steel bay, THE PLACE WHERE IDEAS AND SOLUTIONS INTERSECT.

“After 50+ years owning our home in the Oakland Hills, we realized it was time to sell.  The home was sewn into our family. It was a big decision – one of the biggest of our  lives. The home had big potential appeal to the marketplace: five bedrooms, English
Tudor, period detail, excellent bones. But it needed updating in every area. We knew  this, but we had little idea of how to go about it.  Alex was part of the design team brought in to update and re-imagine the space. From the first minute she crossed the threshold, Alex radiated confidence, warmth and  enthusiasm. She loved our home – it was palpable. She could also see what could be done, in a way that we couldn’t. I’m still amazed by the kitchen re-do. They took three  small, old-school rooms, and opened them up to create a space of light-filled grandeur.  The kitchen is now the true heart of the home. They also expanded our upstairs primary  bathroom and transformed into a deluxe spa-shower experience. Magical! Dozens of other touches, from modern fixtures to colors, transformed the house such that we walked through the finished product in wonder. These upgrades & modernization served us well, as the market dropped just as we listed. A lovely couple ended up buying the home. She said she had been looking for 18 months, and ours was the only home that “checked all her boxes.” Thanks to Alex and her team, I feel we didn’t just update our home. We brought it into the modern age, handing it over better than we had found it. I highly recommend Alex’s eye and expertise should you be considering doing the same!”

~ Homeowner, Oakland Hills 

what people are saying:

For me, a home has never just been a property. It's one of the most meaningful things a person can own — something they've worked for, taken pride in, and poured themselves into. That's the weight I carry into every project.
I'm drawn to spaces that are both beautiful and deeply livable, and I believe that when a home is designed with real intention, the right buyers feel it. That conviction has guided hundreds of projects across the Bay Area — and it still excites me every time.
When I'm not working, I'm usually still somehow near a house — restoring old ones just because I love it. Otherwise you'll find me running the trails or at the track training for my next race, working in my garden, or out in the neighborhood taking long walks with my four rescue pups.

I value honesty, communication, and transparency above all else. 

meet alex(andra)

founder and principal designer