Last updated on May 27th, 2024 at 05:51 am
Niche lists Seal Beach as one of the most preferred places to live in Orange County and it has something to do with its perfect mix of urban and suburban communities. The city’s practical and accommodating context makes it an ideal location not just for millennial workers, families, but also for retirees.
And of course, the city is set on vast lands of scenic landscapes, providing great views for residents and guests alike. The best residential architects in Seal Beach consider the city’s diverse demographics and its picturesque views as a blank canvas for their next architectural masterpiece. The professionals below are licensed architects and designers who helped new and existing residents to design and curate homes that embody their most personal design and functional aspiration. These established companies are consistently featured in industry magazines, they are multi-awarded, and they are led by experienced principals.
If you are thinking about building a custom home, we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.
Foxlin Architects
392 Camino de Estrella, San Clemente, CA 92672
Principals Juintow Lin and Michael Fox lead Foxlin Architects’s 15 years of architecture and design practice. Both architects are lifelong members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). They are also LEED-Accredited Professionals (LEED-AP) that have contributed to the industry’s green building movement through architectures that celebrate small-footprint, sustainable, and energy-efficient designs. Renowned magazines such as Dwell, Architectural Record, ARCHITECT Magazine, and California Homes & Designs, are among the long list of publications that have featured many of its works.
An example of the firm’s projects can be found in San Diego where the company completed the Vista Ranch Residence in 2016. The home is set on a large property in a huge, open area. The home, linear in form, is angled towards a view of the scenic landscapes that the property is known for. Included in the design is a private enclosed garden as well as a water feature. The choice of a long entrance sequence allows guests and inhabitants to experience these highlights upon entry. As a contemporary-inspired architecture, the design puts emphasis on the dialog between the structure and its landscape. Connecting the interior to the outdoor views and visuals are floor-to-ceiling glass walls and cantilever decks. The location is also a good jump-off point to the great outdoors, a fulfillment of the owner’s concept of a dream home.
Jeannette Architects
296 Redondo Ave. Long Beach CA 90803
Jeannette Architects first opened its doors two decades ago to cater to the region’s need for residential spaces that celebrate the functional appeal of contemporary and modern architecture as well as the timeless craftsmanship of traditional designs. Principal architect and lead designer Jeff Jeannette, AIA, CGP, heads the family-owned firm. As a member of the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and Build it Green, Jeannette incorporates sustainable methods into his practice. His portfolio includes custom homes, remodels, and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).
One of the firm’s most iconic projects can be found in Seal Beach. The firm designed a single-family residence that was inspired by modern craftsman architecture. From its craftsman inspiration, the home features light, homey wood materials for its siding, spindled porch, and second-level decking that features a wood-framed trellis. The window groupings highlight a modern touch with tall, expansive openings and entranceways that bring in ample daylight and connect the interiors to the outdoors. The home’s overall façade represents the simplicity of modern-style exteriors. Its interiors also follow the same simple, white palette that illuminates the open-layout living spaces, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and common areas.
Domani Architecture and Planning
226 S Beverly Drive, Suite #220, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Fabio Rigo de Righi, AIA, founded Domani Architecture and Planning in 1999 with the goal of delivering boutique residential architecture and interior design services to the region’s high-end communities. These projects not only embody the best of what luxury architecture can offer; they also represent their homeowner’s most intimate and personal design aspirations. Many of these homes have caught the attention of the design community over the years. California Homes, Interiors Magazine, and San Diego Homes and Garden are just a few of the publications that have featured the firm’s projects.
One of the firm’s most high-value projects was the Seal Beach Residence—a celebration of timeless Mediterranean sophistication. The architecture features a symmetrical form in warm tones of dark red, sandy brown, and black lines and trims. The home has flat roofing of interlocking tile tapestry. The main door is introduced by two columns with decorative moldings. Custom light fixtures and intricate metalwork for its balcony railing and entrance gate hint at its old-world origins. The same sophistication and classic influence can be observed in the overall interior design.
Ultra-Unit Architectural Studio
1327 Loma Ave. Long Beach, CA 90804
Ultra-Unit Architectural Studio is a boutique architecture and interior design firm that offers a cutting-edge, technologically-focused practice. Aside from using the latest in design techniques and advanced digital construction technology, the firm only accepts a limited number of projects to focus its resources and team on the same, prioritized goals. The firm’s comprehensive approach can be attributed to the background of its principal architect, Cameron Crockett. Crocket is a member of the AIA and is a LEED-AP who has completed work for the multi-residential, restaurant, commercial, and retail sectors.
As an architect for the single-family sector, the firm has helped shape the region’s residential landscape. The Moraytis Whaley Residence, completed in 2015, has proven to be one of the firm’s most unforgettable projects. One of the challenges of the design was to fit the 2,408-square-foot home on an extremely narrow lot. This and the homeowner’s request for a functional space was answered through its box-type form as a smart way of expanding the interior and exterior usable spaces. The home was also designed with privacy in mind while making sure that the indoors still get access to plenty of natural light and ventilation through a large skylight, a walkable glass floor, operable windows, and walls. The design also provided ample space for outdoor dining and entertaining guests.
Pretty Smart
4117 E 4th St. Long Beach, CA 90814
As a multidisciplinary architecture and design company, Pretty Smart takes on a wide spectrum of design commissions, regardless of project value or complexity. This range of services can be attributed to the diverse background of its founder and NCARB-certified architect Daniella Carter. Carter started her practice over a decade ago and she has an extensive, hands-on background in space planning, exterior design, interior design, and construction. As a residential architect, her career portfolio is dominated by commercial structures and luxury residences. Some of the firm’s projects have been featured in leading media and publications, including a House Hunters Renovation episode on HGTV.
In Palos Verdes, the company led the design for a complete home renovation of an old, Ranch-style home where the client spent his childhood. The new design features clean lines and organic, geometric mid-century forms. The client wanted the residence to serve as a second home and a venue for hosting events and entertaining family and guests. The firm redesigned the space to add several resort-like amenities and finishes for its interiors and exteriors while still making sure that existing iconic details that added character to the home are intact.
Sennikoff Architects
5500 East 2nd St. Suite #2, Naples Island, Long Beach, CA 90803
Sennikoff Architects’s architectural practice puts emphasis on the balance between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary functionality. The firm is known for luxury home designs that highlight the clean and sleek lines of minimalist interiors and exteriors as well as the timeliness elegance of decorative, grand, and aesthetically sophisticated homes. Steven Sennikoff launched his own architectural practice in 1999 after establishing his presence as a luxury residential architect in the region’s design community.
During his early years as an architect, he worked as a design principal with a leading firm in the region. There, he completed iconic Rancho Mirage residences on many of the community’s high-end properties, including this Mediterranean-style residence. The home pays tribute to its classic origins. The style’s signature red-tiled, low-pitched roofing is a warm, textured contrast to its smooth, white stucco façade, decorative archways, and natural stone masonry. Its interiors also celebrate the old-world charm of exposed beams, wood and stone elements, and custom fixtures and metalworks.
BOA Architecture
1511 Cota Ave. Long Beach, CA 90813
Black, O’Dowd, and Associates (BOA) Architecture is one of the oldest architectural companies in the region. The firm was established in 1961 and operates under the leadership of principal architect Edward Lok Ng. From its Long Beach office, the firm serves a wide range of architectural and design services to the military, institutional, historic preservation, and residential sectors. This comprehensive approach to architecture is provided by its diverse team of planners, designers, architects, and design specialists.
Over 600 projects from the different sectors that it serves make up the firm’s decades’ old portfolio. Industry publications, including The Los Angeles Times, Robb Report, The Daily Breeze, and Long Beach Journal have featured some of the firm’s most iconic projects As a residential architect, it has produced modern, contemporary, and traditional designs that are equally commended by California’s design community.
CW Architects
606 Central Ave. Seal Beach, CA 90740
Principal architect Erin Cherson established CW Architects in 2013 as an answer to the need for designers that put emphasis on craftsmanship and functionality. The emerging firm has a unique portfolio of residences that shows the firm can balance time-tested techniques with modern design elements. In Seal Beach, the firm completed a traditional architecture project with a modern twist. Aside from the light and natural materials of wood that pays respect to the home’s surrounding architectural context, the firm incorporated contemporary elements into the interiors and exteriors through tall, full-glass windows meant to let in daylight and connect the indoors to its outside environment.
The home’s façade, set in white siding, is a stark and interesting contrast to the dark main door, window framing, and dark shingle roofing. Reminiscent of its traditional craftsman origins, the house features a chimney cap of natural stone masonry. In contrast to its minimalist exterior, the home’s interior finishes and accents tell a different story. Playful patterns, soft textiles, organic textures of natural materials, custom cabinetry, and an overall light-to-warm color palette completes the cozy, homey ambiance.
About Our Rankings
This list takes a range of ranking criteria into consideration, including but not limited to: work history, customer satisfaction, awards and recognition, geographic area of work, cost, building permits, and clientele. We spent over 40 hours researching local contractors before calculating the final ranking for this post. If there is additional information about your business that could affect these rankings, please fill out this form and we will take it into consideration.
Get Bids For Your Build
If you are thinking about building a custom home, we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.
