My husband and I just finished a major home remodel which included a completely new kitchen (during a pandemic none the less). There was a number of unique challenges in our project. However, thankfully Leo, Astrid, and his team were able to adapt and help us through every step of the project. Leo was kind and considerate throughout our process. He met with us numerous times to discuss design elements and to ensure our project was done to our own unique requirements/needs. The quality, craftsmanship, and attention to detail were and continue to be greatly appreciated. In the end, we now have the kitchen we've always wanted. We're grateful to Leo and his team everyday when step into our kitchen. read more

Leo Claudio - Interior Design Near Me - San Bruno, California

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The TLDR: Run, don't walk, to Leo Claudio if you're looking to put in a well-designed, quality kitchen designed and constructed by a master who takes pride in their work, offers amazing customer support during a very collaborative process, and delivers on schedule! The Full Details: My husband and I have fully renovated several homes in SF before we finally landed in our dream forever home. And, of course, we wanted to put in our dream kitchen as we are both avid cooks, bakers, and entertainers -- and the kitchen is where our entire family hangs out. Since we have done this several times before, we had a very clear vision of what we wanted in terms of function, style, design, and features. We were also looking for a very high level of quality and attention to detail that would ensure the kitchen would last decades -- something that is very hard to come by these days. And lastly, we expected our cabinet maker to care as much about the outcome and final product as we did. Initially in this project, we hadn't heard of Leo Claudio and so we tried working with a couple of other vendors. However, we found ourselves very frustrated when those other vendors either offered a lead time of 6+ months OR took a 'take it or leave it' approach to the design process after collecting our design deposit and not following anything in our vision. I literally found myself in tears on a daily basis trying to work with the other vendors. Enter Leo Claudio whom I found by serendipitous luck. From the beginning, even before I paid a deposit, his daughter Astrid listened to my design requirements and challenges (what house in SF doesn't have structural challenges?!?!) and gave me feedback, and was so incredibly supportive. I knew I was in good hands. Once I paid the deposit, the design process was so incredibly collaborative with Astrid and I texting and calling each other back and forth in real time so that my vision could be followed and Leo Claudio's excellent design sense would be maintained. This experience was far far different from other cabinet companies which had multiple "middlemen" and a week+ turnaround time after each communication. Additionally, Astrid was very mindful of my initial budget and very transparent about what any additional features would cost so there wouldn't be any surprises. A couple of other "extras" in terms of customer support that we didn't get elsewhere....my husband and I were able to tour Leo Claudio's factory in San Bruno. Also, Leo himself came over during the the onsite measurements and gave my general contractor feedback on how we could get even more square footage out of our kitchen and he had a brilliant design idea on how to handle a tricky situation with our exhaust duct. Lastly, we also hired Leo Claudio's team to do the installation rather than having our GC's team doing it. And the install team was as perfect as the construction team. Every single detail is absolutely perfect and shows obvious pride in craftsmanship. We *love* our kitchen. The function, the design, the quality....absolutely everything. Even better, we enjoyed the experience of bringing our vision to life with Leo Claudio, his daughter Astrid, and the entire LC team. read more

Leo Claudio made all the custom cabinets for my kitchen remodel in 2013. This was a large remodel, which included a seven foot island. There is a total of 57 upper, lower and island cabinet doors/ panels and a total of 28 drawers. While the original product was acceptable, it clearly does not hold up over time. Regrettably, Mr. Claudio does not honor his commitment to a quality product. There is significant cracking on 20 cabinet doors/panels. SEE PHOTOS. I had a meeting with Leo and my real estate agent, Kathy ( from BARB CO) to discuss the problem. Leo acknowledged the cracking on the cabinets. He was argumentative and said it was not his responsibility. He said the cracking was due to movement of the wood. He reluctantly proposed to fix the cracked cabinets at a charge and said he could not get to the job for at least four months (March 2020). I was not comfortable with his negative reaction. The response from a reputable business owner would have been, "I am so sorry, this should never have happened. We will make this right. We will remove the cabinet doors within a week or two, repair, repaint, and reinstall". This was a far cry from Leo's response. I spoke with several licensed contractors (general and painting) and they all agreed they had never seen this type of cracking on cabinets. Their conclusion was that since the cracking appeared on half of the cabinet doors (not all of them), it was due to poor workmanship, specifically too much paint on certain cabinets, not "wood movement." Based on this information and the nature of Mr. Claudio's "fix" I chose to end my relationship with him. I selected a licensed contractor with 28 years experience who did an excellent job and finished the job in eight days at a cost of $3300. I am very disappointed that Leo refused to stand behind his workmanship. The photos clearly demonstrate the poor quality of Mr. Claudio's cabinets and his explanation of wood movement is ridiculous. During our meeting, Mr. Claudio was arrogant and said, "I am good and have so much work, I really don't care what you have to say." Bottom line, stay away from Leo Claudio Cabinets, there are many fine cabinet makers that will produce a quality product and stand behind it. Equally disturbing was the patronizing and sexist manner in which Mr. Claudio spoke to Kathy and myself during our meeting. At one point, he jokingly squeezed my cheeks. I doubt he would have taken this disrespectful tone if he were dealing with male clients. Furthermore, the BARB REAL ESTATE CO has removed Leo Claudio Cabinets from their referral list. My kitchen designer, ELLEN B, a long time designer and resident of Presidio Heights, has also removed him. Mr. Claudio's cabinets are displayed at Ferguson's, which is a fine reputable store. However, they might want to reevaluate their relationship with Claudio Cabinets given the the type of product they are endorsing read more

Leo Claudio - Another example of poor workmanship - Interior Design Near Me - San Bruno, California

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We have worked with Leo Claudio on a couple of projects and we'll be coming back for our next one. We have happily referred them to friends looking for great cabinetry and they have been super happy too. Leo, Astrid and the team worked with us to get the look and function we needed, while also helping us stick to budget and schedule. They go above and beyond to make sure their part in the project is executed flawlessly, taking pride in their craftsmanship and finishing detail. read more

I tend not to write many Yelp reviews--reserving them only for businesses that I've had truly exceptional experiences with that Yelp subscribers should benefit from knowing. That's why I'm bringing Leo Claudio to the forefront. My overall experience with Leo Claudio matches that of all but two of the other Yelp reviews in that Leo Claudio and team proved to be exceptional in customer service (accommodating and effortless are the adjectives I'd use); expertise and knowledge without condescend (I felt in good hands from start to finish); and impeccable taste (Leo Claudio seems much more an artist/designer than merely a cabinet maker and one would be wise to use him as such). But the one thing that I discovered that I didn't find any other Yelp reviewer noting is that Leo Claudio uses wood products from the US as opposed to imported from like China which a lot of cabinetry products are from, and that a lot of cabinetry vendors use, nowadays. On top of this, his veneers are laminated with a formaldehyde-free, soy-based process--my understanding to be a "greener" choice that's better for the environment and for general health. In the end, the only thing better than my experience working with Leo Claudio is the finished product of his work. I'm ecstatic about the end product, which netted me a whole lot more organization space than I expected because he basically gave me cabinets customized to maximize my spaces as opposed to just try to cut corners on costs and installation time by fitting prefab one-size-fits-sort-of cabinets into my spaces (which the other cabinetry services I explored did). The icing on the cake was, in comparison with the other vendor estimates I got who did not provide the level of customization I got from Leo Claudo, there was virtually no cost difference. For me, the choice of which cabinetry vendor to use was a no-brainer and the end product was added validation. Thank you, Yelp, for the lead. Thank you, Astrid, for providing exceptional customer service (you really represent Leo Claudio well). And thank you, Leo, for really turning my home into a showpiece! read more

I met Leo back in 2006, while working on one of large custom home. We have been working ever since. We have done many projects together from traditional, too contemporary and everything in between. As a design professional I could not ask for more. Leo is very detailed oriented, his knowledge helps to solve any potential issues and the quality is superb! We have done many different types of finishes and installation where our vision was created better then expected with many thankful and happy clients. read more

Beautiful work, excellent detailing, on time and on budget. How much better can it get? As an interior designer I need to be able to rely on the craftsmen I choose for my clients projects and you certainly hit the mark. Love working with you Leo. Ursula Kloeters Square One Interiors read more

Thank you Yelp for always leading me to the best service providers for my needs -- this time being this wonderful cabinetry company for the full remodel of my home. My remodel was daunting and included my kitchen, an entertainment center, wet bar, two vanities, and a few other rooms. I didn't know where to start. So I needed a vendor that was experienced, knowledgeable, cost competitive, and easy to work with. Yelp reviewers lead me to Leo Claudio and Leo Claudio was all that and more. First off, I got to work with the owner (Leo Claudio) in coming up with the ideal modern design I wanted. I loved what he came up with and, while chatting with him, I discovered he has an impressive decades-long background designing and building large scale projects like airports and offices in Milan, Italy (which explains why he fully grasped the clean modern look I was hoping for). Best of all, unlike other companies I looked into for competitive bids, Leo Claudio measures and builds out cabinets from scratch as opposed to offering only pre-fab cabinets. So basically, Leo Claudio was able to maximize my storage space AND stay competitive with the other bids! All in all, working with Leo Claudio was the easiest and most pleasant part of my remodel by far and I look forward to seeing what he does with my friend's remodel! Thanks Leo Claudio! Thanks Yelpers!!! read more

I have been working with this brilliant custom made cabinetry company since I have been in business ,we developed through the years an amazing collaboration of a dedicated company looking to satisfy and matching my designs and also my clients needs and requests ,I love the fact that Leo it will never turn down a job and very straight forward is looking and screening every single elements to fulfill the scope of work and design .This amazing small company is always up to speed with the most innovative elements to impress me such research for finishing new material and also how to develop their own man made counter top . Thank you to them my design it looks as good as the concepts and also they will maintain longevity and quality for the long time. I do appreciate all the good work and this company is beyond that . From an Italian to another Grazie per il tuo impegno e dedicazione nei miei progetti. Sincerely, Paolo Matera owner of Matera Design read more

Leo Claudio Costa is a marvel. Our 1906 Buena Vista San Francisco home in the Arts and Crafts style has many kinds of beautiful old redwood. We asked Leo to build cabinets for two bathrooms, a "butler's pantry" and to match some contemporary kitchen cabinets. The beauty he created with his design - combining use of redwood burls and walnut burl was more than satisfying. It was beautiful and functional, well made and moreover, on time!. There are innovations that one cannot find in stock cabinets and ideas just keep pouring out. Ask him about the butler pantry burl and ebony glass display case he made for us. Incredible! A stunning piece that all guests admire. I depended on Leo time and time again for help with making these old rooms functional and for his design ideas. He is a wonderful designer, a craftsman in the old style yet as modern as anyone designing todayl. I wish I had more kitchens and cabinets needed. He is the right person. read more

We just had our kitchen done recently and before the process even started we wanted to go and see cabinets that would match the look we had in mind. We wanted the cabinets to have a natural and earthy feel--some place between a modern Zen-like look and the Desert Southwest. It seems like an impossible look to find, but just browsing the massive amount of local cabinet companies we stumbled across some amazing installs on the Houzz website--and there we found Leo Claudio Cabinets. The style and quality were exactly what we were looking for. Not only are the cabinet boxes made from scratch and designed and crafted in house, the owners are a very warm and friendly Italian family that made us feel right at home and made the design process easy and in no way stressful. We ended up with the veneers we wanted exactly--plus the all of the space in our very small kitchen was utilized very thoughtfully and skillfully with rising doors and hidden corner access. After our contractor did the installation, everything fit and worked perfectly. And, after the installation, the owner of the company personally came to my house to inspect the finished project to ensure proper functionality on all of the cabinets. read more

My experience with Leo Claudio was beyond terrible!!!! I visited a store in San Francisco named Fergusons Plumbing on Valencia Street that has some of his work on display and it looked good. I called Leo and scheduled an appointment for him to come to my place and give me a quote for building some cabinets for my small kitchen. He showed up and spoke with a thick Italian accent. He seemed nice and helpful. He gave me a quote of around $9,000 + tax. He then asked me to furnish him with measurements of my fixtures, which I did. I schedule an appointment to visit his workshop to go over the details and I met his daughter Astrid, who was very nice. I called to ask him for an itemized quote. I ended up speaking with his wife Brenda, who was very rude, arrogant, inconsiderate and bossy. They changed the quote to $13,000. I called back surprised and spoke with his wife and asked why the price went up so much? She again was extremely rude, and said she would have to investigate further and get back to me. Days later she sent me an updated quote for close to $30,000!!!!! For the exact same thing!!!! She told me they were really busy, and basically to take it or leave it. I was completely stunned!!!! I had invested time in working with him and originally planned to move forward, but after their bizzaro shell game tactics, I would NEVER ever work with them. These people are beyond unethical. I normally would not write something like this, but all I can say is that I had one of the worst business experiences with these extremely rude, pompous, unscrupulous, arrogant, shady, impolite, inconsiderate and highly unethical people. Just to be clear, I tried to speak with Leo about this weird price discrepancy, and was told he was too busy to talk to me. I find Leo Claudio and his wife to be completely unprofessional, flaky, super-rude and despicably terrible!!!! I would recommend staying far, far away from these prima-donna idiots, who are "too sexy for your cat!" And for the record, they basically make Ikea quality cabinets, just in custom sizes. In other words, they laminate everything and don't use solid stock wood, yet they act and charge as if they are cabinet makers who are by appointment to the Queen... read more

I have had this beautiful kitchen cabinet for 7 years made by Leo and his team. From the beginning whenever I have questions or minor adjustments/fix needed, they have been very responsive for ongoing support. I'd highly recommend Leo Claudio. read more

My initial impression of Leo Claudio was very positve. His samples were very high quality. Leo Claudio is not native English speaker. This proved to be a problem, as the production process continued. He would appear to understand things, whether it be design related or other, but it would be revealed later that he did not understand our communications. Mind you, these were in-person conversations. At a certain point, I stopped communicating with him, and began communications with his other office staff (family). I spent a total of about $4,500 to have a custom bathroom vanity cabinet made and, a small shelf, and a towel cabinet. Although we had an in-person conversation about how the towel cabinet and shelf were to be made (including drawings), they were not made correctly. The shelf was supposed to have a 3" lip on the edge going around it, and the towel cabinet was supposed to have a glass front. The shelf had no lip, and the cabinet was made with an all wood front. These errors were not discovered until the day of install. I forgave the shelf error, but asked Leo to fix the towel cabinet front. During one visit, I asked Leo Claudio if he could make some small pieces out of cherry wood to replace missing toe-kicks under my kitchen cabinet (3 pieces totaling 8 feet). I asked how much they would cost. He said, "They're on me." This appeared to be a gesture of good-will to make up for the mix-ups. He also never wrote an invoice for the toe-kicks, gave a quote, or asked for a deposit. He had made invoices and asked for deposits for the vanity and shelf/towel cabinet. Most of the installation of the vanity and door pulls was not done by Leo, but by his assistants. I have now found that some of the screws are crooked and/or stripped. I also found a part on a front door that was delaminating after only 5 weeks. My final invoice arrived in the mail for the installation of the drawer pulls. This invoice also had a charge for the toe-kicks that Leo told me were free. I emailed the office to ask if this was a mistake. I also sent a photo of the delaminating door and of a bad screw install. I received another email back stating that I was mistaking their generosity for stupidity. It went on to say that the toe kicks were never free, and that the delamination I was showing in the photo was clearly not delamination, but that the cabinet has been damaged by someone. I was infuriated and insulted. I called Leo directly. He insisted the toe kicks were never free. During that conversation, he called me stupid. I was so offended that I had been called a liar by Leo and his family that I took the delaminated door off the vanity and drove it to their San Bruno shop. I showed it to the staff, in person, to have them confirm that it was delaminating and was never damaged. Bottom line, construction requires exactness and good customer service. Mine was an example where the customer was right and was not only called a liar, but was further insulted. Leo Claudio's quality was mediocre and his rates are for high-end work. Their customer service and communication were a failure. They have no friend in me, and I have advised some friends of mine that were planning to use his services, to look elsewhere. I will say that his staff offered for me to leave my cabinet door there to be fixed. I would rather pay someone else to do it, than have to deal with Leo Claudio Cabinets any further. read more

This is my 100th Yelp Review. I waited until I had someone very special to Yelp about. Leo Claudio Costa is that guy. Leo, a true master craftsman, is an absolute pleasure to work with. He communicated thoroughly and well, provided superb customer service and produced a stunning set of high quality kitchen cabinets ahead of schedule for a reasonable price - a remarkable price when you consider every aspect was customized to our taste and our needs. The Details Our house is an open floor-plan Eichler. You can see the kitchen from the living room, dining room and many of the exterior spaces. So style and elegance in our kitchen cabinetry was important. We looked for months for a cabinetmaker with a modern sensibility - minimalist, really - with an eye for exquisite details, while making a cabinet so functional you would feel joyful every time you opened it. Mission impossible? No! We found Leo. The Process Our project was not standard. Leo usually designs the cabinets himself, but we had specific ideas in mind. Leo was flexible enough to work with our design, and tactfully make technical improvements (such as an easier way to mount the cabinets) without revising the essential design. We collaborated and came up with the perfect design! From an engineering standpoint, Leo really knows his stuff. Leo was the only craftsman we met who was thoroughly familiar with a specific German hinge we wanted to use in the cabinets. Knowing he had successfully installed dozens of these complex hinges removed a lot of the stress. Leo and his very pleasant and capable associate Astrid sent drawings with exact measurements. We exchanged a few emails until we were both nodding our heads on even the smallest details. We approved the drawings and work began. We were surprised and delighted to be invited to come see the progress after a week to make sure everything was on track. It was. While at the studio, we saw a few other projects Leo was working on - a macassar ebony vanity with stunning grain, a gracefully curved rosewood vanity and a very large set of kitchen cabinets. We realized ours must be the smallest commission Leo is working on. But he always made us feel like it was the most important. He has a European courtliness, yet a mischievous sense of humor. We were told the cabinets would be ready in 4-6 weeks. Surprise! They were completed earlier than expected! The Final Result The cabinets were delivered and oh my! Leo surprised us with custom touches that only a skilled master craftsman would dream up and know how to execute. The finish he applied to the sapele wood brought out the beautiful ribbon grain and natural iridescent lustre. The cabinets are what we had hoped for and much more. They are a classic that will never go out of style. Leo really brought our ideas to life with stunning cabinets that we love to use every day. It was a stress-free experience because from our first meeting we could see that Leo is a man of integrity who stands behind his work. Bravo Leo! read more

Leo designed my brand new and beautiful kitchen. I couldn't be happier with the results. I would recommend Leo Claudio to anyone.. and by the way I don't know what Jeremy E is talking about Brenda is the sweetest person you will ever meet. Thanks again Leo! read more

Leo designed and fabricated custom cabinets for a new home that we built in Sonoma. We wanted to use reclaimed wood and we had a number of unusual design requests, including incorporating metal trim onto a ledge on the island. There were many design decisions that needed to be made jointly and Leo cooperated with us on everything. Ultimately, we wound up with a remarkable (and quite unusual) kitchen. Everyone who visits our home tells us that they love the design and implementation. I could not have asked for more. read more

Contemporary Italian design, meticulous craftsmanship, local company owned by great guy, surprisingly affordable. When we started planning our bathroom remodel, we knew we wanted something special for our vanity and sink that would tie the rest of the room together. We were on a limited budget, so we assumed that a custom cabinet would simply be out of the question. So we started looking at what was available readymade in the bath supply showrooms in San Francisco's design district, but we didn't see anything we particularly liked. Then, while ordering plumbing fixtures at Ferguson's on Valencia, we saw a vanity on display there that was exactly the kind of thing we were looking for. The salesman told us that it, along with many of the other cabinets displayed in the showroom there, had been custom-built by a local designer named Leo Costa. There were kitchen cabinets as well as bathroom cabinets, and all the designs were superb and the workmanship seemed so much better than what we were seeing in other showrooms. The salesman gave us Leo's card and assured us that Leo's prices were reasonable given the quality of the work. Boy, was he right! We actually wound up ordering two cabinets from Leo, and absolutely love both of them. The vanity is everything we expected it to be and more. It is similar to the one from the Ferguson showroom, but customized to meet our particular needs and the space it fits into. The second cabinet is a tall, narrow, mirrored storage unit that fits partly into a wall, and then comes out four inches into the room. This allows for shelving 7 inches deep, which provides an ample amount of storage while using up almost no space in the room. Leo's design was an ingenious solution to a storage problem that had bedeviled us for years in this small bathroom. We also have to add that Leo was a complete delight to work with. For him, our job was a small one, but he treated us with the upmost courtesy and consideration. Always responsive, and available, he came out to our house four or five times to measure and go over designs until everything had been worked out both to his and our satisfaction. He always went the extra mile with us. He often pointed out important details that we hadn't even thought of. Leo is a great cabinetmaker, with an outstanding design sensibility, fanatic attention to detail, and terrific service delivery. We couldn't recommend him more highly. read more

With our imagination and the skill and knowledge of Leo Claudio and his team we have created our perfect kitchen. Leo and his crew of skilled cabinet makers do not make kitchen cabinets, they make furniture quality cabinets for your kitchen. Leo offers help putting all the materials together to create a look and feel that reflects our use of the kitchen space. And of great importance to us, the cabinets were designed and built here at their shop. We appreciate this for two main reasons. One, the money stays in the local economy and not sent to Canada, Germany, or China. The second is it is important for construction timing. When there is an issue the changes can be carried out in hours or maybe a day instead of weeks. We did not want our kitchen project put on hold for a month because someone in Germany entered the wrong calculations for one or more cabinets. The installation was completed on time. We are completely satisfied with our new kitchen. The cabinets and drawers open and close with such a soft touch that you think there is an electrical servo system doing the work. The design of the corner drawer system uses more of the available space than any other system we investigated. It is a joy to use our new kitchen. read more

I selected Leo to build my bathroom vanity cabinet after interviewing 2 cabinet makers, viewing their work/showrooms, and establishing which cabinet maker could accomplish the goals I had for the cabinet. Leo's estimate was higher than the other cabinet maker, but Leo was able to provide me with the wide, deep drawer I wanted for the bottom of the cabinet. The other cabinet maker said they don't have the hardware to make the drawer as I wish. In addition, Leo has access to some beautiful Italian veneers the other cabinet maker could not provide. Another factor in my decision is that I did not want to work through a "middle-man" (in this case a woman) working as a sales agent for the actual cabinet making company. I wanted to work directly with the cabinet maker him/herself. It took me some time to decide upon various aspects of the cabinet and finish, but Leo was patient with me during the process. At times there were delays in responses to my e-mail questions, but perhaps that was the result of the length of time I took in decision making. Perhaps there was not a sense of urgency to respond, or work-load with Leo's office staff. After the cabinet was installed I noticed that one drawer was not correct (it had not allowed for plumbing as specified). Upon contacting Leo's office, Leo immediately returned to my home to collect the drawer, and make the modifications necessary. The drawer was returned promptly, and with an Italian smile. Sue Kirkham, Real Estate Broker read more