Eco Home Professionals in Montara, CA

“It has always been a pleasure working with the entire TRG team. They assemble professional drawings and go the extra mile to create custom designs with each client. The thought put into every detail makes for a very special finished project, which is something every contractor should appreciate. We are looking forward to showcasing a few of our current projects soon! -Matt”

“Katie Pashel has a quality that is becoming rarer among the noise of modern communication: she listens carefully and HEARS what the client is saying. We hired Katie to undertake the creation of much needed living spaces in our 100-year-old home after interviewing multiple architects. The other architects acted as if they were listening to our vision but then turned around and offered alternative visions that ignored our specific requests. While creative ideas are always welcome, it is important to feel that the architect, designer or contractor first respects the input of the client, especially if the client has very clear ideas of what is wanted. And what is not. Katie has an amazing capacity to be patient with our passion for details and is always gracious with her feedback on what may work within our home or what constraints we have to be aware of. Katie reviews feedback thoughtfully and makes revisions or suggestions based on our comments without letting ego get in the way. She has created designs that work with our desired budget and offers practical ideas to help meet the challenges of an old house. She also respects the architecture of the house in that she offers modern ideas without trying to remove or diminish the house's historic character. She created design concepts from our long wish list for a master bathroom and converted an enclosed 1930s porch we refer to as our 'Winchester Mystery Room', into a functional and well proportioned space. She faced every possible challenge: multiple uneven connections to the adjacent roof areas, height limitations, window restrictions, layout challenges due to the proposed bathroom being located above a kitchen and old house bones with uncertain structural issues. Despite all these headaches, Katie has always stayed positive and encouraging when we have felt frustrated or discouraged with the bumps-in-the-road. We look forward to continuing to work with Katie as she helps us to create a sanctuary that we can fully enjoy.”

“We used John Lum Architecture for the complete remodel of ~1000 sq ft in San Francisco. John and team were fantastic to work with. Very creative yet good at listening to our thoughts and integrating our ideas. They understand how to both design a gorgeous contemporary space while still keeping it comfortable and livable. We depended on them with a lot of design detail recommendations such as fixtures, paint, tiles and they always had great suggestions that made the process much simpler and easy to manage. They are very professional, extremely responsive and timely. There were no surprises during the entire process including on deadlines and budgets. I would strongly recommend them.”

“We were in a unique situation - an opportunity to do some remodeling after a house fire. With the insurance budget parameters, we were still hopeful we could make some beautiful improvements to our home. Lincoln was the perfect person to partner with. He helped us envision simple, creative and impactful changes to our home that included opening our dining room up so that the best view in the house (from a kitchen window) was visible from the living and dining rooms. He listened to our wish to host larger dinner parties and created a movable ceiling light, so it can always be centrally positioned regardless of how long our dining room table might be. He worked with our more conservative contractor and helped advocate for our ideas, finding modern, sleek textiles and cabinetry that immediately increased the value of our home. A back hallway became a pantry; a small closet in the bedroom was expanded to become a little walk-in closet. We built in a post-modern ladder to the attic, an interior wall window to bring more light into the bedroom and many other details we wouldn't have thought about. Lincoln's vision and experience elevated our home and it turned a disaster (fire) into a huge opportunity! I highly recommend collaborating with Lincoln on your next project, big or small.”

“I have known Jim Cline for over five years. In 2007, my properties were damaged in a fire. I hired Jim to help remodel one building and design the other building from the ground up. He has been exemplary throughout the entire process particularly with the issues involving the many various San Francisco city departments. I would not have been able to maneuver through those departments without his expertise. His designs are innovative and modern. He is very thorough in every aspect of the design process. He works within the budget and gives a detailed accounting of his services. I would highly recommend him.”

“Several years ago, we hired Ellis Schoichett of EASA Architecture to draw up plans for a whole house remodel of our smaller, older home. Best decision ever! Twelve years later, and I still get a thrill walking through the front door. He turned our house into a home and the home he created for us, has given us years of pleasure. I recommend him highly.”

“They produce good designs that tend to be on the more modern end of the spectrum. Carl, the founder has a good aesthetic as does Tom. They are not ideal if you have a tight budget as they put design ahead of cost.”

“The staff at Ohashi Design Studio helped me design my kitchen/living space. I wanted to open up our galley kitchen to be able to see our incredible view from the kitchen. They came up with a design I never imagined could work so well. Rather than just remove a wall, they moved the kitchen, changed it to a more functional shape and not only opened up the view, but made the living space feel like we were outside. I have been especially impressed with their level of service. They listened to my dreams and goals and turned it into a reality beyond what I'd hoped for. They were available anytime I needed guidance during construction and made sure the project was built down to the finest details. They helped me find a contractor and oversaw the bidding process. They helped pick out all the materials and finishes, even the paint color. I can't say enough about their level of expertise and professionalism. I worked with Dave and Alan.”

“We were terrified to finally remodel. Now we're halfway through the job, and I'm wondering how it could possibly be going so well? The answer: Lorin Hill, Architect, and his team. Ours is not a small job - we've excavated a basement; moved the kitchen, downstairs powder room, laundry room (which went from 1st to 2nd floor); and moved a lot of walls and reconfigured closets to dramatically improve our space. We didn't know where to bookend the project, and could see endless options for how to improve our home. We interviewed multiple architects - familiar names that had signs up on the best streets. It was immediately clear that Lorin was the architect for us - he took in the important character of the home (and setting/land, neighboring homes, and street), he saw how we could shape the project to make the most of our resources and opportunities, and his communication style was unmatched by larger and smaller specialty firms alike. He's insightful, funny, has decades of experience in his craft, and (this is where Lorin really hits it out of the park) his design eye is so excellent that he is saving us from hiring a host of other professionals to make our finished result truly sing. In some ways I'd love to keep Lorin Hill our little secret - I can count on only one hand the service providers that so exceed my expectations that their fees don't seem high enough for what they provide (note the design comment above, and he's smoothed enough husband/wife remodel debates - helping us each see logic - that we'll happily enjoy our home for years to come, marriage intact). If you're lucky enough to find Lorin Hill with a space in his schedule that fits your project, grab it. If we ever win the lottery and have unlimited funds, we'll be back to take up all the rest of Lorin's time.”

“My HOA hired Klopf Architecture to design new fences, front gates, lighting and paint color plans for our condominiums. They were designed in 1963 by Quincy and Jones and built in 1964 by Eichler Homes. Replacements in the 1990s did not serve the mid-century aesthetic well -- but owners did not want to return to the light-inhibiting original thin-line panel fences and gates. The Klopf team produced three outstanding options. The one we selected includes brilliant design features like frosted glass doors with 1/4-in spaces between fence boards to allow light in along with clear glass doors for the pool area with 1/2-in spaces between boards surrounding it. The overall design and color plan is clean and elegant. John Klopf and his team could not have been more friendly and flexible throughout. We look forward to implementing this design over the next few years.”