Energy-Efficient Homes Services in Solvang, CA

“I interviewed a number of architects and talked to a couple of references before selecting David Ferrin and Arketype Architects for my rather different project, that of building a two story home on top of an existing stone warehouse, providing three floors plus roof-deck in a tight urban setting. Before I selected him, I was impressed with his "can-do" attitude and examples of some of his thinking outside-the-box. The design work I saw was classy and much of it different. His use of materials tends towards the green but when price becomes an issue, he will demur or come up with an alternative. David is quietly spoken and his demeanor is thoughtful, low-key and confident. The project is still 12 months away from completion (I'm writing this in May 2015 ) so it isn't possible to give you final comment but to this point I have been VERY happy with his work. He is quick to effect changes and is very thorough with his plans, attention to detail (according to several other architects and planners) being well above what is normally produced. I swear this attention to detail is what allowed our plans to get through to permitting in so few hearings.”

“Dennis Thompson worked closely with us to design a new home on our land, after our house was destroyed by a wildfire. He was sensitive and cognizant of the emotional factors going into the design process, given our circumstances. Dennis took us through the entire process, from design concept through City approval, from choosing a contractor through managing on-site building issues. Ultimately, we ended up with a beautiful, energy efficient home.”

“Kent was a great listener, followed through, and was available as the project progressed. Highly recommend him for his professional approach, attention to detail and anticipating our needs.”

“Our firm collaborated with NMA Architects on a large scale project for over 7 years. In every aspect, they exceeded our expectations, and were in our opinion, ideal creative partners for this project. We look forward to the opportunity to work together again soon.”

“Mr. Gradin helped us design two additions to our home. Both seamlessly integrate with the original design, but I was impressed with his creativity in seeing new ways to utilize space in an elegant and tasteful manner. He brought up important considerations and implications to our original self-designed plans that made it apparent that his expertise was saving us thousands of dollars and much wasted time (!). As well as being a creative designer sensitive to the project's location and specific needs, Mr. Gradin seems very knowledgeable about environmentally friendly materials, and I appreciate that he recommended products I didn't know about that were better for our world. In short, I'd highly recommend Mr. Gradin to anyone who wishes to have his considerable talent focused on developing abstract architectural ideas into an elegant and practical building.”

“The process of designing and building a home on the west coast while we lived on the east coast would have been a challenge. Tom made it easy and fun. He was available whenever we needed him throughout the design and build process. Best of all, Tom is now one of our good friends.”

“Skedio Studio’s team was very professional through out the whole process. They made sure we were satisfied with the plan and that the City approved everything.”

“Lori Kari is great! Being a residential contractor in Chicago for over 28 years, I am accustomed to a variety of working and design styles. In choosing Lori for our personal home in Santa Barbara our desires and concerns could not have been more perfectly satisfied. Her design skills are outstanding. Beyond that, the intricacies of dealing with the departments and committees -including the historic review- whose requirements needed to be mitigated while keeping us happy was handled with the most skillful aplomb. It was delightful to collaborate with Lori from the initial concept to the final flourishes of color and texture.”

“Ellen has helped me on two projects and is about to start a third. She is creative, thorough and patient.”

“Kate Svensson is a creative visionary. She did a full remodel on my home. My husband and I could not have been happier with the results. She has created such a beautiful space for us to live and it has made me understand how living in such a special space can change the quality of your life and your moods. I am still noticing the small attention to detail. We will use her on every home we ever remodel we do in the future. Not only is she a creative talent but she also a total professional in every way. I can not recommend her and her team enough. I've worked with many architects in the Santa Barbara area and she is by far and away the best.”