--- title: "Coombs Design — Interior Designers & Decorators | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/coombs-design-pfvwus-pf~1291916129 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~1291916129.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Coombs Design" category: ["Interior Designers & Decorators"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/fb63cbdc0e594641_8187-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "San Francisco Bay Area, Alameda, California 94501, United States" latitude: 37.7706 longitude: -122.2648 phone: "(646) 247-2356" website: http://www.coombsdesign.com rating: 5 review_count: 18 best_of_houzz_awards: 4 followers: 232 last_updated: 2026-09-28 --- # Coombs Design Original Houzz profile: [Coombs Design](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/coombs-design-pfvwus-pf~1291916129) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Interior Designers & Decorators - **Location:** Alameda, CA - **Serves:** San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, San Leandro, Alameda, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Emeryville, Piedmont - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (18 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 4 awards (2015–2018), for Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Star Houzzer - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 1,000 Ideabook Saves - Best of Houzz winner - Woman owned - Published locally Coombs Design: Story-Driven Interior Design About Us Coombs Design is a full-service interior design firm dedicated to creating bespoke homes and businesses. Founded by an Emmy-nominated former film and television set designer, we approach interior design as storytelling—crafting spaces defined not just by their architecture, but by the people who live and work in them. Just like working in TV, our clients' lives provide the context and the script for our designs. Our Signature Style We do not force a singular, signature look on our clients. Instead, we uncover your unique personal style and elevate it using our team's expertise in: Color Theory: Curating beautiful, tailored color combinations. Pattern Mixing: Expertly blending textures and patterns for visual interest. Spatial Harmony: Optimizing layouts for beauty, utility, and comfort. Our Full-Service Design & Implementation Process We specialize in an end-to-end design experience tailored to how you live your life. Our process includes: Discovery & Strategy: We assess what your current space is doing well and what needs improvement, establishing clear priorities to effectively direct your budget. Design & Selection: We present specific, tailored recommendations for room layouts, finishes, furniture, and decorative items. Project Management: Once the design is approved, we handle all the shopping and manage the contractors and craftsmen on your behalf. Installation & Styling: We oversee the final installation and styling, delivering a fully realized space full of personality. ### Services Provided - Interior Design - Kitchen Design - Bathroom Design - Bedroom Design - Living Room Design - Color Consulting - Furniture Selection - Kids Bedroom Design - Dining Room Design - Entry Design - Playroom Design - Laundry Room Design - Nursery Design - Basement Design - Home Office Design ### Areas Served - San Francisco - Oakland - Berkeley - San Leandro - Alameda - Lafayette - Orinda - Moraga - Emeryville - Piedmont ### Typical Job Cost $25,000 - 250,000 $25,000 - 250,000 ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Coombs Design | | Address | San Francisco Bay Area, Alameda, California 94501, United States | | Phone | (646) 247-2356 | | Website | http://www.coombsdesign.com | | Followers on Houzz | 232 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — http://www.facebook.com/SarahCoombsDesign - X (Twitter) — https://twitter.com/coombsdesign - LinkedIn — http://www.linkedin.com/pub/sarah-coombs/30/b80/82b - Blog — http://pinterest.com/coombsdesign/ ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Coombs Design](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/coombs-design-pfvwus-pf~1291916129) - **Website:** http://www.coombsdesign.com - **Phone:** (646) 247-2356 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - 2011 Daytime Emmy Nominee, Today Show Art Department, Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design - Member, United Scenic Artists Local 829 - **Best of Houzz:** 4 awards (2015–2018), for Service. ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 18 reviews** ### Reviews **★★★★★ — Monica Devens, Dec. 2017** > I had never worked with a professional designer and was leery of someone telling me what to do rather than listening to what I wanted to do. But my fears were completely unnecessary! Sarah excels at listening, suggesting, and constantly revising her suggestions depending on the client's feedback. We are SO pleased with the way our house turned out! We enjoy it daily and I'm quite sure we would never have gotten to where we are without Sarah. We just don't have the kind of vision she has. **Comment from Coombs Design:** > Thanks so much for your lovely comment Monica! I so enjoyed working with you and Bruce to come up with a paint scheme for your house. You have a really beautiful place and I love your bold taste! I'm so glad you're both happy with the end result. **★★★★★ — Robin Pressman, Dec. 2017** > I've worked with a few designers over the years and Coombs Design is by far my favorite. Sarah worked with us at every step. She did a great job getting a sense of "our style" to make recommendations that we would love and was able to help us sort through what we really wanted in order to keep us on budget. She helped manage the process for us and brought in top notch professionals to implement the work. We love the changes to our house and can't wait to tackle some new projects in the future with Sarah's help again. **Comment from Coombs Design:** > Thanks so much Robin! I loved getting to know you and your family and working with you on your beautiful new home. I look forward to collaborating again in the future! **★★★★★ — Oakland Handyman, Dec. 2017** > Sarah helped me plan out the living and working spaces in a small bungalow house. She had a lot of unique creative ideas for making the small rooms feel bigger and her advice about paint colors, wall treatments and furniture arrangement was spot on. It was great to find an interior decorator who could help map out a small space and Sarah was extremely helpful in making my house feel like home :) **Comment from Coombs Design:** > Thanks so much Ben! It was really fun to work with you on your own place after collaborating on so many of my client projects together. I'm looking forward to working together again soon! **★★★★★ — User, May 2017** > I had never worked with an interior designer before but was hoping for help with a couple of rooms and made calls to a few other professionals before coming across Sarah’s profile. I was quoted some astronomical figures and was starting to figure that maybe it wasn’t in the cards for us. Luckily I found Sarah before I gave up and am so happy I did. Aside from being a great designer who isn’t going to charge you $70,000 per room, she’s easy to work with, friendly, and unbelievably responsive. Seriously, you wish everyone you worked with was Sarah! We love the rooms she helped us with and would not have been able to do it without her. **Comment from Coombs Design:** > Thank you so much for the absolutely lovely review Heather! I loved working with you and Duncan on your beautiful home. It was a total pleasure. Thanks again! **★★★★★ — Jason Tsang, Jan. 2017** > Sarah and her team is very professional and organized. They helped me from planning, design, purchasing, receiving to staging and implementation. There are more than 30 revisions from original plan and the outcome is amazing. They are always patient to listen to what we need. Everything is planned ahead and without exceeding budget. Most importantly, her design is awesome and fulfill what we were looking for. I am so pleased to have Sarah and her team to take on this project. I highly recommend them without reservation. Thanks Sarah and the team! **Comment from Coombs Design:** > Thanks so much Jason! We're so pleased with how the house turned out. It's one of our favorite so far, and I'm so glad you and your lovely family are happy with it. You were a pleasure to work with. All the best! **★★★★★ — Vinayak Nagpal, Sept. 2016** > We worked with Sarah to renovate our in-law apartment unit which we use to host visiting family/friends and Airbnb guests. This was the first time for us using an interior designer. Sarah was extremely professional, she was quick to grasp our needs and came up with a plan that made sense. I can whole heartedly say that it was totally worth it for us to use her services. The whole unit came together in wonderful way and within our budget. We felt like interactions with Sarah were efficient and at the right "level". We provided high level (mostly vague) inputs about what we wanted and she translated them into specific and pragmatic design choices that worked with our house and our budget. We would definitely work with Sarah again for our next home project. **Comment from Coombs Design:** > Thank you so much Vinayak! We so enjoyed working with you and Bhavna and are just thrilled at the transformation of the space. We hope the new look brings you lots of new business and happy guests! **★★★★★ — yhatton, June 2016** > Sarah Coombs Design is great. It was my first time working with Interior Design firm, and Sarah made the process really easy. She was very transparent about the process, her questions were clear, and our conversations were always efficient. My primary need was a plan for my kitchen remodel that was much needed but I didn't want to overcomplicate it. But, in addition to the kitchen I really wanted our whole home to have a cohesive feeling and good transitions and she was great at helping with specific design challenges (like two kids sharing a small room) as well as clarifying my overall design sensibility. She was great at the actual design, as well as the structure to the project, and recommended vendors, products and methods. I highly recommend Sarah. **Comment from Coombs Design:** > Thanks so much Yvette! I really enjoyed working with you and your family and can't wait to hear how the kitchen turns out. **★★★★★ — Sara Varni Bright, March 2016** > Sarah was awesome to work with. She picked up on my style and preferences quickly and came to me with options that fit my price range. > > She was also incredibly responsive and we were able to pull together a pretty big project quickly. > > We love our new living room and it's working well for all of the members of our family. **Comment from Coombs Design:** > Thanks so much Sara! It was a pleasure to work with you and your family. I'm so glad you're happy with your new rooms! **★★★★★ — lindsaymsnyder, Oct. 2015** > My husband and I hired Sarah Coombs Design to redesign our dining room and we are thrilled with the results. We moved into the house three years ago and had never made good use of the dining room. We had a formal dining set that wasn't practical for our young family and a general lack of storage space. The dining table had become a dumping ground for everyday things, instead of the gathering place for family meals and entertaining we wished it would be. The house has an open layout, with the dining room in the middle, so we wanted it to be inviting, tidy, and visually appealing. Sarah and her team did a great job of listening to our wish list, coming up with creative solutions to our problems, helping us define our aesthetic, and implementing a beautiful design. We couldn't be happier with the way it turned out. I would say Sarah has a special knack for designing a family friendly spaces on a budget -- and she and her team are a pleasure to work with! **★★★★★ — Page Tomblin, Aug. 2015** > We are very lucky to have Sarah in the East Bay. Her experience working in NYC is a rare find. She is professional but as a mother she is also practical when needed. She gently leads you in the right direction while understanding your style. But she also helps you make that bold choice when needed. You really can't go wrong with Sarah! **★★★★★ — amberbrose, March 2015** > I hired Sarah to design our family's laundry room. She is a delight to work with and is a real professional. She is conscious of the budget when offering ideas and takes the time to consider many different options for the space. Sarah is extremely knowledgeable about online and local vendors, allowing her client to access a variety of materials and products. She does an amazing job of helping her client to visualize the space and looks at details such as appropriate counter height, floor color and cabinet door/knob style. Sarah shows a true passion for her work which translates into a satisfying space. We love our new room! **★★★★★ — Lisa StClaire, Jan. 2015** > Sarah is a joy to work with and has everything you could want in a design consultant. She has a terrific eye and is flexible, patient and resourceful. She took the time to work with us to get a good sense of our wishes and lifestyle, and brought her own style and creativity to create a terrific space for our teenage daughter. She kept our project on track with gentle persistence, staying within budget and improvising as needed. She has the skills and talent to handle projects large and small, combining good big picture thinking with the critical attention to detail that is so important in good design. I highly recommend her! ## Selected projects - [Alameda Gold Coast Gracious Family Home](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/alameda-gold-coast-gracious-family-home-pj-vj~1631368) - Location: Alameda, CA - Photos: 16 - Description: \*\*\*Featured in Oakland Magazine, October 2016\*\*\* This space is home to a vibrant family, complete with three young kids and a dog. So it goes without saying that they needed fabrics and finishes that were both durable and easy to clean. They also wanted a space that combined their modern sensibilities with the gorgeous classical architecture already in place. We highlighted the magnificent built ins and mouldings by using soothing pastels on the walls. These shades of blue, green and gray also p… - [San Ramon Modern Rambler](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/san-ramon-modern-rambler-pj-vj~2141117) - Location: San Ramon, CA - Photos: 6 - Description: When we were first hired for this project, we were given one task: to bring the modern lines of this home to life. Decades of wallpaper and Italianate details were stripped to allow the contemporary architecture to breathe. Our client preferred a neutral palette, one that would be both restful and timeless, and he had a real affinity for the color gray. So we used that as an anchor for the house. The walls are painted in soothing gray tones, and we incorporated gray throughout the kitchen: on th… - [Sophisticated Rockridge Bungalow](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/sophisticated-rockridge-bungalow-pj-vj~2143485) - Location: Oakland, CA - Photos: 8 - [Masculine Berkeley Office](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/masculine-berkeley-office-pj-vj~1697406) - Location: Berkeley, CA - Photos: 5 - Description: When it came time to designing his office, our client had some specific requests. One: create a space that felt dignified and cozy. Two: make use of the fantastic view of the gardens below. And three: display the amazing paintings that had been in his family for years. One painting in particular--the abstract filled with greens, browns, blacks and a hint of orange--inspired the palette. We painted the walls (and mouldings and doors too) in a cool green with a hint of gray. This wrapped the room… - [Piedmont Open Plan Dining Room](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/piedmont-open-plan-dining-room-pj-vj~1376411) - Location: Piedmont, CA - Photos: 6 - Description: This home belongs to a friendly and dynamic young family. But when we first met them, this room was anything but. The dining room and kitchen were a sea of dark brown wood: cabinets, dining table, and chairs included. Combined with the beige walls, it made for a space that felt rather uninspired, and certainly nowhere near as fun as the family who lives here. We set to change that with lively fabrics, warm metallics and white paint deployed in equal measure. The cabinets got a fresh coat of whit… - [Alameda Gold Coast Dining Room](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/alameda-gold-coast-dining-room-pj-vj~1144129) - Location: Alameda, CA - Photos: 7 - Description: More than anything, our client wanted her dining room to be pretty. And from the first, it had a lot of potential. It was filled with light, and blessed with high ceilings and wood floors. However, it was marred by an non-working brick fireplace on the angled wall, which both complicated traffic flow and took away from the classic styling of the space. Once the fireplace was refaced, the floor patched, and the ceiling coving fashioned to match the rest of the room, the feeling of everything impr… - [Alameda Craftsman Bungalow](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/alameda-craftsman-bungalow-pj-vj~781936) - Location: Alameda, CA - Photos: 13 - Description: This bungalow is home to my own young family. It’s only about 1200 square feet, but I’ve managed to pack in a lot of functionality and charm into the small space. I designed it to withstand the wear and tear of our daily lives, and with two kids and two cats, that’s asking a lot. So I utilized tough materials, including indoor/outdoor fabrics, leather, and velvet. The decor may be tough, but it’s comfortable too. I love color, and I’ve used a lot of it here, to create a vibe that’s both happy an… - [Piedmont Boho Bedroom](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/piedmont-boho-bedroom-pj-vj~842292) - Location: Piedmont, CA - Photos: 3 - Description: Our client is a teenage girl with a love of everything bohemian. She was open to lots of bold ideas for the space; her only stipulations were that it be pretty and look completely different than it had before. We opted for a warm black for the walls. The color changed the feel of the room immediately, making it both sophisticated and dramatic. We furthered that theme through the furnishings, selecting ones to cultivate a worldly, antiquey vibe. The bedside table is a neat find: it’s formed of a… - [NW District Historic Condo](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/nw-district-historic-condo-pj-vj~239918) - Location: Portland, OR - Photos: 9 - Description: This condo, in Portland’s NW 23rd District, is lovely: a historical landmark complete with substantial mouldings, antique ironwork, and coffered ceilings. The couple requested a style that was largely traditional but with a modern edge--something to befit both the architecture of the space and their own tastes. Wallpaper creates a particularly dramatic entrance, and the cool paint tones throughout the rest of the house are brightened by cheery botanical textiles. The end result is a home that is… - [Cosmopolitan Soho Loft](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/cosmopolitan-soho-loft-pj-vj~120999) - Location: New York, NY - Photos: 2 - Description: Our client--the owner of a production company--hired us to carve out a workspace in her loft. Her clients frequent the space, so it had to be professional looking, but also comfortable and of a piece with the rest of the loft. We pulled from the client's impressive photography collection to deck the walls, and we softened the loft's industrial feel with warm textiles . Their bright patterns add a note of sophistication to the space, and interplay nicely with the sleeker elements in the room. - [East Village Family Home](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/east-village-family-home-pj-vj~121005) - Location: New York, NY - Photos: 4 - Description: This couple requested a space that was both stylish and child friendly. They also wanted to make their apartment feel as large as possible, despite its relatively small footprint. Different furniture pieces and a revised floorplan vastly improved traffic flow. A new covered table pulls triple duty as a console, secret storage area, and desk for the freelancer wife. And by uniting the open dining and living areas in both palette and texture, the entire room now feels seamless and cohesive. Accord… - [Carroll Gardens Brownstone](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/carroll-gardens-brownstone-pj-vj~258514) - Location: Brooklyn, NY - Photos: 2 - Description: This living room is home to a young, hip family in Brownstone Brooklyn. The color palette is broad, running the gamut from red to green, but that wildness is tempered by a lot of neutrals, including the wall color and upholstery. The result is a a space that speaks to their fun, creative nature, and a room that's both lively and comfortable. - [Earthy Modern Soho Loft](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/earthy-modern-soho-loft-pj-vj~121008) - Location: New York, NY - Photos: 5 - Description: These clients asked us to create a live/work set up in their Soho loft. We installed a movable wall to hide their bedroom from view, and created a meeting space that doubles as a living room for them during the agency's off hours. One of the most arresting parts of the design is the wall covered in cork and faux moss. We felt that the rough, industrial loft would benefit from a jolt of earthy texture, and it also provides needed sound insulation. It serves as a unique way to brand the space, too… [See all 13 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/coombs-design-pfvwus-pf~1291916129) ## Ideabooks - [Wish List](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/106518572/list/wish-list) — 4 ideas - [image suggestions for magazine articles](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/22574196/list/image-suggestions-for-magazine-articles) — 40 ideas - [client \| appelgren kitchen](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/25367217/list/client-appelgren-kitchen) — 3 ideas - [Houzz Picks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/9692170/list/houzz-picks) — 6 ideas - [bathrooms](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/18120065/list/bathrooms) — 3 ideas - [kitchens](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/18034326/list/kitchens) — 5 ideas - [ceilings](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2649343/list/ceilings) — 3 ideas - [glass doors](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2698709/list/glass-doors) — 1 idea - [vengrow](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2015208/list/vengrow) — 10 ideas - [paint colors](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2015241/list/paint-colors) — 1 idea - [offices](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1989907/list/offices) — 1 idea - [good dressing](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/850456/list/good-dressing) — 1 idea - [good rooms](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/754222/list/good-rooms) — 1 idea - [irving st bathroom](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/679190/list/irving-st-bathroom) — 3 ideas [See all 14 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/sarahcoombsdesign) ## Community Q&A **Q: Black cabinet** *(in Photo Questions)* Available for purchase anywhere? A: Hi AH. It was purchased a couple years ago and doesn't appear to still be available from the vendor that we used. The maker is Heather Brooke, and it is their "Rubbed Black 4 Door Console". You could contact them to see if they still carry it. Good luck! **Q: I love this light fixture- where is it from?** *(in Photo Questions)* I love the combination and particularly, this light fixture. Can you please tell me where you found it? Thank you! A: Hi Gwendolyn. Thanks for your interest! That light fixture is made by Stilnovo. **Q: Wall sconces** *(in Photo Questions)* What company makes the wall sconces in the photo? A: Hi Amelia. Those sconces are from Visual Comfort. Here's a link: https://www.visualcomfortlightinglights.com/product/visual-comfort-thomas-obrien-vendome-sconces-tob2007hab-np.html?page=1. **Q: Can you share information about the chandelier?** *(in Photo Questions)* Do you know the make of the chandelier? A: Hi kgranados. The chandelier is from Pottery Barn. It is the Collins Metal Chandelier. We added shades to it for a more finished look. Thanks for the interest! **Q: Could you tell me the paint color used on the walls?** *(in Photo Questions)* A: Hello! The paint color is Frost by Kelly Moore. **Q: Wall color** *(in Photo Questions)* What color are the walls? A: Hi Kristin. The walls and trim are Benjamin Moore Great Barrington Green HC-122. It's a lovely color! --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-28.*