Building Hawaii's Next Generation of Designers

Aug 14, 2026

A local feature on a mother-daughter interior design team and the push to grow Hawaii's construction workforce — upbeat and community-focused.

  • Hinano Interiors, a licensed interior design firm founded in 2007, is training up the next generation, with founder Hinano Nahinu mentoring her daughter Lily.
  • The firm is bringing a pre-apprenticeship construction training program to Hilo for the first time, partnering with local groups like HPM.
  • The pitch: construction offers well-paid careers that let local families stay in Hawaii and become homeowners instead of renters.
  • Construction is framed as a stable backbone for Hawaii's economy — it kept going through COVID while tourism wobbled.
  • Hawaii ranks number two in the country for women working in construction, and outreach programs are pushing that further in schools.

Outlook: Expect more local training and apprenticeship efforts aimed at building a homegrown construction workforce and easing the housing squeeze.

← Latest · Archive