Kevin Spence Architect, AIA

We hired Kevin Spence as the architect for our kitchen remodel and sunroom addition. And we are SO happy we did! Kevin is wonderful! Kevin and his team drew up multiple options, combining our dream list with his knowledge of structure, style, and design, and with the reality of engineering and cost. His technical ability to translate ideas into 3D models gave us a real sense of the realm of possibilities for our project and helped us make collaborative final decisions that we knew we could trust. Kevin used our inputs to create a design that, amazingly, included ALL of our dream list while maintaining the look, feel, and era of our 1940s bungalow home (and at a cost we could afford!). This involved a sort of dance with us, between hearing our desires and weaving them into something cohesive and beautiful that could be actualized. Kevin was patient, professional and always represented our interests. He was an amazing liaison between our contractor, cabinet maker, and others to make sure the pieces would fit well into the overall project. He was always available and ready to meet whenever needed. We had no complications in permitting our project; Kevin kept the process smooth and moving forward. I appreciated how much Kevin helped us to work on interior, in addition to structural, design. He’s a great visual curator and was able to suggest high quality products (tile, flooring, etc.) and help us hone and realize our vision. His eye for quality was helpful as we worked with our contractor – Kevin always steered us towards high quality, affordable options and helped us avoid multiple pitfalls with some assumptions the contractor was making. We are so thrilled with our remodel. Every visitor who comes to our house marvels about the look and feel of the kitchen and sunroom. It is the heart of our home, and we attribute the success of the project to Kevin and his associates. We continue to reach out to Kevin as we work on additional projects in our home. We recommend Kevin with great enthusiasm.

We were introduced to Kevin through a great friend and fellow architect. It is the highest form of praise, in our opinion, to be recommended by another architect and Kevin lived up to and exceeded our expectations. He is warm, professional, easy to work with, clear in his communications, knowledgeable, adaptable, prompt, creative, and does beautiful work. He did a great job at helping us manage our expectations, which is so important when you’re remodeling or building! He is great at problem-solving, at offering options but not so many as to overwhelm and came to the table prepared to guide us as much (or not) as we needed. He encouraged our design sense, but I am also confident that he can work well with people who claim to not have any, just as he will take the time to walk you through different design decisions and teach you as much or as little as you want to know about the process. He just seems to have an intuitive sense about how to work effectively with people. We had the good fortune of working with Kevin on two separate phases of our remodel, which were separated by years’ worth of time, and he was very thoughtful in helping us reflect on successes and challenges in Phase 1 so as to prepare for, and make effective decisions in, Phase 2. We’re thrilled with the work Kevin has done on our home and honored to now consider him a friend as well.

I absolutely would work with Kevin Spence again, no hesitation. Here’s why … Much of our work took place during the time of COVID and for the first year I was still living on the East Coast. Kevin and I had only met in person once prior to the project. Thus, our association was not unlike an arranged marriage. It all could have gone horridly wrong; instead, it was splendid! Kevin took the time to learn what I wanted and gently suggested alternatives when I was headed in what might not have been the best direction. Most of all he was a great problem solver and creative thinker. He was not wedded to any particular approach and was quite willing to consider ideas, no matter how off the wall. In fact, I don’t think he has it in him to design an “ordinary” house. Looking at his portfolio, you may notice there is no “Kevin Spence Architect” style. Rather each house reflects its owner(s) and respects its architectural style and site. The fact that aspects of the house just “work” is a testament to Kevin’s attention to detail and creativity. The house was a typical late 1940s bungalow: a warren of small rooms with a layout that did not take advantage of the views. Kevin opened the interior with only one “awkward” post. The other structural elements required for the beams that replaced the walls were concealed into the entry closet, the stair railing and above the ceiling. He worked with the structural engineer to suggest unobtrusive solutions, even if they were not standard-issue approaches. That the contractor was willing to tackle something different is testament to his respect for Kevin’s knowledge and vision. So many elements of the house make me smile every time I look at them. Some were specified prior to construction; others were incorporated as the project evolved. The end result is a house that adheres to the original vision but reflects the zigs and zags of renovation in delightful ways. Kevin was a very “present” architect who considered almost every element in the house. He pushed me to think at the same level of detail. For the kitchen, for example, he suggested that I inventory "everything," think where those items would go and the size of drawer or shelf they would require. As a result, the kitchen fits together both visually and efficiently. This detailed involvement was at my request as dealing with the countless decisions of a complete gut renovation was daunting. Kevin was always sensitive to the cost of his involvement, however. He would have willingly backed away from some of the details if I had not sought his input. While it is a cliché, it is very true that Kevin is a team player. He stayed on top of the myriad elements of the renovation. He was respectful of those with specialized knowledge and did not let ego get in the way of good decisions. The contractor, his crew and the various subs told me repeatedly how much they liked working with Kevin. So did I.

We have been fortunate to work with Kevin and his team on a number of projects over the years. Without exception, Kevin has brought a spirit of collaboration, attention to detail, thoughtfulness, creativity, and care to every project. He has always made himself available to consult about details, and as much as anyone I’ve worked with, takes time to really consider questions without offering a hasty or generic response. I have consistently been struck by how different many of Kevin’s projects are. While many designers have a “style” they impose on clients, Kevin truly tailors his design approach to the existing elements of the home and unique tastes of the client. He has a great ability to understand people and discover what they’re looking for in a design. I also appreciate how willing Kevin is to incorporate unique and exotic design elements into a project, when desired. Working with a client who wanted a very bespoke house, Kevin was able to source a European siding product called “Swiss Pearl” and design a custom siding system. It created a very cool look, and is certainly unlike anything I’ve seen on another home. I highly recommend Kevin and his team.

In our 19 years in the Seattle remodel business, we have had the great pleasure to work with some of the best professionals in the area. For architectural services, we have had the great pleasure of working with Kevin Spence(AIA) on many projects. Kevin's highly creative and innovative work along with his extremely professional and personable demeanor, has made the projects we work with him on, highly successful and greatly satisfying for his customers and project contributors.

I am writing this letter in recommendation of Kevin Spence, architect. Kevin was the contributing architect on the remodel of our kitchen in 2014. The expertise and professionalism that Kevin brought to the project was exceptional, counting highly in our satisfaction with the results. As our remodel involved moving an external wall to create more space for cabinets/countertops that were sorely lacking, we needed permitting and structural engineering which added an extra layer of stress for my husband and I. Kevin was a source of confidence for us on these matters, contacting and coordinating with an engineering firm that came in with a reasonable bid and addressed our foundation issues. Kevin produced the drawings for the permit process, handled the submittal, and our permit was obtained without delay. From a layout perspective, we didn’t have strong ideas on what we wanted or what would work best for our kitchen. Kevin produced for us several design plans with different layouts; this was so helpful for our thinking about how we use our kitchen and what made the most sense for us. I would not have thought of relocating our sink, but when I saw how it could be moved to allow for an efficient layout (and have a window above it), I recognized what a great suggestion it was, one we went with. I also loved that Kevin produced 3D images which greatly helped in visualizing what the kitchen would look like. When it came to design, we wanted to maintain some elements from the era in which our house was built, the early 1940s. Kevin worked with the cabinet company to ensure we got the look we wanted, and also designed some open shelving on either side of the sink with curved shelves that recalled the vintage look we were after. After having worked with Kevin on our project, I would highly recommend him to family, friends and anyone in need of an architect’s services. He provided an accurate bid for the scope of our project, met with us at our convenience for project discussions/decisions and helped keep us on track in selecting materials. Kevin did an excellent job coordinating activities with our contractor to deliver the beautiful, easy-to-work in kitchen that we now have. Sincerely, Kerry K

I highly recommend Kevin Spence Architect, PLLC to any homeowner looking to make minimal or substantial design changes to their home. Ever since Kevin and his team took on our project, I was immediately relieved to know it was in highly capable and dedicated hands. He and his team have been so responsive to every inquiry and it was very clear from the start that he brought with him a wealth of knowledge and experience to tackle our particular remodel. Our remodel came with unique requests for change, but Kevin took on the challenge and provided numerous design options to choose from, all of which were well thought out and detailed. He always makes himself available for questions or concerns and is personable and friendly. Couldn't recommend enough!

We've worked as a lighting consultant on many of Kevin's projects. Kevin and his team create truly beautiful, intentional spaces that are a joy to light and we appreciate the open, professional way they interact with us when collaborating.

I worked with Kevin Spence on a repair to the front of my house and I am pleased with the work we did together. It is a handsome renovation of the facade. Neighbors and passersby have admired the materials, the improvement to the appearance of the house, as well as the improvement in and of itself. We achieved this success because Kevin is efficient and conscientious in his work and a mature professional person. He listened well to me, presented options, we chose a design together, refined it. He then presented and helped me choose building methods and materials for the nuts and bolts of the renovation, these being rain-screen design, windows, door, siding and staircase structure. His interest in durable infrastructure, longevity of materials and minimum maintenance is obvious. Kevin handled all administrative matters with the building department and made recommendations for a surveyor and a contractor; he helped to shop for the myriad items that are part of a house remodel. In fact, I found that not an item is beneath his attention: he helped choose a mailbox and place the house numbers. He was effective and at ease with the contractor AND loyal to the wishes of his client. I give him much credit for a successful renovation and appreciate what I have learned from him. I look forward to working with Kevin Spence again.

Kevin Spence was unknown to me when I sought his professional services for a full kitchen remodel at my Seattle home in 2016, and we quickly evolved a satisfying and successful relationship. Kevin kept pace with and amplified any of my ideas with regard to everything from architectural, engineering and legal parameters to models, spatial considerations, lighting and trades. He was readily available for consultations and made efforts to physically visit the site throughout the construction. While I did quite a bit of the decision making regarding materials and the overall look, he made very useful creative contributions as well. I benefitted greatly in his knowledge of lighting matters. My project was well organized, and Kevin always kept an eye on costs. My meetings with him were cordial and respectful and it was all in all an exhilarating ride bringing the dream into reality. Therefore, where from some people I have heard stories of disappointing consequences, I can only say how lucky I was to have found Kevin. My kitchen is a place I love to look at and work in. Eager to work with Kevin again, I more recently engaged him for my Master Bed and Bath renovation. Like the kitchen, it required a complicated scenario of moving walls and utilities along with additive cabinetry, fixtures, and lighting. Kevin accompanied me through this universe of reconstruction choices, which can be overwhelming to say the least. Also stressful, and I can only say that Kevin was my place of confidence and friendly support. I would proudly show off these achievements to anyone who cares to see them. I think I can say for both Kevin and myself that the results are simply wonderful.

We recently hired Kevin to draw up plans for an extensive kitchen remodel. The plans that he made are fantastic. We have been impressed with his professionalism and his meticulous eye for detail. He has made many valuable suggestions, and when he thought that we were heading in the wrong direction, Kevin explained his thinking to us. Throughout the entire planing process Kevin always tried to understand and incorporate our ideas instead of just pushing his. We would not hesitate to hire him again and highly recommend his services.

After our Garage and Accessory Dwelling Unit project was shelved for 18 months, we contacted Kevin on Thanksgiving week asking if he could restart the project and finish our permit drawings to submit before the end of the year, which was a tight timeline considering the holiday season. Kevin’s willingness to immediately jump on this allowed me to walk out of our local building department with a permit in hand on December 31st. This ended up saving us a few thousand dollars, as all the permit fees increased on January 1st When we initially ame to Kevin with some ideas about what we wanted for our house. Kevin was able to take those ideas and make them practical, and in many cases far more functional. When we designed our main house and secondary house, Kevin wisely took into consideration the elevation and position of the main house in relation to the sun's path across the sky. Together, we modified the position and pitch of the secondary house, allowing us to have sunlight on our back porch for most of the day! Whew, disaster averted!