We worked with Kathy on a two-phase renovation on our North Berkeley home. Kathy and co were…read moreresponsive, professional, and did a good job balancing our uneducated ideas with their experience to get a cohesive plan that aligned with our vision. We've now completed construction for phase one and planning for both and we're so glad we chose to work with Kathy and Sogno!

We love Sogno and recommend them without hesitation. We worked with Kathy Rogers and her mix of…read morepractical (Ikea cabinets) and more expensive finishes helped create our amazing kitchen that two years later we love and use. We entertain so much more and now if we don't it's because we have two children instead of just one, and not because we're embarrassed by our kitchen. We used their services to update and open up our kitchen which was walled off, horribly outdated and inefficient. Now we can move from kitchen to living space super easily and everyone can participate in conversation, drink at the counter, or help cook. We get lots of compliments and can't ever imagine leaving.

We've had a great experience working with Mike Pourzand of Gehl Design / Build…read more Our original project was to replace a dilapidated shed in the backyard of our North Berkeley home with.a completely new structure having an identical footprint. Mike was very attentive and responsive to our objectives, and he developed a number of innovative and cost-effective design ideas to address our needs. We were often impressed by the way Mike's design ideas built on his extensive engineering and construction knowledge -- and vice versa. We also appreciated his efforts to anticipate and navigate city permitting requirements. Based on our very positive experience during the design phase, we elected to engage Gehl Design /Build to oversee the construction of the new shed, as well as to design and manage several additional projects (including a new and expanded driveway, new fences and gates). As part of this second phase, Mike identified and secured bids from qualified contractors he had vetted and worked with previously. His recommendation -- which we ended up going with -- proved excellent. On several occasions, Mike helped explain elements of our plans with our neighbors. He was very respectful and straightforward in his approach, helping to secure their support and goodwill. What made us feel that we were in excellent hands with Gehl Design / Build was not only Mike's extensive experience and his impressive knowledge and skill set. His dedication, patience, responsiveness, and integrity are all exemplary -- and made working with him a true pleasure.

The guys at Gehl design team helped design, build and implement a 300 sq ft design Artist studio…read morespace from start to finish, as well as build a small detached storage shed, that also looked contemporary in design. Mike and his team helped with every aspect of this project, from initial brainstorming, conception and design, to implementation -- I can't recommend them enough!!

Working with Sunny - studio G+S Architects was a fantastic experience. I like to highlight their…read morecreativity, professionalism, communication and their ability to meet budget/ needs. Looking forward to collaborating with you for my next project .

I interviewed six architects or building designers for conversion of a studio to an accessory…read moredwelling unit. Ed Soos, architect, was tied with one other architect at the top ranking. He made good suggestions during a preliminary tour of the property. I appreciated his kindness and creativity.

We were referred to Nurturesource by a Realtor friend who had firsthand experience with their work,…read moreand we couldn't be happier that we took the recommendation. We hired them to remodel our primary home with an ambitious goal: complete the majority of the work within two months before moving in--all while staying mindful of our budget. From start to finish, the entire team was exceptional. We received three bids, and Nurturesource's stood out immediately as the most detailed and transparent. Rodell was clear, thorough, and easy to work with throughout the bidding process, which gave us confidence from day one. This was a full-scale remodel--we touched nearly every surface: building new walls, adding a fourth bonus room, completely renovating the kitchen and bathrooms, upgrading all electrical and plumbing systems, and installing new hardwood floors. As anyone who's been through a remodel knows, it can be challenging--especially when my partner and I didn't always see eye-to-eye on design decisions. That's where Alex, our program manager, and Alejandra, our designer, truly shined. They were patient, collaborative, and incredibly skilled at guiding us toward solutions that balanced our vision, budget, and timeline. Thanks to them, we now have a home we are genuinely excited to live in. What also sets Nurturesource apart is their efficiency. Their experienced team, in-house construction crew, and strong network of subcontractors allowed them to keep the project moving with minimal delays--something that's rare in this industry. We highly recommend Nurturesource as a design-build firm and would gladly work with them again on future projects.

Mike M. Nuture…read moreSource Homes came into my 1970's and modernized it. They updated the kitchen, flooring and lighting. They did a beautiful job on my staircase and their interior paint job and color selection really made a difference. They also staged my house. After completion my house sold in about 3 weeks. My house sold faster than I expected and I cleared more than I thought it was worth before updating with Nuture Source.

Here's my only gripe about Lane's work - I can no longer read in our living room because I get…read moredistracted by how beautiful it is. I know, I know, you wish you had this problem too. Good news is that you can invite Lane's brilliance into your home as well (just don't say I didn't warn you). Never in a million years did I think I would work with an interior designer. Working with Lane has brought beauty and order into our home without the fighting or compromises that in the end feel like no one really got what they wanted. Who would have thought that my girlfriend and I could really have what we want?! She got the blue couch of her dreams and thanks to Lane I love it too! Lane has a strong aesthetic sense and is not shy about sharing her opinion AND I have never felt pressured to do something. Lane does a great job with client participation whether you know just what you want or are a bit more vague "you know, it's kinda like this thing I once saw, well sorta like......". Favorite pieces of furniture and artwork look more lovely against new paint colors, proper window coverings allow us to watch tv during the day without glare, and new pieces enliven the look of our home and make it more comfortable. Of Lane's many strengths I would like to highlight one in particular. We've been working with Lane for almost a year now. The project started with plans for some small upgrades in the living room and has grown into an overhaul of the room and varying degrees of changes throughout our home. Whether she is given tight parameters or a lot of latitude Lane delivers within the scope of our vision. For example, we are prepared to only make some smaller scale changes to our kitchen. We will not be replacing the granite that neither of us like, but Lane's savvy eye immediately saw that if we changed the wall color we could bring forward our favorite color in the stone (a color that my eye was too overwhelmed to even notice was in the stone!). We are delighted to have prioritized investing in our home and our relationship by creating a space that we love to share with friends and family. I can't recommend working with Lane and Urban Orchard Interiors enough!

I can't say enough good things about Lane. In late 2011 I started exploring my options for sprucing…read moreup my apartment in North Berkeley. I knew I didn't have the time or experience designing interior spaces to do a great job so I finally decided to grow up and hire professional help. They assessed my space, helped me come up with a reasonable budget, and executed a plan that met and exceeded all of my expectations. I'm always getting compliments about what a great job they did from guests that come to visit. A+. Thank you.

So this morning I was making coffee in our newly remodeled kitchen. Everything about it is…read moreimproved. The space is small, less than 120 sq. feet in our mid-1920's era house, and yet there is an amazing amount of counter and storage space, and the workflow between range, fridge, coffee station and sink is natural and makes sense. Everything is light and airy looking and the space looks modern yet retains the feel of early 20th century construction. Tile, counter, cabinets, floor and paint are complimentary, and soothing. There's even a range hood for handling cooking exhaust. We could not be happier with the outcome of our project, and we realize that engaging Aimee Toy Inouye at Paragon Kitchens and Bath was the number one reason for the success of our remodeling project. Rewind 4 months. My wife and I decided our 90s-era old kitchen had to go. Massive dark granite counters/backsplash was cracking, Ikea cabinets were crumbling, lighting was dim and we could barely lay out a cutting board for meal prep. We knew enough subcontractors that we thought we could handle the project ourselves, but how were we going to best change the space? We investigated kitchen design firms and the upfront cost seemed shockingly high. Paragon's quote was in the middle of several firms we investigated, but still, we were thinking we could save money right away by figuring out a design ourselves. Keep in mind, engaging a designer will be your first expense. Later on you will be writing check after check without thinking twice but in the beginning, you will hesitate. You will think, they can spit floor plans out of a computer in an hour. It's a counter and some cabinet boxes and some tiles. Plug in the numbers and it's done. You will think of the cost of designer time, when you really should think of the cost of designer expertise. You are paying for knowledge, experience, and talent, which actually is priceless. In this case Aimee's knowledge, experience and talent were an amazing bargain. She and her partner Christina visited our kitchen several times and talked to us about our issues and what we wanted out of a remodel. They took exact measurements, and then several weeks later came back with renderings of four different layouts, with pros and cons listed for each. We worked with her and in the end combined two of these proposed designs and asked for cabinet estimates, a counter source, and advice on paint, flooring and tile. Here Aimee's contacts were key. We visited a slab yard in Berkeley together and picked out stone that would work with her design, and found complimentary backsplash tile and flooring. She put together a cabinet order that was complex and complete, with a company that gave a firm delivery date, and with that in place we were able to start demo on Jan 5. Paragon provided a complete set of layout and elevation plans with all measurements that our electrician, cabinet installer, tile contractor and plumber used with everything accurate and complete. Because of her assistance, we experienced smooth sailing step by step, and the project was completed exactly one month later! Throughout the process, Aimee was instantly responsive with questions about delivery, measurements, paint colors, lighting fixture suggestions, and sink and faucet recommendations. Everything she recommended worked perfectly, and when everything was finished the results were amazing. We could not have been more pleased. My wife and I recommend Paragon highly. Remember when considering engaging a designer, that you will be living with the end result for many years, long after the memory of starting the ball rolling has faded. You will enjoy the results!

Contracting with Paragon was by far the best money we spent on our remodel. I can't say enough good…read morethings about Aimee Inouye. Not only did she capture our design esthetic beautifully, she also connected us to the best contractor, cabinet maker, countertop manufacturer, and tile supplier. Having someone in the know in the business connect you to the right folks is priceless. She also set up all of our orders for us, which meant we didn't need to count tiles or spend hours staring at fixtures trying to figure out what would fit in our bathroom space and also look good. She just took care of *everything*, was incredibly responsive and professional, and thoughtful throughout. You won't regret working with Paragon!

I worked with Itay on a complete renovation of my San Francisco condo -- new bathroom, kitchen,…read morefloors, lighting, electrical, and everything else in between. Renovations are never simple, and unexpected things will always come up. What's important is having a contractor that you can trust. I appreciate that Itay does things by the book and is committed to keeping his clients happy. Whenever an issue came up, I knew I could always talk to Itay to figure something out. That made the process much more manageable. I am very happy that I chose Itay and his team to partner with on my project. They did a very high quality job, and I'm very happy with the work they did. Thanks Itay!

I cannot recommend TRD enough! We recently hired them to remodel our kitchen and dining room, which…read moreinvolved knocking down walls to create an open-concept space. From start to finish, the experience was fantastic. What really set them apart was how they handled the "unexpected." As with any major remodel, a few hurdles popped up once the walls came down. Instead of delaying the project or overcharging, Itay and the team came to us with creative, out-of-the-box solutions that actually ended up improving the final design. We are so happy with our new space!

We've used HDR for about 5 years now for all sorts of projects: Bathroom remodel, range hood…read moreinstallation, sump pump installation and maintenance, they even helped us find a roofer when we needed a new one. Essentially, they are our go-to people for everything house. I don't know what we'd do with out them! Philip and Jim are the seriously the best, and the rest of their team is incredibly professional and talented. Chris has been especially amazing with all of the projects we've used them for.

We used HDR Remodeling to redo one of our bathrooms, as well as do a conversion of the downstairs…read morefloor of our house. While there were a few delays in the construction schedule, they were very professional in handling everything and the work was high quality. We're very happy with the result!