Freelance Senior Design Support for Interior Design & Architecture Firms
Christine Ley
Christine Ley, Owner of Cley Atelier, is a San Diego–based interior designer with more than 20 years of experience in interior design and interior architecture (ID/IA), specializing in luxury residential and hospitality projects. She brings a strong technical foundation, a versatile creative range, and a collaborative approach that integrates smoothly into each firm's aesthetic, process, and workflow.
Christine holds a Bachelor's degree in Interior Design with a concentration in Hospitality and Tourism Management, as well as a Master's in Architecture with a minor in Art. Before launching her consulting practice, she spent over a decade working for some of the most esteemed interior design and architecture firms in the country — experience that shaped both her technical depth and her creative instincts, along with a clear understanding of how established studios run.
Over the past 10–15 years, Christine has served as lead designer and project manager on large-scale, high-end projects, guiding work from early concept through construction administration and final installation. Her work spans the full range of ID/IA deliverables, including concept development, design development, construction drawing packages, finish and fixture specifications, furniture sourcing, and presentation and rendering development. She is equally comfortable setting the big-picture design vision and producing the technical documentation that carries a project through to completion, and she is able to step in at any project phase to help teams produce cohesive, elevated results.
Alongside her professional work, Christine has continued to expand her creative toolkit — sharpening her skills across graphic design, photography, advanced rendering workflows, and AI-assisted design. She endeavors to stay on the forefront of where creativity meets technology, combining technical design training with emerging tools to deliver work that is both thoughtful and forward-looking.
Let's Collaborate.
Freelance Senior Design Support for Interior Design & Architecture Firms
Twenty years of luxury residential and hospitality design experience, available to your firm on a as-needed, per-project basis. Christine Ley partners with design firms as a senior-level freelance consultant — from concept development and construction documents to FF&E, renderings, and project management. Experienced, adaptable, and ready to step in wherever you need her most.
Portfolio: Feature Projects
Service Overview
Christine partners with firms as an experienced extension of their in-house team, offering senior-level expertise without the commitment of a full-time hire. Services can be tailored to meet your team wherever support is needed — from design development and construction documents to FF&E sourcing & specifications, 3D modeling and renderings, presentations, and project management. Every project brings its own demands, and this collaboration is shaped to integrate smoothly with your team, delivering high-quality support exactly when and where it's needed most.
Why Work With a Freelance Consultant?
Top-Tier Talent:
Senior-level expertise without the commitment of a full-time hire.
No Onboarding or Training Required:
A senior designer who can hit the ground running.
On-Demand Expertise:
Support only when you need it, right-sized to your project.
No Long-Term Commitment:
Engage only when needed, without the burden of ongoing payroll.
Flexibility to Scale:
Extra capacity during a deadline crunch or specialized input on a complex project.
No Overhead:
No office space or equipment costs. Fully equipped remote workstation, software licenses, and backup systems — no extra investment required.
No Administrative Burden:
No benefits, healthcare, or payroll — just streamlined, project-based support.
