Plaskoff Design Group offers complete architectural services, including site analysis and planning, architectural design, structural engineering and construction supervision. The services extend to outdoor areas as well, including hardscape design, exterior structures and flat work. Projects range from kitchen remodels to large-scale custom homes and from traditional to contemporary designs. Regardless of scale or style, each project must reflect the client’s particular personality and lifestyle needs.

Our design philosophy encompasses the belief that good architecture can enhance a couple’s or a family’s home life. Ultimately the goal is to give the client something they never imagined: a better way of life, a better way of living in their homes. It’s a different way of looking at spaces than most people are typically used to and ways that spaces can be arranged that facilitate easier interaction with each other or with the outdoors. We work closely with each client to develop an imaginative and innovative solution that combines the project’s requirements with an individual expression of personal taste.

Our company’s design-build model puts us in a position to keep costs under control during the entire design process. In the typical model of a separate architect / separate builder, the architecture tends to get done without a firm knowledge of how much the final project is going to cost. With us, the client knows the full cost of the work before the shovel hits the dirt. Realistic construction budgets can be established early and, by preparing detailed estimates at points throughout the design process, we ensure that the project doesn’t spin out of control and will actually get built without any unnecessary surprises.

John Himes, an accomplished architect with a wide range of residential and commercial design experience, joined the Plaskoff Design Group in 2005 as Chief Architect. He has worked closely with Matt Plaskoff on and off since 1993 on a variety of high-end residential projects in Los Angeles and Orange County. Prior to joining Plaskoff Design Group he headed his own Los Angeles based architectural design firm, which he established in 1989. During his 17 year career John has built a distinguished reputation for designing a variety of commercial, multi-family and single family residential projects. He has designed houses ranging from 600 square feet to over 18,000 square feet and has worked with clients from all walks of life, including many from the entertainment industry, people in government and members of foreign royal families.

As Chief Architect at PDG, John is responsible for all architectural services in collaboration with Director of Design Pegi Miller, which includes managing high-end custom residential projects from inception through construction supervision, and working closely with clients, outside consultants and the Plaskoff construction team. These projects range from kitchen remodels to large-scale single family residences. John has long been interested in how architecture affects the way we live and how unaware most people are of that fact. His designs incorporate the creative use of space and materials to enhance his clients’ home life and to connect them with the outdoors. He is motivated by the need to be creative and by the challenge that each new project presents. He enjoys the diverse range of client’s he’s had the opportunity to work with and is rewarded by producing results that far exceed their expectations.

Born in Chicago, John grew up in Southern California in the San Fernando Valley. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Rhode Island School of Design and is a licensed architect in the state of California. He has designed houses in the Los Angeles area, Camarillo, Santa Barbara, Hawaii, Arizona and Mexico. John is married with two children and recently moved into a Joseph Eichler house he purchased in Granada Hills. When not designing, Himes enjoys spending time with his family, as well as mountain biking, and doing his own construction work.

The Plaskoff Design Group provides complete architectural, engineering, and interior design services. With each project we take a fresh approach and focus on helping the client define his or her vision and design parameters. The design process starts with the client – their dreams, concepts, needs and budget. It’s important to us to develop a close collaboration with each client to get an understanding of who they are and what they want. We carefully consider the client’s specific requirements, ideas and programmatic elements. In every project we strive to achieve the ideal balance of budgetary needs, site requirements, parameters set by the client, and quality.

There is a constant collaborative team effort on many decisions between the chief architect and the director of design so that the architecture and interior design are integrated together. We push the envelope as much as we can, striving to achieve the maximum amount of quality and detail as the budget allows. We enjoy the challenge of imparting as much uniqueness to a space as possible, given the budgetary restrictions, while striving for quality features and materials. Our office uses the latest design tools and visual aids, including computer aided design, CAD 3D rendering, architectural drawings, sketches and modeling. We also consult an extensive library of tear sheets and pictures to assist clients in conceptualizing their project.