Jennifer Buda
Founder | Interior Designer
Raised in The Golden State, this "California Girl" has a love of designing custom interiors that are warm and soothing yet elegant and sophisticated. She also enjoys stepping into her work boots and leading construction projects on site for her clients!
She endeavors to create a space for a family or a couple in which to thrive. She founded Buda Design in 2003 and leveraged her experience working with several top interior designers to bring her clients’ vision to life. Her warm personality, dedication to her craft, and laser-focus built the foundation of her client-centered approach. She's known for her ability to produce a custom designed space within budget while keeping the client at ease by maintaining straightforward and constant communication.
“Owning my business means that I have the pleasure of being present through every step of the project,” said Buda. “I enjoy collaborating and connecting with my client, but I also value working with the construction crews and onsite teams as we transform a space into what my client and I imagined.”
Jennifer says her greatest joy is creating a mood through her work and having her clients feel like they are on vacation or transported to another time as they step into their new home or space by Buda Design. “I use historical references to create a look or a feeling for my clients. Art history, forms and architecture are my passions and I take pride in communicating that through my work.”
Through the years, Jennifer continues to earn the respect of industry leaders and build lasting relationships within the design world. "What Jennifer brings to each project is a positive, down-to-earth attitude while putting her clients' needs first and I’m sure they love her for that,” said Jana Nierman, project manager with Valley Drapery and Upholstery. "She treats us with respect and is clear with her requests, which is often difficult to find in our business! We enjoy working with Jennifer and it's in that respect that she’s a stand-out designer to us."
Jennifer is detail-oriented, even mastering oil painting which helps her communicate with specialty finishers. Painting is a passion for her and she was honored to teach art to children with Dream AcadeMe in Los Angeles. With a mission of sharing her expert knowledge of diverse styles and forms, Jennifer focuses on creating a unique, personal and polished ambiance for each project.
Jennifers Journey: Having received a Bachelor's of Fine Arts Degree from The Academy of Art University (a FIDER accredited university), Jennifer was hand-selected by the Dean of Academy of Art University to work on the famous Getty Residence in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco. She managed the design implementation of the 51-room home and worked with the on-site teams and artisans. She proved invaluable in managing the flow of construction and installation.
Jennifer’s path to Southern California began when Donna Livingston, of Donna Livingston Design, hired her to join their prestigious “AD100” design team. Jennifer was tapped to work on the Benedict Canyon home of Jeff Franklin, producer of the hit TV series Full House. She was the project manager for this custom estate with six guest suites.
With experience under her belt and determination, she decided she had something to offer with her unique, standout brand and founded Buda Design International in 2003. And you could say her work is fit for royalty!
Jennifer was hired to design the Beverly Hills vacation home of a Saudi princess and she designed the 24,000 square foot manor the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markel, stayed in when they first arrived in Los Angeles in 2020. That custom estate was a “turn key” project where Jennifer was flown to Italy to select marble for her A list client (that’s where being fluent in Italian certainly came in handy). She also designed the custom fireplaces, both kitchens, 14 bathrooms, wine cellar and staircase railings for this luxury property. She went on to work on her client’s 35,000 square foot Atlanta home that was purchased by comedian and actor, Steve Harvey.
Jennifer is especially proud of her efforts to help people rebuild after a disaster and she just completed four custom estates in Malibu after the Woolsey Fire. These “fire rebuilds” were projects that were completed from the ground up.
To this day, Jennifer is dedicated to her clients who want their homes and spaces to look and feel custom designed and to fit their lifestyle. Jennifer won Best Bar Design in Houzz with her work continuing to get “pinned” on the interior design site, establishing her mass appeal. She loved the treasure hunt in New Orleans to find collector antique vases and pieces for a penthouse in the Ritz Carlton Central Park. Jennifer looks forward to what she can do next for you.
Languages: English | Italian | French | Spanish
Exceptional Design, extraordinary servicE
Buda Design is a Los Angeles based interior design firm founded by celebrated interior designer, Jennifer Buda. Buda Design provides full-service architectural interior design, from renovations to new construction. As the principal designer, Jennifer’s specialty is transporting her clients to another world by creating a space that “moves” you. If you can imagine it, she can bring it to life. If you prefer to leave it all to the experts, Buda Design is happy to produce striking design concepts and infuse them with warmth, style, textures, and rich color to make any space a one-of-a-kind dwelling. Our team will embark upon a “treasure hunt” to acquire just the right pieces. There will be no mistaking that a project by Buda Design is custom designed and imagined just for you.
The firm has a long list of impressive residential projects that include Gordon and Ann Getty’s 51-room home in San Francisco, properties in the vineyards of Napa Valley and Malibu, and custom homes and estates in Beverly Hills, Malibu, and Atlanta. Buda Design also boasts creations in commercial properties including hotels and spas in the San Francisco Bay Area, Palm Springs, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Scottsdale, Arizona.
The Process:
The design process is individual and engaging for each client as Jennifer collaborates to interpret the desired vision. She presents visual boards, perspective drawings, and mock ups for scale and appearance (prototypes to adjust nuances). The
client is shown 3D drawings so they can clearly see what the space will look like, right down to specialty finishes! Jennifer then directs skilled artisans to transform any space to reflect each clients’ style.
let’s get started
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to refresh a room in your house. Maybe you want to design a house from the ground up. Or maybe you have a business project to share with the world.
“Jennifer is not only talented but so lovely to work with. She really listens to what the client wants and incorporates their ideas with her own to produce a gorgeous outcome.”
Sarina Klemes | Founder, Danison Designs, Los Angeles-based landscape design.