Building Designers in Berkeley

“We hired Erick Mikiten as the project architect for a major kitchen remodel and some ancillary work on the entrance porches to the house in 1994/95. We wanted to expand the kitchen, remodel the interior to include new cabinets and an island, provide a new seating area in an addition at the rear of the house, and improve what was then an awkward connection between the kitchen and a rear bedroom. Erick came up with a very creative solution to the space constraints in the existing kitchen that resulted in a much more spacious kitchen with a larger island than we had anticipated. The addition on the rear of the house not only provided a seating area with views into the rear garden that we use on a daily basis, but included a very attractive raised ceiling and exterior architecture that continue to receive admiring comments from friends and visitors almost 20 years later. Erick's firm also recommended a new color scheme for the exterior of the house, which we adopted. Even now, from time to time complete strangers stop by to ask about the specifications of the paint colors because they find it so attractive and are considering doing something similar. Throughout the project Erick made great efforts to understand what we were looking for and present alternative options to achieve this, going through multiple iterations of the design as we refined the concept together, then producing a final design that satisfied our budget constraints. During construction, Erick visited the site on a regular basis and worked closely with the contractor to make sure that the work was being done in conformance with the design.”

“The staff at Ohashi Design Studio helped me design my kitchen/living space. I wanted to open up our galley kitchen to be able to see our incredible view from the kitchen. They came up with a design I never imagined could work so well. Rather than just remove a wall, they moved the kitchen, changed it to a more functional shape and not only opened up the view, but made the living space feel like we were outside. I have been especially impressed with their level of service. They listened to my dreams and goals and turned it into a reality beyond what I'd hoped for. They were available anytime I needed guidance during construction and made sure the project was built down to the finest details. They helped me find a contractor and oversaw the bidding process. They helped pick out all the materials and finishes, even the paint color. I can't say enough about their level of expertise and professionalism. I worked with Dave and Alan.”

“Consistently refreshing creative architectural designs. William is a unique architect that understands deeply how to create highly functional buildings that are both efficient and gorgeous. Great work and extremely professional. Highly recommend.”

“Eugene Sakai stood out far above the pack of the 5 Architectural firms that we investigated to do our total house construction. He was simply the best to deal with, very professional, on time, and took a personal interest in the project, and within budget. We moved in 2 years ago and still love him and the contractor, C.W. Wright in San Carlos. We are pleased to show the house through Eugene Sakai at any time.”

“We spent two years with Bill Holland, the first conceptualizing ideas for a major remodel of our 1916 Craftsman style house, the second in construction. We loved working with Bill and today appreciate his talents as we enjoy living in our evolved home. Bill is a gifted architect – able to visualize the design and construction of a three dimensional space in his mind’s eye, and then communicate his vision to clients in an understandable way. We wanted more openness and access from the rear of our house to our back yard. The result is stunning – truly an indoor/outdoor living space. Upon the completion of our project, Bill and we were honored to win an award from the City of Piedmont for the Best Outdoor Living Area in 2011. ”

“My HOA hired Klopf Architecture to design new fences, front gates, lighting and paint color plans for our condominiums. They were designed in 1963 by Quincy and Jones and built in 1964 by Eichler Homes. Replacements in the 1990s did not serve the mid-century aesthetic well -- but owners did not want to return to the light-inhibiting original thin-line panel fences and gates. The Klopf team produced three outstanding options. The one we selected includes brilliant design features like frosted glass doors with 1/4-in spaces between fence boards to allow light in along with clear glass doors for the pool area with 1/2-in spaces between boards surrounding it. The overall design and color plan is clean and elegant. John Klopf and his team could not have been more friendly and flexible throughout. We look forward to implementing this design over the next few years.”

“I just completed a complete remodel of my San Francisco Edwardian flat and build out my basement. Joanne and her staff did a fantastic job. It started out as a kitchen bath remodel, but once the design process started expanded to include every room as we discussed how different spaces would be used and what I didn't like about the current space after living with it for 20yrs. Might as well do it right! Joanne's attention to detail, listening, and high ethical standards are unmatched. She would listen in the meetings and ask questions then come back with some ideas and sketches to get my reaction. She knew what I wanted without me even knowing it. She was also sensitive to the project budget which was important. I was able to complete the project within my budget. She was also key to working with the general contractor. She brought with her experience in projects of my scope / scale and working with different contractors and even her own remodel. This helped immensely. I look forward to the opportunity to work with Koch Architects again.”

“we worked with Mark Brand Architecture for the remodel of our house. It was a complete remodel with using different colors of stucco instead of the original wood siding. This gave the house a complete modern look. Mark suggested to use of huge windows which was only possible with using some railings. This was a smart idea. It brings the woodsy scenery inside and feels like we are living in a tree house. The inside of the house was completely gutted, some walls pulled down. Again the feeling is very modern but the materials used make it very warm. There are also a lot of details which make the house more pleasant to live in. The result is not only stunning but we love living in it.”

“Kathy Rogers and her team at Sogno Design Group created a fabulous design for my kitchen. She listened well and incorporated the features most important to me. She provided 3 conceptual designs that were all great options. After I chose one she guided me through the decisions I had to make and the resulting design was a significant improvement. I now have a beautiful kitchen. Kathy was a pleasure to work with. Notes: the project cost below is for Sogno services only. The construction and appliances cost significant more. Architecture services were approximately 10% of the total. The photos attached are by homeowner and include some old furniture that will be replaced.”

“We worked with Dotter & Solfjeld most recently to design an Italian villa on a hillside in Saratoga, CA. This was actually our third project together as they worked on an expansion and remodel of our previous house in Palo Alto as well. As soon as we bought the lot in Saratoga Russ and Wencke, of D&S, began studying the landscape, spending significant time at different points in the day to intimately understand the light, the views and the flow of the hillside. Russ and Wencke are experts at both exterior and interior architecture and design, and they are an amazing team! Once they felt they knew the property, they spent time with us to understand what we liked and disliked and then began designing our house based largely on Italian building principles of thick walls and simple, yet elegant, construction. D&S involved us in every step of the process and ensured we were completely comfortable with each phase of the design before moving forward. They totally went above and beyond the call of duty by diligently working with our planning department and even one neighbor. They were our advocates with the City and were clearly extremely well respected by everybody they interfaced with. During the building process, D&S worked closely with our contractor and foreman to ensure that the project ran smoothly and stayed on budget. Often times, there is tension between architects and contractors, but our contractor loved working with D&S. Some of our friends have also used D&S to design ultra modern homes...D&S is super versatile and we unequivocally and enthusiastically recommend them.”