Interior design studio
Marin · San Francisco · Los Angeles · Miami
Interiors that could only be yours
We work with your story to craft a narrative and a vision for how you want to live, then bring it to life in timeless, quietly elegant rooms.
As seen in
The Scale Collective is a boutique interior design studio
creating some of the most collectible interiors in California and beyond:
relaxed, modern living with an Old World soul.
Our method
Drawn before
it’s built
A home is built before it is furnished, and we design it the same way. First your story, then the architecture of the space, its light and proportion, and finally the pieces that bring it to life, each chosen for its scale and form.
I
Your story
We listen first: how you live, what you collect, how you want to feel when you walk in the door.
II
The narrative
We write it into a concept: a palette, a mood and a few defining pieces that every decision answers to.
III
Scale & architecture
We design the architecture before a single chair: walls, ceilings, light and built-in millwork, so the space fits the story.
IV
Design & delivery
We select, design and source every piece, then manage procurement through installation, so the home feels collected, never bought.
The film
Golden hour in the Beverly Hills penthouse
A penthouse on the 39th floor of a Beverly Hills tower, designed for a young entrepreneur new to Los Angeles. The cloud-level light and the city view set the story. We layered warm neutral textures, stone and wood beneath them, kept the furniture low so the view stays open, and let the art take center stage.
Interior design + art consulting
Featured in Architectural Digest & Design Milk
The style
Organic modern
warm at heart
Our style is organic modern: the clean lines of modern design, softened by natural materials, sculptural forms and art, then layered until a room feels warm and lived in. Some call it warm minimalism. Calm the moment you walk in, never cold, and still right ten years later.
- Layered, never clutteredTexture and soft light, with room to breathe.
- Art makes the spaceCollected with intent, placed with care.
- Furniture as sculptureCollectible forms, chosen for scale.
- Materials that age wellPlaster, oak, stone, linen.
- Gathered over timePieces with a past, made for how you live now.
Selected work
Stories revealed
Recent work includes an estate in Miami Beach, a penthouse in Los Angeles, a Dwell-featured home in San Francisco, a waterfront residence and a wine bar in Tiburon, and apartment interiors in Berkeley.
Miami Beach
Miami Beach Estate
A waterfront estate of marble, travertine and warm wood, with a sculptural stair, a wine wall and timeless European furnishings.
Los Angeles · Architectural Digest, Tatler
Beverly Hills Penthouse
Thirty-nine floors up: limewashed plaster, a mural-wrapped bedroom, collectible pieces and art at the heart of every room.
San Francisco · Dwell
Translucence House
A reimagined 1960s Potrero Hill home, opened to the light and furnished for family life.
Tiburon · Interior architecture
Tiburon Waterfront
A mid-century home on the water, opened to the bay from every room.
Services
Every layer of your home
in one studio
Interior design, interior architecture and art from one small team. Take all three, or just the part you need; every project begins with a complimentary call.
I
Full-service interior design
Concept, plans, materials, furniture, art, project management and installation, until the home is move-in ready.
II
Interior architecture
Layouts, ceilings, openings, lighting and built-in millwork, drawn with your architect and builder for remodels and new homes.
III
Art consulting & selection
Gallery visits, artist introductions and custom commissions, from a single painting to a large-scale installation.
Meet Sara Alexander
The vision
behind the studio
Sara Alexander founded The Scale Collective in 2021, bringing more than a decade of experience across architecture and interior design. Curious by nature, she works where art, architecture and experience overlap, creating immersive, sensory spaces meant to be felt as much as seen.
Trained as an architect, she starts where most designers finish: with the bones of a room, its proportion, light and flow. Furniture and art come after, each piece chosen for its scale and sculptural presence. Her background spans residential, hospitality, workplace and multi-family design, and that range shapes how she thinks about the way people move through and live in a space.
Today Sara leads a small team from Tiburon, designing homes across Marin, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Miami.
Sara's full profileAbout the studio“The most successful projects start with a strong team, and that is why we love working with Sara and her team at The Scale Collective. The process is truly open and collaborative, and the end results are reflective of Sara’s commitment to design excellence. Her ideas are always original, thoughtful, and unique.
Can’t wait for our next project together!”
In the studio now
From story to concept
One primary bedroom in a Tiburon waterfront home, from first plan to final rendering. Every room we design moves through the same four steps before a single piece is ordered.
Questions
Before you begin
What is organic modern interior design?
Organic modern interior design pairs the clean lines of modern architecture with natural materials, soft textures and sculptural, handmade forms. Often called warm minimalism, it is calm and uncluttered but layered and inviting rather than stark. Our version adds collected art and European grace, so each home stays timeless and personal.
What is the difference between interior design and interior architecture?
Interior design shapes what goes into a room: furniture, materials, color and art. Interior architecture shapes the room itself: layout, walls, ceilings, openings, lighting and built-ins. Because we're trained in architecture, we do both, working alongside your architect and contractor.
How much does an interior designer cost?
Like most high-end interior design studios, we work on an hourly fee, with a procurement fee on furniture, art and materials purchased through the studio. Every home is different, so we don't publish ranges. The first 30-minute Zoom call or local site visit is complimentary; a longer walk-through and design assessment is billed as an initial design assessment fee.
Can you help us choose or commission art?
Yes. Art consulting is part of every full-service project and is also available on its own. We arrange gallery visits, introduce you to artists and artisans, and commission custom pieces, from a single canvas to a large-scale mural.
Where do you work?
The studio is based in Tiburon and works throughout Marin County, San Francisco and the greater Bay Area, including Sonoma and Napa, with selected projects in Los Angeles and Miami.
Where we work
Based in Tiburon, designing everywhere
The Scale Collective is based in Tiburon and serves clients throughout Marin County, including Belvedere, Tiburon, Ross, Mill Valley and Sausalito, as well as Sonoma, Napa and the greater San Francisco Bay Area. We also take on selected projects in Los Angeles and Miami.