We were lucky to catch up with Jen Sogorka recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jen, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I learned this craft in a really hands-on, real-world way. When I look back, the thread actually starts in my childhood. My parents were never fully satisfied with their homes, so we moved almost every year for the first decade of my life. At the time it just felt like constant change, but it quietly ingrained in me the foundations of real estate — almost an innate understanding of why certain layouts feel good to live in, and why some homes simply “work” better than others.

That awareness grew during my early career in luxury event planning. I spent years designing how people move through a room, anticipating needs, and solving problems in the background. When I decided to pivot into design full-time during COVID, I realized how naturally those skills translated into renovation work. I also went back to some of the roots I’d planted in college, having taken interior design electives, and enrolled in additional courses in architecture and plan drawing. Those classes helped connect the dots and gave structure to things I had already been doing intuitively.

But honestly, the biggest catalyst to the learning curve was lived experience. Long before Sage Home Design existed, I renovated my own home with a crew of subcontractors who had been in the trades for decades. They took me under their wing and taught me how to think like a builder: what to look for, how to communicate with trades, how to troubleshoot, and how to avoid costly mistakes. They didn’t have to share any of that, and I’m still incredibly grateful.

When friends started reaching out for help with their remodels, I leaned into it and launched Sage in October 2020. Our first project was a full-scale renovation of a 3,900-square-foot home. We touched every inch of it while navigating HOAs, county approvals, delayed shipments, and pandemic-era supply shortages. It was a crash course in real-time problem solving, and I genuinely loved it. You learn fast when you’re solving ten challenges a day.

All in all, knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t speed anything up. Every chapter — events, education, renovations, trades, real estate — shaped the holistic perspective I rely on today.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m the founder and principal designer of Sage Home Design, a studio focused on residential design, project and vendor management, presale renovations, and full-home transformations across North County San Diego (and occasionally beyond). At the heart of what we do is the idea that homes should, of course, look beautiful, but they should also feel good to live in and make sense as long-term investments.

My work is shaped by a mix of creativity, practicality, and a genuine love for helping people feel grounded in their spaces. Over the years, I’ve developed a strong understanding of how homes should function day-to-day, how to identify smart improvements, and how to guide clients through decisions that truly impact their lifestyle and the long-term value of their home. Renovating my own personal homes and rental properties taught me a lot about the relationship between design, flow, and return on investment. And, now, I bring that 360-degree lens to every project.

Day to day, we solve everything from awkward floor plans to complex remodel challenges to the logistics of coordinating trades and vendors. But more importantly, we help clients translate how they want to live into a home that genuinely supports that vision.

One thing that tends to set Sage Home Design apart is that clients often bring me in before they purchase a property. I’ll walk homes with them, evaluate the layout, identify red flags, estimate remodel costs, and talk honestly about whether the house can become what they’re imagining. A property can look incredible online but function poorly in real life, and catching that early can save clients from major headaches.

What I’m most proud of is when clients genuinely love their homes at the end of the process. I don’t push a signature style or try to make every project look the same. My job is to listen, interpret their taste, and elevate it in a way that feels authentic to them.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

At the heart of everything I do is the desire to help people create homes — spaces that feel uniquely theirs, support their daily lives, and protect what is often their most valuable asset. A well-designed home isn’t just beautiful; it’s an investment that can grow with a family for generations. My mission is to guide people through that process with clarity, creativity, and care.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Hands down, referrals and repeat clients. My business has grown by showing up fully for each project, being honest, communicating clearly, and advocating for clients the way I would for my own home. When people feel supported and trust the process, they naturally share that experience with friends and family. Many clients have brought me back for second or third projects as their lives evolve, which is the biggest compliment. There’s no flashy strategy behind it — just doing good work, staying transparent, and building relationships that last long after the project is finished.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sagehomedesign.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sagedesignrsf
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sage-home-design

Image Credits

Taylor Allan Creative