Her Story
About Elyssa
Elyssa Contardo is an interior designer with two decades of experience shaping both commercial and residential spaces throughout Southern California and beyond. A native of San Diego, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from the Art Institute in San Diego in 2004, launching a career that has since taken her from her coastal hometown to design markets in Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Park City, and Scottsdale. Today, she leads her own practice, Elyssa Contardo Designs, and also serves as CEO of Tinted Finishes LLC, guiding clients through every stage of a project — from initial consultation and concept development to material sourcing, mood boards, 3D renderings, and on-site coordination with architects and builders.
Contardo approaches interior design as a living art form, one capable of shaping how people feel within their own homes and workspaces. She is especially drawn to concept development and to designing kitchens, bathrooms, and fireplaces, while she considers procurement follow-up and order tracking the less glamorous side of the job. Her portfolio spans a wide range of aesthetics, from earthy and grounded interiors to more whimsical designs, always with an eye toward how a space influences mood and family dynamics. She has held memberships with both IIDA and ASID, and gives back to her community through her volunteer work with RAINS, where she leads horses in therapeutic riding sessions for children with autism. In recognition of her contributions to the field, she was selected as one of the Influential Women representing Park City, Utah for 2026.
At the heart of Contardo's practice is an unwavering commitment to client privacy and discretion — she treats every home she enters as though it deserves the same respect as her own, steering clear of gossip and safeguarding the personal details clients share with her. She is candid about the realities of the profession, noting that success depends far more on disciplined project management than on the polished image the industry often projects online. For those entering the field, she emphasizes resilience, confidence, and self-care as essential tools for staying mentally present and avoiding costly missteps. Beyond her professional life, Contardo values travel, rest, and time spent with family and friends, drawing inspiration from the arts to inform a career built on thoughtfulness, integrity, and genuine care for the people she serves.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Elyssa
01What do you attribute your success to?
I credit my success to staying resilient and confident in my work over the years, while always leading with kindness. My twenty years of experience across commercial and residential design, along with my involvement in professional organizations and volunteer work with RAINS, have shaped who I am both professionally and personally. Outside of work, I make it a priority to travel, rest, and spend meaningful time with my family and friends, which keeps me grounded and able to bring my best self to every project.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've received is that you have to stay resilient and confident in what you're doing, and to let that be paired with genuine kindness. I've also carried with me a deep respect for client privacy — treating every home I work in as though there are cameras everywhere, and never engaging in gossip about the people I serve.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I'd tell them that this industry isn't what social media portrays it to be. In reality, the work is about 80 percent management and only 20 percent design — expect plenty of office work, order tracking, follow-up, and even math. My advice is to stay disciplined, respectful, and timely, and above all, to prioritize self-care so you can remain mentally present and avoid costly mistakes on your projects.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges I face are keeping projects on schedule and within budget, managing the differing opinions of clients and project partners, and handling the time-consuming nature of procurement and order tracking. Balancing client expectations, budgets, and project teams requires constant attention and adaptability.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Respect for client privacy and confidentiality sits at the core of everything I do — I treat every client's home as if it's being watched, and I never share personal details or engage in gossip. Alongside that, I value professionalism, kindness, and resilience, and I try to let my work be inspired by the arts and by a genuine care for how design shapes mood and family dynamics.
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