Interior Design Studio · San Francisco Bay Area
Spaces that hold
story & intention
Where the sensory richness of South India meets the quiet precision of contemporary California design — every project a translation between two worlds.
Design is a quiet
act of devotion
Every room tells a story. We believe interiors should feel both deeply personal and effortlessly at ease — spaces where heritage and modernity exist in graceful dialogue.
Our approach draws from the rich material traditions of India — hand-loomed textiles, carved stone, inlaid woodwork — and translates them into contemporary settings with restraint and reverence.
Listen
We begin with deep inquiry — understanding how you live, what you value, and the stories your space should hold.
Curate
Each material, finish, and object is chosen with intention — sourced globally, rooted in meaning.
Compose
We orchestrate elements like a raga — building rhythm, contrast, and harmony across every room.
Refine
Perfection is in the details. We adjust until every sightline, texture, and transition feels right.
"Design is not decoration — it is the art of making space feel inhabited before you arrive."
— Swatika Upendran, FounderAbout the Designer
A designer between
two worlds
Swatika Upendran is the founder of Open Storey, a Bay Area interior design studio shaped by her experience across interior design, retail environments, hospitality, and interaction design. Educated in Chennai, Barcelona, and San Francisco, she brings a distinctly global perspective to her work.
Her portfolio spans luxury residences, cinemas, boutique retail spaces, hospitality projects, and large-scale corporate interiors for brands including Cisco Systems, Target, and Intuit.
Swatika's approach is grounded in materiality, detail, and the emotional experience of space — creating interiors that feel refined, layered, and lasting.
Selected Work
Featured Spaces
How We Work
A considered process
for every project
A deep listening session to understand how you live, what you value, and what each space needs to accomplish — practically and emotionally.
A single, cohesive design narrative — a spatial mood board with material samples, colour studies, structural specifications, and reference imagery.
Materials and furnishings curated from Bay Area makers, Indian artisan workshops, and a trusted global network of vendors built across a decade of practice.
Careful project management through installation, with your involvement at every meaningful decision point and a final walk-through that is never rushed.
Swatika doesn't just design rooms — she designs the feeling of being in them. Our home carries something we can't name but can't imagine living without.
Ananya & Rahul Mehta
Residential Clients — Saratoga, CA
Get in Touch
Let's begin
your project
Open Storey takes on a limited number of new projects each year. If you're considering a redesign — residential or boutique commercial — an initial conversation is always a good place to start.
California