July 15, 2026
Born in Big Sur and raised as a hippie flower child, Shannon Scott’s natural kid creativity got a boost from family.
“My stepdad was a carpenter, as was my biological father,” Scott says. “So many of my interests came from my stepdad – building, photography, books, art, gardens, and hiking. We could spend endless hours happily doing any of these.”
When she was six, the family moved to Studio City, then to Burbank a few years later. When her family relocated to Santa Ynez during her senior year, Scott stayed behind with friends to finish off high school before rejoining her family in the summer of 1989.
Scott earned a professional certification in interior design through UC Santa Barbara Professional and Continuing Education. She joined a small shop for about a year, mostly working on window coverings and upholstery, before landing a job at a design firm focused on large hospitality and custom home projects. She put in a couple years before opening Shannon Scott Design, in 1999, while pregnant with her son.
For our occasional questionnaire, we caught up with Scott — whose company is the three-time defending champ in the Independent’s Best of Santa Barbara readers’ poll — for more about her background, design curation, and workaholicism, among other insights.
G&C: What drew you to interior design and architecture early on?
Scott: I decided I was going to be an interior designer when I was 14. My stepdad was taking photos of my room and all the quirky things I had done to it.
What has been your favorite work-related field trip?
It was really much more than a field trip. We designed a new-build oceanfront castle in Newfoundland, Canada. It was a three-year project. It included 13 site visits, including our big furnishings installation, which turned into a 23-day trip. It was definitely our most exciting and unique project.
What is your favorite public space in Santa Barbara?
The Santa Barbara Courthouse.
What do you like the most about your job?
Creating all the little design details that take a space from being nice to being special and unique for that individual client. There is a different feeling to a well-curated and thought-out space. Pretty is easy. Curated involves a lot more work, but the end result is both seen and felt.
If you had to go back to pick another profession, what would it be?
Landscape architect or designer — working with plants.
What is your greatest fear?
Failure.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Being a workaholic.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
To not be a workaholic!
Which talent would you most like to have?
A comprehensive understanding of photography. I have a good eye and can get a nice shot, but I do not know all the technical aspects of getting great images.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My son.
What is your most treasured possession?
My family and closest friends and chosen family.
What do you most value in your friends?
Deep soul connections and conversations.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Extreme attention to detail. I have been told I should have been an editor. I see everything.
What word or phrase do you most overuse?
Good design is all in the details.
What is your motto?
If you are going to do a job, do it well and to the absolute best of your ability.
