There is a reason so many people fall in love with the San Mateo Coastside and never look back. It is not just the surf breaks, the farm stands, or the fog rolling over the bluffs at golden hour. It is the feeling. Life here moves a little slower, the light comes in a little softer, and the ocean has a way of putting everything into perspective.
That same feeling, it turns out, can live inside your home too. Researchers who study wellbeing and the built environment have found that natural light, organic materials, uncluttered layouts, and views of the outdoors are consistently linked to lower stress and a greater sense of calm. In other words, a beautifully designed room is not just a treat for the eyes. It can genuinely support how you feel day to day.
That is exactly the work of the talented interior designers based right here on the Coastside. Each one brings their own eye, their own process, and their own take on what it means to build a home that feels good to be in. Whether you just closed on a fixer-upper with ocean views or you are simply dreaming about your next remodel, here are five local designers worth knowing.
*image above - design by Kate Handel
Based in Half Moon Bay, Kate Handel Design has built a reputation on thoughtful, detail-driven renovations, especially kitchens and bathrooms, the two rooms that tend to shape how a home actually feels to live in every day. Kate's approach blends architectural know-how with interior design sensibility, which means she is just as comfortable sketching construction plans as she is selecting the tile, hardware, and fixtures that pull a room together.
What sets Kate apart is her full-circle process. Clients are not just handed a mood board, they are guided from early concept and material selection all the way through construction, which keeps a renovation feeling cohesive from the studs out. For homeowners looking to reimagine the heart of their coastal home, this level of hands-on architectural and design expertise is a real asset.
“My work is more construction-oriented than decor-oriented. I have a passion for the renovation itself: architectural plans, installed materials, whole-house renovations and additions. I love to spend my time on space planning, figuring out how a room should actually function. There is nothing more satisfying than taking a dysfunctional space and turning it into something a family can really use.”
— Kate Handel, Kate Handel Design
Insider Tip: If you are staring down a kitchen or primary bath remodel, Kate's background in both design and architecture means fewer surprises once the walls come down.
Before founding Surfperch Interiors, Katy Jaeger worked in environmental nonprofits and biotech. That background shows up in how she works today. Katy feels a real responsibility to incorporate sustainable materials whenever possible, and she makes a point of collaborating with local artists and craftsmen to support small, ethical businesses. The result is interior design that feels fresh, bright, and easy, the kind of spaces that seem to invite the coastal light right in.
Katy is joined on the Surfperch team by designer Jennifer Islander, a talented interior designer as well. Her keen eye for color and design brings valuable insights to her work. Together, Katy and Jennifer bring a well-rounded mix of sustainability-minded planning and color expertise to every Coastside project, from a full kitchen remodel to an ADU to a brand new house.
Insider Tip: If sustainability and supporting local makers matters to you, Katy's environmental science background and her commitment to sourcing from local artists and craftsmen make Surfperch a natural fit.
Client Testimonial: "They were attentive and knowledgeable with every aspect of the remodel. Their kitchen design blew me away, and I am overjoyed with the result. So glad they were my design team!" - El Granada 2026
3. Avant Haus, with Domenica Taj
Domenica Taj creates deeply personal, architecture-led interiors rooted in place, materiality, and the way people actually live. Her studio, Avant Haus, is drawn to the clarity and ease of California modernism, light, proportion, honest materials, and a strong connection to place, then layers in history, art, craftsmanship, and the personality of the people who call the home theirs. The result is a style that pulls from California modernism and classical influences alike, brought together with collected objects into spaces that feel relaxed, personal, and enduring.
At its core, Avant Haus is focused on building homes that feel rooted and genuinely lived in. Domenica and her team favor natural materials and thoughtful architecture over anything trend-driven, creating spaces designed to support everyday rituals and grow more beautiful, and more personal, with time.
Insider Tip: Avant Haus and Domenica have been featured in Architectural Digest for their work. If you're drawn to a space that balances clean, modern lines with warmth and history, Domenica's architecture-first, materials-driven approach is one to explore.
4. Kristi Will Interior Design
Kristi Will has spent more than two decades creating what she calls spaces of extraordinary beauty, and her portfolio backs it up: over 100 private residences and vacation homes across California, Aspen, and Hawaii. A Half Moon Bay resident herself, Kristi brings a distinctly personal understanding of coastal living to every project, and her work has been featured in Elle Decor, Luxe Magazine, and California Home and Design, among others.
Kristi's guiding philosophy is that every project has two clients, the homeowner and the home itself. That mindset shows up in how closely her designs are tailored not just to a client's taste, but to a home's architecture and setting. Her team manages everything from concept development through turnkey installation, which is especially valuable for homeowners tackling a full-scale remodel who want one steady hand guiding the whole process.
Insider Tip: If your project involves a distinctive piece of architecture, whether that's a mid-century beach house or a custom build, Kristi's experience marrying design to a home's existing bones is worth a conversation.
5. Interiorstyle (Interior Style HMB)
Lisa, the designer behind Interiorstyle, brings an unusual and compelling mix to her work: degrees in Art History and English from UC Santa Barbara, plus a focus on color theory from her design studies at SBCC. Her 20 years in the field span interior design, architecture, and fine art, and it comes through in how she talks about her craft, describing every new space as an unwritten novel and every room as a chance to tell a story.
Interiorstyle is a full-service residential boutique, handling everything from color consultation and fine art curation to full renovations and new construction. Lisa's team includes Emma, a junior designer who was born and raised in Half Moon Bay and brings her own local, ocean-loving perspective to every project. Together they offer a design experience that is equal parts creative and deeply Coastside.
Insider Tip: Homeowners who want their space to feel like a genuine reflection of their story, not a showroom, will appreciate Lisa's narrative-driven approach.
Closing
Great design does more than photograph well. It shapes how you start your morning, how you unwind at the end of the day, and how at home you feel in your own home. On the Coastside, where so many of us moved specifically to slow down and breathe a little easier, that connection between beautiful spaces and genuine wellbeing feels especially true.
If you are searching for a home with the bones to match your vision, or you already found your slice of the coast and are ready to make it yours, our team at Ocean Element Real Estate would love to help you find the right property to bring these ideas to life.
