Klopf Architecture

We're thrilled to write this glowing review for the incredible team of architects at Klopf Architecture, who transformed our mid-century modern home into a work of art. From the very beginning, working with John Klopf, Angela Todorova, and the team at Klopf Architecture was an absolute pleasure, and the results have exceeded our wildest expectations.

Klopf Architecture is a true visionary, and their deep appreciation for mid-century modern design is evident in every aspect of their work. They masterfully blended the classic elements of the era with a fresh, contemporary twist, creating a living space that's both timeless and uniquely tailored to my family's needs.

What struck us most about Klopf Architecture and John's team was their ability to listen and understand our vision for the project. They took the time to get to know our tastes and preferences, and then skillfully translated those ideas into a design that was nothing short of breathtaking. Their attention to detail and commitment to preserving the integrity of the original mid-century modern architecture while introducing innovative and sustainable elements truly sets them apart.

Throughout the entire project, communication was seamless and transparent. John, Angela, and the team at Klopf Architecture were always available to address any questions or concerns, making the entire process smooth and stress-free. Their professionalism and dedication to staying within the project's budget were truly commendable.

I'd also like to mention that our builder, Augie, from Coast to Coast Development, was equally skilled and also a critical element to realizing the vision that John, Angela and the team at Klopf Architecture had dreamt up. The combination of Klopf Architecture and Coast to Coast Development was without a doubt, the best of the best, and we feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with each of them.

The end result is a mid-century modern home that not only pays homage to the past but also celebrates the future of design and sustainability.

We can't recommend Klopf Architecture highly enough. If you are looking for an architect who is not only passionate about their craft, but also genuinely invested in bringing your dream home to life, look no further. With Klopf, you won't only find a skilled professional but a true partner in your journey to creating the home of your dreams.

Thank you, John, for your outstanding work, trustworthiness, and unwavering dedication to making our mid-century modern home a masterpiece. You have truly exceeded all our expectations, and we're grateful for the beauty and functionality you've brought into our lives

We chose Klopf Architecture for the addition of a master suite, a laundry room and a garage to the front of our house. I was hesitant to call after my husband showed me the pics on their website. His projects are amazing and expensive looking and we were looking to do a humble addition with a modest budget.

John had a section titled "Should you work with an architect?" on his website that we found helpful to go through before we met with him at our kitchen table. We had never worked with an architect before and that information gave focus to our first meeting. Our tiny 70-year-old house is a copy of a Cliff May design and didn't look like the spectacular homes featured on John's website, but he never regarded our little project with anything but his full attention.

We had a big hiccup with the City of Cupertino when they would not permit our design as submitted. The design had a one-car garage and the city required a two-car garage. (Apparently they have since changed that.) John and Angela came to city hall with us to try to get the design approved, but we were not successful. John came back with a revised design within 72 hours, and that was over a weekend. The new design was approved and constrution started immediately.

We worked closely with Angela on our project and were very happy that she was on board. She was incredibly detail-oriented, very professional, prompt in all communication, and we never felt like there was anything we couldn't bring up with her, which is really important when you're going back and forth about the smallest details. She never treated any of our inquiries like they were insignificant.

I would also like to add that it has been six years since the completion of our project and we are still thrilled with how our design turned out. There isn't anything we would change. The excellent customer service continues, as well. John responds immediately to any questions we have for him, from what paint color did we use, to recommendations for a landscape designer.

Little did we know that what seemed like a casual kitchen table meeting with some sketches would turn into a years-long relationship. We would highly recommend Klopf Architecture to friends and family and would go back to them for future projects.

It's been a year since we've completed our renovation, and we're thrilled with the results and we're so happy we worked with John Klopf and his team. We own an Eichler and had heard so many horror stories of remodeling projects gone wrong. It was important during the hiring process to find someone who was very familiar with Eichlers and would respect the Eichler aesthetic and integrate our needs. We found the experience and perspective that Klopf possessed were unparalleled. In addition, as first-time renovators, it was great to have someone in our corner who was very communicative, professional, punctual, honest, and patient. From the permitting process to the finishing touches, Klopf and our lead designer Yegvenia were there to answer all our questions and provide their valuable insights. If we ever find ourselves in a situation where we need to hire an architect or we're starting another renovation project, we're definitely reaching out to Klopf Architecture again.

I had a call with the principal, John Klopf and another one of their associates to discuss my new build project on my lot. When it came to the topic of budget, I said I'm thinking $2.2M for the build, John Klopf then said with a laugh "you need to think bigger." Then he recommended we buy an existing house and do a remodel project instead. He wished us luck at the end of the convo. I've never been laughed at and shamed for having a $2.2M budget for a project, but clearly John Klopf is too good for any project less than $1,500 per sq ft. Don't bother wasting your time talking to them.

John and the team did an excellent job for our Eichler renovation project including addition of an auxiliary unit. We wanted to work with someone who is versed with modern design and knows Eichler. In our past projects it was often times a bit of challenge to maintain modern aesthetics. We are glad that we hired Klopf Architecture along with one of the contractors they recommended. Our primary goal was to upgrade the infrastructure and refresh interior/exterior without modifying the layout of the house. The result came out with a consistently modern look throughout including a bathroom skylight and built-in living room storage down to door/window trim details. The auxiliary unit looks as if it was part of the original design. Selection of hardware, etc. was straightforward because of a good collection the designer provided for us to choose from. The contractor also did a great job in putting the design details in place. We didn't have any major problems you might hear elsewhere. The only thing was the whole project took much longer than we initially expected. We're still grateful the team pulled this together under an unusual circumstance and with our sometimes peculiar requests. There were a few surprises mostly in terms of usability discovered once we started living in the house after completion of the construction, but nothing major. I can recommend John and the team for those who are looking to update their Eichler home maintaining its modern flair.

We hired John and his team to help us with a complete renovation of a midcentury home. We had an absolutely fantastic experience from beginning to end. We love John's style and approach to design, and especially his deep experience and appreciation for midcentury architecture. His houses are just beautiful. Our project turned out just as we had hoped it would. The construction was on time and under budget.

The quality of Klopf design is something you can see clearly from John's portfolio. There are some other important points that might not be so obvious:

(1) Klopf construction drawings are meticulous. Many contractors we talked to commented on this and it became really clear as the process went on. Though we hadn't really understood it going in, this turned out to be incredibly important. The best way to control costs is to have a fixed price contract. But such a contract is only helpful to the extent that what you're contracting on is clear. Most architects leave lots of details vague, and this creates all kinds of scope for contractors to add cost later on. ("The drawings aren't clear on how this foundation is going to be poured; if you want it poured that way, it will cost 30% more...")

(2) Everyone wants to work with Klopf. That means when it came to soliciting bids and working with contractors, consultants, etc., they were eager to work with us. And during the project gave us a lot of leverage because while those we were working with may or may not have cared about their relationship with us they cared a lot about their relationship with John.

(3) John runs a super efficient shop and this translates into less cost and less time from the client. They answer emails fast and are great at communication. They are happy to propose great default options for just about everything so you only need to spend time on the decisions you care about. They track details and don't let anything slip through the cracks.

(4) Another example of the way John makes things efficient is the process of finding the consultants, etc. Rather than either (i) making us go out and find all those other people ourselves or (ii) hiring them himself and then charging us a 25% markup on their services (which is common), he gave us several recommendations of people he had worked with then let us negotiate to hire them directly.

(5) The fact that John has so much experience with midcentury houses means he knows how to make them beautiful while keeping costs (relatively) low. A lot of good architects are used to working with super-rich clients who just want to get the fanciest of everything. That's not John's style at all. He knows where spending more will add real value and where it won't.

(6) John is definitely not the cheapest architect around, but he's a lot less expensive than top shelf SF firms that are the only ones I think can touch Klopf in terms of quality.

We hired Klopf to remodel our bedroom/bathroom wing, and they did a phenomenal job. I was repeatedly impressed by their attention to detail. We had a particularly tricky situation with our glass-heavy bathroom, and they delivered a design that was seamless. We've already recommended them to some friends of ours, and would recommend again!

We hired Klopf Architecture to renovate our 1960s Eichler which was in dire need of updating. The scope of our project including removing an interior wall, expanding and reformatting the kitchen layout, eliminating a hall closet to expand the master bathroom, in addition to updating much of the plumbing and electrical and refinishing most interior surfaces. Our goal was to be true to the Eichler aesthetic but update with modern finishes and original touches- Klopf was the perfect team for this. While we had a pretty good idea of the things we wanted to do, John and his team were an invaluable resource with a wealth of knowledge and definitely worth the investment. They created a very detailed set of plans including materials, fixtures and finishes which made the contractor bidding process an easy comparison and ensured that the construction process went smoothly.

Klopf's taste, experience and approach to design made it easy to trust them throughout the process. John also helped us tailor our plans based on our budget so that we focused on work that should be done at the same time while identifying items that could be done at a later date.

We are very happy with the outcome of our project thanks to Klopf Architecture. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking to remodel an Eichler or for any other modern style project.

When my husband and I began the process of planning for our remodel, we had a very hard time finding a reputable architect, who would respond to our calls, and who matched our modern style. So, I went out on a limb and contacted Klopf Architecture after seeing their beautiful work in Dwell Magazine. I was so impressed by their portfolio, but was worried that they would not be interested in our project or they'd be too expensive.

Thankfully, I was BLOWN away by their interest in our project (which started out small and grew to involve our whole house) and reasonable prices. John and Ethan were very responsive and took the time to get to know us, the desires for the flow/function of our home. They gave us amazing options for the floor plan of our home, which lead us to expand the scope of our project and we couldn't be happier with the results. I also found that they were so respectful of our budget and worked to design within our limits.

I was also happy to find out that throughout the construction process, there were very few issues that came up, requiring changes. The drawings were so detailed and well thought out, that it made the construction process virtually seamless.

Additionally, the Klopf team provided assistance with picking out some of our finishes, so that when it came time for me to make final selections, I had a document ready to go. It was so helpful to have direction in this area.

I could go on and on about the excellence of Klopf and their team and have offered to be a reference for them. If you are looking for a modern style architect, I could not imagine finding any better team. Thank you Klopf, for helping us create our dream home!

We had a wonderful experience working with the Klopf team for our major Eichler remodeling in 2016.
From the first meeting with John and his project manager/architect Liu, I was impressed with their professionalism and the high standards of work they could delivered.
Throughout the 10 months process, they were very responsive with any questions we had, meticulously organized with information regarding finishes and materials. That made the painful process in decision making so much easier.

John is especially helpful in helping us resolve issues with our contractor, with his expertise, and great reputation in the Eichler community, the contractors are more likely to listen to him than the homeowners. That made a huge difference in our experience.

We are very happy with both esthetic and quality of the design, and Klopf Architecture's excellent services as well.
If I ever wanted to remodel another Eichler home, I would use John again!