About

From concept to completion, The Warner Group Architects, Inc. is committed to focusing on innovative design solutions that go above and beyond the client’s needs and expectations of what the project could be. Successful projects require a balance of creativity and commitment to serve the long-term interest of the client, the environment, and the end-user.

The Warner Group Architects, Inc. specializes in maximizing the potential of challenging sites, and the firm‘s projects encompass a diverse collection of architectural and interior styles that meet a wide variety of personal tastes. From Classical to Modern, Italian Villa, and French Chateau to Spanish Colonial and Moorish-inspired design, the homes are clean, strong, bold, and always unique to the individual client. Within a contextual perspective, the firm develops and refines floor plans to capitalize on proportion and flow.

As testimony to the exceptional quality of The Warner Group Architect’s design work and the integrity of the firm’s commitment to providing its clients with the finest architectural and interior design services, the firm continues to be consistently featured in a wide range of publications, and receive numerous awards of excellence for its projects. The design team is particularly honored to have been included four times in Architectural Digest’s “AD 100 World’s Top Architects and Interior Designers,” as well as 2002, 2004 and 2007 “Legends” issues. In addition, we were included in the 2007 Robb Report’s “Top 30 Architecture Firms.”

About

Services

The Warner Group Architects, Inc. offers the full spectrum of architectural, interior, land planning, and landscape services for the design of high-end residential and country club projects. For clients with more comprehensive needs, we also provide the following professional services:

Architecture

The Warner Group Architects, Inc. portfolio of projects includes a distinctive group of country clubs, golf clubs, and private resorts, which have become one of the firms’ recognized specialties. Private estates and high-end residential projects are another of the firm’s specialties, with commissions in the most recognized California neighborhoods, as well as several national and international destination locations.

The firm’s projects are notable for their organizational structure, which places a single Project Architect in the primary position of responsibility for managing the job from inception to completion. He/she provides the client with a single point of communication to all consultants involved and assures continuity of design, as well as adherence to scheduling and budgetary guidelines. Supported by design staff, draftspersons, CAD specialists, and clerical staff, the Project Architect can be relied upon by the client for accountability in all aspects of the job.

The architecture and design team employs state of the art techniques to deliver high-quality design development and construction documents. The firm’s design and production staff use AutoCAD and REVIT software for drawings, 3-D modeling, and renderings. This system is compatible with those used by most clients and consultants, allowing us to efficiently exchange information with all members of the design team.

Over 70% of The Warner Group’s commissions are from repeat clients or come from the referrals of past clients. In a profession that offers potential clients a wide range of choices, this is an achievement that speaks directly to the firm’s track record for offering creative and energetic design service, prompt and responsive attention to the client’s needs, and effective administrative control over the project budget and schedule.

Architecture Scope of Services

• Evaluation of Potential Building Sites and Properties
• Master Planning
• Project Feasibility Studies
• Programming
• Traditional & Photo-Realistic Computer Renderings
• Detailed Cost Estimates
• Construction Administration
• Study and Presentation Models

Interiors

The Warner Group Architects, Inc. is a full-service architecture and interior design firm with an interior portfolio as diverse and accomplished as the structures themselves. The ability to have architects and designers under the same roof affords a high level of continuity on all projects.

Interior Design goes far beyond traditional decorative elements. The firm’s philosophy is that a home is one of the greatest forms of self-expression, inspiring its occupants and mirroring their lifestyle. Interior Design begins with the shell of a space and the selection of core elements such as flooring, countertops, millwork, fireplaces, plumbing, appliances, hardware, and acoustic treatments.

Senior Interior Designer, Susan Nicole, specializes in high-end residential and hospitality projects with an emphasis on unique and innovative design. Her education and experience span all aspects of the design and building process, giving her a valuable and well-rounded approach to interiors. She believes it is essential to create a dialogue between the architecture and interiors, and that the key component of any successful project is open communication with the client to achieve an outcome that is tailored specifically to them.

Whether collaborating on architectural elements or working on interiors-centered projects, Susan and her team of designers are committed to the success of each phase of the project from concept to completion.

Interior Design Scope of Services

• Programming and Space Planning
• Interior Detailing
• Finish and Fixture Specifications
• Furnishing, Lightning and Accessory Selections
• Photo-Realistic Computer Renderings
• Purchasing
• Installations
• Art Procurement

Services

Architecture

Architecture Scope of Services

Interiors

The Warner Group Architects, Inc. is a full-service architecture and interior design firm with an interior portfolio as diverse and accomplished as the structures themselves. The ability to have architects and designers under the same roof affords a high level of continuity on all projects.

Interior Design goes far beyond traditional decorative elements. The firm’s philosophy is that a home is one of the greatest forms of self-expression, inspiring its occupants and mirroring their lifestyle. Interior Design begins with the shell of a space and the selection of core elements such as flooring, countertops, millwork, fireplaces, plumbing, appliances, hardware, and acoustic treatments.

Senior Interior Designer, Jamie Hallows, specializes in high-end residential and hospitality projects with an emphasis on unique and innovative design. Her education and experience span all aspects of the design and building process, giving her a valuable and well-rounded approach to interiors. She believes it is essential to create a dialogue between the architecture and interiors, and that the key component of any successful project is open communication with the client to achieve an outcome that is tailored specifically to them.

Whether collaborating on architectural elements or working on interiors-centered projects, Jamie and her team of designers are committed to the success of each phase of the project from concept to completion.

Interior Design Scope of Services

People

Thiep Cung, AIA

Thiep is the CEO of the Warner Group Architects and took over that role from the company founder Jack Warner in 1999. He is a licensed architect in the State of California and has a Bachelor of Architecture from Cal Poly, SLO. Prior to joining the Warner Group Architects, Thiep was privileged to be associated with several of Santa Barbara’s most prestigious firms as well as with the renowned firm Ehrlich Rominger Architects. While with the Warner Group, Thiep has managed all recreational and private projects to provide our clients unique, creative design and efficient project management to fit all levels of project budget and time constraints.

Kelly Teich, AIA

Kelly joined the Warner Group in 2005, and over the span of the past two decades, he’s had the privilege of collaborating with clients in the creation of award-winning, bespoke residences spanning diverse architectural genres across Montecito, Santa Barbara, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Orange County, and even internationally. Now a principal architect who oversees the design process and management of the firm, Kelly assumes the role of President at the Warner Group. Prior to his architectural career, Kelly earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Cal Poly SLO. Outside of architecture, Kelly explores the depths of the Santa Barbara coastline and the around the Channel Islands through his passion for scuba diving, as well as backpacking in the Eastern Sierras, all the while enjoying life alongside his wife and two sons.

Matthew Ewing, AIA

Matt began his career with the Warner Group in 2006 and has completed many award-winning private residential and hospitality projects. In addition to being a licensed architect, Matt holds a Master’s Degree in Construction Management from USC and brings experience in real estate development and construction management to the firm. While working as an owner’s representative for a noted California hotel developer, he honed skills in estimating, financial analysis, scheduling, and consultant management. Matt has built a distinguished portfolio of work around the notion that great architecture is achieved through the seamless integration of a project’s design and management from conception through completion. As director of WGA’s Newport Beach location, Matt leads a team of architects focused on expanding the company’s reputation for exceptional quality while providing localized services to existing clients in the Southern California region.

Drew Scherer, AIA

Drew is an Ohio native, and has called Santa Barbara home since 2013. Drew received his Master in Architecture from the University of Cincinnati, and has over ten years of experience on a wide range of custom homes and commercial structures, with particular focus on coastal development. He joined The Warner Group in 2020 and has led numerous high-end custom projects from design through construction. Outside of work you can find him biking, enjoying the beach, and always looking for a good game of cards.

Susan Nicole

With a degree in interior design and a comprehensive foundation in construction, interior architecture intricacies, and furniture design, Susan Nicole has spent the last 16 years crafting exceptional, award-winning, published interiors adorned with meticulously tailored furnishings. She firmly believes that true beauty emerges from the interplay of harmony and tension, a delicate equilibrium she expertly navigates in every project. Her designs seamlessly marry form and function, resulting in spaces that authentically reflect her clients’ lifestyles. With a diverse skill set, a boundless passion for all aspects of design, and an attentive ear for her clients’ desires, Susan curates distinctive interiors, each one uniquely attuned to its inhabitants. Throughout her journey, she abides by a steadfast motto: ‘Do it once, Do it right, Love the result’.Susan has joined WGA after 16 years running her own practice based in Salt Lake City, The Design House Interior Design.

Thiep Cung, AIA

Kelly Teich, AIA

Kelly joined the Warner Group in 2005, and over the span of the past two decades, he’s had the privilege of collaborating with clients in the creation of award-winning, bespoke residences spanning diverse architectural genres across Montecito, Santa Barbara, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Orange County, and even internationally. Now a principal architect who oversees the design process and management of the firm, Kelly assumes the role of President at the Warner Group. Prior to his architectural career, Kelly earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Cal Poly SLO. Outside of architecture, Kelly has the privilege to serve on the Board of Directors at the prestigious Music Academy of the West in Montecito. He also finds time to explore the depths of the Santa Barbara coastline and the around the Channel Islands through his passion for scuba diving, as well as backpacking in the Eastern Sierras, all the while enjoying life alongside his wife and two sons.

Matthew Ewing, AIA

Drew Scherer, AIA

Susan Nicole

History

The Warner Group Architects, Inc. boasts local roots in the Montecito Community since it was founded in 1966 by Jack Lionel Warner, with partners James Morris and Charles Wilson. The firm was officially established as Warner Morris & Wilson Architects when they were commissioned the firm’s first project—to convert the old lemon packing house in Montecito into the Clubhouse for the prestigious Birnam Wood Golf Club.

Since that time, the firm has undergone a number of name and partner changes. Jack Lionel Warner partnered with fellow architect Paul Gray in 1974, becoming Warner & Gray. Then in 1999, the firm entered the new millennium as The Warner Group Architects, Inc. under the leadership of current CEO, Thiep Cung, AIA.

Thiep Cung joined the firm in 1995, with Warner & Gray, specializing in high-end residential and exclusive country club projects. He soon became established as the firm’s President in 1999 and succeeded Jack Warner as Chief Executive Officer in 2005.

The Warner Group Architects, Inc. is widely recognized as an authority within the fields of Architecture and Interior Design. The firm’s staff is composed of a group of highly diverse and motivated individuals accomplished in their respective fields. The firm’s portfolio of regional and international projects includes a distinctive group of country clubs, golf clubs, resorts, and high-end private residences.