Your built environment shapes emotions, behavior, and business success. We design spaces that enhance human experience, elevate brands, and make customers want to stay longer and buy more.








Avoid Costly Mistakes! Our expert team ensures your space is both functional and visually stunning.
Dark, cluttered, and uninspiring.
Bright, airy, and beautifully branded – a customer magnet!
Lacks distinct branding, style, and personality
Memorable with unique and vibrant personality store. An engaging and immersive experience for customers.
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Mindful Design Consulting has been an incredible partner in helping me launch my business! As a new business owner, I felt overwhelmed by the process of designing my space, but their team made everything so much easier. They took the time to understand my vision and needs, creating a design that is not only visually stunning but also perfectly functional for my business. Their expertise and creativity truly brought my vision to life in a way I couldn’t have imagined.
What sets them apart is their unwavering commitment to client satisfaction. Even after the project was completed, they continue to patiently answer my questions and provide invaluable advice. Their dedication, creativity, and professionalism have made all the difference in my business journey. If you’re looking for a design team that goes above and beyond, Mindful Design Consulting is the one to choose!
Mindful Design Consulting helped with branding and design of my bubble tea venture. Katerina was a pleasure to work with, her work was beyond my expectations. Residing in Canada, I was hesitant to work with a company from another country and to my surprise, Mindful Design had more knowledge of high-level branding and design than any company in Canada.
Katerina worked with my local architect to prevent any potential issues with the building department and was very responsive to any questions from our architects and engineers.
The entire process was highly enjoyable. Despite numerous minor revision requests, Katerina facilitated changes or provided explanations for keeping her proposed designs. She has a wealth of knowledge on what works and what doesn’t.
Mindful Design has helped me design two stores now, and I am extremely happy with both designs! I reached out knowing absolutely nothing about what it takes to design and open a new store and worked with Katerina who guided me every step of the way.
For anyone new to business, this is unbelievably helpful as the process can be extremely overwhelming. She helped me think through space layout, finishes, equipment, graphics, and so much more. The best part about working with Mindful is when the design process is finished, your plan set is thorough and CODE COMPLIANT!
When my wife and I decided to start our own frozen yogurt store, we didn’t know what to expect. After contacting Mindful Design, that all changed. We asked them to create a brand and image from the ground up, and they went above and beyond anything we could have asked for. Our frozen yogurt store design and brand exceeded anything we could have hoped for. Every step of the way we were well informed and all of our questions we answered very quickly. The end result is amazing. They took our very vague idea and turned it into a highly polished product that rivals many franchises. We especially like the bright colors and our logo design. After they handed off our finished design, we have had a few questions along the way. Mindful Design has been very attentive to our needs even at this stage of the deal. Highly impressed. If anyone out there is in need of theses services, we would absolutely recommend Mindful Design.
Mindful Design helped us design our Frozen Yogurt Store – Sprinkles On Top, located in Elk Grove, CA. When I first contacted them, all I knew was that I wanted to somehow build this store for my kids. I did not knew anything else, I had no logo, no name, maybe a few colors in mind and the vibe we wanted to create. They just took that thought and helped me create my vision into an actual store. They were always there for me, often going above & beyond to help meet my deadlines. Katerina has exceeded all my expectations and worked very hard to get all my projects completed. The best thing about Katerina is that she is very easy going, often a phone call or an email away. She will stay on top of the To-Do list, and even remind you for the work I should be completing. It just shows her dedication to the project. Therefore, if there is anyone out there who is unaware or unsure on where to start in your store designing needs, Katerina is your go to person.
P.S. – Highly recommend getting the 3-D model of your store build. It comes in super handy!!!
Mindful Design Consulting transformed an outdated building in Los Angeles into La Michoacana—a vibrant, joy-filled Mexican dessert shop bursting with bold colors, playful patterns, and a fresh brand identity that perfectly reflects the flavor and energy of its paletas, bolis, and sweet treats.
Bobaroma is a bold, youth-driven boba tea shop designed by Mindful Design Consulting to capture the energy of drink-first culture through immersive branding, striking wall graphics, and a social-media-ready interior that turns every visit into a memorable experience.
Mango Bliss Dessert Bar, designed by Mindful Design Consulting, brings a vibrant and playful atmosphere with a colorful, curved, and neon-lit interior that mirrors the indulgent joy of its menu—creating a sweet, modern space where every design detail celebrates the concept of “bliss in every bite.”
While launching a business is an exciting journey, it’s also one that demands patience, realism, and a solid understanding of the process. From negotiating leases and creating a concept to designing, drawing plans, obtaining permits, building, and marketing, there’s a lot to navigate — especially if you’ve never done it before. Once you hire an interior designer or architect, you’ll typically go through four key phases: 1. Schematic design (1–3 weeks of layout and concept development), 2. Design development (week 4-5, where materials and finishes are finalized), 3. Construction documents (starting week 6, with detailed drawings prepared for permit submittal), and finally 4. The Permitting phase (1-4 months or longer depending on your city). Restaurants often require additional coordination with the Health Department and input from professionals (mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineers, commercial kitchen designer, and sometimes a structural engineer). Submitting permits can be tedious and may require time in line or hiring an expediter. All in, expect the design to take about 2-3 months and permitting stage to take about 2 to 6 months, before you can begin construction. Remember, delays are common, and managing expectations is key — but with the right team and mindset, the payoff is worth the wait.
Why do I need good branding for my restaurant or a store? I already put something together myself… Sounds familiar?
For many budget-conscious new restaurant or store owners, branding might seem like an optional expense — a finishing touch rather than a foundational element. But in reality, branding isn’t just a decorative layer; it’s essential to your business’s success. A strong brand communicates who you are, what you stand for, and why customers should remember you. It builds trust, sets expectations, and gives your business a cohesive, professional presence. From your logo and marketing materials to your brand colors, style, and exterior signage, every design choice shapes how the public perceives your business. A well-designed logo tells your story in one glance and should be consistently used across all platforms — from menus and business cards to signage and uniforms. Choosing colors strategically creates emotional connections, while defining a clear brand personality ensures your business resonates with your target audience. Even your storefront signage plays a vital role in attracting foot traffic and projecting quality. Neglecting branding sends the wrong message, but investing in it from the beginning sets the stage for long-term success. To get started, every new business should have a professionally designed logo (with variations), brand-specific fonts and Pantone colors, business cards, signage, a website, loyalty cards, and both interior and exterior graphics. These elements aren’t extras — they’re your business’s visual identity, and they help turn first-time customers into loyal fans.
In today’s competitive business landscape, success depends on more than great products or excellent service—it hinges on how a business presents itself, and that’s where branding, especially interior branding, becomes vital. Known as “branding by interior,” this concept uses interior design to shape customer perception and trigger emotional responses that influence behavior, loyalty, and sales. Major companies like Apple, Google, and Chanel understand that their physical environments are part of their brand, and smaller businesses must also recognize the power of a well-branded space. In her e-book Branding by Interior, Katerina Kohlwes of Mindful Design Consulting emphasizes that outdated interiors can repel even loyal clients, while thoughtful design—often achievable without a full renovation—can refresh and redefine a brand. Effective interior branding considers style, theme, color psychology, material choice, sound, lighting, and layout, all tailored to the target audience and business goals. Trends should be adopted wisely, blending modern appeal with timeless strategy. Companies like McDonald’s and Dunkin’ have reinvented themselves through design updates that reflect evolving customer expectations, proving that even iconic brands must stay visually relevant. Mindful Design Consulting has led hundreds of such transformations, helping businesses—from restaurants to dessert shops—turn bland, outdated interiors into engaging, memorable environments, supported by cohesive logos, signage, and marketing materials that tell a consistent brand story.
When entering the world of business ownership, you generally face two paths: buying into an established franchise or building your own brand from the ground up—each with its own pros and cons. Franchises like Pinkberry or Cookie Cutters offer a ready-made business model with proven success, support, and faster startup times, making them attractive for those who prioritize speed, structure, and lower risk. However, they come with restrictions—limited creative freedom, corporate-mandated decisions, required product sources, and ongoing fees that cut into your profits. In contrast, launching your own brand, like Bobaroma or Olala Crêpes, offers full creative control, ownership of all profits, and the opportunity to scale and evolve on your own terms. You design your space, choose your offerings, adapt to market trends, and truly craft a business that reflects your vision. But this freedom comes with greater responsibility: higher risk, more upfront effort, no built-in customer base, and the need to build systems, branding, and support from scratch. Ultimately, the best path depends on how much control you want, how much risk you’re willing to take, and what kind of legacy you’re hoping to build.
In today’s fast-paced restaurant and retail world, staying current is essential to staying competitive, as shifting tastes, generational preferences, and nearby trends constantly challenge your business’s relevance. While a full rebrand every time you feel outdated isn’t practical, refreshing your brand every five years is a smart way to maintain appeal and stay connected to your customers. This becomes especially critical when your business model evolves, you’re targeting a new audience, or your once-unique brand no longer excites. A tired logo, uninspired interior, or outdated color palette can subtly signal decline, making a brand refresh not just aesthetic but strategic. Updating key elements—like your logo, which should reflect modern design sensibilities and simplicity, your branding graphics, which help define your visual identity, and your signage, which draws in customers from the street—can have a major impact. Even small changes such as a new wall color or updated seating can transform your space without breaking the bank. Whether it’s a vibrant new logo for your dessert shop or eye-catching café signage, thoughtful updates to your environment make a lasting impression and reinforce your brand in a way that customers notice and remember.