To most it would seem daunting, but for Midori Karasawa, leaving behind a decades long career in product marketing at Nike to pursue interior design just seemed right.

Following some time away raising her daughter, the Tokyo native and long time Portland resident founded her firm Style Guide ID toward the end of 2017.

“People tend to be intimidated by starting something brand new at a certain age,” she says. “But if you have a passion, and can align it with what you do for a living, I believe that’s a recipe for success.”

Her style creates beautiful juxtapositions, evoking nature and provoking emotion with dramatic, eye-catching elements. Says Karasawa, “Being born and raised in Japan, clean lines and sophisticated, minimalistic aesthetics are sort of in my DNA. Nobody taught me that.”

It doesn’t take long to see that she’s a natural, and she’s just getting started. While focusing on high-end residential projects, Karasawa is also looking to establish consistent commercial opportunities after a successful remodel of Old Town nightclub Fortune.

Strengthening the bond between Japan and Portland is an important aspect of her work, and she hopes to collaborate with likeminded brands and businesses to express her creativity and dual culture.