a few words from our valued Clients...
I had the pleasure of working with Catherine and Dan over the summer and fall of 2008 to do a complete remodel of my kitchen. When it was finished, the feel of the kitchen and its functionality as a workspace and gathering area entirely surpassed my expectations. Catherine is an excellent designer who's at ease integrating materials, colors and layout to achieve a terrific result, while carefully considering what I wanted my kitchen to be like. She is a design perfectionist who reassured me many times throughout the process that the final product would be terrific – and it is! The kitchen is now part of an open space that flows into a living and a dining area. Catherine offered invaluable advice and suggestions about how to achieve the overall design of the whole space, and she did this with such ease. Daniel worked closely with the contractor to address some significant structural challenges in order to preserve the overall design. Countless hours were spent making sure the smallest details were right, both behind the walls and in front of them, so they would be perfect when construction was completed. I have nothing but compliments for the entire team - it was a great partnership all around!
Chris McKinley (Montclair)
So there we were, a perfectly happy and compatible couple ... happy and compatible, that is, until we decided to expand and update the kitchen in our 1918 bungalow. All agreement ended there. We couldn't agree on much of anything, and as weeks turned into months of wrangling, it came down to what would be cheaper — divorce or hiring Custom Spaces to help us come up with a design. We decided to try Custom Spaces.
We made the right choice. Catherine helped find the perfect solution for us, both through her design expertise and her little known ability to reconcile marriages. We emerged from the process with compromises that didn't feel like compromises — it felt like exactly what we both wanted: beautiful design and cabinetry with just the right finish for my wife, and smart function for me. Long story short, with the last finishing touch, we stepped back and challenged each other to find something wrong. Neither of us could. And best of all: We are still married. Thanks, Custom Spaces.
Michael Reese (Piedmont)
Catherine and Dan are an exceptional team for a host of reasons, not the least that they promise and deliver on superlative customer service. Living through our renovation was a challenge, but looking back on the experience we know we could not have done it without the unlimited expertise of Custom Spaces. They are quintessential professionals who have a passion for their work and this is very likely why they always take the extra step.
We love our beautiful new cabinetry, granite countertops and knobs & pulls! And we never tire of telling everyone we know that Catherine and Dan exceeded our expectations and we highly recommend that you engage their services!
Nancy O. & Linda M. (Berkeley)
(turn of the century Queen Anne style home)
We have wanted to remodel our kitchen for years now. We had no idea where to start or what to do. Custom Spaces remodeled our friend's kitchen and we really liked what they did. When we went in to meet Catherine, she was very helpful. Her extensive knowledge and excellent design sense reassured us and gave us the confidence we needed to make all the right decisions (with her help!). She was very patient as we looked things over again and again before finalizing. We made numerous trips to the showroom asking for advice and always found the answers we needed and samples to take home and see how they might look in our house.
All of the recommendations Custom Spaces made were very professional, knowledgeable, and the lowest price!! We shopped for a better deal, but found out that we didn't need to. Their showroom is one-stop shopping and we loved being able to go there and find beautiful, affordable cabinets and other materials to put in our home. They have everything we wanted and what we saw in books, they ordered for us if they didn't have it.
Next was the construction! They decided to take on our project themselves. Their general contractor Daniel and his brother Jason were great! They were trustworthy and very reliable. They also tried to be as accommodating as possible – minimizing in every way the amount of inconvenience during our remodel. Daniel left my kitchen sink intact until he absolutely had to remove it. At the end of each day he'd move my plug in stove back into place so I could still cook!
We are SO happy with our newly remodeled kitchen!!
We could not have done it without Catherine & Dan and Custom Spaces!!
We would refer them to our friends and most certainly use them again.
Denise Low & Dean Kaneshiro (El Cerrito)
When I walked into your shop it was immediately evident that creativity abounded there! After our brief meeting it became apparent to me that it is your expertise and thoughtful creative energy that is reflected in the showroom.
I want to thank you for the time you spent talking with me. I wish I had fallen in your door earlier! I certainly will have you in mind for any future projects.
Best wishes,
Jackie Blue
We recently did a complete remodel of our 1950's kitchen with Custom Spaces and are thrilled with the result. The custom cabinets that Catherine and Dan designed are wonderful, and our installer was delighted to discover that every piece was perfectly measured and arrived in mint condition, which is apparently extremely rare. With other companies, often pieces are incorrectly ordered or measured, or arrive in less than perfect shape. Such was not the case with us.
We love our new kitchen and our cabinets are beautiful, both in appearance and function! Visit Custom Spaces' newly, expanded showroom. It's a smart, thoughtful, well-designed studio reflecting Custom Spaces style perfectly.
H.R. (Berkeley)
As a family of five, we needed a design and cabinetry firm that could help us make better use of the space in our Craftsman Bungalow and we were lucky to have found Custom Spaces, a locally owned business. Catherine and Dan helped us tastefully modernize our Craftsman kitchen and bathroom. Their attention to detail is unsurpassed and they have a keen sense of how to maximize the use of a given space and to work within a budgeted amount. They have great design and color ideas too!
Lea and Guido B. (Berkeley)
(1920s Craftsman Bungalow style)
Custom Spaces did three different projects for our home, and each time they provided services and products that exceeded all expectations. From the first moment of planning the project to the last moment of completion, I had the peace of mind of knowing that our home was in good hands.
The design process was supportinve and inspiring. Custom Spaces was able to address our needs and preferences with their keen sense of function and style. Their design was practical and yet artful and while our kitchen, bathroom and laundry room were transformed, at the same time they seem like they have always been part of our 1920's house.
It is rare to find that kind of talent combeined with reliability, integrity and old-fashioned good service. These people are just wonderful. I never imagined that I would say that remodeling was "a pleasure," but with Custom Spaces, it truly was.
Sheri W. (Berkeley)
(1920s Prairie School style home)
Dan and Catherine were perfect in helping me modernize half of a hundred-year-old Berkeley kitchen while maintaining the original appearance of the other half. Other contractors were either boringly routine and insensitive to the design characteristics of the house, or excessively expensive. The broad experience of Custom Spaces provided good solutions to old problems that I didn't know how to solve. Dan's expert carpentry created new cabinets that were exact copies of the old cabinets at the other end of the kitchen, accommodating 21st century equipment in an early 20th century ambience. As the work progressed, he was flexible in making changes when ideas—mine and his—changed. I look forward to working with Custom Spaces to modernize my bathrooms in a similar blend of authenticity and convenience.
D. Slobin, Ph.D (Berkeley)
1905 Julia Morgan Brown Shingle)
Custom Spaces was a pleasure to do business with. Their prompt, courteous, knowledgeable and talented services were refreshing by today's standards. The design assistance, coupled with their impeccable workmanship, made my vision a reality. Their workmanship was "top notch" and the construction space was always left amazingly clean. Every step of the way I was kept informed of the progress and look forward to my next remodel project with them.
Mike S. (Montclair)
(Mid-Century Modern style home)
Custom Spaces did two large projects for me. They completely remodeled my kitchen with the addition of a laundry room. The second project was making an in-law apartment out of my family room. Both projects were very well designed in terms of beauty and function. I have more cupboard and counter space even with the addition of the laundry room! All workmanship was excellent with great attention to detail.
Lois F. (Albany)
(1930s Spanish Revival)
