InsideOut Design, Inc.

13 Reviews

Architects

2 Hires on Houzz

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About Us

6x Best of Houzz winner

24 years in business

Eco-friendly

East Bay Architects & Landscape Architects
Best of Houzz

Award-Winning Integrated Architecture & Landscape Architecture in the San Francisco Bay Area Founded in 2000 and based in the Rockridge district of Oakland, InsideOut Design, Inc. bridges the gap between structure and site. Led by principals Julianna Fecskés-Phillips and Penn Phillips (ISA-Certified Arborist), our multidisciplinary practice designs custom residences, comprehensive home additions, outdoor living environments, and modern interior renovations that feel completely unified. Because we handle both building architecture and landscape architecture under one roof, our clients avoid the friction, delays, and disjointed designs that often happen when working with separate firms. What We Specialize In? Integrated Indoor-Outdoor Living: Folding glass walls, covered outdoor kitchens, seamless patio transitions, hillside multi-level decks, and custom pool environments. Custom Residential Architecture & Remodeling: Bespoke new home construction, second-story additions, historic restorations, modern open-concept floor plans, and custom Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). Landscape Architecture & Site Engineering: Hillside stabilization, custom retaining walls, tiered terrace design, drought-tolerant native planting, smart irrigation, and wildfire-defensible space (WUI compliant). Interior Architecture & Space Planning: Chef’s kitchen renovations, spa-inspired primary bathrooms, custom cabinetry detailing, and aging-in-place/universal accessibility. Arborist & Site Permitting Services: In-house tree impact assessments, municipal tree preservation reports, and specialized zoning/permitting navigation for complex Bay Area jurisdictions. Why Bay Area Homeowners Choose InsideOut Design True Dual-Discipline Mastery: We design your home and surrounding environment in parallel. Every window frame captures a curated outdoor view, and every exterior terrace serves as a natural extension of your indoor footprint. Complex Site & Hillside Expertise: Designing across Oakland, Berkeley, Piedmont, and Lamorinda requires deep technical mastery of steep grades, seismic requirements, soil mechanics, and tight urban footprints. In-House Certified Arborist Advantage: Local tree protection ordinances (especially in Oakland, Berkeley, and Marin County) frequently stall residential construction. Penn Phillips' dual background ensures your plans protect heritage oaks and pass municipal tree reviews smoothly on the first submittal. Climate-Smart &

Awards

RLA 5602 ISA WE 6608

18 Projects

Transitional patio photo in San Francisco

Business Details

Business Name

InsideOut Design, Inc.

Phone Number

(510) 974-7607

Website

aboutinsideout.com

Address

6000 Harwood Ave
Oakland, CA 94618

Typical Job Cost

$25,000 - 3 million

Followers

174 Followers

Socials

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Services Provided

Architectural Design

Building Design

Home Remodeling

Architectural Drawings

Custom Homes

House Plans

New Home Construction

Home Additions

Home Extensions

Sustainable Design

Kitchen Design

Kitchen Remodeling

Floor Plans

Energy-Efficient Homes

Bathroom Design

Green Building

Pool House Design & Construction

Home Restoration

Handicap-Accessible Design

Deck Design

Landscape Plans

Custom Pools

Patio Design

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Areas Served

San Francisco

Oakland

Concord

Berkeley

Richmond

Antioch

San Ramon

Alameda

Walnut Creek

Danville

Martinez

Pleasant Hill

San Pablo

El Cerrito

Lafayette

Orinda

Moraga

Emeryville

El Sobrante

Piedmont

Diablo

Canyon

Marin County

San Mateo County

Sonoma County

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Credentials

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Featured Review

Ryan Truettner

Penn and his team designed our entire front yard space, including two large retaining walls. Read Full Review

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13 Reviews for InsideOut Design, Inc.

Newest first

5.0|13 reviews

Work Quality

5.0

Communication

5.0

Value

5.0

Eileen Spitalny

Highly recommend Penn, Mariana, Diana and the team at InsideOut Design in Berkeley. Our bumpy back yard with a few odd trees was transformed into a serene nativescape setting with trees and grasses. The team was patient as we went through various transformations of what we were looking for as a final space. They hired a proper team and engineering survey work so we best knew how to use the space. Highest level of workmanship. Visited us after living in the space a few months to check in on it all. They created a grander entry walking into the backyard with new wider stairs and plantings. Our yard now offers three separate spaces for us. Right off the house we have a large paver deck for entertaining, then a middle spot with our container gardens and in the back a spot in the trees to sit & watch the birds fly overhead. Fire pit spot too. They paid attention to all the details all along the way from the materials, water and lighting systems and chosen plantings. They helped us visualize it all along the way. A favorite spot of our house now is the backyard.

June 6, 2025Last modified:June 6, 2025

Ryan Truettner

Penn and his team designed our entire front yard space, including two large retaining walls. We couldn't be happier with their design work, but more importantly to us, Penn and his team were very easy to work with. Penn does an amazing job of using his expertise and keen eye to advise and suggest ideal design solutions, while also listening to and implementing our practicality-based needs in an elegant way. Penn also did an amazing job of feeling out how much we cared to be involved in certain parts of the process (working with the town on permits, etc) and involving us when he thought it was appropriate and taking charge when it wasn't worth the time to rope us in. This allowed us to increasingly trust Penn to represent our needs and taste throughout the process. Highly reccomend!

April 2, 2020

Laura M

Penn took our small little patch of backyard dirt in Oakland and turned it into an amazing outdoor space. He really listened to us about what we wanted to balance: Room for the kids to play, room for adults to sit and enjoy, a fire pit, flexibility into the future, and super easy to maintain. We got it all! And it's gorgeous. He was really creative within our small space. Thank you, Penn!!

January 23, 2019Last modified:January 24, 2019

Laura Counts

Our new front yard and bluestone stoop are beautiful (day and night), practical (low-maintenance plantings for our dry climate; a wide pathway for an elderly mother-in-law), and we've already had a huge crop of tomatoes, tomatillos, lettuce, herbs and more from our new garden boxes. Penn came up with several design variations and then worked patiently with us through many iterations to come up with a plan that met all our needs. He paid attention to every detail and responded quickly to all questions/issues that arose during construction. Penn has quite in-depth knowledge of plants and trees, and is also very up on the latest materials on the market. His design aesthetic is modern and clean but he knows how to blend that look with the classic craftsman and brown shingle homes that dominate our neighborhood. He also likes to experiment and get creative. I especially love the path lighting and step lighting he planned—it's so nice to come home to a beautifully lit entrance! Penn has also put together a great back-yard makeover plan for us which I hope to start on next. I highly recommend InsideOut Design.

November 21, 2018

Vivian Grimaldo

Penn A dream yard come true, I looked no further when I met penn philips I wanted a low maintenance yard that created a large space for my small yard and, a modern look that went well with a craftsman home. He was professional and, to the point. He came up with several designs He Managed the project from beginning to end. We now have a yard that is colorful during the seasons and, just as Beautiful at night! His team thought outside the box a created a colorful wall that blended with the plants that is stellar! And, everything together. I highly recommend his team with a great Eye for design.

February 4, 2018Last modified:February 4, 2018

User

This glowing review has been a long time coming... Inside Out Design consulted on our home remodel which included everything from a demolition of our bathroom, complete flooring replacement, and kitchen remodel. We were completely new to the process and had no idea where to even begin. We had a tight timeline and Inside Out helped us navigate the crash course in renovation. They helped us source materials, identify issues we'd never even thought about, consult on design, and liaise with our contractor. They were consummate professionals shown by the breadth of knowledge displayed with the heaps of questions we had and amazing ideas that opened our minds to avenues we wouldn't have pursued otherwise. We would highly recommend and look forward to consulting with them on our outdoor space!

December 19, 2017Last modified:February 3, 2022

faithjmc

Penn is phenomenal. I wanted to rip out the ugly concrete, brick, and asphalt in my backyard, but didn't know where to start. I know what I like and what I don't when I see it... but really couldn't give Penn much to go on. I wanted something that fit with my house, and something that would hold up to Great Danes. I also had some ideas about ripping up concrete in the side yard, and maybe redoing the front... a lot of maybes... all depending on cost, and what I could get for the $$. Penn drew up multiple design ideas, all completely different looks. All gorgeous, with things to like about about each of them. Next we took the one drawing that I loved the most, and made a few modifications, incorporating ideas from the other drawings. He then coordinated with the contractor for installation. In the end, we re-landscaped the entire property. It is everything I wanted. And for the $$, I think it was great value. I now have an effectively larger, and much more functional yard, and beautiful to boot. I couldn't have asked for more. Penn is creative and has a quick artist's eye. He can imagine and see in a blink what will work and what won't... and create beauty from nothing. He was easy to work with when I wanted to add or change things. He's quite laid back, but still gets everything done in a timely fashion, and had a great working relationship with the contractor.

November 17, 2015

A C

We hired InsideOut Design to design our backyard. It was a complex project because our house is on a downslope, and would require several retaining walls. Penn came up with numerous creative approaches to achieve our goals (e.g. lawn, patio) and was able to quickly deliver construction ready plan, and he is fun to work with.

July 5, 2015Last modified:July 9, 2015

Interior Occupations

Talented architects and landscape designers. Design and collaborate with extreme professionalism and create beautiful spaces inside and out. I have enjoyed working with them on multiple projects.

May 11, 2015

athodgson

I discovered InsideOut Design by chance. They understood and were willing to support my program - exterior repairs and complete interior remodel of my 2 bedroom 2 bath 1989 house on a limited budget while living in the house. Their overall approach, availability to work on specific issues when needed, help with selecting professionals for the tasks I wasn't able to do, and design solutions have been fantastic. I still have more to do, but am approaching the end. I'm very very pleased with the results so far and am confident the final product will be well worth the time and expense.

September 19, 2013

Donna Brydon

This was yet another project designed by Insideout--this time it was a garden, fence & retaining wall. Penn & Juli transformed my old backyard nightmare into an amazing and low maintenance outdoor space I will enjoy for years to come with family & friends. A dream come true, it reflects my contemporary aesthetic with clean, simple lines and elements. People are "wowed!" when they see it! The total environment was taken into consideration, so that now there is a seamless relationship of indoor to outdoor space visually & physically. This so improved my home! Penn & Juli are exceptional, outstanding, and very talented professionals who worked collaboratively with me and the contractor. I can't believe this is my home/garden! Thank you so much Penn & Juli! (December, 2018) I worked with both the architect and the landscape designer on projects for my home in Marin County. I updated the interior and landscaped my front yard. Both Julianna and Penn are very professional and brilliantly creative! They paid careful attention to detail, were very knowledgeable, and also very respectful of my taste and style. I am thrilled with the results and have received many compliments on the projects. I am very happy to highly recommend both Julianna and Penn for projects inside and out! (April, 2011)

August 22, 2013Last modified:May 16, 2019

lembob

I am confident in recommending Inside Out Design for any project. Penn and Julianna are professinal and an easy team to work with. Their fees and estimates were fair and accurate. We continue to be very impressed with their creative process and thoughtful consideration of our needs and wishes. We hired Inside Out three years ago to landscape our front yard. Penn was spot on in his choice of plantings. We are thrilled with the hardscape, the overall design, and the way the yard has matured. We get compliments from our neighbors throughout the year. We look forward to working with Inside Out on our upcoming kitchen expansion. Lawrence Reynolds

August 22, 2013

lwfarris

My husband and I hired Inside Out Design to come up with designs for the back yard of our new home. After interviewing us for our preferences, Penn delivered five very interesting designs which required little maintenance on our part. The yard is now seven years old and we're thrilled with it. He was very prompt, knowledge and creative. We highly recommend him.

August 22, 2013

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, we are deeply familiar with the complexities of permitting, zoning, and regulatory approvals for both architectural and landscape projects. Our principals, including Penn Phillips who serves as a City Arborist, have extensive experience navigating these requirements throughout the greater Bay Area to ensure a smooth process for your unique custom work.

We specialize in a wide range of residential projects, including fully custom homes, significant remodels, home additions, and extensions. Our expertise also extends to comprehensive landscape design, blending indoor and outdoor spaces seamlessly. We've completed diverse projects from attic revisions to new home construction and extensive residential landscapes across the Bay Area.

We are committed to tailoring your environment to best fit your property and budget. We understand that every project is unique, and we work closely with you to ensure the design aligns with your financial parameters. Our approach involves careful collaboration and considering a variety of scales and budgets to achieve your vision effectively.

Yes, we provide comprehensive architectural and landscape design services. Our projects are carefully monitored from conception through completion to ensure personal attention, exemplary service, and attention to detail. This includes our involvement during the construction phase to ensure the design intent is realized and the project progresses smoothly.

Absolutely, we specialize in designing fully custom homes. We believe every project is a unique, custom work, crafted through careful collaboration between client and designer. Our portfolio includes a variety of custom residences, and we are dedicated to creating a unique, appropriate expression for your dream home, tailored to your specific needs and site.

FAQ content may be generated based on the Pro's Houzz profile and website.

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21 Comments

Commented: Love this door.This was a custom door designed by our office and Doug Waley with Architectural Metalsmiths. Penn

October 11, 2019

Commented: I love the stone wall surfaces.Clint, Yes that is a combination of different bluestone 'ledger stone'. I believe it is a mix of 'full range', 'select blue' and 'cafe'. These are names from the local stone yard - I imagine names v...

December 7, 2018

Commented: What is the brand/make of the fire bowl?Hi Kieth, The fire pit was installed after our involvement with project so I do not know the answer. Penn

April 4, 2018

Commented: Where is this location?Northeast of Ukiah, Ca.

July 8, 2017

Commented: I love this gate. Can you tell me who manufactured the frame? Thanks!Doug Whaley at Architectural Metal Smiths. Great to work with! doug@architecturalmetalsmiths.com Penn

July 18, 2016

Commented: who was your fence and gate builder? what is the species of wood usedFence: RareEarth Landscape Metal gate: Architectrural metalwork Wood: Ipe

June 29, 2015

InsideOut Design, Inc.