AEF Interiors

AEF Interiors Walking you through the process of designing thoughtful + beautiful homes, fit for real life. Newport Beach, CA | Serving Nationwide
Accepting New Projects

You guysss is it just me or is September the sneaky little reset button of the whole year?? January gets all the hype bu...
09/04/2026

You guysss is it just me or is September the sneaky little reset button of the whole year?? January gets all the hype but September is when I actually get my act together. Fresh candles, back to my Sunday morning Trader Joe's flower run (get there earlyyyy or all the good stems are gone, I swear I leave that place feeling like a bandit) and I'm finally trading the peonies for the moodier fall stems. Living in California we don't really get a real fall so I just manufacture my own over here lol.

All images via Pinterest 🤍

Orange County Interior Design, Early Fall Decorating, Autumn Home Inspiration, Warm Home Styling, Transitional Interiors, California Homes

You guyssss how are we officially in the “-ber” months?? It feels unreal to say, especially because it has been hotttt a...
09/01/2026

You guyssss how are we officially in the “-ber” months?? It feels unreal to say, especially because it has been hotttt af yooo!! Anywhooo, I feel there is no better way to kick off my recap of alllll the cool s**t we did in August with a flatlay for a kitchen project for theeeee most charming remodel I am losing my actual s**t over!!

interiordesign Orange County Interior Design, Interior Design Studio, Designer Lifestyle, Studio Highlights, Behind The Design

POV: me, not a designer in every aspect of my life, playing with the upcoming grid and content!!

Framing for a new build we're working on Rossmoor - no one ever talks about how magical everything feels in this phase!!

While it's not my team's first rodeo doing new builds, it was a veryyy special moment for me because this is AEF’s very first!!! But don’t you worry, new build does NOT mean lacking modern charm (you know how we do!!!)

Will never be over this eyelet dress from D OĚ‚ E N

At our office kicking off four (!!!) new builds in Las Vegas - literally losing my actual s**t, I'm so stoked!!

Right across the street from said office!

Barketing manager on duty, sniffing out the best tile options!

Has anyone had the ceremonial matcha here?? yoooo it's bomb.com!!

Shopping for my big sky trip for this month and will never be over everything this brand creates!

Early ass morning flight to Georgia with Faucets N Fixtures for a trip I'll never forget!

MTI Baths Super Bath House - no clue if that's even the name, but tub karaoke will forever be a core memory!! (ifykyk)

Tubs on tubs on tubs.

No AI happening here!! Soooo many handmade steps go into these tubs, and I've earmarked some for future projects.

Started reading Good to Great and The Big Leap this month! I like to read one mindset and one biz book at a time to reallyyy digest all of the info.

Speaking on mindset work.... (hiii, Angie Wisdom | Keynote Speaker | Capacity & Performance !!)

Checking on some custom tables we're having made with Noah Melde !!

My friends at Materio hosted their first honest hour where I yapped, and 130 people stayed on for 90 mins and felt so fu***ng grateful!!

How the hell

08/29/2026

EVER wonder what your designer and builder are actually talking about behind closed doors?? Spoiler: it's problem-solving!! We are BACK for round two with Doug of Zalar Homes Inc., we had so much the first time that we simply HAD to do it again!! In ep. 3 of Honestly, Ali, we're getting into the behind-the-scenes stuff nobody actually sees: the beautiful chaos of bringing a design to life!!

We've worked together on projects that truly test you, likeeee a steam shower with wood AND marble AND subway tile AND slab all meeting in one little space (designed by yours truly, ha!) and just how much real-time communication, site meetings, and good old-fashioned troubleshooting it takes to make those material transitions actuallyyyy work. Honestly? That's just part of the gig. Your designer + builder HAVE to be willing to problem-solve on the fly. That is the wholeee ballgame. And don't even get us started on the one that STILL gives us heart palpitations, a vendor going out of business mid-project, leaving us scrambling for plumbing + appliances we had already specced out. (yikessss)

Here's where this all comes from for me: I got my start in the hotel world, where the ENTIRE guest experience, the restaurant, the front desk, housekeeping, all of it, works as one team to fix s**t behind the scenes so the guest never sees a thing. I figured the home industry would work the exact same way... then I realized a hotel is usually all one P&L, and a home is lotssss of separate businesses all working together. So I set out to find the builders who WANT to run like a luxury five-star hotel, the ones who take care of it behind the scenes, and Doug is exactly that.

Lesson learned: when the hard stuff shows up, it is our chance to show our character and be a shield for our client, handling the mess behind the scenes so all they ever see is their dream coming together beautifully. Head to the link in our bio to watch the full convo on YouTube, and while you're there, (if you haven't yet) hit that subscribe button so you never miss an episode!!

Designer Builder Collaboration, Team Leadership, Interior Design

08/28/2026

Meet our (imaginary) client Bob. Bob has a number in his head. Bob did some math and he read somewhere on ChatGPT that a project runs a set number per square foot, so he’s got the wholeeee thing priced out before we’ve even said hello. And I love Bob!! Butttt Bob’s number is almost always off, usually by a lotttt. And here’s the thing, Bob’s not alone. Some people have no idea what their number is yet and write “TBD” right there on our inquiry form, and honestly? That’s totally okay!! Whether you’ve got a number or not, here’s what I tell every Bob who comes my way: price per square foot is where a conversation starts, NOT what your project costs.

Depending on where Bob’s project is located and our last few builds, I’ll give a square-foot range. That’s not me being difficult!! It breaks down the realllll cost of the finishes, the millwork, the details you fell in love with in the first place. So before I design a single thing, we talk money. Out loud!! AND on day one, because I would rather have the budget conversation now than hand you a gorgeous plan you can’t finish and watch you end up heartbroken with no furniture. Sorry, Bob, the money conversation isn’t the buzzkill, it’s how we build the whole damn dream house!!

Orange County Interior Design, Design Studio Life, Behind The Scenes, AEF Interiors

Ya girl lovesss a bougie experience, and yes, a lot of it comes from my background in hospitality and this has informed ...
08/24/2026

Ya girl lovesss a bougie experience, and yes, a lot of it comes from my background in hospitality and this has informed my approach to design - and every time I travel to a new city and stay at a new hotel, frequent a new restaurant, or spend some R&R at a spa, I am taking notes on everything: the lighting that makes you want to stay for just oneeee more glass of wine, the weight of the door handle, how the towels somehow feel better than the ones at home (how do they do this??), the scent that greets you the second you walk in. All of these little unexpected moments that make you go ""ooh."" Here's my philosophy in a nutshell: your home should feel like the best hotel you've ever stayed at, except you neverrrr have to check out. I want you to have that feeling that someone thought of every detail, every single day, in your own space, in your comfiest pajamas. That's the magic we chase on every project!!!

elevatedliving Orange County Interior Design, Hospitality Inspired Design, Luxury Home Design, Elevated Living

You guyssss I am recording two realllyyy cool podcasts this month and gearing up for two panels, one IRL and one digital...
08/07/2026

You guyssss I am recording two realllyyy cool podcasts this month and gearing up for two panels, one IRL and one digital (more on this soon!) and I am just so freaking stoked that everything I have been talking about with you all here, over at Ali Faulkner and now on YouTube (!!!) has been striking a chord and now I get to share it across different platforms in our community - like I’m just in awe of how everything has snowballed and I’m so grateful that you all are along for this wild ride and loving every second of it as much as meeee! A lotttt of pinch me moments let me tell ya!

đź“·: Stephanie Russo
Styling: Cate Geiger

timelessdesign Orange County Interior Design, Before And After Design, Custom Home Interiors, Timeless Interior Design

Okayyyy AUGUST. How are we here already?? I feel like I blinked and the stores are already stuffed with Halloween decora...
08/06/2026

Okayyyy AUGUST. How are we here already?? I feel like I blinked and the stores are already stuffed with Halloween decorations while it's still 90 degrees outside, and it just doesn’t seem right! The nice thing about it being soo damn hot during the day is the perfecttt weather at night - been taking Huntley, my doggo, for more walks in the evenings. Isn’t life funny how you remember the neighbor's dog's name before you can remember their name?? Please, for the love of god tell me I am not the only one!

All images via Pinterest 🤍

seasonalinspiration warminteriors Orange County Interior Design, August Moodboard, Late Summer Living, Warm Interior Inspiration

I went to a friend's 40th birthday party recently, and it was formal attire, which forced me to get my nails done to mak...
08/04/2026

I went to a friend's 40th birthday party recently, and it was formal attire, which forced me to get my nails done to make up for the fact that I didn't have something super formal? Anywhoooo, now I am over here getting my nails done again? I fear this might turn me into a nail girl. I got suckered into like a layer of dip clear coat and then gel on top? And I am not going to lie, it's soooo thick it's nearly impossible to peel it off, which is whyyyy I stopped really doing the gel game to begin with. Have you guys heard of this dip, clear coat, and gel combo? Am I so late to the game? Is 2026 the year I become a nail girl? Can someone please send me their favorite pale yellow? Do I need to do chrome on top? What's the 411 folksssss!!!

behindthescenesdesign Orange County Interior Design, Studio Life, Summer Moments, Behind The Scenes Design, Designer Lifestyle

07/31/2026

FRIENDSSSS Episode 2 of Honestly, Ali is here!! This week I got to sit down with someone I actually trust with my clients’ homes, which, if you know me, you know is a VERY big deal: the one + only Doug Zalar of Zalar Homes Inc.!! Here’s the thing nobody warns you about before you build or renovate: the relationship between your designer and your builder is basically the wholeee ballgame. When your designer + builder genuinely like each other and talk to each other? Pure magic. When they don’t?? Ooof, trust me, you feel it in every single decision!

Doug + I get into ALL of it, when you should actually bring both of us onto your project (spoiler: waaay earlier than you think!!), how to properly vet a builder before you hand over the keys to your dream home, and the green flags I personally look for before I’ll work with anyone. If you are even THINKING about a build or a reno, this is the one to save + send to your person. Anywhooo, head to the link in our bio to watch the full convo on YouTube, and while you’re there, do me a little favor and hit that subscribe button so you never miss an episode!!

Designer Builder Collaboration, Team Leadership, Interior Design Business, Newport Beach Interior Designer

Address

Newport Beach, CA

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when AEF Interiors posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to AEF Interiors:

Shortcuts

Share

Category