What people are saying…

“Laura is an exceptionally talented designer. She took our rough ideas and created a design that surpassed our expectations. Not only are our renovated spaces stunning, but they seem original to our 1930s home — like they always should have been there.
Through her project management services, Laura also worked incredibly well with our contractor, ensuring the highest quality level and quickly correcting potential mistakes. Additionally, she did a phenomenal job styling our home after the contractor was done. When we open our front door now, it feels like we’re walking into a design magazine!
Laura helped turn our house into a home we will cherish for years to come. We are incredibly grateful to have worked with her!”
— Amy and Lloyd, Berkeley, CA
“Working with Laura was a dream come true! My husband and I live in an Alameda home that was renovated by the previous owners, complete with custom paintwork (including a pegasus mural on the living room ceiling!). After several years (and a lot of time spent staring at our surroundings during the pandemic), we knew it was time to make a change, but we wanted something unique and special.
Laura came in with so many fantastic ideas that really reflected our lifestyle, such as a couch with no space underneath so our dog's toys wouldn't roll underneath it, and shelves to accommodate my collection of signed books. The results were more than we could have hoped for!
Every morning, when I come downstairs to open the living room shades, I look around and admire how beautiful everything is. I would love to work with Laura again in the future to redesign other rooms in our home.”
— Sue and Joe, Alameda, CA
“Laura helped us redesign one of the bathrooms in our home, and we are very pleased with the results! As she created options for us, she took the time to get to know us and to look at the rest of our home to get a sense of what might work well within the context of our house. She provided a number of choices for us to consider across a few different budget ranges and was always open to our questions and ideas. She facilitated finding the tradespeople to do the work, and we enjoyed working with them, too. In all of our work with Laura, we appreciated her thoughtfulness, keen eye, great ideas, and responsiveness. The end result was fantastic, and we would happily work with her and her team again.”
— Jenn, Berkeley, CA
“We had the pleasure of working with Laura Elliott over a 1.5-year period, and she truly transformed our house. We were struggling to make progress on our own with something even as simple as buying window treatments until we found Laura, and hiring her turned out to be a great decision.
Laura’s eye and passion for design were evident from the start. She skillfully worked with us to select new furniture, art, lighting, and accessories while also considering the practical aspects of making our home kid-friendly. She seamlessly incorporated our own sentimental items alongside the new pieces. Throughout the process, Laura struck the perfect balance between listening to our ideas and offering her professional opinion. In addition to her design skills, Laura went above and beyond to address practical issues such as electrical work and obtaining gas canopies for our light fixtures. She helped us hire a company to stain-treat all of our upholstered furniture and rugs, ensuring their durability and longevity.
Overall, I’m immensely grateful for the opportunity to work with Laura Elliott. Her talent, collaborative approach, and ability to incorporate our sentimental items into the design made the process truly special. I wholeheartedly recommend Laura to anyone in need of an interior designer who can bring together old and new elements to create a cohesive and personalized space.”
— Kristol and Ryan, San Francisco, CA
“We have been so fortunate to work with Laura Elliott on our full house renovation in Sea Cliff. She joined the project midstream, at a time when we were feeling quite overwhelmed by everything. Adding to the complexity of our remodel was Covid-19, requiring that much of our design work be conducted remotely!
Laura immediately brought a sense of calm and order; she’s organized, responsive, an excellent communicator and got along famously with our contractor. Most importantly, she listened carefully to our vision and functional objectives, then created beautiful, elevated living spaces. She brings such a great design aesthetic to the table, balancing color, scale and movement in every room.
She also created wonderful technical drawings allowing us to easily visualize her design concepts. Best of all, she made the process so much fun. We could not be more delighted with our beautiful home and are beyond thankful for all her help. We highly recommend Laura Elliott.”
— Linda and Chris Conner, San Francisco, CA
”My husband and I had the pleasure of working with Laura Elliott, and we couldn't be more thrilled with the results! Her ability to listen and understand our vision was exceptional. She presented us with multiple design options at varying price points, making the process both exciting and manageable.
What impressed us most was her flexibility in working with a range of stores, not just limiting us to tradespeople-only options. This not only saved us money but also expanded our choices significantly. Her kindness and quiet dedication made the entire process smooth, even with our busy schedules.
Laura never pushed us into any decisions but instead supported our choices and preferences. Her ability to source beautiful pieces within our budget and taste was truly remarkable. We are beyond happy with the outcome and would highly recommend Laura to anyone seeking a talented and thoughtful interior decorator.
Thank you, Laura, for transforming our home into a space that truly reflects us!”
— Michelle and Fred, San Francisco, CA
“Laura transformed our grey box of a house into a showstopping home with whimsy, life, and beauty.
We loved working closely with Laura on all the details that would make up our home. She was excellent at taking our feedback and focusing her design on what we wanted. She was super nice and helpful, and has so many resources.
Our historic home is so "us", but taken to the next level. A place for our young family to thrive and also show off!”
— Erin and V, San Francisco, CA
“Laura – Refined Interiors was such a pleasure to work with. Not only was she honest and easy to meet our needs, she went above and beyond with her attention to detail. Her style ideas where so fantastic and our remodel (kitchen and bathroom) turned out amazing! Like most projects we had a few hiccups- but the way she communicated and her willingness to make sure everything went as planned was amazing! She worked within our budget and really made my house a home. Her personal crew of people where also very kind and easy to work with! If you are considering her as your designer – DO IT! You wont be disappointed.
— Ashley, Concord, CA
“We appreciated Laura’s input so much when we were embarking on our first-ever kitchen remodel. She brings both technical skills and creativity to a project. She was able to open our eyes to new ideas while also warning us about potential design pitfalls we would never have thought through without her expertise.
Most importantly, she is a joy to work with! Her kind, thoughtful, and positive approach to the work is a relief when dealing with a potentially stressful project. I also noticed that contractors really like her and respect her, and I think that speaks well to her professionalism and competence.”
— Moira and Daniel, Oakland, CA
”Laura did an amazing job transforming our apartment into a stunning place to live. In addition to having great taste and vision, Laura is also a great communicator and works hard to ensure projects are done on time and on budget. She finds amazing pieces at great prices and knows local craftspeople who can often make custom pieces much faster than ordering high end furniture from overseas. “
— Jeremy Karmel, San Francisco, CA
“I can’t say enough good things about our experience using Laura Elliot as our designer. We put in hardwood floors throughout the whole house and updated and redecorated two offices, a master bedroom, a powder room, two fireplaces, and our outdoor patio. The entire home has been given a lift and now feels fresh, new, and updated. Laura is delightful to work with, listens to individual requests, and is always current on budget and timeline. Her ability to manage and respect her crew means that she comes with excellent supporting cast of craftsman who do the finest work and treated our house as they would their own.
It was fun, inspiring and we couldn’t be happier with the results.”
— Susan, San Mateo, CA
“I have had the pleasure of installing one of the most interesting and unique master bath designs in my career on this project, which Laura designed. Laura demonstrated not only creative and organizational expertise to accomplish all interior design aspects of the 4800 sq ft residential remodel project, but also an ability to communicate about the technical and architectural facets of the project with me on an advanced level. Often working in close coordination, Laura was always dependable and quick to respond to my requests. I would endorse Laura as a talented interior designer and a positive teammate.”
— Seth Brookshire, San Francisco, CA

Featured In…

The Spruce: 62 Tile Flooring Ideas That Are Pretty and Practical

Houzz: Designer Laura Elliott Connects Art with Interior Design

Houzz: 10 Tips for Getting a Dining Room Rug Just Right

HouzzTV: Step Inside an Energetic Home Filled With Color and Character

Business of Design Podcast: EP 227 | 3 Nos with Laura Elliott and LeAnne Bunnell

The San Francisco Interior Design Tour hosted by GRAY and MA+DS

Awards

“I absolutely loved working with Laura during our renovation – she helped make our house into our dream home! Laura’s expertise, creativity, and sense of style have been invaluable through the entire design and selection process. She carefully listens to her clients and helps with the whole process from design to the finishing touches. Laura has a wonderful eye for detail and color. She pays close attention to the big picture as well as to every little detail. She was instrumental in every step of our remodel – from helping with the layout, creating the CAD drawings for permits, recommending vetted contractors and vendors with whom she has great relationships, to helping with design ideas and choosing the right materials.
We couldn’t be happier with the final results! Laura is truly a talented designer and wonderful to work with. I would highly recommend her for any kind of interior decoration, design, or remodel projects.”
— Anna and Neil, San Mateo, CA
“We had a great experience working with Laura on the design of our family room and living room. We have two young girls and we wanted a family room that felt comfortable but still beautiful, and Laura achieved that for us.
Laura found a space-solving solution for a challenging family room configuration which allowed us to maximize seating but still enjoy our beautiful outdoor view. When we shared that we wanted our living room to be a more formal space and a respite from busy family life – she had a sofa custom-designed for us that makes the space so inviting that I can often be found there if life is too hectic!
She also encouraged us to think outside the box with patterns and textures that we might otherwise not choose on our own, but which have lent depth and liveliness to our space. It was important for us to have someone who really listened to our needs, stayed within our budget, and was easy and fun to communicate with – Laura ticked all the boxes for us!”
— Mala and Arujunaa, San Francisco, CA
“I originally hired Laura for one project but was so happy with the results that I added a few more! She very quickly understood my style preferences, even when I couldn’t articulate them myself, and so put together designs that I loved and implemented. She coordinated some new furnishings and paint colors for my living room and dining room, helped me finish some kitchen designs that another designer left undone, and also redesigned a small bathroom. Laura is also a clear communicator, good listener, responsive, and organized–over all, very professional and easy to work with.”
— Allison, San Francisco, CA
“Laura was a lifesaver. When we moved in to our house, I had no idea where to start. The house was drab and boring. Laura came in and helped me pick out the best paint colors, furniture, and artwork that brought the house to life, and made it feel warm and welcoming in no time!
Laura is great at knowing where to place pictures. She even made my ordinary snapshots a focal point by the way she arranged and placed them. Pictures that have gone unnoticed for years are receiving regular compliments. The transformation is amazing!
Laura also did a great job redecorating my daughters’ room. She came in with ideas to make it beautiful and reorganize the room in a way that helps our little girls can keep it clean. Her ideas were quick and easy to put in place. She put in cubbies, shelves and hooks that are easily reached, and labeled everything so they know exactly where things belong. I appreciated that she was always sensitive to my budget and the room looked great when she was done!”
— Scott and Jeni, Indianapolis, IN
“I can’t say enough good things about our experience using Laura Elliot as our designer. We put in hardwood floors throughout the whole house and updated and redecorated two offices, a master bedroom, a powder room, and two fireplaces. The entire house has been given a lift and now feels fresh, new, and updated. Laura is delightful to work with, listens to individual requests, and is always current on budget and timeline. Her ability to manage and respect her crew means that she comes with excellent supporting cast of craftsman who do the finest work and treated our house as they would their own.
It was fun, inspiring and we couldn’t be happier with the results.”
— Susan, San Mateo, CA
“Last year my family moved into an old home we wanted to modernize but didn’t know where to start. Laura guided us through the design process and managed our expectations, the vendors and contractors effortlessly. She absorbed our vision and transformed our home into a welcoming, functional space for me and my family to live, entertain, and enjoy. I recommend her as a designer, consultant, and project manager to anyone looking to elevate their home.”
— Eliza and Minit, San Francisco, CA
“It was a pleasure working with Laura who did a great job for us! She worked within our budget and kept us informed throughout the entire process. I can definitely recommend hiring Laura as your interior designer!”
— Steve, Honolulu, HI
“We really enjoyed working with Laura. We recently moved into a new house and wanted ideas for our open space living and dining room. In the couple of sessions we had, we got so many amazing ideas and inspirations from Laura.”
— Vlada, Foster City, CA
“I loved working with Laura. We were looking to make some changes in our house, but had no idea where to start. Laura helped us visualize the rooms with different colors so we were able to make better decisions – decisions that were painless and that we love. She made suggestions that we would not have thought of otherwise. They were out of our comfort zone, but we went with them because of her suggestions and they complete the rooms. I highly recommend working with Laura!
— Andrea, Chicago, IL
“I was clueless about where to begin with my master bathroom renovation until Laura came to the rescue. Her style guidance was much needed because, although I knew that I wanted a warm look and feel, I was having trouble finding the right materials in today’s colors and trends. Laura’s design ideas were both contemporary and classic, so I am not worried that my bathroom will look dated in 5 years.
Her technical drawings and clear communication allowed me to easily visualize the design. She incorporated beautiful clean lines, textures, and colors that I would never have thought to put together on my own but they were exactly the feeling I wanted. I would not have been able to do this project without her. I am so excited about my new bathroom and have Laura to thank!”
— Connie, Berkeley, CA
“Ten years ago, as one of her first design projects, Laura redecorated my house with new furniture, fresh paint colors, and artwork. Amazingly, I still think about how happy I am that I took that chance to make a change and how much I still love it every time I walk into my house. A few years later, I enlisted her help again to renovate my kitchen and it, too, brings me the same joy. Plus, I get complimented on it all the time for its exceptional design features.
I loved working with Laura. She created the technical drawings for the kitchen, helped me pick the tile and plumbing fixtures, provided expert advice, and worked directly with the contractor I chose. My home now is a place where I am proud to entertain friends and take pleasure in relaxing.”
— Georgia, Riverside, CA