John Altobello Architecture

John worked with us for years on our home renovation project. We gutted our two family house and converted it back to a single family. He helped us from the planning and design stage, which took many rounds of discussions and changed through out the project, through to the punch list. John is a very creative architect and helped us to realize our new home. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

My husband and I had the good fortune to find John Altobello when we were embarking on a major renovation of our 100-year-old Queen Anne Victorian house about ten years ago. (A cabinetmaker friend recommended John, after a disastrous start with another architect.) The project entailed adding a new two-story addition for an upgraded kitchen and master bedroom, bringing all systems up to date, replacing interior doors and windows, and generally fixing up a house that had seen a lot of wear and tear over the years. John helped us bring our house into the 21st century in a way that completely respected the house's historic design. He was a pleasure to work with - helped us get zoning board and historic commission approval, find a contractor, and worked hand-in-hand with the contractor and us throughout the year-long renovation process. We had heard horror stories about renovation projects, but John made ours very smooth. The finished product was worthy of the cover and nice feature article of Old House Journal (October 2014) - several photos from our project are featured on this site. We have thoroughly enjoyed our "new" house these past ten years. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

My family and I have had a very satisfying experience with John Altobello Architecture on our kitchen renovation project. Fire damage necessitated that we design and construct a whole new room, including cabinets, lighting, counter tops, painting, and appliances . John stayed with us from the initial conceptual design phase, through the working drawings, and during construction, right to the final punch list. I appreciate John’s sharing with us various design option, and then working with us to make sure we landed on the one that best met our needs. Whenever we had a question for the contractor, John was aways present to make sure he understood the concerns and was able to address them. The weekly meetings between my family, the contractor, and the architect assured us that communication among all parties was a high priority. This was the second project we undertook with John. He demonstrated his skills equally well in both. I’m very comfortable in recommending John Altobello Architecture for a wide variety of renovation projects.


Our first project involved rebuilding the front of the house after a chimney fire, and included replacing an open front porch on the second floor with an enclosed, all-season porch.


I should add that one of John's most valuable contributions to both projects was his assistance in selecting contractors, including two general contractors and a kitchen designer and cabinet supplier. John drew on his considerable previous experience with contractors to make his recommendations. He saved us much time and gave us much confidence in our choices.. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I am delighted to write this review for John Altobello who treated my small project (a one-room addition to my house) with all the care and attention he would give a much bigger job. His design responded in every aspect to my initial requirements and he added some lovely touches, none of which increased the budget by much but added significantly to the aesthetic value of my home. He organized regular meetings to ensure that he, the builder, and I were all on the same page as the project evolved. He's an honest, talented, nice guy who respected my budget, and made me feel confident about this project from the first day to the last. I recommend him highly! (Note: I've enclosed a picture when the project was only half done. As soon as I furnish the room, I'll replace it with an interior shot.) More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Kibbin ii in Western North Carolina

John expertly designed and , from a distance of a thousand miles, carefully supervised the construction of , our stone retreat tucked against a mountainside on a beautiful , noisy, rushing creek in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina.


The site remains a place of memory for many in our family , with 7 of the original 30 acres including the old "Kibbin" returning to us after 4 decades' absence!

When construction of this replacement Kibbin Ii ended after two years, our builder quietly observed that , tucked as it was in isolation between a mountain spring, a steep mountainside, a one lane dirt road and the ford of a rushing native trout stream, all very near the Pisgah National Forest, it was the most difficult site he had ever worked with in his four decades of building in steep mountain terrain.

John had an early , clear vision of what the Kibbin Ii should be and to his credit never waivered from it. For example, he wisely insisted on maintaining an adequate width of 20 feet even though it meant laborious and expensive rock removal from the mountainside . But more importantly, he shared with my wife Dana a vision of a beautiful native stone structure that mirrored the boulderstrewn streambed that it closely overlooks.

He brought the vision into being . His architectural renditions were always impeccable and his early casual sketches elegant . John insisted on highest quality materials , for example Marvin windows.

The hallmark off the design is its simple , natural elegance with subtle, understated flourishes, for example the almost hidden eyebrows above two front windows, the defining lintels above a row of front windows, the blonde lattice work under the porch, and the louvre windows high in the loft and opening to the high space great room.

The multicolored stone of the house is called by the quarry Linville Blend , with two rock types quarried a few miles away in the same county near Asheville and the third quarried about 30 miles away and a county over .

John was always available and responsive to us and our builder during the two year construction process. He was unwavering in his standards and expectations, and quick to turn drawings. The distance between Cambridge and Western North Carolina naturally created challenges . There were many other challenges, for example the evolving need to design a ceramic tile-floored lower level in the structure , to accommodate the flood risk of the nearby stream. John was up to all the challenges.

I am delighted to give the highest possible recommendation to John, who has also been a friend for decades.

LDP , Atlanta More...

Reviewed on Houzz

John Altobello is absolutely superb. He is widely recognized as the go-to guy for higher-end residential projects that require imagination, flexibility, creativity, judgment, and skill. Where we live, virtually all properties are expensive, and space is tight and at a premium. Re-designing a master bathroom and kitchen (which is what we did) is almost like yacht design -- every inch counts; functionality is crucial; affordability matters; elegance is required; and there's no room for mistakes! This is what John delivered, and more.

In both rooms (kitchen and master bathroom), John took small/mediocre spaces and turned them into absolute dreams. Nine months later, we still walk into these rooms and marvel at what John managed to design for us (they are now our favorite rooms in the house!)

John actually managed to INCREASE the size of our master bathroom, and triple the natural light that flows into it! No other architect even came close to recognizing this possibility, much less suggesting and executing it.

John also dramatically INCREASED the total amount of open space, storage, and work surfaces in our kitchen too. He used space (and reclaimed space that was previously wasted) in a way that just amazed us. Best of all, everything works smoothly and seamlessly on a day-to-day basis. The kitchen nows fits our family like a hand fits a glove.

John has tremendous vision and creativity, and superb execution skills (i.e., drawing, planning, sourcing, project management, etc.) But what really sets him apart is his willingness and ability to LISTEN to what his clients want and need. The design process wasn't about what John wanted -- it was all about what we wanted and needed, and how John could best provide it. This kind of listening ability is rare!

John was also indispensable in working with our contractor, and making sure our designs were translated into reality in the construction phase. John is unfailingly cheerful, polite, collaborative, and optimistic in this role. And best of all, John is accessible and available whenever he is needed.

We consider ourselves lucky to live in a city that has resources like John Altobello Architecture. But with that privilege comes the responsibility to spread the word about John, and make sure that others know what he can offer. That's why I've written this review, and I encourage you to meet John and let him describe what he can do for you and your family.

Good luck with your project! More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I had an excellent experience working with John on a complete exterior renovation of my 1891 Victorian-era house in North Cambridge. He met with me and the contractor weekly and was very attentive to and understanding of both the various oddities of the historic house and my wishes. He designed a front deck and a replacement addition for a below-grade room (set to grade) that are both completely in keeping with the era of the house. Also we added two balconies on the second floor. The project won a 2012 Preservation Award from the Cambridge Historical Society and I have consulted with John since that time on additional work I have had done on the house. I could not be more pleased! More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I have had the pleasure of collaborating with John on many projects. John's specific documentation through his Architectural drawings provides are firm with the necessary tools to provide clients with a seamless renovation experience. John is always accessible during the construction process to provide needed solutions. I would highly recommend John Altobello Architecture for your project. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Our small Victorian had a tiny, inefficient kitchen and disjointed living spaces. We knew that we needed a very skilled architect to guide us through major reconstruction to achieve our goals for a large and light-filled kitchen connected to bright, open living spaces. John listened and got to know us and how we lived in our house and accommodated our need to do the work in phases. He was masterful in blending the new construction with the Victorian style of our home. He was reliable and available whenever we needed him. He collaborated so well with our builder that they have continued to work together to the present day. We have recommended him to numerous neighbors and friends who have been very pleased with his work. He's the best and we recommend him highly! More...

Reviewed on Houzz