KCC Modern Living

Be mindful that they don’t make the furniture, they sell it. And you should expect the sale person to know a thing or two about each item and how it is made.
We visited 8 – 10 showrooms in search of furniture that did not just look good, but was well made. Our experience with KCC was refreshing in that the sales team spent time to explain the difference in build approach to various items, and openly discussed areas of strength and weakness for the brands and their specific items. They were more generous with their time than any other store we visited. They even accommodated to our request to hold items in storage until we could receive them. Pricing was competitive relative to internet stores, but we had the benefit of having a human to interact with, not a chat screen representative who knows little more than to read the marketing material for each item.
Their recommendations positively affected our choice; they did not steer us to the most expensive item, rather the most appropriate for our demands. I would purchase from this store over and over again without worry.
Also, furniture assembly and delivery is outsourced to a small company whose employees were clean, on time, and knowledgable in assembly. They knew every component of a complex bed.

Great service, high quality furniture. This is the place if you want great Modern Danish Furniture without the pretensions of some of the fancier furniture stores. We wanted a high quality sofa with Danish design and we learned a lot from Abdul and Kent. This is a no nonsense place to find out what quality furniture.
We were able to get a good deal on an Eilerson sofa which would cost 3X for B&B Italia.
We got it in a lighter color but it was worth it for the savings.

I have to second the other reviewer who said that KCC is overall the best high-​quality modern furniture store in the Bay Area. I recently purchased a condo and needed to buy a number of furniture pieces. I went to just about every high-​end and big chain furniture store in both SF and the East Bay and in the end bought the majority of my furniture at KCC. It’s certainly not inexpensive furniture, but I found that their quality-​to-​price ratio was simply unmatched anywhere else. They do a lot of research to find best-​in-​class pieces at really unbeatable prices, so you don’t have to. Many unique and beautiful pieces of furniture here – it’s a fun place to just browse as well. Their leather sofas are the most stylish and comfortable I found, at (comparatively) exceptionally affordable prices for the very high quality level.
Furthermore, as another reviewer noted, they will help you with excellent design advice. Abdul has an outstanding aesthetic and was very patient and extremely knowledgeable. He helped me choose a color palette and pick out complementary pieces for an entire room while never trying to «hard sell» me on anything; quite to the contrary, he advised me on how to save money by substituting less expensive options where I could and avoiding furniture pieces in which I had expressed interest but which I didn’t really need.
If you’re in the market for high-​quality modern furniture in the Bay Area, I’d strongly advise you not to buy anything until you first pay a visit to KCC!

Can’t say enough good things about this place. Our in-​the-​know friend suggested we make the trek from the city to Berkeley to check out KCC, and we are glad we did. We returned multiple times as we had just went into escrow for a new place in SF and needed practically everything. Kent, the owner, was a godsend. We found furniture pieces for every room and found items cheaper than at other high end stores in SF. We had been shopping at multiple stores in the city and found KCC to have more items that dazzled us.
And Kent wasn’t about up-​selling as he actually talked us out of buy an extra 2 dining chairs, «Four is enough» he said (at $ 600 a chair he lost out on $ 1200 in sales right there). And he noted that we actually didn’t really need a rug under the dining table, again saving us major bucks. And Abdul was also very helpful when Kent was not around, and the delivery staff were also top notch. I wish I had more rooms to fill so I could buy more furniture from Kent.
As for some of the negative reviews, I hold the belief that you get what you put out. We walked in with a warm smile, was greeted properly, discussed our needs in a friendly manner and we were off to a great start.
I just got word that my dining table is scheduled to arrive from Italy in a couple weeks and Kent will be invited to the housewarming soon after. We’ve made a friend in Kent and I suspect you will too.

KCC is truly a one-​of-​a-​kind source for quality furniture with an impeccable design aesthetic. We have purchased beds, recliners, and clocks from KCC and will undoubtedly return for more as it is a very pleasant store to browse in and you are guaranteed to find at least one item that will be the perfect fit for your home and be valued for years to come.
As others have noted, Abdul is very patient and full of helpful advice. At a store like KCC, there is no «hard sell», just good counsel from experts in design and furnishings.
Worth noting too is the excellence of their delivery and installation staff.

I agree with another reviewer — best modern furniture store in the Bay Area. We’ve been shopping at KCC since 2004. About 50% of our furniture is from KCC, 25% from Room & Board and 25% from Design Within Reach. From a price/​quality standpoint, we believe that KCC is by far the best of the three. We most recently (April 2013) purchased a large sectional made by Della Robbia and couldn’t be more pleased — came exactly to spec (we chose fabric and configuration) and well within the quoted lead time of only 6 weeks.
The owner Kent is great, although we typically work with Abdul, who has excellent taste and instincts, and provides superb customer service — we think of him as a trusted design consultant, not a salesperson. They arrange for excellent white glove delivery service for a reasonable charge all over the Bay Area. Definitely worth the drive to their showroom in Berkeley to meet with Abdul.

I love my sofa I bought from KCC and I had a very good shopping experience there. KCC has modern classic furnitures that did not break my bank. (I have also checked out Scandinavian Design, Ana furniture, Ikea, CB2, Elm West etc. which are all good but too expensive) Abdel was helpful with follow up phone calls to make sure my sofa is arriving on time. When a couple of screws were missing from the shipment, he sent me extra screws in a week and he also called to make sure that i have received them. I really appreciate his profession courtesy and attention to details. He makes me feel special as a customer. I would recommend all my friends to shop at KCC!

Almost seduced by a beautiful pricey recliner at DWR, then discovered KCC and found two beautiful, more comfortable, affordable chairs. Kent and Abdul are patient, knowledgeable and straightforward. A great shopping experience. If you are looking for quality modern furniture, go to this store!

The hubby and I were just about at wits end trying to find a nice looking, modern, high-​quality sofa that was comfortable and worth investing in. We almost got in the car and drove home for the day but decided to make one last stop into this store. I’m SO glad we did, the selection was unbelievable with beautiful sofas from an awesome Danish company and some very sleek (but very expensive) Italian lines. What a world of difference to sit in these pieces of furniture compared to what we’ve found at Macy’s, EQ3, CB2 and the like. We have a lot to think about as far as «making the investment» but I would highly recommend to anyone looking for great furniture. I found Kent to be a terrific salesman, he was friendly from the moment we walked in and gave us just the right amount of time, information, and freedom to browse the store comfortably without feeling the pressure to buy then and there. We will definitely be back!

I will echo what others have said, Kent and Abdul are really helpful and will give you their opinions, not just tell you what you want to hear. One of the hardest thing to do is buy furniture with your partner, spouse etc. These guys do a great job of helping a couple who is not totally aligned find a balance (not a compromise). Finding livable contemporary furniture is difficult in the Bay Area as a lot of stores have folded. KCC has a superb selection and can get you just about anything you want. Don’t just go to see the showroom, make sure you talk to Kent or Abdul. What you see on the floor is only a small percentage of what they can do.

I have been in a number of times. Kent, the owner, is a great guy. He is helpful, relaxed and not high pressure. He does have a good grip on ‘Modern’ yet seems with a slight lean towards Scandinavian. Yet, he also represents great furniture from Italy.
He is not outrageous in his pricing, but it is not so cheap one would wonder if it really has to be a chinese knock-​off to clear a profit.
Great selection, easy to order in other colors, just a nice place to come think, roam around and get ideas first. Once you have sat in some of his fabulous couches… one would never dream to go back to Ikea… yuck, uncomfortable, chintz. Sorry, but this is ‘grown up’ furniture. I do agree, when you are first starting out and paying rent is a big deal. Ikea has a place. Yet, furniture can be an investment.

My husband and I are huge fans of KCC. Over the past year and a half, we have returned and purchased several items for our home because of the great products and the fantastic customer service. Both Kent (the owner) and Abdul have been incredibly helpful and knowledgeable without being overly sales-​y. They have taken time to look at photos and paint chips in order to make really good suggestions. Our first purchase was a dining room table, chairs and credenza and loved them so much that we returned and bought a couch, coffee table, rug and bookshelf. I just purchased another rug for our bedroom from them, and again, they could not have been more helpful and patient as I obsessed over the color and style of rug.
We especially appreciate their knowledge about the products they carry and are very informed about what’s out there. For us, KCC has been a great find, and as it turns out, 3 other families on our street are happy customers.

This is tricky for me because I have strong opinions on most all the stores that carry MCM/​DWR-​ish/​Eero I’m Come for your money!
I really like KCC– my experiences have been mixed. Never rude, but not always helpful, sometimes great– sometimes just cool. (And I’ve had the «Back in 10 minutes» sign experience as well, but for me it worked out better or I’d have been quite angry!)
What baffles me is people’s seeming lack of comprehension about how these stores all stack up… Over on College was a store– I think it was FORM? Love the stuff: real hardcore vintage where you either save up for it or you are rich. Economy and location, boom– they’re over by Target in Albany now on that frontage road, new name, less of the big ticket items, more of what feels to be bought estate collections. But it’s still cool peoples and selection.
There’s a place, a stone’s throw from KCC — over BLICK with the parking lot? They sell/​sold pretty shoddy stuff and illegal reproductions: your fake Eames for $ 199.
So, for me… obviously an OCD maniac about this stuff… I can tell you that you don’t want to fall for the cheap stuff, it might KILL you to pay full price at DWR– holy mother of Eames, I wish I could…
… so you got KCC here, and you come and go, you wait for a sale or maybe you saved up the money– and you get GREAT quality furniture from people that are generally really good dudes and not some insanely obvious fake version of what you’ve been wanting.
Retail is damn hard and maybe I’m being too harsh with 3 stars… I really like these folks, I love their stock, I’ve gotten some amazing SALE prices– but the other stuff is true also about the sometimes flakey service. Ya know, the hell with it, I’m changing it to 4 stars because –after far too many years in retail? I gotta give them a break.
I feel good NOT shopping from scoundrels who rip off craftsmen and artists, and for those who say it’s all too damn expensive? The chair I just got? Waited for 3 years, saved up over time and then LO! to my surprise, scored the floor model that was in great shape… and I didn’t even spend near what I thought I’d have to. And it will last! For DECADES. That is the point of this, you know? You really get what you pay for.
I’ve always wanted a Womb chair or an Eames lounger… but I guess I gotta live without it, you know?
KCC: good guys. I wish that Geneva didn’t have the «Back in 10» experience cause that really sucks, or like Carlo: that happened to me once when I first decided to get an Eames LCW years ago: ignored!
I don’t know… the older I get, the more I am willing to give a second chance, especially when –face it– I can score a helluva deal on what I really want, you know? And it just ain’t at IKEA, it just ain’t.
Jesus, no wonder I hardly ever do this anymore. It’s one annoyingly novella-​length review, and I apologize if the backlash ruins KCC’s numbers. (A joke)

Abdul was so helpful, knowledgeable and nice, and they have such cool and high quality furniture there. We live nearby, and we’re very glad that KCC is a part of the community. My wife and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend KCC as a first stop if you’re looking for durable cool furniture.

I did not have a pleasant experience the first time I was here, but I thought the store deserved a second chance.
When I went to the store last week, there was a sign on the door saying «Back in 10 minutes.» So I decided to walk around the shops on 4^th street. After a couple of hours I returned to the store with the hopes that I can peruse through the furniture only to find a sign that said «At the warehouse be back at 3pm.» It was 3:30! I tried to give the store a second (and third) chance, but I couldn’t even step into the store.

I’m so big on service and these guys didn’t deliver. I mean yeah. There are some nice pieces. and i even saw a bed that me and wifey would of bought.
Why did it take almost 20minutes to get any kind of help and why did a price check just never happen? We just left and moved on.

«Pioneer of aerodynamics
(little eiffel, little eiffel)
they thought he was real smart alec
(little eiffel, little eiffel)
he thought big they called it a phallic
(little eiffel, little eiffel)
they didn’t know he was panoramic
little eiffel stands in the archway
(little eiffel, little eiffel)
keeping low doesn’t make no sense
sometimes people can be oh so dense
they didn’t want it but he built it anyway
(little eiffel, little eiffel)
little eiffel stands in the archway
(little eiffel, little eiffel)
keeping low don’t make sense
keeping low doesn’t make no-​sense
(little eiffel, little eiffel)
little eiffel stands in the archway
oh alexander i see you beneath
the archway of aerodynamics.»
Alec Eiffel– Pixes
I walk in humming «Alec Eiffel» and feel uplifted every time I enter this store. Furniture isn’t just something to sit on but a celebration of us as individuals. Of our vision. A celebration of our ability to think and sculpt our environment to our forms. Yes you can get a plain plaid sofa at the couch mart, but when you walk in the room will it say anything to you but ‘sit here.’ Do you want to look at it? Paintings are easy as art… they says look at me! Furniture most also serve a function. To me that function, when it also serves as art, makes this the very highest form of art. For that reason, I’d like to thank KCC for never being snooty to this poor smuck when I’m «just looking.»
While I’m not financially able to afford anything in the store yet I can always dream. With that said I have to take a star off for pricing although I feel guilty about doing it.

I drooled at one particular piece. I even blogged about it a week before I actually bought it. I came in twice to look at it.
Abdul gave me a thick, nicely designed booklet about the furniture makers to take home. Though it didn’t look like I was going to buy, this cemented the deal.
I think it is simply fabulous when your furniture comes with a booklet. Not a pamphlet… a booklet. A soft cover narrative book with pictures and philosophy!
I loved my purchase. An Eilersen Playground set. It’s so versatile! I heart clean and simple lines!
I also didn’t have a place to put it when I bought it, as I was moving. LOL. They were kind enough to store it for me for a couple of weeks.
I just had to have it!
He even told me that he bought the same one. (I don’t know if that made it easier or harder to buy it.)
He also treated me nicely –even though I came in all scruffy w/​a hoodie and shorts. I don’t look like I have money. (hahahahhha!) I looked like I just wanted to be irritating and sit on stuff, like those other people at malls.
(Think of the Rodeo Drive/​Beverly Hills scene from Pretty Woman)
This is the scene I sometimes get –but it didn’t happen w/​Abdul. He was friendly and accessible from the get-​go.
Then, I came back and bought a Pablo Designs light bench from them a few weeks later!
And I came pretty close to purchasing a burlwood bench from them too!
Abdul’s the best! (Not sure about the owner though… he seems a little plastic with me.)
Overall a nice furniture purchasing experience.

Moving Sale Starts Friday July 20
They’re moving down to University and 4^th. Re-​opening in sept. sometime.
Small size, but excellent selection
There’s almost no overlap between KCC, Design-​out-​of-​Reach, and RoomnBoard. They buy from different manufacturers and the offerings are pretty unique. If you like the ‘simple clean lines’ approach to furniture, this is your place.
I liked that our sales person knew everything about the sofa we were looking at. He could tell us about the maker, the materials, the structure. He explained color and material choices and gave us room to breathe.
The delivery installation guys were excellent. No collateral damage to sofa or our existing walls and furniture.
They don’t get as much traffic because–
a. They’re not in Palo Alto and
b. They don’t fill your mailbox with glossy catalogs and spam.

Probably my favorite furniture store in the Bay Area. Very helpful staff (ask for Abdul), and the lines they carrry are guaranteed to enhance any modern dwelling! We just purchased a new console (see Kristen’s review), and I’ve bought some Blue Dot items from them as well.