I really wish I'd hired Laura from the get-go as she is super easy to talk to and has pragmatic…read moresolutions to problems. The long story is that I hired a friend to do the architectural design on my interior renovation which is a straight forward process except when doing work by permit in Berkeley. My friend decided that he didn't have time to deal with the endless revisions required by the city, and I soon discovered that architects don't take over projects that are so far along. I was in a horrible bind of having a project mid-construction incapable of moving forward. I got a reference for Laura, and she picked up her own phone, seemed super sympathetic and offered to take a look at the drawings to see what needed to be done. She then called me back and told me that if I used a different type of insulation, I wouldn't need these complicated drawings that the inspector required. Brilliantly simple, totally solved the issue in a pragmatic way after a 15 minute intervention. I would highly recommend her for anyone who is looking for someone who knows how to get things done; I talked to several architects who couldn't come up with this super simple way to proceed. Thanks, Laura!

Laura Natkins helped me design a 800 square foot ADU with over 300 square feet of loft space. It…read moremaximized the hill and over-the-bay views, while avoiding direct window-to-window contact with the main house. She suggested great features, and was graceful in working in the features I wanted. It was a sound collaborative experience that resulted in a beautiful design.

My wife and I had the pleasure of working with Geoff and his team on a full demolition and new…read moreconstruction of a single family home with ADU in San Francisco. We loved our experience and wholeheartedly endorse Winder Gibson to anyone looking for a full service architecture firm. From the outset, Geoff and his team demonstrated an exceptional understanding of our family's needs, which they transformed into a beautiful house design that resonates with our aspirations and lifestyle. We are currently transitioning to the construction phase, and are excited to raise our family in such a thoughtfully designed space. Also, Geoff and team are true experts at navigating the San Francisco permitting process. They efficiently moved us through permitting, both reacting to feedback from the city and helping us manage our neighbors. Honestly, we could not have permitted the house without their guidance. In a city where building homes can be difficult, the one two punch of beautiful design + the knowledge and skill to get it across the line was invaluable. We are so appreciative of Geoff and team.

We found our way to Winder Gibson through our realtor and could not be more grateful. We worked…read moreclosely with Geoff and Daniel to design our dream home. They were an absolute pleasure to work with and took on all details at every stage, including handling a difficult neighbor. At the same time, they were efficient and budget conscious, helping us stay on track both financially and time-line wise. They made what could be an overwhelming process move smoothly and enjoyably. We unreservedly recommend Winder Gibson.

Tony handled our project with care, his work was meticulous and he listened to all of our needs…read more We knew we would need plans for our renovation and Tony was our guy. His services were reasonably priced and he was attentive to our requests, giving his expect opinion as well. We had minimal permit issues with Tony's plans. We would happily work with him again and highly recommend his services.

So far Tony has been very easy to work with. Not arrogant or pushy but laid back and agreeable…read moreeven when the site conditions and code constraints pose challenges. Tony is very good at thinking outside the box and troubleshooting said issues. He also has a good network of consulting engineers to help advise and offer solutions.

Tim drew plans for our deck and railings replacement project. He was thorough and fun to meet…read morewith. He filed information to get the building permit, and met with the contractor. He was available if needed when the work was inspected. The inspector told us the work was done "beyond code." Tim's design guaranteed our deck would be safe as well as lovely. His fee was reasonable for someone with so much experience. We are thrilled with the results.

Timothy was great to work with. We remodeled our bathroom to make it wheelchair accessible and…read moreTimothy quickly understood the issues then provided excellent drawings. He also took the lead in securing the building permit which made all the difference! We very enthusiastically recommend Home & Temple Design!

Jill is friendly, clear, a great communicator, and a problem solver. She helped me out on a small…read moreproject and I greatly appreciated her time!

While the Loman McNamara firm is newer, the two Principals - Jill & Rich have decades of commercial…read moreand residential experience, and we were lucky enough to have some time with them. When we bought our first home they offered a great initial consultation with already some ideas that resonated with us. Then they came for a visit where they helped us with measurements and gave us valuable input as they dreamt up possibilities to serve our current and future needs. Together they offer different perspectives which felt like getting 1st and 2nd opinions from one firm which helped us understand the opportunities and feel more confident about our decisions. Once we agreed on the renovation ideas, they quickly turned around with sketches to help us work with contractors to better estimate construction costs and phasing of the project. We're excited to continue working with them!

We worked with Wagstaff and Eric to design our ADU…read more This was a rebuild of an existing internal space in our main house into an official ADU, so came with significant constraints on size and layout. Eric was great to work with; he was responsive and listened carefully to our ideas. Billing was clear and the final cost came in approximately at or under Wagstaff's estimates, including a number of design iterations. The design process was a partnership and contributions from both sides were crucial to the final product. We provided strong opinions on how the space was to be used and requirements. Eric provided design ideas, and used his good understanding of space, building constraints and opportunities to validate our ideas and turn them into reality (or provide alternatives). My main regret is that we did not use Wagstaff enough! We did our own construction observation, but next time I would ask Wagstaff to take responsibility for that. We're delighted with the result and would use Wagstaff again!

I worked with Eric on a new construction build plan. Overall, I do not recommend this firm…read more 1. We did not align on high level how the flow in the new house should be, and he ended up drawing the detailed plans even if it was not what we wanted. Costed us 10k+ for nothing. 2. Every iteration was more than 5 hours, even if all he did was add a door/bath (no big changes). 3. He optimized for things that made no sense to us. Like he optimized for keeping one of the walls from the current house, even if we said we don't care about the current house (since this is a rebuild). 4. He sent plans to us that were still over the allowed limit 5. He talked to the city to understand the requirements, and understood them wrong. The limit for our lot that he said we need to respect was not correct, even if he talked to the city. 6. He asked us to get an "As built survey" even if we want to rebuild the house fully. Hi another 5k dollars. Overall I do not recommend working with this firm. We paid them way too much money for something that we could not use. Completely useless.

I am just starting to think about a remodel & addition and do not know where to start. Plonowski…read moreresponded right away on a Sunday morning and gave me a wonderful consultation over the phone. I am not quite ready to start, but I have good idea on next steps to prepare a budget and guidance on decision making. Based on the great conversation and online assessment of my property, I would definitely consider working with Plonowski once I am ready

While working on a backyard remodel project, it became necessary for us to file for a building a…read morepermit with City of San Francisco for a deck we were replacing. We tried doing it ourselves, but the city required a structural diagram of the deck to be built, incorporation of firewalls (SF lots are often built up property line to property line), and sign off of some forms by a licensed architect or engineer. Sounds like a lot, but honestly, it is a pretty small job...so small, most architects and engineers weren't interested. Not Jeff, however. He managed to squeeze in our smallish architecture job into his busy schedule, created all the drawings and designed the firewalls and foundations the city required. He even went down to the permit center and brought back the permit whereas previously, we'd gone ourselves and came back with more comments from the inspector. In the process, Jeff also recommended some changes to our design to improve efficiency and the look. So, thank you Jeff for getting our project moving again.

Ann Lowengart Interior - A Dream Come True!…read more In December 2025, my husband, Scott, and I moved from Sacramento to Marin County, purchasing what we hope will be our forever home. We intentionally moved with very little furniture because we were excited to start fresh. While the possibilities were exciting, furnishing and designing an entire home felt overwhelming. Fortunately, my daughter's coworker recommended Annie Lowengart. From our very first meeting, Scott and I knew we had found the perfect designer for us. Scott spent his career in commercial construction and has extensive experience with budgets, space planning, and project management, so he naturally had plenty of questions. Annie and her project engineer, Monica, welcomed every question with professionalism, patience, and expertise. Their communication was excellent, and they were always responsive and attentive to our needs. Together, we developed a vision for our home that included updated kitchen seating and lighting; a welcoming living room with beautiful textured fabrics and colorful accent seating; new furniture for the primary bedroom and office; and a refreshed entryway. We also updated our downstairs ADU, including the bedroom, bathroom, and recreation area. One of my favorite parts of the experience was selecting the fabrics, textures, and finishing touches. Monica always arrived with thoughtfully curated options, making the process both enjoyable and effortless. She had a wonderful ability to understand our tastes and guide us toward pieces that reflected our personalities while bringing warmth and character to every room. Working with Ann Lowengart Interior was an absolute pleasure from beginning to end. Annie, Monica, and the entire team combined exceptional creativity and professionalism with a genuine understanding of how we wanted our home to look and feel. They made what could have been an overwhelming experience exciting, collaborative, and fun. Most importantly, they transformed our house into a home that feels beautiful, comfortable, and uniquely ours. We could never have achieved this without their talent, guidance, and dedication. We are forever grateful to Annie, Monica, and the entire Ann Lowengart Design team. We wholeheartedly recommend them!

From our first phone call with Annie Lowengart in September 2025, we knew we were in good hands…read more Annie was kind, direct, and warm from the start, and we didn't feel the need to interview another designer. Renee and Annie V. led our project, and Annie L. stayed involved in every decision and meeting, which we really appreciated. We wanted our home in Inverness to feel cozy and welcoming for family and friends. We didn't want the furnishings to compete with the beautiful, peaceful views of Tomales Bay and the forest. Renee and Annie listened and delivered on all counts: We wanted the house finished before our Fourth of July family gathering -- done. We wanted it to reflect where we are in life: empty nesters, with room someday for grandchildren to visit this special place -- done. We wanted it to stay humble and let the natural beauty of Inverness shine -- done. We wanted no drama, and we wanted to feel part of the process -- done. Our Inverness home is now a place where we can be restored on our own and also welcome a crowd to entertain. We absolutely love it, and it feels just like us. We highly recommend Renee, Annie, and the entire Ann Lowengart team to anyone considering an interior design project. Trust that you'll be in good hands!

Brent designed our new home and we could not be happier. He did all the engineering and energy…read morecalcs along with designing our perfect home.... Highly recommended

From the owner: Architectural Design for projects including decks, remodels, additions, granny units, houses,…read morecommercial tenant improvements, and small commercial buildings; Residential Energy Calculations; ADA consultation

When the Tubbs fire destroyed our Fountaingrove home in October 2017, our decision to rebuild…read morenecessitated finding an architect who could help us define the vision for our new home, design within our budget and work collaboratively with us and with our contractor. After researching and interviewing several local architects, we met with Joel Baumgardner of Sebastopol on a friend's recommendation. We feel fortunate to have found such a consummate professional. Joel gave us everything we could have hoped for from an architect and more, especially during that very stressful time. Extremely responsive, budget and quality conscious, he worked closely with us over several months to translate our dream into detailed plans that complied with all of the new city, county and state regulations. He also helped us qualify for energy efficiency rebates that defrayed our rebuild costs and forged an excellent working relationship with our contractor. When issues arose, Joel outlined our design options and played devil's advocate as we considered them, always having an opinion but never forcing his choices on us. We are sad to hear about the problems with their architects that other folks rebuilding their homes have had to cope with in addition to the stress brought on by the fires and their aftermath. Joel earned our trust, designed us a beautiful home and was a pleasure to work with. He has earned our gratitude and our highest recommendation.

My very favorite architect and I've worked with many. Extremely experienced, talented, and a…read moremarvelous addition to any project team.