---
title: "Michael Cobb — Architects & Building Designers | Houzz"
canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/michael-cobb-pfvwus-pf~1862356812
markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~1862356812.md
entity_type: LocalBusiness
business_name: "Michael Cobb"
category: ["Architects"]
image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/399319310dd2dc05_8779-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg
address: "216 Sunnyvale Drive, Healdsburg, California 95448, United States"
latitude: 38.6184
longitude: -122.862
phone: "(707) 849-4504"
website: http://www.studioecesis.com
rating: 4.6
review_count: 13
best_of_houzz_awards: 3
followers: 82
last_updated: 2026-09-04
---

# Michael Cobb

Original Houzz profile: [Michael Cobb](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/michael-cobb-pfvwus-pf~1862356812)

## Professional summary

- **Primary category:** Architects
- **Location:** Healdsburg, CA
- **Serves:** Santa Rosa, Windsor, Healdsburg, Larkfield-Wikiup, Guerneville, Forestville, Geyserville, Fulton, Rio Nido, Villa Grande
- **Houzz rating:** 4.6 out of 5 (13 reviews)
- **Best of Houzz:** 3 awards (2014–2022), for Service.

## About

### Houzz Badges

- Star Houzzer
- Houzz Influencer
- Recommended on Houzz
- 1,000 Ideabook Saves

Studio Ecesis is a small, full service, architecture firm that provides conscientious solutions to residential clients.  We offer both comprehensive and a la carte design services and are passionate about the ability of good design to positively impact people's lives.

### Services Provided

- Architectural Design
- Building Design
- Home Remodeling
- Architectural Drawings
- Custom Homes
- House Plans
- New Home Construction
- Home Additions
- Home Extensions
- Kitchen Design
- Sustainable Design
- Kitchen Remodeling
- Energy-Efficient Homes
- Floor Plans
- 3D Rendering
- Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
- Bathroom Design
- Green Building
- Space Planning
- Guesthouse Design & Construction
- Universal Design
- Multigenerational Homes
- Pool House Design & Construction
- Home Restoration
- Project Management
- Outdoor Kitchen Design
- Barn Design & Construction
- Basement Remodeling
- Mudroom Design
- Basement Design
- Attic Conversion
- Tiny House Construction
- Staircase Design
- Garage Design
- Site Preparation
- Laundry Room Design
- Modular Home Additions
- Passive Solar Heating & Cooling
- Home Gym Design & Construction
- Prefab Houses

### Areas Served

- Santa Rosa
- Windsor
- Healdsburg
- Larkfield-Wikiup
- Guerneville
- Forestville
- Geyserville
- Fulton
- Rio Nido
- Villa Grande

### Typical Job Cost

$50,000 - 2 million

## Business Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Business Name | Michael Cobb |
| Address | 216 Sunnyvale Drive, Healdsburg, California 95448, United States |
| Phone | (707) 849-4504 |
| Website | http://www.studioecesis.com |
| Followers on Houzz | 82 |

## Contact

- **Houzz profile:** [Michael Cobb](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/michael-cobb-pfvwus-pf~1862356812)
- **Website:** http://www.studioecesis.com
- **Phone:** (707) 849-4504

## Credentials

- **Best of Houzz:** 3 awards (2014–2022), for Service.

## Reviews

**Overall rating: 4.6 out of 5 — 13 reviews**

*Aspect averages:*
- Work Quality: 50.0
- Communication: 50.0
- Value: 50.0

### Reviews

**★★★★★ — Linda Marquardt, Oct. 2021**

> We recently retired and downsized to a new home by the ocean that was less than half the size of our old home.  However, the kitchen was problematic.  We chose Michael Cobb/Studio Ecesis as our architect for the remodel and he did a wonderful job of developing a design that incorporated many of the things we loved in our previous kitchen into the smaller outdated kitchen.  He recommended flipping the original layout from one side to the other, shortened one of the walls, increased the height of the ceiling and added 3 levels of lighting to make the room feel more spacious and provide us with an expanded view of the ocean while we were cooking.  He also recommended taking out the corner pantry and replacing it with a Kessebohmer pull out pantry to provide more workable space.  He used software tools that allowed us to see what the new kitchen would look like from multiple angles.  Now that our kitchen is done, it looks exactly like the last software iteration.  It was very helpful and we love our new kitchen.

**★★★★★ — kathleen kohlhepp, Jan. 2020**

> I highly recommend Michael Cobb, Architect!
> Over the last 6 months, Mike has helped assist me with design plans for a repair for my home whose roof and walls were heavily damaged by a huge tree in winter 2019.
> Mike's knowledge and expertise as a Architect and with the permit process with Sonoma County made me feel and understand that I was getting the professional help I needed for my repair project.
> Thank you Michael Cobb, you're awesome!!!

**★★★★★ — d. Best LIGHT SPECIFICATION, Jan. 2020**

> d. BEST LIGHT SPECIFICATION has collaborated with Studio Ecesis for over ten years. Michael is an innovative Architect who brings a unique perspective to his Projects.
> Working with Mike encourages a fresh new look at my Lighting Design.
>
> Studio Ecesis offers a bonus as well - Mike is a licensed General Contractor. Invaluable.

**★★★★★ — Jeffrey Van Dyke, Jan. 2020**

> Mike is a maker. A builder. He has vision, and he also understands the process. He enjoys guiding clients, and eventually design and construction teams, to make a successful project happen. I've been happy to provide structural engineering services on several of his projects, and would recommend him highly.

**★★★★★ — pcameron\_ca, Jan. 2020**

> Mike recently completed the design and supervision of work on our new home.  We move in next week!  We have worked with him three times on the same home:  First a small remodel, then, a large interior remodel and, now, a redesign and rebuild of the home completely destroyed by the Sonoma County Wine Country Fires of 2017.
>
> He has a preference for the contemporary style, but could probably do anything.
>
> While he is a strong advocate for his positions, he is motivated to listen to the client and find a way to deliver.

**★★★★★ — Sydni Roberson, Jan. 2020**

> Mike Cobb is a visionary architect with a great design esthetic.  He is knowledgeable and creative in finding solutions to achieve a design objective.  He is responsive and works hard to meet deadlines.  We have completed two renovation projects and a new house construction project with Mike.  He helped us transform a 1970's ranch style home into a contemporary oasis.  This home was destroyed by fire, and Mike helped us re-imagine the property and create a spectacular new home on the site, which is refined and contemporary.

**★★★★★ — thesilges, Jan. 2014**

> You Dream It, He’ll Bring It to Reality
>
> We had lots of ideas for our “dream house” on Fitch Mountain, and Mike Cobb nurtured those ideas—and contributed many of his own—to make it a reality. Perhaps some of the most important work he did came well before we were ready to think about beginning construction, when he painstakingly modeled various possibilities for us so that we could make a fully informed decision about the style, scope, and economic realities of the project. Mike has many personal and professional attributes that, in our opinion, make him a great choice for designing any project:
>
> --Naturally, he knows all the requisite professional architect stuff, but he also brings his own special qualities to the profession. He is both creative and detail-oriented, blending aesthetics and practicalities well. Our home has architectural details that we would have never thought of without his inspiration, which continue to delight us and all who see it.
> --He has a great sense of place and was able to fit the product to the site, respecting the ambient surroundings as well as our needs.  Also, he was on board with our desire to “go green” where feasible.
> --He supervised the project thoroughly. There was a scheduled “sit-down” among us, him, and the contractor every week. He was on site almost every day. Always on call if a question arose, he worked quickly to solve any problems. He worked very well with the contractor, and went to bat for us with the County on permit issues when necessary.
> --He was clear in explaining our options about materials, fixtures, etc, throughout the construction so that we could make decisions based on our preferences with an eye toward cost trade-offs as well as fitting into the aesthetics of the whole design.
> --He worked within our budget. There were no surprises with his professional fees, and the only cost overrun came because of a change we requested.
> --He is never lacking in energy and “can do” enthusiasm.
>
> We’ve been in our house for 6 years now.  It “lives well” and is great for entertaining in. Our guests like it as much as we do! We whole-heartedly recommend Mike Cobb’s architectural services.
>
> --Marty and Ellen Silge

**★★★★★ — Michèle St Clair, Jan. 2014**

> Having seen and much admired the face-lift Mike Cobb did on his own home, I hired him to design a face-lift for my unassuming 1960s ranch house. Though by its nature not a project to allow him to exercise the full extent of his impressive talent, Mike nevertheless threw himself into the project and gave it his all. Not only am I absolutely delighted with the result, but I found it to be a pleasure to work with Mike, from the beginning planning stages to the very end. It felt like a creative, respectful, and friendly partnership all the way through. I also found him to be very helpful in dealing with contractors, and wished I had had him to help out on previous projects. As I contemplate the possibility of building a house in the future, Mike Cobb will definitely be my architect!

**★★★★★ — tmironicki, Jan. 2014**

> Michael is a very creative and attentive architect. Michael takes on new challenges and puts his all into creating a piece that's workable and that makes sense for the client. He investigates new products and alternative ways to meet his clients' vision.

**★★★★ — terriem1, Jan. 2014**

> Michael is a very creative and attentive architect. Michael takes on new challenges and puts his all into creating a piece that's workable and that makes sense. He investigates new products and alternative ways to meet clients' vision.

**★★★★★ — ANDRZEJ MICHAEL KARWACKI, Aug. 2013**

> MIchael is an amazing architect. I worked with him on a variety of project for the last 10 years. He is extremely knowledgable in his field and has an insight to works best in construction materials. He is also a very talented designer, sensitive to client needs with a set of principles concerned with the nature of beauty. He is reliable and was able to complete projects on time as agreed and within designated budgets.

**★ — tlocke2, April 2013**

> Michael Cobb wasted a lot of our time and money on a design that was bid by several contractors at well over $400,000 beyond the $900,000 budget we gave him, and more than $300,000 beyond his own estimate (an estimate that was approved and shared with our board, contrary to his odd claims below). By that time he had already billed $11,000 more than his fee proposal, and he insisted on at least $12,000 more to revise his design in a way that made sense. Based on how widely he missed the mark we hired a new architect to do the revisions.  We wish we had chosen the other architect from the beginning.  In the end Mike billed $3200 in fees against our retainer for work on his redesign "proposal," a proposal we had never accepted.  He included fees for discussing his proposed fees.  Hiring Mike was the single most costly mistake our organization has ever made.

**Comment from Michael Cobb:**

> I volunteered to revise the drawings to meet with the client's last approved cost estimate EXACTLY (instead of several percentage points).  This request was declined and it was my sense there were immediate budgetary hurdles that required a reevaluation of their entire strategy.  Recommendations are available upon request.  I regret this project didn't end on better terms.

## Selected projects

- [Healdsburg Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/healdsburg-residence-pj-vj~1421220)
  - Location: Healdsburg, CA
  - Photos: 13
  - Description: This extensive remodel is laid out around a repetition of cantilevered Alaskan Yellow Cedar beams, which support sun visors on all the south facing facades. Cavities in the visors contain transparent retractable shades. These shades scroll down in front of the windows and reduce sunlight intrusion by 90%. This shading approach reconciles the beautiful views of the Russian River Valley with the need for summertime shade.
- [Maidman Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/maidman-residence-pj-vj~31829)
  - Location: Healdsburg, CA
  - Photos: 19
  - Description: This was the first Agriboard Building to be designed in California. The project was published in February 2014 in Dwell magazine.
- [Diaz Farm Family Unit](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/diaz-farm-family-unit-pj-vj~32235)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 5
- [Kenwood Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/kenwood-remodel-pj-vj~6012594)
  - Location: Kenwood, CA
  - Photos: 2

[See all 4 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/michael-cobb-pfvwus-pf~1862356812)

## Ideabooks

- [Sousa Residence](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/151884227/list/sousa-residence) — 1 idea
- [Healdsburg Residence](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/130500165/list/healdsburg-residence) — 2 ideas
- [Maidman Residence](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/16410032/list/maidman-residence) — 1 idea

[See all 3 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/studio-ecesis)

## Community Q&A

**Q: Hello. Excited to see something different - is it possible** *(in Photo Questions)*

to share about this home - materials? I saw it on your site, was called Agriboard Residence. Did you have to 'treat' corrugated metal - is it painted? wow. Thanks.

A: That outlet is a “port” in the panel to make a seismic all-thread connection to the top of the panel.  
As a construction technology, SIP panels’ main challenge in California is the manner in which it is attached to the foundation.  Even styrofoam SIP panels have this issue.  Sheet metal stirrups anchored to the foundation and attached to the base of the panel worked elsewhere but did not perform well in a major seismic event like we see here in California.  
Our path to compliance was largely accomplished by exploiting the vertical electrical chases that typically occur in the panel. Instead we ran a threaded tension rod from the foundation to the top of the panel where it was capped with a large nutted washer.  
Having these threaded rods in place prior to panel installation would have been a logistical nightmare, so instead we simply stubbed up the anchor bolts about 18” and came back later with a longer all thread to get us to the top of the panel and connected it to the anchor bolt with a coupler at the port. 
Thanks again for your interest.

**Q: Deck Mounted vs. Fascia Mounted Railings** *(in Home Repair)*

Looking for opinions on deck mounted vs. fascian mounted railings.  We live in Seattle and are installing a waterproofed deck.  Our architect and contractor have differences of opinion about which is the better way to go.

A: I checked in with a couple of waterproofing specialist subcontractors before finalizing a typical detail for our practice. Our default proposal for guardrail balustrade attachment is fascia mounted. This is also consistent with my recollection of best practices taught in architecture school. While there are certainly special conditions that can modify this advice, the logic is pretty straightforward in most waterproof deck circumstances.

1\. A fascia mounted guardrail typically has a larger distance between the bolts that resist overturning. For this reason, the forces on these bolts typically undergo much smaller forces than bolts associated with a floor-mounted installation.

2\. Because waterproof decks often have a "drip" at their edge condition; the mounting plate can be substantially sheltered over a long period of time from weathering. 

When we compare this logic to the floor or "deck"-mounted installation, two things become apparent. 

1\. The bolts on a floor-mounted installation typically need to be close to the vertical post to avoid being a tripping hazard, which increases the dynamic forces on these attachment points.

2\. The upward orientation of a guardrail post could not be worse from an exposure standpoint. The installations are frequently accompanied by standing water where the "wiggling" forces imposed by their use invite water leakage. 

Both waterproofing contractors I spoke with sounded like this type of poor solution was ruefully a good source of their repair business.  

Certainly, if posts support a roof at the perimeter of a waterproof deck, surface-mounted guardrails can make sense. The roof's protection aids the waterproof deck, and the posts for the roof can effectively become part of the guardrail assembly and help with its stability.

It is worth noting that many homeowners, and even commercial clients, get preliminary pricing for a simple deck and only come by the guardrail cost when required by building codes or provide a builder with more detailed documentation. In my experience, 

For these reasons, it is a work scope that is often "shoe-horned" into a project budget. It is also the case that, like "options" when buying a car, the options are what cost you. Decking companies and guardrail companies often charge a premium for the guardrail amenity and will provide the deck-mounted option as an "affordable" choice. The fact the guardrail can be mounted to the surface of the area under scrutiny (and not some peripheral fascia board that might not even be in the current scope of work) is often the reason why people jump at this option. It is the most convenient, which is probably the biggest reason I see people do it. 

I hope this helps.

**Q: I'm trying to find info about building a deck like this!** *(in Photo Questions)*

It appears to be bar grating, which is what I'd like to use for my own deck, but contractors I've met have been pretty negative about the idea (in favor of traditional hardwoods or synthetic alternatives). Can you give any cost comparison and perhaps recommend someone for a modern, innovative yet budget-conscious Sonoma County installation? Thank you!

A: The upper level is concrete over a metal b-deck.

**Q: water concern / drain off of cat walk?** *(in Photo Questions)*

Did not notice a threshold between bedroom and cat walk / balcony and wanted to know more about how water is managed as the balcony appears to be a solid structure.  Thank You.

A: There is a threshold at the sliding pocket doors.  I believe the step is about an inch and this transition is flashed .   The deck is a concrete slab over a b deck.  The surface is sloped to drain.

**Q: Where is the wood burning stove from? Thanks!** *(in Photo Questions)*

A: Try Rais wood stoves.

**Q: Source for architectural hangers?** *(in Photo Questions)*

Love the joist hangers you've used here - are you able to provide a source?

A: These joist hangers were designed for this project and fabricated by Black Iron in Healdsburg.  Their number is (707) 473-9403.  I'm not sure where the galvanizing was done but my guess would be Court in Vacaville.

---

*Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-04.*