Elevated Design, Thoughtfully Executed
Our Services
Based in Orange County and serving nearby coastal communities, Terri Brien Interiors designs custom homes and interior renovations with depth, intention, and lasting impact. Exceptional design is about more than aesthetics. It’s about creating a home that functions beautifully and feels deeply considered at every level. Whether building a custom home, renovating an existing space, or layering in furnishings, each project is approached with clarity and purpose to ensure a cohesive, well executed result.
With a refined, process driven approach and a deep understanding of how homes are truly lived in, we guide each project from initial planning through final styling. Every detail, selection, and moving part is thoughtfully managed so your time and attention remain focused where they matter most. The result is a home that feels elevated, intentional, and naturally pulled together.
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Renovation &
Custom Home Design
Kitchen, Bath & Interior
Renovations
From blueprint to build, we lead the design of custom homes and large scale renovations with a holistic lens. Each project requires thoughtful spatial planning, architectural detailing, custom millwork, lighting design, and comprehensive documentation to ensure the vision carries seamlessly from concept through construction.
We collaborate closely with architects, builders, and consultants, providing detailed design documentation, custom specifications, and ongoing project oversight to support seamless execution. Every decision is made with intention, resulting in a home that feels layered, enduring, and thoughtfully tailored to the way you live.
Targeted expertise for confident design decisions.
Design consulting is ideal for homeowners who want professional guidance before moving forward with a larger renovation or furnishings project. These in person strategy sessions provide focused recommendations on layout, finishes, material selections, and key decisions that impact the overall direction of your home.
Each consultation is led with intention and clarity, offering thoughtful insight to help you move forward with confidence and avoid costly missteps.
Following your session, you may choose to implement independently or explore a broader scope of design services.
A comprehensive design approach for kitchen and bathroom renovations, multi room interior transformations, and thoughtfully executed remodels.
For clients reimagining existing spaces, we manage the complexities of a renovation with clarity and structure. This service includes layout planning, finish and material specifications, custom cabinetry and plumbing fixture selections, design schemes, technical drawings as needed, and furnishing procurement where appropriate. These projects often involve close coordination with contractors and trades, detailed finish specifications, and early planning decisions that protect both the design and the investment.
Our role is to lead the process in collaboration with your contractor and trades, anticipate details before they become issues, and guide informed design decisions so the renovation feels organized and well paced from start to finish. The outcome is a refreshed space that feels cohesive, considered, and aligned with the rest of the home.
Design Consulting
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Furnishings and Styling
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Layered, livable interiors with character and depth. Whether furnishing a primary residence or a second home, we approach each project comprehensively, considering scale, architectural context, and how each space connects to the next.
A home comes to life through furnishings, texture, and meaningful detail. Whether furnishing a single room within a larger scope or designing an entire home, we take a comprehensive approach that considers scale, flow, and long term cohesion.
From space planning and custom upholstery to window treatments, lighting, and curated vintage finds, every piece is selected to create warmth, balance, and a collected over time feel.Full furnishings projects often involve detailed space planning, custom upholstery, trade only sourcing, and coordination with contractors or installers to ensure seamless execution.
How We Work
A thoughtful, guided process designed to bring clarity and cohesion from first conversation through final installation. We lead the details, manage the moving parts, and make sure every decision supports the overall design and how you live in your home.
We begin with a short round of guided homework, including imagery and questions that help us understand your style, preferences, and what you’re drawn to.
This is followed by an in person or virtual kick off meeting where we dig deeper into how you live, your goals for the project, and what matters most to you.
We also gather key site information at this stage, taking on site measurements for one to two room remodels or completing a matterport scan for larger projects.
You’ll leave this phase with a clear understanding of next steps and a more defined project timeline.
Using everything gathered during onboarding, we develop a cohesive design direction for your space, including layout, overall aesthetic, and key material ideas. We review the concept with you and refine as needed, then we align on approval before moving into Design Development.
This is where the full design plan comes into focus. We finalize finish selections, fixtures, and furnishings, complete the technical drawings and specifications, and build your presentation packet. We then review the design in style at the studio, walking you through the plan so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.
Once the design is approved, we handle ordering, tracking, and coordination of furnishings, materials, and finishes. This keeps timelines aligned and removes the burden of managing logistics.
Throughout construction or implementation, we remain closely involved to support the design intent. We collaborate with your contractor and trades, answer questions as they arise, and help guide decisions as the project progresses.
This is the moment everything comes together. After months of thoughtful planning and careful coordination, we oversee delivery, installation, and final styling, bringing the design to life layer by layer.
Seeing the space fully realized is just as meaningful for us as it is for you. The result is a home that feels finished, personal, and intentional, shaped by every decision made along the way and ready to be enjoyed.
Leah K.
“Terri did an awesome job on our first-floor remodel for our San Clemente home! After everything was finished we noticed so many personal touches that she had incorporated into the design that we had mentioned during conversations. She incorporated art, books and photography that reflected our love of the California Desert and even a photo of Catalina Two Harbors where my husband and I had met...We had such a great experience working with Terri and plan to use her on the next phase of our remodel."
Steph W.
“We recently completed a full kitchen renovation with Terri, and it was an amazing experience from start to finish. Her attention to detail is incredible, she is extremely organized, and her design aesthetic was exactly what we were looking for! We now have the kitchen of our dreams, and we can't thank Terri enough for that!”
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Frequently Asked Questions
An interior designer plans and designs spaces from a structural, functional, and aesthetic perspective, while an interior decorator focuses primarily on furnishings and styling. Designers consider spatial layout, lighting, materials, architectural details, and how a space functions day to day. Many collaborate with contractors and builders to ensure the design is executed properly.
At Terri Brien Interiors, we approach interior design as both art and strategy. In Orange County homes especially, where families entertain, work from home, and gather year-round, thoughtful planning matters. We look at how your home flows, how natural light moves through the space, and how your family truly lives. Then we layer materials, millwork, lighting, and furnishings into a cohesive design that feels elevated yet approachable.
The cost of hiring an interior designer varies based on scope, customization, and overall investment level. For full-service interior design, fees commonly range between 12–20% of the total project investment, depending on complexity and scale.
At Terri Brien Interiors, there is no universal number because every Southern California renovation or furnishings project comes with its own variables. A full-scale remodel in Newport Beach differs significantly from a multi-room refresh in San Clemente. What remains consistent is the value of thoughtful planning. We ensure strategic decisions made early protect your investment, prevent costly revisions, and create a home that feels refined and enduring rather than trend-driven.
A typical interior design project can take anywhere from a few months to over a year, depending on scope and construction complexity. Furnishings projects often move more quickly, while renovations and custom builds require longer timelines due to permitting, contractor scheduling, and product lead times. Custom cabinetry alone frequently takes 8–16 weeks or more.
At Terri Brien Interiors, we establish clear expectations from the start. We don't sugar coat it, we tell it to you straight. Many Orange County renovation projects involve specialty materials, custom millwork, and detailed coordination with trades. Our goal is to outline each phase carefully and remain involved throughout construction so the process feels organized, intentional, and well-managed.
Interior designers may incorporate existing furnishings, source entirely new pieces, or blend both, depending on the goals of the project.
At Terri Brien Interiors, it depends on your home and your priorities. For refresh projects, we thoughtfully edit and elevate what you already own, layering in new elements where needed. For full furnishings projects across Southern California, we source from trade-only vendors, custom makers, artisan workrooms, and galleries to build a cohesive design from the ground up. By incorporating custom and artisan elements, each space we design feels as unique as the people living in it, never formulaic or one-size-fits-all.
The most successful interiors reflect both personal style and daily routines. Designers begin with in-depth discovery to understand how a client lives before shaping the design direction.
At Terri Brien Interiors, our onboarding process is intentionally thorough. We go beyond inspiration images to understand how you use your home, how you entertain, and what feels comfortable to you. Whether we are designing a home in Dana Point or Rancho Santa Fe, the goal is the same. We interpret your preferences and translate them into materials, architectural details, and furnishings that feel layered, thoughtful, and tailored to support the way you actually live.
Full-service interior designers collaborate closely with contractors, architects, and trades to ensure the design vision is executed properly. This coordination protects the investment and supports a smoother construction process.
At Terri Brien Interiors, we believe collaboration is essential to a successful project. We regularly work alongside trusted architects and contractors throughout Orange County and greater Southern California. We begin with a trade meeting to align scope and vision, then stay involved during construction to guide decisions and maintain design integrity. Strong communication ensures the finished home reflects the original intent down to the smallest detail.
