Elevation Architects

We had a wonderful time working with Elevation Architects on our home renovation. We came to them with hopes of modernizing our 1960s ranch house while preserving the architectural integrity of the original design. They immediately understood our goal, and worked back and forth with us to come up with a plan that fit the house perfectly, from floor plan down to fixture selection. As we moved through the construction process with the contractor, Elevation offered prompt guidance whenever questions or concerns arose. Ultimately we are not only thrilled with the result, but also with the entire process as we look back. We were lucky to work with them, and would highly recommend!

We highly recommend Elevation Architects. We interviewed several architects for our substantial remodel and Elevation quickly rose to the top of the list. We were impressed by their creativity and willingness to listen, and then offering solutions and follow up throughout the 18 month construction process. Elevation did a wonderful job designing a contemporary home for us, yet still one that worked in our neighborhood of ranch homes. Their experience working on both modern and traditional homes is a tremendous asset. When our remodel was finished, our contractor told us that he appreciated how involved Elevation was during the process. We were so pleased with the results, we have worked with Elevation on two additional projects. In addition to their architectural services, we also appreciated Elevation's assistance in identifying and sourcing material options. We've had numerous passers-by tell us how much they like our house -- can't ask for more than that!

I have worked with Jonathan, Alan and Team at Elevation Architects for almost 15 years. This has included numerous multi unit new condominium projects, my own home in Noe Valley, San Francisco and presently my future home in Healdsburg. I have really enjoyed the interactive decision making process culminating in modern elegant designs. As a group, they have been particularly pleasant to work with and have been invaluable in navigating these projects through neighborhood and City approvals. I HIGHLY recommend them.

We really enjoy working with Elevation Architects and have collaborated with them on several projects. Both their designs and clients are always fun. Jonathan, Alan, and the rest of their team are easy-going, responsive, enthusiastic about their work, and receptive to ideas. Alan is extremely thorough, and handles project changes with ease and diplomacy. We highly recommend them!

I am Roger Quintin of Quintin Cnstruction. We had the pleasure of working with Jonathan, Alan and Team this year on a 4000 sq. ft. remodel, taking a 1980's house and transforming it into a clean, modern home. We worked side by side to get the details right and produce a striking, textured home for our clients.

We had a terrific experience working with both Jonathan Pearlman and Alan Aurich. We've been fortunate enough in our lives to build and renovate a few homes and have a pretty good sense of what its like to work with designers and architects. It can be a horror show if you don't pick the right partners on your project. We feel we got very lucky with Jonathan and the Elevation team. First, and foremost, Jonathan is an excellent designer. He helped us take a really ugly duckling of an 80's home and turn it into a mid-century modern beauty. Both Jonathan and Alan far exceeded our expectations for their design eye and taste. Second, they were great collaborators. Most architects want to create "their home" not "your home" and find it difficult to work with clients to seamlessly meld in your ideas and desires. Jonathan was very open to our ideas and often took a concept we discussed and made it far better than the original thought, which is exactly what you want from a real pro. Third, they were very good at coming up with ideas to save money or alternative ways to get to the same end point, but thankfully stuck to their guns on things where compromising cost would have undermined the project. Fourth, they were very good at working with our GC and problem solving as the project went to construction.

Jonathan and his team are fabulous to work with. We are on our second major project with them and love the results. They are easy to work with, are great listeners, have a wonderful aesthetic and come to the table with new ideas. We recommend them highly!

Jonathan at Elevation Architects really understands contemporary architecture and it was fun to work with him on our home remodel. He is also familiar with the local permit processes and knows the ins and outs of getting through the planning commission as quickly as possible.

Jonathan Pearlman of Elevation Architects designed a major remodel of a mid-century ranch-style for us. He gave us a design that had all the elements we wanted - modern design, volume ceilings and lots of windows to allow maximum natural light, better circulation in the family living areas and true indoor/outdoor living. The design process was collaborative and we found Jonathan to be very responsive. He worked extremely well with the general contractor throughout the construction period. Our project was an unqualified success! I would not hesitate to recommend Elevation Architects for a residential design project.

Jonathan designed a beautiful home for our family. We had a 1950's ranch in original condition. We wanted to update it with a modern feel and do an add-on -- all on a strict budget. Jonathan kept most of the original structure and added about 750 sq feet. He designed a plan that contractors agreed could be accomplished within our budget. However, he transformed the entire feel of the house. He listened to anecdotes about how we lived and asked questions about how we used space. He changed the flow of the rooms and added a new bathroom, bedroom/office, mudroom, laundry room, and entry. He also enlarged the living room and lifted ceilings. It is spacious and well-lit and beautiful. We've lived in the remodeled house for 2 years and we still think its perfect. We get amazing compliments about the house. Its wonderful in every way. This first phase of the project was completed in 2010. In 2016, we embarked on a second phase. Our budget forced us to cut out any changes to the master bed/bath in 2010. By 2016, we were ready to complete that part of the project. Our needs had changed slightly and Jonathan worked to quickly and efficiently update the plans and get them approved by the city. From the exterior, the design melds perfectly with the other parts of the house and on the interior, we have a spacious, modern bathroom and walk-in closet. In both phases, a big plus for working with Jonathan was his involvement with the finishes. He knew my tastes because of the design process and he helped me select flooring, cabinets, tile, and paint in an efficient manner. Because of this I didn't have to hire an interior designer -- saving me thousands of dollars. People tell me our kitchen looks like it came out of a magazine. Jonathan helped me to get it that way. Finally, Jonathan has many connections to good contrators and subs. He is an excellent resource and his recommendations were always spot on. Our family loves our home. We are so glad we chose Jonathan.

I first met Jonathan through a referral from my mortgage broker who had a client who was going to do a major remodel in Los Altos. I had completed several Eichler remodels and when I met Jonathan and the client who lived in an Eichler we hit it off right away. The client was remodeling their ranch style home and adding a modern flair to it. I knew right away that Jonathan was very organized and knew exactly how the finished product should look. From day one it felt like a collaborative effort and Jonathan was open to ideas we provided from the structural details to the final finishes. We are currently working together on our fifth project and I have to come to appreciate Jonathan's design sense and ability to communicate his ideas clearly with the client and me as a builder.

I stumbled across Elevation Architects very much by accident. My husband and I had purchased a large derelict lot and wanted to build a new home. I had just finished a major home renovation (doubling the size of the house, doing all the bathrooms and kitchen as well as adding a basement) so I figured I knew what I was doing. But it quickly became apparent that even doing a very large remodel was nowhere near as complex as building a new house from the ground up. Originally we were working with a local design/build firm but it wasn't working out. I knew the layout that I wanted but I didn't know how to make it look special. I knew I didn't want a cookie-cutter house. Driving the kids to soccer practice one day, my husband saw a house that he liked. It was decidedly modern which we hadn't really talked about but something about the house resonated with him. He mentioned it to me off-handedly. So I made it a point to drive by myself on the way to pick up the kids. I immediately knew which house my husband had been speaking of. I saw that the homeowners were there so I knocked and asked them who designed their home. They gave me Jonathan Pearlman's name and his number. Turned out that not only did Jonathan design that home but he also was living in another home he had done and that house was literally around the corner from the lot I had purchased. Kismet! When my husband and I met Jonathan and Alan, they knew exactly which lot was ours and had even discussed what they would build if they got the project. This was long before we ever bought the property so I knew this was meant to be. I described my goal as building a "modern Mediterranean" home. Living in Northern California, I wanted a home that integrated outdoor and indoor living like so many Mediterranean homes do. But I didn't want to do a "Taco Bell" style house - all pink stucco and terra cotta. There are a lot of really ugly Mediterranean homes out here. I also loved Spanish colonial architecture with the white stucco and dark woods, but wanted to do something different while paying homage to the colors and organic feel of that style. So we agreed to stick with clean modern lines and a modern aesthetic while applying a Mediterranean vocabulary of color and texture. It didn't take long to come up with a plan we all loved. We had a few hiccups with the city and on that Jonathan took the lead in resolving our issues. Even when we had to do a major revision of the plan to reorient the house, Jonathan accommodated many of the changes at a minimal cost to us which I really appreciated. We had a terrific working relationship from the very get-go. Jonathan and Alan also did a lot of legwork in keeping the project moving and in keeping our contractor moving forward. My husband worked with Jonathan on the mechanical and structural issues and I worked closely with Alan and Jonathan on interior design, materials selections and finishes. Alan is a meticulous planner and detail-keeper. He tracked numerous items for me and helped me narrow choices from the infinite to the reasonable. Early on I had an agreement with Jonathan and Alan that I would send them my ideas and they had to promise to let me know if anything I pointed to was too tacky or funky. And when that happened, they came to my rescue -- preventing me from over-blinging my kitchen and every light fixture. I also lucked out in that Jonathan was designing his own house that shared some similar design elements. I was more than happy to steal his ideas. At the end of the day I got exactly the house I wanted. I loved working with Jonathan and Alan. They listen well and deliver sound advice in a timely way. Their work is gorgeous but they are both sensitive to cost and timelines. They don't deliver the same house over and over as many architects do. I really felt like they gave me something special and unique that met not only my needs by the needs of my rambunctious family. I'd work with them again in an instant.