Kitchen Designers
Please note: this page contains reviews and opinions sent in by Berkeley Parents Net subscribers. Your
own experience may be different. Please always check references before hiring!
Berkeley Parents Network >
Reviews >
House & Garden >
Kitchen Designers
|
Questions
See Also
|
Related Pages
|
Kitchen designer wanted
Nov 2012
I want to remodel my kitchen and would like an expert to
help create a plan. It won't be the fanciest kitchen and I
might not be able to afford to do the whole thing in one
shot, but I do need someone to help me get a vision for what
it could look like eventually. Thanks.
I can give an enthusiastic recommendation to Amato
Architecture (amatoarchitecture.com). Rebecca hired me to do
interior architectural photos of a house she renovated. When
she showed me the before shots, I could not believe what I
was seeing. She turned a dumpy tiny old Oakland house into a
wonderful, spacious contemporary and livable space. Some of
my favorite shots from the day are here.
http://schoenfeldt.com/blog/1085/architectural-interior-photography/
She's also super nice.
Alex
Get a chef's take on function and style; call Lisa Cannelora
at 510.575.3201. CucinadiCannelora.com kyle
I would suggest you contact Rebecca Amato of Amato
Architecture. Rebecca is your dream architect, a wonderful
architect, resourceful, reasonable, visionary and so fun to
work with in suggesting great ideas and keeping within your
budget. She is helping me know do some work now and she
loves doing kitchens and has excellent taste! She has done
some outstanding restaurant design as well. She has an
office on College Avenue in Rockridge. Rebecca can be
reached at 510-420-0210. Her web address is
http://www.amatoarchitecture.com/ Sharon
I have a recommendation for an architect that a client of
mine recently used and was thrilled with the results. They
redid both their kitchen and bathrooms in their home built
in the 1920's. She showed me photos and the metamorphosis
was remarkable. What she liked even more about working
with this architect is that she uses environmentally sound
materials and had an evolved sense of the dynamics of their
home in action and the energy that the remodel would affect
( feng shui). Though I haven't used her services, the
pictures told a story. I was impressed by the way they were
able to remodel in such a way that it looked but also fit so
well with the original style of the house. That's certainly
something I would want. I kept her card, so here's her
information:
Alexandra Sheets Saikley
Architect
5464-C College Avenue
Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 420-1234 office
(510) 407-0413 cell
(877) 880-9730 fax
as@asarch.org
www.asarch.org
anonymous
Rochelle Silberman is a fantastic interior designer and
kitchen planner. She is passionate, talented and easy to
work with (and a creative cook). She designs with the
appropriate era of your house in mind, and understands what
things cost and how to prioritize spending, having worked
for a design-build contractor for years. 415 971-8998.
Lucky you. Wish I could re-do my kitchen with Rochelle
WE recently used Deborah Lane Architect to remodel the
kitchen in the house we are moving into. Wow, her ideas are
great and not ones we could have come close to by ourselves.
Her help made the whole project seamless. SHe worked well
with our contractor and city officials and even told us how
and where to go shopping for various items. She can be
reached at deborahanearchitect@gmail.com or 527-5677. Alisa
Kitchen remodel for $30k
Sept 2012
I would like to remodel my kitchen. I have about $30K to
work with. Among other things I want to open up the wall
between the dining room and kitchen, and maybe change the
layout. I don't know how to proceed. should I start with a
kitchen designer since I want suggestions on a new layout ?
Or should I look into design/build places or am I working on
too small a budget? I know $30K isn't a lot to remodel a
kitchen. I would prefer cabinets that are not made of
particle board because of the chemicals they emit. Please
advise me what to do first!
I highly recommend Berkley Hansen to make redesign your
kitchen and/or make built it bookcases He designed and
built cabinets and counter tops for our kitchen and
developed a home office design with built in bookcases. You
can see some of his work at http://berkleydesignboxes.com or
call him at 415-430-7866. He is creative, meticulous and
reliable and you can certainly accomplish quite a bit for
$30,000.
We are just starting a similar project. I am not sure what
you can do for that small a budget, but we stared by hiring
an architect named Andrew Lee, andrew@aylarch.com We've
worked with him on several other projects and he really
listens and gives advice based on what you want and your
budget. For a few hundred dollars, he can look at your space
and come up with some options. He came up with a great plan
for making our tiny Jack-and-Jill bathroom much more useful
and we are looking forward to our new kitchen. Good luck!
Hello there, I can imagine your confusion. My sister was
very confused when she remodeled her kitchen and changed the
lay out. She used JB Construction to change the lay out of
her kitchen. She explained how much she has to spend and he
worked with that budget. You might want to explain how much
you have and what do you want to be done. He does a great
job and works with budget. He can give you advice of what
you can do and what you can not do as well. His contact is
powerlabor@yahoo.com and his name is Baha, his number is
510-735-4052 I hope it helps. Maksuda
I need a kitchen designer who also builds
Jan 2011
does anybody know of a good kitchen designer who will also
do the carpentry and building? home owner to be
We used Kitchens of Diablo in Danville. They are owned by
Shawn Lober, a general contractor.
They are the best design and build contractors we've worked
with (we also remodeled our bathrooms with another
design/build firm).
The do super high quality work. They finished on time and
didn't ding us with lots of extras.
I highly recommend them.
--Happy With Our New Kitchen
I have posted so many recommendations for our contractor
recently, not only because we think he's great, but because
he's been in our house for the last 3 weeks so he's right on
top of our minds! We used Bob Jones of OMB Construction
(925-382-0925) for a large scale kitchen renovation (gut and
rebuild), and currently, for a smaller bathroom renovation.
We have a friend who used to work for a cabinet company, and
they like to use Bob for trims and fine detailing for their
showroom because he does such a good job. Bob specializes in
kitchens, but as a general contractor he does other work
too. The painter today couldn't stop talking about how much
he likes to work with Bob, because he is so detail oriented
and careful in his work, and does not cut corners. Our
kitchen and bathroom both look fabulous. Bob works alone,
sometimes with a partner called Brandon, and they use
subcontractors for things like plumbing, electrical,
painting, etc.
In any case, give Bob a call and see if he can help you.
When we did our kitchen, the cabinet company designed our
layout, with input from Bob, and Bob took care of the rest.
I don't know what you are looking for exactly when you say
'kitchen designer', but you can ask Bob if he can do what
you want. I should add that on top of being detail oriented,
we have found Bob to be honest and on time. He comes when he
says he will, and takes on one job at a time. When we got
bids, we found his price to be mid-range, and we felt like
we got our money's worth. TZ
I have a fabulous Kitchen Designer. Lisa Cannelora of
Cucina DiCannelora is not only a really great designer, but
she was a professional chef for 20+ years. She brings that
experience to your project and personalizes it to your life
and cooking style. Lisa also has great resources for
fixtures, cabinets, installers and contractors. I highly
recommend that you at the very least talk with Lisa. I have
seen three of Lisa's finished projects at friends homes and
each one reflects that family. She can be reached at
510-575-3201 lisacannelora@comcast.net
www.cucinadicannelora.com Nina
To the person wanting a recommendation for a Design/Build
Contractor for a kitchen remodel. here you go: California
Rebuilders (510)853-1800. Call Bob Root. He used to
incorporate the time he spent on the design and planning
into the total charge for the project rather than being a
separate charge which may help you budget more efficiently,
as long as you don't do too many 'add-ons' during the
project. He is very meticulous and very concerned about
preserving the 'envelope' of the house - especially if you
want to keep moisture and mold out and retain energy
efficiency. He is also a certified green builder. anon
I would like to give Mark Shure of Shure Design and
Construction ((510) 540- 1952) my highest recommendation.
Mark has completed two projects for us: a home office and a
entire kitchen and dining room remodel. The office
consisted of three walls of built-in bookshelves, cabinets,
desks and workspace, all made from walnut. For the kitchen
and dining room, the entire space was taken down to the
studs and replaced windows, doors, floors and walls; all new
lighting, appliances, granite countertops, hardwood floors
and cabinetry.
Mark is an artist and designer as well as a cabinetmaker and
contractor. He worked with us on the design, offering
practical and creative solutions that took into account our
budget and personal style. We developed a budget and tracked
our expenses and although Mark charged based on time and
materials, he came in under budget and on time for both
projects. My husband and I pay close attention to details
and costs and Mark proved equally perfectionist. Mark kept
us informed and up to date on the details of the project on
a daily basis. We are already thinking about our next
project with Shure Design and Construction! Virginia in
Oakland
Seeking Kitchen Remodel Advice/Consultant
Dec 2010
We're seeking a designer to help with a kitchen layout.
There are plenty of high end kitchen design/build firms
willing to make highly customized and expensive layouts with
exotic finishes and materials... that's not us. Here we are
just really looking for someone experienced to help us
choose quality and long lasting ready-made cabinets and
fittings, avoid mistakes, and stick to a modest budget.
Have you met this person? Parent, first time homebuyer
I have two recommendations for you to consider:
My husband and I have worked personally and professionally
(we own a residential construction company) with Lillian
Mitchell (Mitchell Holladay Architects). She created plans
for our home remodel (including kitchen). Her mobile phone
is: (510) 682-3355.
Turk Kauffman (Turk Kauffman Architecture) might also be a
good choice. We have worked professionally with him on a
couple of projects. His office number is (415)663-8582.
While he currently resides in West Marin, he lived in the E.
Bay for many years and is still connected.
Good luck! Happy Holidays
Christine
I worked with Lucy Clarke on a remodel of an in-law
apartment in my house. Lucy helped me pick out all the
materials and fixtures for the bathroom and kitchenette.
She helped me choose lighting, carpet and paint for the main
room. We used some Ikea cabinets and a big Ikea sliding
door for the closet, mixed with some high end materials
(e.g., ceasarstone counters). We are thrilled with the
results and couldn't have done it ourselves. Lucy was an
absolute joy to work with and was reasonable in her fees.
She said I could post her contact information.
Lucy Clarke lucyeclarke@sbcglobal.net
- Mary in Oakland
Need a good kitchen planner/designer
August 2010
We have an impossible and awkward old kitchen and we need help. Does
anyone
have a good kitchen planner/designer they can recommend? We live in a
Berkeley brown shingle arts and crafts home and would like a new kitchen
that
fits in with this design although it doesn't have to be craftsman. We
are not
gourmet cooks, we just cook, so it doesn't need to be high-end. Help!
Cranky in the kitchen
Give Mike Stralka of Stralka Construction a call. He does design work, plans/
permitting and building. His cell # is 510-207-4832.
Kelly
I can highly recommend Kathy Bate for your kitchen design. She is very creative,
a pleasure to work with, reliable and affordable. I wouldn't use anyone else! Her
website is: http://www.kbdesigns4dining.com/ Please feel free to contact me
for a reference.
Yvonne
I couldn't be happier to have the opportunity to pass on the information for
Kathy Rogers and Sogno Design (www.sognodesigngroup.com). We are at the
tail end of a kitchen remodel. Our project had more than it's share of design and
logistical challenges. Though what seemed almost insurmountable to us, Kathy
and her team approached which a sense of calm, reassurance, professionalism
and humor. They helped our space achieve a personality, while balancing my
need for function and my husbands need for form. They led us through the
myriad of decisions and carefully planned each detail to not only suit us now with
our two young children, but to grow with us. Truthfully, when the kitchen is
finished, I think I will miss having them around!
Tessa
I have really loved working with Kathryn Rogers of Sogno Design Group.
She easily grasped my aesthetic, when we first met. Then she presented
different options.
She integrated existing features and suggested interesting new materials.
Then she worked very conscientiosly with our budget creating a design
that we could implement in phases. We are now in the process and
implementing the second phase several years after the first.
I highly recommend Kathy and Sogno!
Chrissy
I highly recommend Kathy Rogers.
She did our house 7 years ago and then just this year a
partial remodel of our kitchen.
I am with you - we are not the super gourmet cooks, we have
a family of 5 plus a dog, so I needed something functional.
She did an awesome job. Plus we have a really odd layout and
none of our floors are level.
So Kathy Rogers
(http://sognodesigngroup.com/about-firm.html) did the
design, and Beth Quade (broadconstruction@gmail.com) did the
actual work - fantastic contractor - she worked ''behind the
scenes'' while we were in the house and using the other half
of our kitchen.
Stefanie
Our new kitchen was designed by Kathy Rogers at Sogno
Design Group http://sognodesigngroup.com/. She did a good
job of working with our period architecture, so we have a
nice blend of traditional and modern. We picked out our
own appliances and went mid-grade, not high end
professional. We didn't add any square footage but the
space feels a lot bigger now. It's amazing what good
design can do.
Good luck!
Elizabeth
Recommendation for a good kitchen designer?
April 2010
Does anyone have a recommendation for a good kitchen designer? We would
like to change the layout of the space, replace old cabinets, countertops and
floors and potentially run the gas line to a central island cooktop. Has
anyone
worked with the Eco Home kitchen designer on San Pablo in Berkeley? Thanks.
Mel
I can't recommend Stacy Eisenmann enough. She is a North
Berkeley architect with a specialty in kitchen design. She
has won a bunch of awards for this, and is so good at what
she does. She helped me through the process and designed
an incredible kitchen/home remodel in a very modest old
Berkeley home and the results were outstanding. All done
within my budget. (which was small) Super nice too.
tel # 510 409-4426
katie
Oct 2007
We had a wonderful experience working with Gary Goddard.
After remodeling on our 1908 Craftsman home for 4 years, we met with Gary
to
handle the big job -- the kitchen. We learned about him here at BPN
(http://parents.berkeley.edu/recommend/home/kitchcabinets.html)
Although we had very specific ideas already in place, he evaluated our
storage, how
we worked in the kitchen, where we ate, etc. and came back with two ideas.
One set of design drawings with what WE thought we wanted... and another
set of
drawings with what HE thought we wanted. Each came complete with an
estimate.
His vision was way better than ours and we went with his idea. We loved
the way it
turned out -- every inch of our kitchen space is maximized and it is
consistent with
the design of our home.
After the kitchen was completed, he built us an 11 ft long mohogany
built-in desk -
specifically designed for all our home-office needs.
And then helped us with our master bath, creating a vanity and built in
closet.
We're still trying to find more things for him to do because everything
ends up
looking so nice!
Oh - and as a true professional, he was responsive, punctual and
detail-oriented
(more than us - and we're pretty anal). He managed our expectations
through the
entire process.
He's based in Oakland and works throughout the Bay Area.
510-390-6232
www.goddardandriley.com
Audrey
Sept 2007
I highly recommend Catherine and Dan at Custom Spaces, who
recently remodeled our kitchen. Catherinems kitchen design is
not only gorgeous, but improves the look and flow of our entire
home. The design includes an architectural element in the form
of a built-in china cabinet over an open pass-through to the
dining room, where before a wall separated the kitchen from the
rest of the house. Our remodeled kitchen also has a new and
improved walk-in pantry, and new hardwood flooring that makes a
seamless transition to the existing hardwood floors in the
house. Catherine excels at integrating a clientms personal
aesthetic with a homems period detail, and because shems a
cook, she wonmt compromise functionality. Catherine helped us
choose appliances and beautiful new custom cabinetry to fit our
needs. She also spent considerable time assisting us with a
myriad of details, including hardware selection and placement,
and ambient lighting selection in both our kitchen and dining
room. In addition, Catherine has a great eye for color. Both
Catherine and Dan are detail-oriented and meticulous, and made
sure we got everything just right. Wemve received countless
compliments on our remodeled kitchen, and would highly
recommend their services to anyone.
happy client
May 2005
We're embarking on a house remodel and have been working woth a wonderful architect to help us rethink the form and funtion of our home. We're focusing much of this work on a new kitchen, and now think it might be prudent to get some input from a certfied kitchen designer to help us with the kitchen organization (like cabinet layout) as well as the aesthetics (selecting materials). Can anyone recommend a good certified kitchen designer for these purposes?
Lande
To the one looking for a kitchen designer, we used Carlene Anderson for two different kitchens and were really happy with her. She is responsive and produces plans very quickly. Her number is 510-339-2530. Enjoy!
sally
March 2005
I would like to recommend Carlene Anderson Kitchen Design 510 339 2530, she is wonderful, has been in business 25 years, works from Oakland. she helped me to redo my kitchen and I know a number of people in Piedmont/Oakland/SF/Lafayette who are very happy. She is into function, custom efficient storage, custom cooking needs, originality etc.
elena
April 2003
I came across this web site mentioning Capstone when I was
going to show my friend some information about kitchen
designers. We remodeled our kitchen about a year ago, and
we were extremely happy with Capstone. I was surprised at
what I read, as that was not my experience at all. All
dealings we had were very professional. Our contractor
commented on how easy it was to work with the accurate
drawings and specs. Some of our special needs called for
very tight space criteria that worked out well. We wanted
many custom touches, and the design was put together to
incorporate them very tastefully. Our contract was a
printed form, and specifically excluded drawings for
permits. Our designer, who was the owner, helped us to
make sure we knew when, and what steps were needed. We
were quite frankly thrilled with both the quality and the
service we received. Henry
June 2002
Has anyone out there had any experience (good or bad) with
Capstone Cabinetry and Design (on Telegraph Avenue)?
sheryl (June 2002)
Does anyone have any experience with Capstone cabinetry and
design on Telegraph? I am doing a kitchen remodel and have
been talking with a kitchen designer there named Holly. I
would love to get some recommendations before I go with
them. Thanks!
Emily
(April 2002)
We used Capstone for our kitchen cabinets. We have been deeply disappointed.
If you must
use them, check every single detail of your order before signing a
contract -- we caught over
a dozen major errors in ours. Drawings and specifications were changed
without our
knowledge to cover additional errors after the contract was signed. Our
designer left town
for vacation without telling us, just when we needed drawings for the permit
process. When I
called see if someone else at Capstone could help in the meantime, the owner
got very
confrontational an combative. We ended up paying our contractor an
additional $1500 for
it. In addition, the quality control has been substandard. Several cabinets
arrived that were
the wrong size, other pieces were missing and some items did not work. In
order to keep our
project even close to schedule, we have had to do a lot of adjusting to our
expectations. Our
kitchen will look wonderful when it is finished, due to the efforts of a
very creative contractor
and no thanks to Capstone. Montclair.
Lisa (June 2002)
October 2002
Can anyone suggest a designer that
they had a positive experience with? I'm interested in your
recommendations for independent contractors OR companies/retail
stores.
Laurie
Recommendations received:
Angela Klein, architect
Phyllis Bleecker, interior designer
November 2001
Can anyone recommend a full-service kitchen showroom with good help and good
products (East Bay)? We are doing a fairly-simple kitchen remodel and have
a plan, but need help selecting cabinets, fixtures, finishes, etc as well as
figuring out everything needed so we don't make mistakes and incur later
costs. An independent kitchen designer might also work. Thank you.
Ellen
Victoria at Premier Kitchens in Orinda saved me from the too-narrow
kitchen island walkway my architects designed, and instead designed
gorgeous kitchen with wonderful cabinets which I ordered through
her. You can see her design work at her old employer General Appliance
in Berkeley, but buy from her - better deal and much more astute
design work. She also helped me choose the colors, tile backsplash,
granite counters, etc.
-Suzanne
2001
Re: Good design/build firm for kitchen remodel?
I absolutely loved my kitchen designer. I used her 9
years ago. Everybody flipped over our kitchen and now
that we've moved I miss it terribly. A well designed
kitchen makes all the difference. Her name is Chula.
You can reach her at Chula Productions, 2325 3rd St #
430, San Francisco, CA, (415) 621-0166.
Linda
this page was last updated: Feb 3, 2013
The opinions and statements expressed on this website
are those of parents who subscribe to the
Berkeley Parents Network.
Please see
Disclaimer & Usage for
information about using content on this website.
Copyright © 1996-2013 Berkeley Parents Network