Susan Thiel Design

Name: Susan Thiel Design
Address: 1401 N El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA, 92672, United States
Telephone: (949) 226-9664
Rating: 4.9

26 Reviews

Interior Designers & Decorators

31 Verified Hires

Houzz Pro Certified

Provides 3D Visualization

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About Us

Woman owned

High-end

Award winning

Award-Winning & Reputable Interior Design Company in Monarch Beach

ABOUT OUR STUDIO Susan Thiel Design is a full-service design studio in San Clemente, California. We design homes from concept to completion around Southern California. Having a solid reputation for serving our clients with a concierge approach to design. We are consistently thinking outside the box and always collaborating, creating, and growing in design. We ensure success through educated design knowledge and valuable experience. Designing and Specifying cabinetry, tile, plumbing fixtures, appliances, hardware, lighting, furniture, window treatments, and art. In addition, we customize unique lighting and furnishings according to the client’s vision and needs. We have designed more than 100projects in luxury neighborhoods throughout Southern California. Our projects range in size from 2,000 square ft to 23,000 square ft. Paralleling our wonderful client relationships, we also serve builders and architects developing luxury residences and commercial properties. ABOUT SUSAN THIEL Susan Thiel has always had a curiosity and love of design and adventure. After spending most of her career working for a Fortune 100 company, she followed her passion and deep love of design and launched Susan Thiel Design in 2008. Growing up in both Chicago and San Francisco, Susan currently resides in Dana Point, CA. Susan is a second-generation designer. She grew up watching her award-winning Designer mother build numerous homes. And, just like her mother, Susan is also an award-winning Designer and General Contractor. Susan has enjoyed traveling the world with her creative curiosity. She spent four weeks at sea and a month hiking the Washington Forest with Outward Bound. Through these adventures, she has honed her incredible skill of detail, color, and materials.

Awards

B.S. Interior Design Professional member of American Society of Interior Designers The Art Institute General Building Contractors License 1003796

47 Projects

Example of a transitional home bar design in Orange County

ABBIE WAY COSTA MESA

Inspiration for a transitional home design remodel in Orange County

RUE CEZANNE COTO

Coto de Caza, CA

Example of a minimalist wine cellar design in Los Angeles

SHOAL CORONA DEL MAR

Newport Beach, CA

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Business Details

Business Name

Susan Thiel Design

Phone Number

(949) 226-9664

Website

susan-thiel-design-c38c7.houzzsite.com

Address

1401 N El Camino Real
Suite 103
San Clemente, CA 92672

Typical Job Cost

$500,000 - 5 million

License Number

General B#1003796

Followers

160 Followers

Socials

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Services Provided

Interior Design

Kitchen Design

Bathroom Design

Furniture Selection

Floor Plans

Project Management

Custom Furniture

3D Rendering

Wine Cellar Design

Drafting

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Areas Served

Newport Beach

Laguna Niguel

San Clemente

San Juan Capistrano

Dana Point

Ladera Ranch

Laguna Beach

Coto De Caza

Corona del Mar

Newport Coast

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Credentials

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Featured Review

Terry Corwin

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26 Reviews for Susan Thiel Design

Newest first

4.9|26 reviews

Work Quality

5.0

Communication

5.0

Value

5.0

HU-843297061

We have used Susan for three projects and have been thrilled with the results every time. She manages to take ideas from my husband and I, and translate it into something beautiful and functional. Having her plan everything from kitchens and baths, to space planning a whole house of furniture makes remodeling so much easier. Susan and her team are great to work with, highly recommend!

December 29, 2025

Comment from Susan Thiel Design:

Thank you so much! I loved working with you and so appreciate your feedback!!

Terry Corwin

Susan was so great to work with on our total remodel in Dana Point, CA. She worked flawlessly with the contractor and me from creating a brand new floor plan, to choosing finishes, and finally the furniture and fixtures. Most of the heavy lifting was done during the pandemic when the supply chain issues were at their worst, but Susan knew great tricks and tip of the trade to get everything we wanted when we needed it. No easy task! She is very knowledgable with not just design but architecture which was helpful so many times during the long process. Susan was always always always on time for any meeting and super quick in responding to questions or problems along the way. I would definitely not only recommend her but would love to work with her myself on a new project!

July 5, 2023

Comment from Susan Thiel Design:

Terry, Thank you so much for your kind review! I loved working with you and Clay! What an amazing project and stunning outcome! I look forward to the next adventure:)!!! Thank you so much!

ELISABETTA MARIOTTI Italian Interiors

Getting to know Susan Thiel and working for her over several years was a great learning experience for me as an interior designer. She generously shared her amazing design talent and knowledge and was a pleasure to work with at all times. Susan consistently offered me full support and great encouragement. She really went above and beyond to create an engaging work environment while teaching me the essentials of the interior design profession. She has an intuitive and artistic sense of how to use space, and she magically transforms common environments into chic and luxurious spaces. I especially admired her team-working skills while guiding and managing contractors involved into the design process for a seamless execution. I was fortunate to have had such a phenomenal mentor, and now as colleague, I would recommend Susan to anyone without hesitation!

January 14, 2022

Comment from Susan Thiel Design:

Elisabetta, Thank you so much!! You are very talented and I know you will have great success in your designs!

murphydog82

We hired Susan to design our whole home remodel. She also worked with the general contractor throughout the entire project to make sure the finished product was as designed. We can’t say enough good things about Susan and her work. We absolutely love our remodeled home. Susan and the GC worked so well together to ensure the whole process went smoothly even as challenges and changes arose. We fully plan to use Susan again in the future.

November 10, 2020

James David Custom Homes

We've had an opportunity to work with Susan on multiple jobs. Not only is she detail oriented and readily available to her clients and building team she also understands the construction process and is great with keeping the project on track. She is wonderful to work with and we look forward to collaborating with her in the future.

April 15, 2020

Sonia Moser

Loved her ideas. She helped us remodel our entire new home. From kitchen to bathroom and in between. Would use her again. She had great ideas. Love her!

April 14, 2020

Comment from Susan Thiel Design:

Thank you so much Sonia!! We had fun designing your house for sure:)

Stephanie Tan

My husband and I are building a home in East Costa Mesa and Susan has been absolutely amazing to work with from day one! We initially hired Susan for elevation drawings and 3D renderings only. However, we were so impressed by her we decided to continue working with her to lead us in interior design and furniture/decor selection. During the process we have thoroughly appreciated Susan's quick response, attention to detail, and professionalism. Even our GC and project manager commented on Susan's great attention to detail in her plans and how easy she is to work with. Although we haven't started our furniture/decor selection phase yet, we know and trust Susan will streamline the process and help us reach our vision and goal within budget. Susan "gets it" when we amateurly describe our design, and she works with us to help us reach our vision. We can't wait to see our forever home come to life in a few months with Susan's guidance! My husband and I can't praise Susan enough for her work and professionalism, and we would hire her again in a heartbeat for any future projects!

April 13, 2020

Comment from Susan Thiel Design:

Stephanie and Clint, thank you sooo much for your generous review!! I am super excited about your house and design aesthetic, your home is going to be gorgeous! Love working with you and again thank you for your review:)!

Richart Design

Susan has been a blessing to work with the last few years. I love her attention to detail and creativity. She goes beyond making sure the homeowners are listened too and ensures they get what they want AND is always readily available. At the end of the day with all pressure we deal with in this profession .... she has a great attitude and can tell she loves her job! I highly recommend Susan and her team for your remodel or custom home.

January 20, 2018

sgwatkins

I hired Susan to help me design my dream kitchen. She not only accomplished this for me, she was a pleasure to work with. I have worked with other designers in the past and she by far is NOT the typical stereo typed snobby over priced hard to get what you want designer. She listens to what the client envisions for their project and brings it to life. I have since hired Susan for other projects in my home and I will continue to use her to complete the entire updating of my home. Thank you Susan for your professionalism and sticking to my strict budget. You are a very talented designer and I wish you continued success. Sandra

December 16, 2015Last modified:December 16, 2015

Marcela Fine

We hired Susan to design our master bathroom, guest bathroom, kids bathroom and powder room for our house remodeling project. she did an exceptional work. She has a great attitude, always willing to answer question and help us thru the process.

December 15, 2015

bradmc1

Susan Thiel designed our kitchen and worked with my wife on every decision she could not make. Susan was helpful, knowledgable and fun to work with. I recommend her with the highest appreciation.

December 13, 2015

samantha h.

We hired Susan to design the interior of our recently purchased home. We had certain ideas in our minds of the style we wanted, but no idea how to make them become reality. Susan did that for us in the most magnificent way. She took a house and transformed it in our beautiful and forever home. She has a great talent to really understand what we wanted and our style. She was very mindful of our budget as well. We love every single material she picked and we love every single inch of our home. As I keep saying to everyone I know, the decision to hire Susan and to hire a designer has been the best decision we have made for our home.

October 20, 2014

chrisbui

A very close friend of mine referred Susan to us. She has transformed the lobby of our medical building to THE first class hotel entrance, which has stunned every single one walking into our clinic. We are so pleased with her works. We highly advise her to anyone, who needs more than "excellent" job. Just let her know what you have in mind, and she will come up with brilliant ideas. You can stop by my office anytime to see her works. Chris Bui GI & Hepatology Center 202 N. Euclid Street, Santa Ana, CA 92703

August 19, 2014

robreindl

Our 20 yr. old home was in need of updating. Susan's vision of our remodeling was perfect. She handled arranging all subcontractors needed from carpet layers, tile installers, painters, garage door installer, drapery/blinds and furniture people. She was thorough and patient with us, as we had many questions along the way. She oversaw every aspect and would drop by even when subs had questions. Her design of our 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and loft area was just what we wanted and we even came in on budget. Susan's design knowledge and resources are excellent. We plan to continue using her for future projects. Thanks Susan....we LOVE it!!

April 3, 2014

jmrviavitae

Talented when it comes to designing cabinetry etc and fabric selection but poor at details and folllow-through. Items ordered through Susan are quite expensive and one would hope would be completed correctly and delivered on time. In my case, after prepaying in full, well in advance the sofas arrived well beyond the promised delivery timeframe which should have been before a major event in my home. Being very expensive, and delayed was bad enough but as it turned the wrong sofas were somehow ordered !!! Not sure how that could possibly have happened as I was pretty sure what we agreed on. There were a number of other problems that were quite disquieting but not worth mentioning. Lack of ownership for the errors made which really had deleterious consequences for me and a defensive attitude were very disappointing. I ended up keeping the sofas though they are suboptimal for my homes decor - but as they were custom made and paid for there wasn't much I could do. Similar experience with another sofa (seems too big for the bedroom space and the legs are too high)- very expensive and took a long time to arrive. Perhaps she has become too busy and her attention to detail and follow-through has suffered. Too bad, she can be nice to work with and has done a great deal of work in my home.

December 5, 2013Last modified:September 10, 2014

Comment from Susan Thiel Design:

As a designer it is always my goal to create a quality design that my clients are proud of. Making a concerted effort in accommodating clients preferences and budget wishes is important to me and I take great pride in creating designs that are appropriate to a property and client. I always make sure my pricing is competitive and fair. Financial gain has never been my motive having left a much higher paying career for my passion for design. Sometimes fabrics and finishes are expensive but the end result always exudes a lasting design that clients will be proud of. As designers we coordinate flooring, lighting, hardware, stains, drapery, fabrics, furniture with multiple vendors doing our very best to make sure everything comes in on time, is of high quality and looks gorgeous. I enjoyed working on the project and am proud of the work that I did. I take the disconnect with a heavy heart.

jkancorona

We did a remodel of our entire home, from top to bottom. We looked for several years for a designer that we were comfortable with. Susan with Essential Design Services was that designer. She has wonderful ideas but is very open to the homeowners input. With her help we completely transformed our home into something we had only dreamed about. Susan is punctual, professional and a pleasure to work with. We would definitely recommend her services and will call her for any future projects.

July 23, 2013Last modified:December 6, 2013

modgirl

I stumbled across Susan's work and immediately contacted her to see if she could assist me with my home. WIth my hectic work schedule and lack of knowledge of where to get the decor I was looking for, Susan came in and listened to what I wanted and came up with such an elegant design. There are so many things I appreciate about Susan as a designer. First, she was able to capture what I wanted even though at times I was all over the place. She also held me true to my original vision and if I found something else she would help me understand why that piece or finish would change the overall look we were going for. Without her I would have made serious design errors which would have become costly errors. I quickly learned to trust her taste (which is infallible) and avoid cost cutting in areas of importance. Susan is a rare find. A true artist that can work within a budget if necessary. She is kind, patient and honest with an incredible work ethic. I have friends in the design business and worked on other projects out of state and by far, Essential Design exhibits professionalism, creativity, and integrity.

July 14, 2013Last modified:December 6, 2013

Thiel Construction

I had an absolutely amazing experience Susan! I had two other designers give me ideas for my home, but once I saw what Susan was able to do, it was not even a question in choosing her. Not only did she understand what I was looking for, but was open minded to my ideas. She transformed my home beyond my expectations!! I look forward to having her do my next project. Thank you so much Sue! Brandy Earnest

July 13, 2013Last modified:December 6, 2013

Roman James Design Build

Continued excellent delivery of complete Interior Designs, scaled floor plans and comprehensive renderings. Professional, creative, talented, courteous and works well with all phases of Interior Construction including material vendors and Contractors........A+

July 10, 2013Last modified:December 6, 2013

Willard Woodworks, Inc

I've worked with Susan from Essential Design Services for the last eight years I think, and she has been the most consistently reliable designer to work with then any others I've worked with. She's a great visionary with outstanding design skills. I have recommended her to friends and family and she always comes through with great ideas and designs. Her ability to do her own drawings with 3-D color renders lets you see exactly how the completed project will look. I highly recommend Essential Design Services.

July 1, 2013Last modified:December 6, 2013

Influence Outdoors Landscape Design & Build

I highly recommend Susan of Essential Design Services to anyone looking for the best in interior design and consultation.We've worked together on a number of jobs together now and every one has gone very smooth and each client has been more then satisfied with her services.She is extremely easy to work with and very professional.

June 29, 2013Last modified:December 6, 2013

Kay Adam

We interviewed several designers and decided on Susan because of her design style and her professional yet enthusiastic attitude. After discussing with us our personal style and preferences, she created an overall look, theme and feel for our home. She was very hands on and thorough. In the end she produced a detailed plan for us that we definitely felt good about. We really enjoyed working with her because she was genuinely interested in our project and was always very professional. I can tell that Susan is passionate about what she does and that can be seen through her work and vision.

December 1, 2012Last modified:December 6, 2013

sdeluna

Susan Coon designed and decorated our house from start to finish. She is extremely professional and has an incredible sense of style and space. Our house looks amazing. She also was very good about keeping within our budget and still having one continuous theme throughout the house. She is responsive,timely and does great work. She also was patient with us as we went through many design changes. I highly recommend Susan for big jobs and small jobs.

October 9, 2012Last modified:December 6, 2013

jasons22

Susan with Essential Design Services was awesome to work with during our recent home remodel. She was a great listener and an active collaborator throughout our remodel. Susan was also always honest when she thought ideas were a "home run" and when they were "strike outs"...always providing us a helpful design explanations as to why she was guiding us one way or another. We weren't sure about hiring a designer when we started our remodel, but we couldn't imagine doing it all without her by the end of our experience! We'll definitely be calling her for our next project.

September 11, 2012Last modified:December 6, 2013

TOM S

Susan did a great job at understanding my style and preferences. She offered choices and clearly and patiently described the pros & cons. I look forward to working with Susan on my next big project.

August 27, 2012Last modified:December 6, 2013

mjgerson

Susan has a great vision and is able to interpret your taste into the design. She is professional in approach and a delight to work with.

August 25, 2012Last modified:December 6, 2013

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Frequently Asked Questions

We specialize in full-service design, taking homes from concept to completion. Our projects range significantly in size, from 2,000 to 23,000 square feet, allowing us to handle comprehensive remodels and new constructions for entire homes across Southern California.

Absolutely, we frequently collaborate with builders and architects on luxury residences and commercial properties. As an award-winning designer and general contractor myself, I understand the importance of seamless teamwork throughout the renovation process.

Yes, we offer comprehensive project management from concept through to completion. This includes overseeing the design process, specifying all elements, and managing the project right up to the final installation and styling of your space.

Yes, we specialize in luxury and high-end homes. We have designed over 100 projects in luxury neighborhoods throughout Southern California, with project sizes ranging from 2,000 to 23,000 square feet, including luxury residences and commercial properties.

We are a full-service design studio, meaning we handle every aspect of your project from the initial concept to the final installation and styling. Our goal is to provide a seamless and comprehensive design experience from start to finish.

FAQ content may be generated based on the Pro's Houzz profile and website.

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82 Comments

Commented: Paint colors in kitchen and dining roomWhite Dove by Benjamin Moore is my go-to White!

June 23, 2023

Commented: What fabric is on the dining room chairs?Thank you it is real leather by Garrett Leather. Susan

March 18, 2022

Commented: great vanityHi Kelly Thank you, this was custom

January 5, 2021

Commented: can you tell me the name of the backsplash?This is a marble mosaic we sourced at Trendy Surfaces in Costa Mesa, CA

May 2, 2020

Commented: love the dark walls with the squaresWe made those custom. They are a mold dipped in concrete. Thank you!

September 7, 2019

Commented: Tile ManufacturerThank you! Yes this is available at MSI

April 21, 2017

Susan Thiel Design