About Fortune Design, LLC
Fortune Design specializes in award-winning, high-end residential remodels—creating homes that are as functional as they are beautiful. What sets the firm apart is its foundation in commercial, retail, and hospitality design, which established a level of technical expertise, project management discipline, and collaborative precision rarely found in residential practices. This background enables Fortune Design to deliver interiors distinguished not only by aesthetics, but by meticulous execution and enduring quality.
Behind every Fortune Design project is a collaborative team of educated and experienced design professionals—junior designers, CAD specialists, and trusted consultants—each aligned in their commitment to quality and precision, and guided by Founder and CEO Sonya Fortune Zamora.
About Sonya Fortune Zamora
Founder & CEO, Fortune Design, LLC | Senior Interior Designer
Sonya Fortune Zamora’s career began with an extraordinary opportunity. Just six months after earning her B.S. in Business Administration—and before formally enrolling in interior design courses—she was entrusted to represent luxury developers Drummond Coal Company and Torchmark in their Liberty Park joint venture during the launch of Old Overton in Birmingham, a world-class golf community featuring a course designed by Tom Fazio (who, coincidentally, also designed Pelican Hill in Newport Beach, where she later lived in 2008). As the youngest of only three representatives selected to present this premier development, Sonya gained invaluable experience working with custom homes, elite builders, and architectural plans, and learned firsthand the level of excellence expected by a discerning, luxury clientele.
Building on that foundation, Sonya’s path led west to Newport Beach, California, where she had the opportunity to work alongside some of the nation’s most respected architectural firms, including Gensler, HOK, and IA Interior Architects. In these early years, she provided space planning and programming for commercial furnishings, gaining her first in-depth exposure to architecture and commercial interiors. It was during this time that she began learning the principles of building codes, egress, accessibility, fire safety, and spatial planning—knowledge that would later become central to her design approach, where aesthetic vision is always balanced with function and compliance.
While working full-time in commercial furniture space planning for the world’s most successful Knoll dealer, Sonya began receiving commissions for luxury residential and full-service commercial interior design projects. At the same time, she continued her formal studies in Interior Design at Orange Coast College, refining her expertise in color theory, design principles, and advanced space planning. Those years—often defined by long nights and unwavering determination—confirmed what experience had already shown her: that through years of hands-on practice and a solid business foundation, she had already progressed beyond much of what traditional coursework could offer.
Soon after, Sonya was commissioned by Hummer Corporate and Nissan Corporate to design executive offices and showroom environments for their Southern California developments. These opportunities marked a pivotal moment in her career—uniting her business acumen, technical precision, and creative vision at a corporate level. From those projects, Fortune Design, LLC was officially founded in 2002.
Over the years, she has led design for commercial, hospitality, and retail environments, cultivating a deep respect for the collaboration and craftsmanship required at every phase of construction. Fortune Design’s roots in commercial, retail, and hospitality design established a foundation of technical expertise and disciplined project management. Today, the firm applies that same level of precision and collaboration exclusively to high-end residential remodels, creating homes that are as functional as they are beautiful.
When the 2008 financial market crash reshaped the industry, Fortune Design pivoted completely to luxury residential interiors—work that has since been recognized with multiple top design awards for aesthetics. The firm has also ranked for multiple years among the top 7 percent of ASID interior designers nationwide for profitability and revenue. This distinction reflects Zamora’s distinctive blend of design talent, business acumen, and operational discipline, as well as her ongoing commitment to refining efficiencies and delivering value-driven pricing to clients.
Beyond design, she believes deeply in giving back to her community. Zamora is the founder and co-founder of several organizations supporting child homelessness, community development, and athletics. An avid long-distance runner, she has raced 150 miles across Africa, run the Grand Canyon R2R2R, and completed multi-day wilderness challenges that keep her grounded and connected to nature. A classically trained chef, she loves to entertain, where warm hospitality is prized above all else (and, of course, there are always treats for the pets!).
A passionate advocate for the arts, Zamora believes creative expression is essential to a thriving society. She actively supports the local arts community and is a member of The Visionaries, an organization that champions the mission of the Orange County Museum of Art in advancing artistic innovation and cultural dialogue.
Her design philosophy is shaped by Southern roots and enriched by global travels—the “pinch-me” dream aspect of a career she never could have imagined. From being married in a historic chateau outside Paris to exploring inspiring architecture and cultures across the globe, travel has become one of her greatest sources of creative influence. These experiences infuse her interiors with refinement, authenticity, and quiet luxury, reflecting a belief that meaningful design transcends borders, trends, and time.
Her desire to help others succeed within the design industry has long been a passion. She has mentored professionals one-on-one, co-founded IDOD (Interior Designers Open Dialogue), and served as a speaker for ASID (American Society of Interior Designers), Interior Designers Institute, Orange Coast College, and other programs—sharing insights on business strategy, project management, and profitability.
Today, as CEO of Fortune Design and Founder of The ID Method™, Zamora leads a team that blends artistry with strategy—laying the foundation for educating other designers, homeowners, and builders on the standard operating procedures of project management that underpin superior service and design. Her methodology emphasizes the critical relationship between time, task, and coordination in achieving truly exceptional design results.
From Pike County, Alabama, to Orange County, California, every step of her journey has reinforced one enduring truth: excellence is a way of living, learning, and leading.
At Fortune Design, the team serves clients who value refinement, relationship, and superior results—creating spaces that are not only beautiful, but also exceptionally well managed.
