number of hours each week, we work around your priorities and project deadlines.
At the beginning of an engagement, we'll establish what's most important. From there, you send work as it comes up, and I'll communicate realistic timelines so expectations are always clear.
Some weeks are busier than others.
The goal isn't to fill hours.
It's to keep your projects moving forward.
Let's talk
If your studio could use another experienced designer, or you're ready to build a stronger foundation for the one you already have, I'd love to hear what you're working on.
Tell me a little about your studio, where you're feeling stretched, or what's no longer working. If it feels like a good fit, we'll figure out the best way to work together.
LET'S MAKE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL.
Get in touch at calvin@manastudios.co