We had the good fortune of connecting with Norma and Gaston Galella and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Norma and Gaston, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Since Gaston and I met we knew we could accomplish great things together. We both had big dreams and our skillsets complimented each other from the very beginning. We were a great team! Fast forward to a couple of years ago, when we decided it was time to join forces, the real question was. What is stopping us to venture into something together?

We had each been honing our individual professional careers for quite some time and we felt the stars were finally aligning. Gaston had gone from skillful carpenter, to successfully running his own millwork installation company, to obtaining his construction management degree and GC license. Meanwhile, I had mastered my career in Interior design as a licensed professional in some of the most prestigious global design firms.

Most importantly, we saw a need, homeowners were struggling with their home projects by having to manage the process and all the people involved to make it happen. So, we realized there was an opportunity to provide a much better experience. We studied the market and found there weren’t many companies offering a fully integrated turnkey service from beginning to end. So Duoma Atelier was born, out of a market need and the inevitable destiny for us to work together to service our clients the best way we could, by providing bespoke design and peace of mind.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Duoma is a multidisciplinary design and construction studio providing peace of mind and convenience with our concierge-level service and turnkey solutions. Even though we have only been fully operational for a couple of years, we are proud we have built a strong presence and being recognized locally.

Community outreach is one of our brand pillars and we take pride in our involvement with non-profit organizations such as the Lotus House. This is at the core of Duoma, and we strongly believe that we can’t just design and build for our paying clients, we need to use our talents and skillsets to create impact.

We are constantly adapting and finding better ways to run our business, and we have a lot of ideas we want to execute. One of them is expanding our business to various branches. We want to expand the business to Millwork fabrication, Duoma Craft, and eventually to furniture and accessories commerce, Duoma Décor.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Miami is so full of life, and you would need more than a week to explore the city! but ok fine if you only had a week, we would recommend taking tour of the city to get a feel of the different neighborhoods and then come back to the ones you liked the most. There are double decker buses, and you could also do tours by boat at the Biscayne bay to see beautiful views of the Miami Skyline at sunset. After you do the touristy thing, go where the locals go for good food and entertainment. One of the most interesting neighborhoods with lots of activity and art are coconut grove and Wynwood. Do a walking culinary tour in Little Havana to experience the rich Cuban culture and while In Miami Beach, visit the Stubborn seed, truly one of the best atmosphere and food in Miami.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for all our family and friends’ encouragement. Big shoutout to our employees, specially to our amazing personal assistant, Chloe Swain, who has been with us from the beginning, wearing many hats. It truly takes a tribe, and as we are onboard new employees, we will always be grateful for their efforts and dedication to our vision.

Website: www.duomatelier.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/duomatelier/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/72252436

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/duomatelier/

Other: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/duoma-atelier-llc-pfvwus-pf~1924946702?

Image Credits
Jeanne Canto

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.