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Founder & creative director · The Scale Collective
Sara Alexander
Interior designer, trained in architecture
The essence
Sara Alexander is the founder and creative director of The Scale Collective, an interior design studio in Tiburon, California. She holds a Master of Architecture from California College of the Arts, a BA in Urban Studies and Planning from San Francisco State University and an AA in Interior Architecture from Santa Monica College, and leads the studio's interiors, interior architecture and art.
- Education
- Master of Architecture, California College of the Arts · BA, Urban Studies and Planning, San Francisco State University · AA, Interior Architecture, Santa Monica College
- Role
- Founder and creative director, The Scale Collective
- Studio
- Tiburon, Marin County, California · founded as Studio Sara Haag, renamed 2023
- Practice
- Interior design, interior architecture, art consulting, creative direction
- Published
- Architectural Digest, Dwell, Martha Stewart, Tatler, House & Garden, Modern Luxury, Design Milk
Her path
From architecture to the rooms within it
Sara grew up in Southern California among mid-century houses and the legacy of the Case Study program. Her grandfather collected art and furniture on his travels through Asia, and her father builds and develops homes, so she learned early how a well-made house and a collected one fit together.
She earned an AA in Interior Architecture from Santa Monica College, a BA in Urban Studies and Planning from San Francisco State University and a Master of Architecture from California College of the Arts. Practicing architecture showed her where her eye is strongest: materials, furniture, art and the layering of pieces at the right scale.
She founded Studio Sara Haag and, in 2023, renamed it The Scale Collective: a collective, because no home is designed by one person, and scale, because it is the heart of how she designs.
“Rather than sticking to one visual style, our work is a response to the site, the client's narrative and the story being built about the house. Each project has its own visual language.”
Sara in the press
Projects she has led
- Tiburon WaterfrontTiburon
- Beverly Hills PenthouseLos Angeles
- Translucence HouseSan Francisco
- Pine TreeMiami Beach
- Jones BerkeleyBerkeley
- Lakehouse ResidencesOakland
- Wild Child PreschoolOakland
Writing from the studio
- 9 ways to bring Marin's natural beauty into your homeReviewed by Sara
- Modern elegance meets coastal comfortReviewed by Sara
- Do timeless interiors add resale value?By Sara
- What is collectible design?By Sara
- FOG Design+Art 2024: our highlightsBy Sara
Questions
Good to know
Who is Sara Alexander?
Sara Alexander is an interior designer and the founder and creative director of The Scale Collective in Tiburon, California. She holds a Master of Architecture from California College of the Arts, a BA in Urban Studies and Planning from San Francisco State University and an AA in Interior Architecture from Santa Monica College, and her work has been published in Architectural Digest México and Polska, Design Milk, Tatler and Marie Claire Maison.
Is Sara Alexander an architect?
No. Sara is trained in architecture, with a Master of Architecture from California College of the Arts, and practices as an interior designer. The Scale Collective is an interior design studio; on remodels and new homes it works alongside the client's licensed architect and engineer, who lead structural work and permits.
What is Sara Alexander's design style?
Sara describes her style as a relaxed, coastal California feel with refined forms from timeless European and classical design, mixing old and new for a collected look. Often called organic modern or warm minimalism, it is shaped by each client's story, so no two homes look alike.
Where does Sara Alexander design?
From her studio in Tiburon, Sara designs homes across Marin County, San Francisco and the East Bay, with selected projects in Los Angeles and Miami Beach.