--- title: "Benedict August — Interior Designers & Decorators | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/benedict-august-pfvwus-pf~595671086 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~595671086.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Benedict August" category: ["Interior Designers & Decorators"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/87638abc0e036667_7089-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "Orange County, California, United States" latitude: 37.2502 longitude: -119.7513 phone: "(714) 882-5802" website: http://benedictaugust.com rating: 4.9 review_count: 22 best_of_houzz_awards: 10 followers: 429 last_updated: 2026-08-20 --- # Benedict August Original Houzz profile: [Benedict August](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/benedict-august-pfvwus-pf~595671086) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Interior Designers & Decorators - **Location:** Orange County, CA - **Serves:** Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Fullerton, Orange, Costa Mesa, Mission Viejo, Whittier, Newport Beach, Tustin, Yorba Linda, La Habra, Fountain Valley, Aliso Viejo, Cypress, Brea, San Juan Capistrano, Laguna Hills, North Tustin, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Beach, Coto De Caza, Corona del Mar, Foothill Ranch, Villa Park, East Irvine, Newport Coast, Trabucco Canyon - **Houzz rating:** 4.9 out of 5 (22 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 10 awards (2013–2021), for Service, Design. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Star Houzzer - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 1,000 Ideabook Saves Six year "Best of Houzz" award winner and NKBA Kitchen of the Year 2018 and 2019. Established in 1997, Benedict August is known for attention to detail, refined sophistication, and exceptional style. Backed by an amazing team, Benedict August provides award-winning interiors. Connect with us: instagram.com/benedictaugust/ ### Services Provided - Interior Design - Kitchen Design - Bathroom Design - Living Room Design - Bedroom Design - Space Planning - Furniture Selection - Dining Room Design - Custom Cabinets - Lighting Design - Custom Kitchen Cabinets - Home Office Design & Construction - Floor Plans - Entry Design - Playroom Design - Custom Furniture - Laundry Room Design - Mudroom Design - Nursery Design - 3D Rendering ### Areas Served - Anaheim - Santa Ana - Irvine - Huntington Beach - Garden Grove - Fullerton - Orange - Costa Mesa - Mission Viejo - Whittier - Newport Beach - Tustin - Yorba Linda - La Habra - Fountain Valley - Aliso Viejo - Cypress - Brea - San Juan Capistrano - Laguna Hills - North Tustin - Ladera Ranch - Laguna Beach - Coto De Caza - Corona del Mar - Foothill Ranch - Villa Park - East Irvine - Newport Coast - Trabucco Canyon ### Typical Job Cost $50,000 - 6 million ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Benedict August | | Address | Orange County, California, United States | | Phone | (714) 882-5802 | | Website | http://benedictaugust.com | | Followers on Houzz | 429 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — http://www.facebook.com/benedictaugust ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Benedict August](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/benedict-august-pfvwus-pf~595671086) - **Website:** http://benedictaugust.com - **Phone:** (714) 882-5802 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - NKBA Winner for Best Medium Kitchen for 2019. - NKBA Winner for Kitchen of the Year 2018. - Best of Houzz 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. - **Best of Houzz:** 10 awards (2013–2021), for Service, Design. **Affiliations** - [National Kitchen & Bath Association](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/national-kitchen-and-bath-association-pfvwus-pf~1351084655) ## Reviews **Overall rating: 4.9 out of 5 — 22 reviews** ### Reviews **★★★★★ — Marc Atkin, Aug. 2020** > Our retail clothing company hired Benedict August with a very challenging request. > We asked them to help us reinvent our company from an old looking clothing chain to a modern and beautiful looking one. > We requested a complete redesign, including new layout, displays and finishes. > Benedict August was given a fairly tight budget as well. > Erin Benedict spoke with our team members and came up with a completely new look. > She was involved in the design and construction side including recommending > suppliers and contractors. > We could not have done this without Benedict August. > Erin’s husband Dan is also very talented and creative. > He really helped us on the construction side. > It took us a short two years to redesign 17 stores!! > Our customers loved the new design, better layout, better seating options and the beautiful finishes.. > Erin Benedict is one of the most talented designer’s we have ever had the > privilege to work with and can’t thank her enough. **★★★★★ — Micah Ranney, Aug. 2020** > We have a rental property that was turning over every year as soon as the lease was up. It hadn't been significantly updated since about the 50's and it needed some love. We reached out to Benedict August and they were excellent. They worked with us to get everything planned out before the tenants left, so that we didn't waste any time. Once we handed them the keys they hit the ground running. With the small budget we had, they were able to give the whole unit a dramatic facelift. We were pleasantly surprised when we saw the final product. We received calls from at least three different people from our management company telling us how much they loved the unit, and one of them said she was going to try to move into it! We ended up getting over $400 more per month after the renovations and the new tenants are very happy and we don't anticipate them moving out any time soon. We are definitely going to use them for all of our improvement projects in the future. **★★★★★ — Micah Ranney, July 2020** > We used Benedict August for a full remodel. The process couldn't have been easier. We picked some images from Houzz and left comments about what we liked or disliked then shared them. The next thing we knew we were getting a presentation with some choices on tile and other finishes. Each choice was just two options which saved us countless hours of staring at paint chips and arguing about different hues of gray. They nailed our style perfectly, out of the whole house there was only one item where we didn't like either of the two options and they picked two more which were perfect. > Everything came together beautifully, their eye for color is amazing! Everyone who comes to our house raves about it and we're so proud to call it our home. Now that we've been through this we will never pick anything ourselves ever again. > We loved their work so much we've already used them for another project! **★★★★★ — Anders Lasater Architects, May 2020** > Erin Benedict of Benedict August is a terrific designer with an amazing talent and personality to match! Her rare combination of impeccable taste, a great sense for design, and a through knowledge of construction is why Erin stands out as a top professional among her peers. She's energetic, full of sophisticated ideas, and knows how to communicate them effectively to the client and the construction team. As an architect I particularly appreciate her attention to detail and ability to organize her work so that the Owner, Architect, and Contractor team can easily understand and manage it. > > We are currently working with Erin on several projects including a significant new home in Three Arch Bay, and another new home in the hills of Laguna Beach. She and her team have helped with all facets of the design including finish materials, appliances, lighting specifications, furniture recommendations, and cabinet design. These home are sure to be stunning showplaces because of her dedication, talent, and skill. > > Erin and the whole team at Benedict August are a real joy to work with and I strongly recommend them to any homeowner who need a great interior design team for their project! I certainly look forward to our next project together because I know it will be amazing! **★★★★★ — J. Wood, July 2017** > Benedict August brought my design daydreams into reality! Erin transformed my kitchen into something better than I could have ever imagined. She listened and incorporated all of my style preferences and functional needs. From designing the room to sourcing new cabinetry, countertops and flooring through managing the installation and finishing touches, I would have been lost without her expertise. Erin and her team were reliable and thorough in their communication and proposals. I highly recommend Benedict August for any project! **★★★★★ — CGR, July 2017** > We’ve had extremely positive experiences with the Benedict August team. Our initial contact was with Erin, the Principal Designer, back in early 2014. We were interviewing designers to help us completely gut and redo our kitchen. It was formerly an outdated, awkwardly laid-out space, and we were truly at a loss as to what to do with it. While the other designers seemed nice and competent, we did not have a connection or a meeting of the minds. They didn’t present any options that made us excited or that seemed personalized and unique. Once Erin and Dan arrived, we knew we were in the best hands. Benedict August helped us transform our kitchen into a showpiece, and it’s now our absolute favorite room in the house. It is not a “museum” kitchen – we love to cook and gather as a family and it is not only beautiful, but completely functional. They were open and enthusiastic about incorporating all of our quirky design ideas and opened our minds to things we would not have considered on our own to achieve the best possible result. It was even published! Because of Benedict August, we are famous! > > Once we recuperated from the kitchen remodel, we again contacted Erin and her team to help us with our family room and guest bath. These areas were a hot mess of mismatched furniture, (some from our college apartments), the previous owner’s failed DIY attempts, and a disastrous kids’ play area. We just wanted a warm, welcoming “grown-up” gathering space that matched the caliber of our new kitchen. As expected, Erin and Dan nailed it. With Erin’s design and Dan’s magical carpentry skills, it was another significant transformation that blew us away, and checked all of the aesthetic/functional/budgetary boxes. > > Our most recent project was completed outside, as we tore out and redid our entire backyard, pool, and landscaping (awesome landscaper also referred by BA). Once our outdoor space was completed by other contractors, we turned to Erin to provide us with a design plan for our outdoor furniture layout. She did not disappoint, and for now, we are taking a break and enjoying all of the beautiful improvements that would not have been possible without Benedict August’s talents. > > Needless to say, we would recommend Erin, Dan and the Benedict August team without hesitation. At this point, we consider them to be part of our family! They are down-to-earth, genuine, hardworking and fair, and take obvious pride in their work. We have referred them on numerous occasions and we will always turn to Benedict August to help us with our design needs. **★★ — TYC, June 2017** > Given the nice reviews they have received in the past (which was part of why we chose them), it could very well be that our experience is unusual. Alternatively, it could be due to the fact that they are busier now than in the past so service has taken a big hit. For example, while we were told during the initial consultation and design phase that BA could take care of indoor built-ins if we were not on a tight schedule, we were told after the design phase that they were too busy to help with that this year! and that “This just isn’t something we can offer right now." Alternatively, it could be because we were a small project and that they focus their time and effort to larger ones - our project scope was only between $50k-100k. > > Anyway the three issues we encountered were: > > 1\. Furniture was to be purchased site unseen. Being able to try out furniture was a major concern of ours, especially for the outdoor pieces, and was discussed explicitly at during the initial consultation. We were repeatedly assured that we would be able to try out version of at least the major pieces (e.g., maybe not the exact fabric or size). It was only when we tried to schedule some time to see the outdoor options that we were told that “The beauty of our offerings are that they are exclusive to our trade, which means they aren’t show-roomed to try them out." There was no apology for their mistake, rather they tried to shift the blame to us saying that it must have been a “misunderstanding.” It was not. This was perhaps the main reason we chose not to go forward with BA. > > 2\. A lot of billable hours for generating price quotes. Not for custom work, rather for things like pendant lamps and chairs. In our case generating a partial cost estimate took more than 50% as long as the entire design time. Apparently it takes over 1/2 an hour for them to get a price quote on a sofa. We were told that we were actually “billed for less than was actually spent on this process” so you mileage may vary. We never received estimates for the built-ins/custom pieces (1 indoor, 2 outdoor) which were a major part of the design. > > When I asked why it took so long, we were given a long response about how hard it was because of contingencies (for example if a piece is not available ”we had to go back and re-select based on the status of each item and repeat the process"). When I pressed further, they admitted that those contingencies mentioned in their explanation did not actually occur, but that instead they had simply provided us with “a general description of the process of developing a proposal.” > > Their ultimate explanation was that something like a couch or curtain is very complicated, and that although there were only “a few items… each of those items is made of of components.” I asked for the list of components, and learned that it takes 1/2 an hour of billable time to price a sectional set because it is really 4 different “components” (3 pieces plus shipping), and much longer for a couch (7 components - sofa, sofa fabric, pillow \#1 labor, fabric, pillow \#2 labor, fabric, freight). For those of us who have purchased furniture or even worked with other designers... well BA seems to be not very efficient at this somewhat central part of the job. > > 3\. Some prices seemed rather inflated. For example, the cost estimate for a single window treatment (simple fabric panels on either side of a window) was $3,788.08. I initially thought that must be a typo, but it was not. When I asked why, thinking perhaps the fabric we choose was a particularly expensive one, I was told it was not due to the cost of the material. Rather the price was high because of “hardware, installation and freight.” Freight was itemized (apparently it costs $261.31 to ship a pair of curtains), so assuming the not-expensive fabric costs $1,000 per yard, installation and hardware would have run us approximately $2,000 for a SINGLE WINDOW. > > To be clear, we really liked the design they proposed, and even with their slowness would have gone ahead with the design had it not been for the issues above. Indeed, we are going ahead with the design, just with another firm than can do things like coordinate contractors to do the built-ins, not take hours to price furniture, and are able to install decorative drapery for less than $4,000 per window. **Comment from Benedict August:** > We are truly sorry to hear that TYC's expectations were not met, however, we would like to shed some light and detail our perspective on how we feel things really went. > > After meeting with this client, we were excited he hired our firm to work on his design project. While our firm has been inordinately busy, we remained in communication with the client during the design process, and we did not promise anything that we could not deliver. > > We would like to address the items that the client has identified as "issues". We always assume responsibility first whether we are at fault or not, as a principal of good customer relations. However, sometimes a line has to be drawn and reason has to exist. > > 1\. BUILT-INS: During our initial consultation with the client, we were told that he wanted to install built-ins to match the existing cabinetry in their kitchen. We made recommendations in our presentation for the built-in units as requested, however, we were unable to provide the client with the associated costs as all of our resources for finish carpentry were fully committed until well into the summer, which did not meet his timeframe. The solution we proposed was to provide the design plan if he found someone that could complete the work in his timeframe and we offered to meet and/or discuss the details with the contractor. We did not refuse to assist based on the project budget. > > 2\. FURNITURE: We repeatedly advised the client of our policies and limitations with regard to trying out furniture, so we stand firm in viewing this either as a misunderstanding on his part or simply an unwillingness to accept our answer. We did explain to him on multiple occasions that we offer furnishings that are specifically available to the design trade and are not available "to shop" in a retail setting. > > 3\. TIME BILLING: We spent a reasonable amount of time to develop a custom design and propose unique furnishings per the client’s specifications. The client was billed for our time per our Letter of Agreement, and in accordance with what we quoted him during our initial meeting. Once our design proposals were submitted to the client for review, we followed up with him for several weeks with no success in obtaining responses or feedback from the client. The client eventually replied to advise that he decided not to move forward with our firm. We were not given the opportunity to loop back with the client to address any questions and concerns following our initial proposals. He did not accept our detailed explanation of how our time was spent. He did not understand that the majority of furnishings were, in fact, custom, and included several components that needed to be sourced and priced. We did not price out the interior built-ins per \#1 above, and when the client inquired about the exterior built-ins for which we provided concept images, we referred him to someone who specializes in outdoor design since this area falls outside of our scope of services. > > 4\. WINDOW TREATMENTS: After several follow-up attempts on our end, the client eventually replied and inquired about the pricing for the window treatments. We explained that the pricing was not for a single window treatment; it was for multiple windows, and not only included the fabrication of the treatments, but also the drapery hardware, freight, tax and professional installation. Without further discussion, he determined that he did not want to move forward or explore alternative options to try and reduce cost. > > To conclude: > We genuinely want our clients to be happy, so we do our very best to make sure we can achieve that with each and every client. We understand that we can’t make everyone happy, no matter how hard we try! Our reviews show we have multiple 5-star ratings, in addition to published design projects and several consecutive “Best of Houzz” awards. We feel that TYC’s review is inconsistent with all of the reviews and feedback we get from our clients and we simply think that no matter how hard we tried, he was not going to be happy. > > A note to our future potential customers: > We understand that we live at a time where anybody can write anything, at anytime, about anyone! We truly do our best and work very, very hard to avoid issues of this nature, but understand that we can’t always avoid a client that might not be a good fit for us and vice versa. We ask you to check our records and reviews, and see if any of TYC’s words are aligned with our reputation thus far. > > We stand firm with our feelings about this project and hope to be of service to all of you! > > Sincerely, > Benedict August Interiors & Design **★★★★★ — Jeff Anderson, Jan. 2017** > We have used Benedict August on four separate occasions, beginning with our 1st child's nursery, to our business offices, and most recently a complete remodel of our entire home. > > I can not express how thankful I am to have had their creativity and problem solving skills to made each and every space so unique, yet work well together. They took our input and suggestions and found a way to turn them up a notch (sometimes two or three notches) to give us amazing results that we simply could not have achieved on our own. **★★★★★ — Bill Vaughter, Dec. 2016** > We recently suffered a horrible flood in our master bathroom which affected not only the upstairs bathroom but master bedroom, living/dining room and kitchen. Everything had to be gutted due to the extensive water damage. We hired Erin and Dan Benedict (Benedict August) 10 years ago to do our kitchen remodel and loved working with them then. There was no question we would use them again to put our house together! They are creative, professional and easy to work with. We highly recommend this amazing team! **★★★★★ — Anna Knight, Dec. 2016** > We have now worked with Erin and her team from afar (they are in CA, we're in Chicago) on 4 projects (nursery in 2014, formal living room in 2015, kitchen and family rooms in 2016) - we love them all. I can't speak to how the design process would have worked "remotely" if you are truly clueless about what you want or are looking for (I'm guessing Erin can make just about anything work, but that would be more challenging). With each project, we had a pretty good idea of at least the mood, feel, or direction we were looking for, provided Erin with measurements and a lot of pictures, and she was able to run with things from there. We have used her services for: > > \- Space planning/blue prints (a huge strength) > \- Kitchen design plan (Erin came up with a genius creative solution for our island--we wanted to seat 4 but have a narrow city house. She designed the island almost like two desks back-to-back, with 2 seats on each side. Everyone loves it) > \- Color/paint/wallpaper selections > \- Furniture selection (great recommendations without breaking the bank and while going beyond the usual big-box options) > \- Fabric selections > \- Lighting plan > > But most of all, Erin's just GOOD. Real good. The ONLY thing I regret about our kitchen is the one area where I didn't listed to her. Lesson learned. She pushes you a little beyond your comfort zone, if you're willing to go there, but the rewards are so very excellent if you do. We love love our spaces, and the kitchen is an absolute show stopper that everyone comments on. Her space plans fundamentally changed the feel of our whole ground floor with minimal work or construction--getting the details right makes all the difference! Another example--she recommended adding a low chair-rail type of molding detail in our nursery. This cost maybe $500 to have our contractor do, and you could easily DIY if you're handier with power tools. It CHANGED THE ROOM. Dark crappy bedroom with no detail and one small window into an utterly charming space. > > Of course, "as soon as you finish a house, it's time to sell." We're moving on to our "forever" home in early 2017 and can't wait to set Erin loose there as well! Thank you for the beautiful work and great remote-working-relationship! **★★★★★ — Torey Carrick, Dec. 2016** > We have worked with Benedict August on 4 projects. We initially worked with them on an office build out, then a child's nursery, another office build out and, most recently, a complete rehab on our home. Not only have we been very impressed with the design of each project, but we have also enjoyed the service experience. The Chief Designer, Erin, is fantastic at deeply understanding her client's needs and incorporating them into a plan that includes her own ideas. This collaborative approach allows the client to feel understood, but also stretched into new design areas that were not previously considered. The finished result is a layered and rich space that feels comfortable and fresh. I have referred her to many clients and friends and the produced results are always fantastic. Take some time reviewing her portfolio and you will see her varied design skills and amazing results. The Benedict August team delivers exceptional service and results. **★★★★★ — Matthew Carreon, April 2016** > Erin nailed it! I have worked with other designers in the past so I figured there would be a lot of back and forth before we would be able to select the right artwork and furniture for my office but that was not the case with Erin. I sent her one inspiration photo and when she came out for the consultation, I loved EVERYTHING she showed me and placed the order on the spot. I highly recommend Erin and her team and will be using them for other projects in the future. **Comment from Benedict August:** > Thank you, Matt. So glad we were able to help with your office. We look forward to working with you again. ## Selected projects - [Sunny Hills](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/sunny-hills-pj-vj~6309289) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 9 - [Anaheim Hills](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/anaheim-hills-pj-vj~6309290) - Location: Anaheim, CA - Photos: 16 - [Long Beach](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/long-beach-pj-vj~6309284) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 12 - [Virginia Country Club](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/virginia-country-club-pj-vj~6309295) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 11 - [Huntington Beach](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/huntington-beach-pj-vj~6309300) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 5 - [Chicago](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/chicago-pj-vj~6309304) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 8 - [Fullerton Family Home](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/fullerton-family-home-pj-vj~5749833) - Location: Fullerton, CA - Photos: 30 [See all 7 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/benedict-august-pfvwus-pf~595671086) ## Community Q&A **Q: Wall paint** *(in Photo Questions)* What is the white shade you used? A: This beautiful shade of white was existing when we began the project but we like use Benjamin Moore Simply White. **Q: Sure the flowering vine is bougainvillea?** *(in Photo Questions)* Hi kind pro, are you sure the orenge flowers are Bougainvilea? may it be Pyrostegia or some other plant of the bignoniae family? A: Yes, this is the orange bougainvillea. **Q: Hi where is the couch and tv console from? Thanks!** *(in Photo Questions)* A: Hello, the sofa is custom. We are unsure who made the console. Good luck with your project! **Q: Bar cart** *(in Photo Questions)* Where can I find this bar cart, love it!! A: Yes, a great way to display your barware! You can purchase this cart from Benedict August. For more information or to place an order please contact us at hello@benedictaugust,com. **Q: Island Countertop** *(in Photo Questions)* What stone is the island countertop? Is it granite and what brand and color finish? A: This natural travertine slab is even more beautiful in person! Unfortunately, we no longer have the stone information in our records. **Q: What kind of wood/stain did you use on the floors?** *(in Photo Questions)* The floors are beautiful! What kind of wood and stain did you use on the floors? Engineered or hardwood? Brand? Dimensions? Any information would be helpful. Thank you! A: Yes --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-08-20.*