Kerstin Hellmann Architecture

We feel so lucky that we got to work with Kerstin Hellmann on our remodel that we had been dreaming about for many years. We were grateful that she opted to take on our project even though it was a busy time for her. She managed to beautifully transform our project in a way that exceeded our expectations. We have been very impressed by her creativity and imagination. She is a good listener and communicator, highly collaborative, and accommodating. She was excited about our project, enjoyed the process, and really cared for its success. Kerstin is a very thoughtful person who is organized and pays great attention to detail. She and our contractor worked very well together. Her billing is transparent and fair. She is environmentally conscious and encouraged us to go all electric. She helped us meet our goals with sustainability in mind. She cares about social justice and has volunteered on projects to support youth facing homelessness such as the Tiny House Youth Village project. She also teaches architecture part time. It has been a real pleasure working with Kerstin. Our home is transformed into a wonderful, functional, light filled space. Kerstin is an amazing architect and a wonderful person. We give her our highest recommendation and have already referred a number of friends and family members to work with her.

Kerstin is an expert in residential design from start to finish and I felt lucky she had space to work with me on my project. (All the good architects are always booked!) She has years of experience and knows how to navigate coordination with engineers, contractors and the planning and building departments with expertise which is very necessary in the Bay Area if you want to get your permit as soon as possible. I can verify this was consistent with our experience at a very delayed reality during Covid. I had my permit while my neighbors who didn’t work with her were still waiting for their permit even though we submitted months later then them! Her taste level and attention to detail is fantastic. But most of all she is a wonderful listener, collaborator and always has your best interest at heart.

Kerstin led us through a significant remodel and addition to our home. All told, we have spent over three years with Kerstin on this project and I don't think there's been a single moment in all of that time where we were not happy to be working with her. Now that the project is done, I will miss working with her! How and why? Kerstin is remarkably skillful and knowledgeable as an architect, and I believe that her work speaks for itself. But what has always impressed me most about her is how well she manages us -- and I mean this in the most positive possible way. My wife and I had different levels of engagement with the projects and different levels of stamina for the thousands of decisions that go into building a house. In the early days, Kerstin won our trust, such that my wife could disengage, as long as I agreed "to listen to Kerstin" if she thought my ideas were bad. And indeed, I concocted a lot of ideas, many of them probably pretty bad. But Kerstin always managed to guide us back onto a good path, and communicated so well that it always felt like an easy collaboration with a talented person, rather than an egotistical person working her will. She is particularly good at talking about how the space will be used. We are not fancy people, and we wanted a house that reflects our sensibilities and the needs of our boisterous family. She listened and got to know us well, and I believe the results will suit our family beautifully over the next 25 years. Thank you Kerstin, and finally there is plenty of room in the kitchen so you guys have an open invitation for dinner!

Prior to becoming a Building Inspector, I worked as a general contractor. One of a couple projects I worked with Kerstin on, was an ADU conversion in Oakland, see the attached photo. Kerstin's professionalism with clients, design sense, and code knowledge are exceptional. Kerstin made herself available to answer my questions within a very reasonable time frame. In my opinion, the clients for whom with we worked, in part thanks to Kerstin, felt supported and heard throughout the building process, project planning all the way through to project completion. I have and continue to recommend Kerstin's architectural services to others.

We recommend Kerstin completely. Her design for our kitchen remodel is beautiful and she was very helpful throughout the process, answering all questions and providing advice when needed. We will use her again.

Kerstin was a dream to work with throughout the process of designing and building a beautiful little light-filled guesthouse for me. She has a quiet intelligence and is an excellent listener and collaborator, working to fulfill my vision and also offering her own excellent ideas. She was readily available by text and email. Her plans were thoroughly thought out and meticulously detailed, and at the city Design Review Board meeting the reviewer said they were the best he had ever seen. Most importantly I am completely in love with the results, which exceeded expectations. Most highly recommended!

As a professional color consultant I worked with Kerstin on several projects. I was impressed with her expertise and her way of interacting with clients. She's very easy to work with, attentive, organized, and makes sure things run smoothly. I highly recommend her and hope to work with her again.