The Best Interior Designers in Portland

Finding the right interior designer in Portland can feel daunting, especially with the many options available. However, the right contractor understands the local climate and building practices. They can ensure the home is resilient to Portland’s unique weather conditions. A reputable interior designer in Portland can also offer eco-friendly building solutions, aligning with the city’s sustainability goals and potentially reducing long-term operating costs for homeowners. The importance of selecting a trustworthy and skilled professional cannot be overstated, as the success of your residential project hinges on this decision. On average, residential projects in Portland range from $200,000 to $450,000, with high-end projects potentially exceeding $500,000 depending on the scope and materials. Such projects can take up to 35 weeks to complete, assuming no unexpected issues arise—something that is all too common in construction.

With a population of approximately 635,067 and a median home value of $542,190, Portland has a thriving housing market. The cost per square foot is roughly $3.84, reflecting the investment required for quality interior design in this flourishing city. According to permit data from the local building department, the city is home to 578 contractors specializing in residential projects. With so many contractors, finding one that aligns with your vision and can deliver within your budget and timeline is crucial. The right interior designer can transform your living space into a beautiful and functional home, while a poor choice can lead to costly delays and unsatisfactory results.

For those ready to embark on their home improvement journey in Portland, our guide to the best interior design firms in Portland is here to help. Read on to discover top-rated designers who can make your vision a reality.

Overview: The Best Interior Designers in Portland

See Ranking Methodology at the bottom of this article to learn more.

Wendy O’Brien Interior Planning & Design

2800 NW Thurman Street, Portland, OR 97210

Winner of the Judges Choice NW Natural Street of Dreams Design, Wendy O’Brien has also been featured in The Oregonian, The Home Builders News, Oregon Live, and Portrait Magazine on numerous occasions. With a degree from UCLA, she started her own company after realizing that her unique blend of gifts and passions would be an excellent addition to the design community. Lucky for us, she chose the Portland community. Wendy has a menagerie of experience in interior design, fashion, music, and visual art. Wendy believes, “For those seeking a stylish, innovative, and remarkable home that uniquely represents them… it’s time to consider your lifestyle, your likes, loves and inspirations as the guiding light toward a new living environment.” She has been a winner of both the Judge’s and People’s Choice Award in the “Serving up Style” competition.

A newly constructed home in Lake Oswego appears Mediterranean at heart but is also balanced with the Northwest vernacular. Every detail of the home was designed by Wendy O’Brien, beginning with rich, warm tones to emit an old world and rustic flavor. Rock work and classic architectural details were incorporated into dark and stained, distressed oak floors. Natural stone tiles, hand-finished textures, and earth tone walls with accented espresso stains align the custom built-ins and stair railings. The finished product embodies the Pacific Northwest with passing dreams of the Italian countryside and Mediterranean Sea.

Kimberlee Jaynes

Portland, OR

With a background in fashion, art, and design, Kimberlee Jaynes has merged her talents to create a firm that invents bold but simple interiors with modern and traditional styles. Her award-winning designs have been published on the covers of reputable presses, including The Portrait of Portland Magazine. She’s been featured in the Home and Garden section of the Oregonian and in Oregon Home Magazine. Jaynes is a finalist in the Residential Interiors category of the Benjamin Moore HUE awards and is an associate member of the Northwest Society of Interior Designers. As one of the leading interior design firms in Portland, the firm was featured in an article from Forbes.

The Lake Oswego project is a home with an already built-in amazing view, but when Kimberlee Jaynes arrived, it clearly needed a remodel. Kimberlee could take the entryway and completely make it over inside and out, including relocating the stairway. The living room has low ceilings, so “to fool the eye I had the ceilings painted in the same color as the walls but in a high gloss sheen. Now the outdoors is reflected inside!” The fireplace was also newly designed and became a focal point, rather than the TV and audio, which was moved behind closed doors. The master bath saw a feminine retouch with a freestanding tub, placed for the perfect window view and lighting. The second bath hosts a honey onyx vessel sink and is minimalist yet classically and decidedly masculine.

Pangaea

412 NW Couch Street #224, Portland, OR 97209

Pangaea focuses on creating custom solutions with an emphasis on functionality and beauty. The HBA Remodeling Excellence Award was given to the company in 2014 and 2015. Pangaea is comfortable working with a variety of clients’ needs. Whether that means adding square footage, ameliorating a home’s lighting, reconfiguring a house layout, or even doing cosmetic updates, they are driven to develop inventive solutions for each project. Their approach has goals for each area of the home: their kitchen designs tend to center around effective work zones, efficiency, and flexibility, all while maintaining heart. Typically, their bathroom designs are drawn to enhance one’s emotional relationship to the morning routine while also providing a relaxing and restful space for unwinding.

Many of the top interior designers work on residential projects in the Southwest hills of Portland. One featured project of Pangaea’s is a spacious, transitional kitchen. Incorporating modern function, the design was still able to keep and enhance the classic look, featuring soft white Shaker-style cabinetry with a contrasting island. A second prep area with medium-stained display cabinets, custom-designed with rift-cut oak, runs on a horizontal grain. This all came with cutting out the cabinets, which obstructed the panoramic view — a major selling point of living in the West Hills. A hidden pantry, specialized pull-outs, and Sub-Zero Wolf appliances were added for luxury and clean appearances. Another featured project is the penthouse in Portland’s artsy and walkable Pearl District. With another spectacular city view, this project was designed to create a modern space featuring the client’s art collection. Pangaea chose low-slung, sleek, European-made pieces from B&B Italia, Minotti, and Roche Bobois and was crafty enough to blend these with locally made furniture pieces of their design. Also originally designed by Pangaea were the added lush, silver-gray, hand-knotted wool and silk rugs. A raised bar was added to allow visual differentiation between the kitchen and dining area. Again designed by Pangaea was an entryway bench made of three small upholstered ottomans, fitted with a wood base of ash color. Similarly, the dining chairs were not only tasteful and modern, but also easy to move to arrange in different ways, either for dining or sitting.

Jenni Leasia Design

3339 SE Division Street, Portland, OR 97202

Jenni Leasia Design primarily works on projects throughout the Pacific Northwest and nationally. With 15 years of experience, the firm’s process concentrates on programming, Schematic Design, Design Development, and Design Management. The firm’s work ranges from large-scale, new custom builds and whole-house renovations to bath remodels and home furnishings projects. Focused on comfort, pleasure, and peaceful environments, which bring ease to the daily routine, budget and client satisfaction are always ensured with Jenni Leasia. Among the interior design firms in Portland, the firm was featured in an article from HuffPost.

A project in Hawthorne was in the Colonial Heights neighborhood in SE Portland. The existing kitchen was a dark cave with no workspace and limited storage. They aimed to connect the space to the living room at one end and the dining room at the other. After removing various walls, they relocated a powder bath to a hidden corner. The result is an open-concept main living space, perfect for entertaining, sprawling on the sectional, and cooking. Another custom home redesigned by the firm is perched above the Willamette River in the historic Old Town neighborhood in Lake Oswego. With the clients desiring a sense of inviting coziness, the firm designed the interiors to reflect the neighborhood’s cottage architecture. The kitchen opens to the living room and great room, which expands seamlessly to a covered outdoor room with a wood-burning fireplace. Soft and neutral colors were chosen to emphasize the spectacular view from the windows.

Studio Garrison

506 SW 6th Avenue, Fifth Floor, Portland, OR 97204

Garrison is the principal designer and owner of Studio Garrison. His work is featured on the Luxe Gold List, and he was recently named a 2017 Fixr Top 200 Influencer of Home Design and Industry. Garrison was once a project manager at Gap Inc., but he changed the course of his career when he began taking on remodeling projects. Eleven years later, he launched his own firm. Garrison is well known for his contemporary designs; he works with residential interior architecture, including design, finish specification, presentations, and project management. He brings a thorough understanding of form, color, and construction. His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Embark Magazine, and Portrait Of Portland, establishing a reputation as one of the go-to interior design firms in Portland.

Built in a stylish suburb community just south of Portland, Lake Oswego is a perfect place for Garrison Hullinger’s 4200-square-foot, shingle-style home: the Berwick House. The clients who requested this design wanted a home that embodied a Northwest lifestyle and that would also be bountiful in space and roominess for visiting guests to gather and stay. The project was semi-challenging due to the community’s numerous zoning and planning requirements, on top of keeping with the clients’ vision. However, GH created large- and open-vaulted spaces on both the first and second floors, which made it possible to build and design spaciousness and beauty, all while aligning with the aesthetics of this upscale neighborhood. The majority of the house is painted a soft and creamy wood color with a white trim, which gives it a look of modern organization and cleanness all while fitting into the natural landscape and giving off a warm and classical gaze.

Angela Todd Designs

7505 SE Stark Street, Portland, OR 97215

Are you looking for a full-service, boutique interior design house in Portland, Oregon? You might recognize Angela Todd Designs’ award-winning work, which has appeared in various shows and recognized media outlets, including Oregon Home, Lake Oswego Review, Better TV, Better Living Show, The Oregonian, NW Natural Street of Dreams, and News Radio KXL. Angela Todd is a member of the National Association of Home Builders and an active participant with the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland, where she served for two years on the local board of directors of the HBA. A unique case, she is the sole interior designer ever to be voted in by the general membership. She is also a part of the Portland Remodelers Organization, which has given her contact to the most experienced general contractors in the Northwest. Extremely detail-oriented, Angela Todd Designs provides myriad visual tools and relevant questions during client consultation to prepare always fine-tuned concepts.

Todd got creative and recently remodeled a fourth bedroom in Southwest Portland, converting it to a master suite. This bedroom was previously under-utilized, mostly for additional closet storage. ATD created a master bathroom that aligned with the style of this Mid-century influenced ranch but with some additional flair, like an extra vanity, an expansive shower, toiletry and appliance storage, and heated floors. All this was done on a budget. In another project in the Pearl District, Todd was one of seven designers chosen to contribute to the HBA’s hosting of the Street of Dreams. ATD’s design focused on unexpected line and color combinations, along with cosmetic reconstruction of the fireplace, mosaic tile renovations in the kitchen, and custom artistry finishes along the walls. The project won the People’s Choice Award for Best Master Suite at the Northwest Natural Street of Dreams.

Donna DuFresne

1010 SE Water Avenue, Portland, OR 97214

Donna DuFresne’s design work features uniquely attractive, livable interiors. She excels in balancing individual and eclectic preferences with the practical needs of everyday living, and all with a bit of zest. Donna completed formal training at the Design Institute of San Diego and eventually joined Warren Sheets Design of Beverly Hills. Now, DuFresne even designs and manages the production of custom-built furniture for clients. Among her awards is second place for Best Individual Room – Traditional at the 14th annual Northwest Design Awards.

Located in the classic Alameda neighborhood, this project took a lovely Portland home that needed an update that matched the active, young family that occupied the house. As the client was seeking a stylish, calming interior that was also livable and durable with children and pets, DuFresne designed a sofa and settee employing a local manufacturer and was able to use high-performance fabrics stylized with elegance. In another project, their newest kitchen renovation in Portland, they accomplished the complete renovation, all while on a modest budget of $30k. Keeping the original floor plan and carefully selecting original elements of the space, they then utilized ceiling-height subway tile as a backsplash. They integrated all new cabinets, shelving, fixtures, and appliances. The deep gray selected for the cabinetry, set against the shine of the stainless steel, gives it an airy yet grounded renewal.

Jessica Helgerson

112 SW 1st Avenue, Portland, OR 97204

With work featured in The New York Times, Gray Magazine, Contract Magazine, Architectural Digest, and Casa Vogue (to name a few), you may recognize the work of Jessica Helgerson Interior Design. And even if not, you will remember it once you’ve seen it. Helgerson herself has lived and worked in Italy, Switzerland, and France. Her life in Europe and her travels in India, Mexico, Morocco, and the Far East have strongly influenced her work. The overall design group has expertise and experience that applies to the many types of projects they complete, both their small residential and larger renovation work. Helgerson has been a NW Design Award finalist and an Interior Design Best of the Year Award finalist. As one of the leading interior design firms in Portland, it was featured in an article in the New York Times.

Featured in Gray Magazine and Architectural Digest, the expansion of the 1920s Portland home senior designed by Chelsi Lee is a real beauty. The house now has an additional fourth bedroom on the second floor, and they converted basement and attic into livable spaces. The kitchen was relocated to the back of the house, a bit closer to the garden, which now houses a steel washed window that lets in light. Custom pickets were designed for the stairs, which were also reconfigured to access the attic and basement. The integrity of the house’s history is upheld with new soft and muted colors, which blend nicely with the newly chosen furnishings that have an element of youthfulness and modernity. If you have yet to see it in the Martha Stewart magazine, the tiny house located a few miles outside of Portland on Sauvie Island does a great job of making the most of space. With one “great room” (the kitchen, dining room, and living room), it still feels spacious with large and cozy built-in sofas that cross function as twin beds for guests. The ceiling was opened up in the main space, but the bathroom and bedroom have lower ceilings in order to accommodate the sleeping loft above, made accessible by a ladder made of walnut wood.

Ranking Methodology

To evaluate the performance of designers, our methodology employs a systematic approach that considers various factors contributing to customer experience and satisfaction. We focused on assessing the interior designers in the Portland area. The methodology involves assigning weightings to specific categories based on their significance in determining customer service quality. Here’s the breakdown of the categories and their respective weightings:

• Average Customer Satisfaction (35%): This metric represents the average rating given by customers across the same review platforms as the Average Customer Satisfaction Score. A higher average rating indicates greater overall satisfaction with the service provided.
• Service Rating Score (25%): We analyze the ratio of high (4-5 stars) to low (1-2 stars) ratings for each business across multiple review platforms: Google, Houzz, and Yelp. A higher percentage of positive reviews contributes to a higher score, reflecting better customer satisfaction.
• Complaint Percentage (25%): We analyze the ratio of complaints to total reviews for each business. A lower complaints ratio indicates better service quality and results in a higher score.
• Business Hours and Availability (10%): The operating hours of each business are assessed to gauge accessibility. Companies with extended operating hours are awarded a higher score, as they offer greater convenience to customers.
• License Status (5%): We verify the licensing status of each contractor with their local licensing board to ensure legal compliance. Companies with valid licenses receive a higher score, reflecting professionalism and adherence to regulations.
• Total Score: We determined the overall rating for every contractor by calculating a weighted average, with the category weight determining the amount the subscore contributed to the total score 

Additional Note: Service Rating Score, Average Customer Satisfaction, and Complaint Percentage are calculated with a Bayesian estimate to account for if the contractor has a low number of total reviews. A Bayesian average is a statistical method used to calculate the average of a set of data points while taking into account prior information or beliefs about the distribution of the data. It combines the observed data with a prior distribution to generate a more accurate estimate of the true average.