--- title: "Studio AHEAD — Interior Designers & Decorators | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/studio-ahead-pfvwus-pf~1102453899 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~1102453899.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Studio AHEAD" category: ["Interior Designers & Decorators"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/ba1316740d8e9204_3143-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "Church Street, San Francisco, California 94114, United States" latitude: 37.7587 longitude: -122.433 phone: "(925) 886-3534" website: http://www.studioahead.com rating: 5 review_count: 10 best_of_houzz_awards: 3 followers: 10 last_updated: 2026-09-21 --- # Studio AHEAD > California's Innovative Interiors Designed For Your Lifestyle Original Houzz profile: [Studio AHEAD](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/studio-ahead-pfvwus-pf~1102453899) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Interior Designers & Decorators - **Location:** San Francisco, CA - **Serves:** San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Daly City, Napa, Alameda, Palo Alto, South San Francisco, San Bruno, Danville, Pacifica, Menlo Park, Los Altos, Millbrae, Tahoe, Albany, Mill Valley, Alamo, Emeryville, Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, Healdsburg, Hillsborough, Pebble Beach, Sonoma, Tiburon, Los Altos Hills, Kentfield, Sausalito, Atherton, Saint Helena, Woodside, Brisbane, Broadmoor, Portola Valley, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Marin City, Ross, Belvedere, Colma, Sea Ranch, Muir Beach, Belvedere Tiburon, Carmel - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (10 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 3 awards (2021–2025), for Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Houzz Pro Software User - Star Houzzer - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 1,000 Ideabook Saves - Best of Houzz winner - Locally owned - References available ### Business highlights - Best of Houzz winner - Locally owned - References available Studio AHEAD is a San Francisco-based art and design collective founded by Homan Rajai and Elena Dendiberia. From the office in the Mission District of SF, the Studio AHEAD’s team charts out a new Silk Road traversing the Eastern and Western sensibilities of their and their clients' cultural heritages. The studio’s borderless approach to design creates evocative spaces where contrasts have room to grow: raw and refined, foreign and familiar, a contemporary take on a Persian divan paired with a primitive Northern California wooden sculpture. The studio reflects modern-day local culture as a coming-together of diverse perspectives grounded in a deep artistic tradition. By listening to how clients conceive of ideas like “family” or “home,” AHEAD builds spatial narratives that tell each person’s unique story. The studio believes strongly in there being no universal idea of functionality that fits all cultures and people. What remains constant is AHEAD's appreciation of cultural traditions and craftsmanship. To further the dialog between local and global, Studio AHEAD launched its production arm in 2019. Collaborators have included regional artists and artisans. The studio’s line of wool felt furniture, sourced locally from Sonoma sheep, has received wide attention and praise. In 2020, Studio AHEAD began publishing California: A Journal, which highlights Northern California's vibrant history, as a way to give back to a community that continues to inspire. O U R S E R V I C E S I N C L U D E: Interior Design Custom Furniture Design Furniture Procurement Styling Art Direction Art Advisory ### Services Provided - Interior Design - Kitchen Design - Bathroom Design - Living Room Design - Bedroom Design - Color Consulting - Space Planning - Furniture Selection - Kids Bedroom Design - Dining Room Design - Custom Cabinets - Lighting Design - Custom Kitchen Cabinets - Home Office Design & Construction - Entry Design - Custom Built-ins - Floor Plans - Playroom Design - Project Management - Custom Bathroom Vanities - Custom Furniture - Laundry Room Design - Mudroom Design - Nursery Design - Custom Blinds & Shades - Custom Home Bars - Art Selection - Guesthouse Design & Construction - Closet Design - Outdoor Kitchen Design - 3D Rendering - Basement Design - Custom Bookcases - Custom Walk-in Closets - Custom Rugs - Custom Fireplace Mantels - Home Theater Design - Sustainable Design - Wine Cellar Design - Custom Shelving - Drafting - Custom Table - Handicap-Accessible Design - Green Building - Attic Conversion - Custom Beds - Custom Storage - Decluttering - Historic Building Conservation - Garage Design ### Areas Served - San Francisco - Oakland - Berkeley - Daly City - Napa - Alameda - Palo Alto - South San Francisco - San Bruno - Danville - Pacifica - Menlo Park - Los Altos - Millbrae - Tahoe - Albany - Mill Valley - Alamo - Emeryville - Tamalpais-Homestead Valley - Healdsburg - Hillsborough - Pebble Beach - Sonoma - Tiburon - Los Altos Hills - Kentfield - Sausalito - Atherton - Saint Helena - Woodside - Brisbane - Broadmoor - Portola Valley - Carmel-by-the-Sea - Marin City - Ross - Belvedere - Colma - Sea Ranch - Muir Beach - Belvedere Tiburon - Carmel ### Typical Job Cost $20,000 - 5 million ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Studio AHEAD | | Address | Church Street, San Francisco, California 94114, United States | | Phone | (925) 886-3534 | | Website | http://www.studioahead.com | | License Number | 201710710584 | | Followers on Houzz | 10 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/studioaheadsf/ - LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/studio-ahead-aba300192/ - Blog — www.studioahead.com ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Studio AHEAD](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/studio-ahead-pfvwus-pf~1102453899) - **Website:** http://www.studioahead.com - **Phone:** (925) 886-3534 ## Credentials - **Best of Houzz:** 3 awards (2021–2025), for Service. ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 10 reviews** *Aspect averages:* - Work Quality: 50.0 - Communication: 50.0 - Value: 50.0 ### Featured Review **★★★★★ — Jessica S., April 2020** > Would hire this team again in a heartbeat! > > SUPER professional, great communicators, and fun to work with. Homan has a great eye, and Elena is thoughtful and creative and the team is trustworthy and are great listeners. I am very picky, and have not worked with any Interior Designers despite having owned 3 homes in Marin, so was nervous at first. They can create a gorgeous oasis yet still be practical. My bathroom thanks you! **Comment from Studio AHEAD:** > Jessica we love working with you. Thank you for being such a great client and partner in design. The ideas you brought to the table were special as well. ### All 10 reviews **★★★★★ — djfbumper, Jan. 2024** > We worked with Studio Ahead on a complete refresh of our Berkeley Brown Shingle House and highly recommend them!! Elena and Homan really took the time to get to us, as clients and people before making any recommendations. They have a wonderful process to discern their clients style that my husband and I both greatly enjoyed (much to my husband's surprise) and really helped to inform the design process and mitigate any differences in style that were likely to arise later. Elena and Homan are wonderful people and have exquisite taste but what really distinguishes them, I believe, is their commitment to creating a functional space that truly reflects their clients' style and needs, along with an abiding love for handcrafted, artisan work. Our house now truly reflects us, but so much better. We had high expectations going into this project and Studio Ahead only exceeded them. **★★★★★ — With Others Wine Bar, Jan. 2024** > I partnered with Studio Ahead for the design of my Brooklyn wine bar, and the experience was exceptional. Their fresh and innovative concepts seamlessly integrated with my ideas and brand ethos. The collaboration was smooth, with meticulous attention to detail. I appreciate how they are keen to work with local and independent artists, making everything more personal and custom. They were comprehensive and played a critical role in my branding too. They completely exceeded my expectations, delivering a design aesthetic that truly reflects their creativity and commitment to excellence in interior design. I highly recommend Studio Ahead for their outstanding work and collaborative approach. **★★★★★ — Maissa, Aug. 2022** > I first reached out to Homan because we needed a custom vanity for our bathroom remodel. I was so thrilled with the vanity that 1.5 years later they have designed or are currently designing nearly every room in our house. Talk about project creep :) but it’s been great because Studio AHEAD is made up of not only incredibly talented designers—Homan and Elena are beyond talented—but also the kindest most responsive professionals who make design fun. > > Studio AHEAD’s style leads to interiors that are functional, inviting, and show stopping all at once. > > After finishing our bathroom, we asked Studio AHEAD to design our primary bedroom. Our primary bedroom is a converted attic with a weird floor plan vaulted ceiling—that is beautiful but makes the room feel cavernous—several random-seeming nooks and no clear place to put a bed. When describing what I wanted the space to feel like, I told Studio AHEAD I wanted it to be cozy, like a weekend morning where you get to wake up without an alarm and linger in bed knowing you have no plans. They delivered. > > First they picked a soft sage color for the room, making it feel warm instead of cavernous. Then they built a shelf for book storage (important for us as we have lots of books) behind the only reasonable place to put a bed, bumping the bed forward so we could fit a king bed and 2 side tables. The headboard they designed, well words don’t do it justice, I’ll just let you look at the photos they posted (see the photos from the pac heights II project). It’s so cozy and I e never seen anything like it. A reading nook with shearling chairs and desk space finish the room making it a space I never want to leave. > > The whole process was fun from start to finish (and we aren’t done yet—my husband’s office is in the works and Studio AHEAD is also designing our living room) and ran seamlessly. Would hire this team again and again and again. **★★★★★ — mitra mahdavi, Sept. 2020** > I had always been proud of my own sense of decoration and my past experiences with dabbling into hiring a designer had been more frustrating than inspirational. Luckily my hesitation did not block me from asking Homan to take a look at our newly remodeled home while it was in progress. The suggestions Homan gave us were simple but brilliant! It took our home from a "nice design" to extraordinary warmth, comfort, and elegance. Homan taught us appreciation for antiques,recycled pieces, natural materials, and using arisians instead of mass produced furniture. This opened my eyes to a world of options and felt good to be a consious consumer. Integrating recycled/antique pieces into our design gave our home a feeling of love and respect for history and the labor of love that created the pieces. Everyone who enters our house comments on how beautiful and harmoniously everything flows. > Homan also helped us with our vacation home in Mexico which gets a lot of "wow"s upon entry! > We love both home designs and highly recommend this team. > Thank you Homan for your brilliance,unique approach to design, and encouragement to use artisans pieces. **Comment from Studio AHEAD:** > Thank you Mitra! It was a pleasure working on both! And it's nice to see how the homes have progressed. The gardens are beautiful! **★★★★★ — Farber Art Services, April 2020** > The designs from Studio AHEAD inspire quiet and calm relaxation plus bold designs that, at the same time, awaken the senses. Homan Rajai is a true professional. His quiet direction is smart and essential to getting the job that fulfills the need his clients's needs while avoiding the pitfalls of larger installation projects. His view is unique and his aesthetic is sublime. I know you will like what Studio AHEAD has to offer. **Comment from Studio AHEAD:** > Thank you Berley! We appreciate everything you do for Studio Ahead. We've brought you guys some difficult art installations and your team always executes it flawlessly. Thank you for being such an amazing support. We love working with the team! **★★★★★ — Bimma Loft, April 2020** > Upcoming designer dual in San Francisco. > I got the pleasure working with Studio Ahead on my last couple projects. Elena & Horman, both are proving with their fresh, energetic, and unique vision: are redefining San Francisco designer trend. **Comment from Studio AHEAD:** > Thank you Pierre! We love working with you. You help make the rooms we design for our clients come to life by the furniture you customize for us. **★★★★★ — Benjamin Wright, April 2020** > We moved into our new place and felt slightly overwhelmed about how to design our home. We were trying to figure it out on our own and we ended up going a very generic, sterile route. It didn't feel right. We then started to work with the Studio Ahead team after they were referred to us by some friends who had a wonderful experience. > > Studio Ahead made the process of designing our home a completely different experience. They got to know both of our personalities and then created proposals that reflected who we are, resulting in a really comfortable design and design process. The entire effort went from daunting to enjoyable and a beautiful memory to start our home together. We also got to know each other better in the process! **Comment from Studio AHEAD:** > Thank you Ben! We hope you guys are enjoying the new space and building memories. Also, glad we got it done before the quarantine! **★★★★★ — Maria Grineva, April 2020** > We asked Studio Ahead to elevate our Master Suite with new furniture and window treatments. Our bedroom has a tricky contemporary architecture, off-center placed large window and two-story high ceilings. Studio Ahead came up with a concept to drape one of the entire walls in sheer drapery and block one of the windows that looked out to the street (only the light came through the sheer). > > The drapery concept was the key! It helped with the entire furniture arrangement as it covered the off-center placed window on the headboard wall and let us place the bed symmetrically without being distracted by an asymmetrically placed window. > > It also opened up more organically a space for a nicely appointed living room in our master bedroom. We knew the room was cool when we bought the house, but now the furniture makes sense in ways we hadn't thought and it accentuates the architecture and views we love. **Comment from Studio AHEAD:** > Maria it was great working with you. We are happy we were able to make that room what you wanted it to be. It turned out amazing! **★★★★★ — minoo ayat, April 2020** > We worked with Studio Ahead to select furnishing, drapery, art and light fixtures for our new home in Marin County. They came up with furniture floor plans and ways of using pieces that made our home have the designer feel we wanted, yet still felt very specific to who my husband and I are. > > On top of it we have worked with other interior designers before on previous homes and I have to say the process with Studio Ahead was very smooth. They are on top of purchasing, budgets and timelines which we appreciated after having some poor experiences in the past. > > Thank you Studio Ahead team! Looking forward to working together on the house in Tahoe. **Comment from Studio AHEAD:** > Thank you Minoo! It is a pleasure working with Osh and you. We look forward to the Tahoe home as well! ## Selected projects - [The World Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/the-world-residence-pj-vj~7812868) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 16 - Description: After several years having a lakeside vacation home in Tahoe, our client needed a change. She loved her current getaway and living next to the water, but she wanted to travel, to move around but be in place. She wanted the World. The World is “the largest private residential yacht on Earth.” It continuously moves, only docking for three to four days at a time. Suites are no larger than 3000 square feet and have a set number of windows. We rebelled against the white-on-white or nautical theme one… - [Pacific Heights Residence II](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/pacific-heights-residence-ii-pj-vj~7003462) - Location: San Francisco, CA - Photos: 9 - [Berkeley Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/berkeley-residence-pj-vj~7491577) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 23 - Description: Repurposing antique rugs and objets d’art to bring to life unused rooms and to showcase a life of travel for one couple with plenty of stories to share. Two empty nesters in their mid-60s had accumulated an impressive and meaningful collection of art from their extensive travels, but over the years the front part of their home—a carpenter style built in 1914—had become storage units for their kids’ things, and then disused once the children moved out. It was time to revivify these spaces and mak… - [Noe Valley Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/noe-valley-residence-pj-vj~6710154) - Location: San Francisco, CA - Photos: 16 - Description: Architectural Digest: “The home is a contemporary three level residence perched on top of one of San Francisco’s prominent hills in Noe Valley, with large picture windows on both the east and west facades,” says Homan, who describes one of the views overlooking the backyard—enclosed by towering bamboo plants—reminiscent of the Damyang Bamboo Forest in South Korea. “When thinking about this, it was very symbolic of our client herself. She had grown up in South Korea where her roots and legacy com… - [Dolores Heights Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/dolores-heights-residence-pj-vj~7003429) - Location: San Francisco, CA - Photos: 10 - Description: Our client, multicultural newlyweds who recently moved to Dolores Heights neighborhood, wanted to modernize their Edwardian dream home while respecting its history. They requested the space be opened up to accommodate vibrant dinner parties and big family gatherings. We wanted to avoid the homogenous, “white-box” feel of many remodeled homes. By strategically knocking down sections of the wall, we kept the integrity of the Edwardian floor plan while opening the space enough to let hosts and gues… - [Ross Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/ross-residence-pj-vj~6436030) - Location: San Francisco, CA - Photos: 4 - [Nob Hill Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/nob-hill-residence-pj-vj~5886328) - Location: San Francisco, CA - Photos: 4 - [Pacific Heights Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/pacific-heights-residence-pj-vj~5886332) - Location: San Francisco, CA - Photos: 5 - Description: Services provided for Pacific Heights Residence: - Full remodel of all Bathrooms - Selection and procurement of furniture, art and light fixtures - Selection and management of drapery and installation - [Cow Hollow Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/cow-hollow-residence-pj-vj~7557847) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 3 - [Hillsborough Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/hillsborough-residence-pj-vj~7432734) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 20 - [Nob Hill Residence II](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/nob-hill-residence-ii-pj-vj~7314776) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 17 - [Project Space - Lower Haight](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/project-space-lower-haight-pj-vj~7003521) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 10 [See all 12 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/studio-ahead-pfvwus-pf~1102453899) ## Video - [Company video](https://player.vimeo.com/external/1191613143.m3u8?s=c7bcdd0ff041899de180c0ab6f1b1b4a1eb694d1&oauth2_token_id=1384357804) ## Frequently Asked Questions **What types of interior design projects do you specialize in (full-home, single room, remodel support)?** We specialize in thoughtful residential, commercial, and cultural interior design projects. Our expertise covers full-home transformations, specific rooms like bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and living areas, as well as hospitality and cultural spaces. We aim to tell each client's unique story through design. **Do you specialize in specific design styles?** We don't adhere to universal design styles. Our approach is 'borderless,' blending Eastern and Western sensibilities, and rooted in Northern California's artistic legacy. We create evocative spaces that reflect your unique cultural heritage and story, appreciating tradition and craftsmanship in every detail. **Do you work with contractors and architects during renovations?** Yes, we actively collaborate with contractors and architects throughout the renovation process. Our project management services ensure seamless coordination with all trades, from initial concept to final installation, to bring your vision to life efficiently and effectively. **Do you manage the project through installation and styling?** Yes, we provide comprehensive project management from concept through installation and styling. Our team oversees every detail, ensuring a smooth process and a beautifully curated space that is ready for you to enjoy. **Do you work on luxury or high-end homes?** Yes, we frequently work on luxury and high-end homes, including penthouses and large residences. Our portfolio includes projects like the Nob Hill Penthouse and The World Residence, where we create refined, evocative spaces tailored to discerning clients. *FAQ content may be generated based on the Pro's Houzz profile and website.* --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-21.*