Homes made slowly,
built to be lived in.
We design interiors for the way light moves through the Central Coast — soft mornings, long afternoons, and evenings that ask for candles.
Four homes, four climates.
A room shouldn't announce itself. It should hold you, quietly, for a long time.
Founded in 2014 by principal designer Lena Hartwell, Cerro is a seven-person studio working on a limited number of projects each year — most of them whole-home renovations and ground-up builds between Ojai and Hope Ranch.
We source locally where we can, travel for what we can't, and believe that patina is a feature, not a flaw.
Meet the studio →Three ways to work with us.
Full-Service Design
Ground-up builds, whole-home renovations, and long-form collaboration with your architect and builder. Our most requested engagement.
Learn more →Single-Room Residency
One room, fully designed and delivered — kitchen, primary suite, or a considered living room. Fixed scope, fixed fee.
Learn more →Studio Consult
A half-day in your home with the principal designer. Specific, practical, and generous. Often the beginning of something longer.
Learn more →Notes on craft, climate & home.
The Montecito light, and how to paint for it.
Why cool whites go sour here by 4 p.m., and the four off-warm whites we return to project after project.
Why we always come back to lime plaster
Five trees we plant before we furnish
Tell us about your house,
and the life you want to live in it.
We take two new full-service projects a quarter. Inquiries open year-round; we reply personally within five business days.