Don’t be alarmed if Susan Wintersteen asks for a meal plan midway through a kitchen redesign consultation. With every new project, Wintersteen, the CEO and creative director of Solana Beach– based firm Savvy Interiors, considers everything from the number of kids and pets running through the house to “how many leftovers they have in their fridge,” she says.
Her focus on the practicalities comes from her background as a mother of five, researching flooring and fabrics that wouldn’t fall apart under the onslaught of rowdy little ones. “I became addicted to the feeling of blending what looks good with what is super functional,” she recalls. Initially a design hobbyist, she used her self-taught skills to launch her business in 2002. Her husband John joined Savvy seven years later, and the pair became general contractors, able to transform spaces through both big builds and aesthetic overhauls.
And it’s not just clients who benefit from Wintersteen’s thoughtful approach. In 2014, Wintersteen began redecorating rooms for kids experiencing medical crises, eventually creating a donor-funded nonprofit, Savvy Giving by Design. The organization now has 11 chapters nationwide and partners with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The nonprofit aims to create safe and comfortable spaces for children with medical needs, implementing, for example, automated beds and window coverings to account for limited mobility. But Wintersteen also wants to make the rooms a place of joy, filling them with color and cozy places to hang out and decorating them in line with each kid’s interest (say, superheroes or horses).
“[It] gives them the tools to enhance their healing,” Wintersteen says. “And when you see the impact it has on that kid, it’s really hard to not want to continue doing that.”
We asked Wintersteen to share deets from three of her favorite kitchen revamps.
“We transformed this space into a chic Parisian haven with a powder blue palette, marrying timeless elegance with contemporary charm in this kitchen remodel,” Wintersteen says.
Stools: Four Hands Tile: Ann Sacks Segmented Hex Mosaic in Whitecap Countertops: Cambria Winterbourne Light: Arteriors Heloise Pendant Paint Color: Benjamin Moore 1593 Adagio Range: La Cornue
Courtesy of Savvy Interiors
La Jolla Vacation Home
“We elevated this coastal retreat with a modern kitchen remodel, seamlessly blending sleek design elements and beachfront allure for the ultimate vacation home sanctuary,” Wintersteen explains.
Countertops: Caesarstone Raw Concrete 4004 Range Backsplash and Island: Bedrosians Manhattan Polished Quartzite Range Wall Tile: Clé Four-Inch Zellige Tiles Range: Miele Fridge: Sub-Zero
Courtesy of Savvy Interiors
Green Olivenhain Kitchen
“We wanted to create a space that was easy to use and didn’t feel cramped for a busy family,” Wintersteen says. “When making our design selections, we had function in mind and wanted materials that worked for a family with young kids.”
Hood Color: Benjamin Moore Jojoba AF-460 Range: Bertazzoni 48-Inch Heritage Series Backsplash Slab: Tutto Marmo Marble Statua Corchia Island Countertop: Cambria Everleigh Perimeter Countertops: MSI Soapstone Metropolis Concrete Quartz Stools: CB2 Avont White Upholstered Counter Stool recovered with Dorell Fabric, pattern Elliot in color avocado
Amelia Rodriguez is a writer and journalist and winner of the San Diego Press Club's 2023 Rising Star Award and 2024 Best of Show Award, she’s also covered music, food, arts and culture, fashion, and design for Rolling Stone, Palm Springs Life, and other national and regional publications. After work, you can find her hunting down San Diego’s best pastries and maintaining her five-year Duolingo streak.
