Bethe Cohen Design Associates

Increase House Value

2011-01-19T20:18:00.000-08:00

Given the current market of falling house prices and the volatile house market, many homeowners are concerned about their house’s value. The single most important reason many people are homeowners instead of renters is because of their house value. If ever one wants to resell their home, the value of that home is crucial for selling as well as buying. Every homeowner should be aware of how to put value back onto their homes, here are some approaches:

Make it Grand: Master bedrooms should deliver a sense of grandeur when anyone enters the room. If a home is magnificent and the master bedroom lacks substance, that is a large turnoff for possible home buyers. Simply upgrading lighting fixtures in addition to dimmers creates high appeal. With appropriate lighting and color schemes a house can appear very au courant. Paint and coloring may sometimes be more important than furnishings.
Keep it Updated: Simply replacing all kitchen appliances with greener and newer technology can add much value to a home. Especially if one is considering selling the home, updated appliances are a positive aspect that prospective buyers consider.
Curb Appeal: Keeping lawns well manicured and driveways clear adds curb appeal to your home. A good first impression is important and may add value to the neighborhood as well. It is also a good excuse to get rid of the excess clutter sitting around your yard and a fresh coat of paint will do wonders for your home’s appearance!
Roof: Don’t forget that the roof protects the beautiful house that lies beneath it. So any problems or old roof tiles that have not been replaced are necessary to insuring safety as well as increasing value. Consider having a roof inspector come out to check stability and durability.

Consider these four simple steps to increasing your house’s value. They are not all weekend projects and some of them may require outside assistance, so dig out that contractor and interior designer’s number. You will be surprised how much your house’s value increases and others will notice as well.

Real wood vs. Laminate - the great flooring debate!

2010-12-02T17:00:00.000-08:00

While in the process of building or renovating your home, the debate of authentic wood versus laminate flooring is likely to arise. What few things are most important to consider?

Cost – this is the first consideration on many people’s mind. Across the board, hardwood is a more expensive option. Costing approximately 30-50% more. On the other hand authentic wood floors add a perceived aesthetic value to a home buyer which manufactured floors simply do not. & Some of the newer wood options (bamboo, white pine) are lower cost than traditional oak, ash and maple.

Durability - certain areas of the home get more heavy use. For example, how often is your family in the kitchen versus the dining room? While hardwood flooring is more visually pleasing, it can be more difficult to maintain. Sunlight can be problem for dark hardwood floors. Water damage is a concern for many hardwoods and even softer woods such as bamboo. While laminate flooring is more resistant to stains, scratches, and moisture, if damaged, it is not easy to repair compared to most hardwoods.

Appearance – this for many is the prime factor compared to installation difficulty, durability, or even cost. The beauty of authentic wood flooring is that no two strips of wood are identical. This adds a natural beauty to the floors. Because laminates are machine-produced, the “wood pattern” is fixed and the color does not naturally alter as it does in hardwood flooring. Using real wood flooring can result in creating a more visually exciting space.

All of these various factors are important to consider before beginning the design process. If there are any doubts or inquiries, approach your interior designer for professional advice. Designers will also have the latest information on new wood types and finishes for a contemporary or classic look.

Trends in Green Home Design

2010-07-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

Electricity and water bills are on the rise and our country is moving further and further towards green home design. Many ways exist to stay green in your house no matter how old it is and keep style and design aesthetics in check.

Indoors
Replace all incandescent light bulbs with energy saving light bulbs. By replacing solely the light bulbs that are used most in the home, you can save up to $100 in a year. ENERGY STAR has great qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) that would be a great replacement. Also, if Motion Sensor Lights are added to outdoors, that will cause a huge saving on electricity. That way, the lights will only be triggered with motion rather than staying on for hours at a time.

Check all appliances in the home and make sure they are energy efficient. Appliances that are qualified energy efficient will be marked with an ENERGY STAR sticker. Savings up to 10%-30% can be made on operating costs versus having non-ENERGY STAR appliances in the home.

If the windows in your home are old, it would be a good idea to look into replacing them. Replacements may include windows that are energy-efficient that include weather-stripping and storm windows. Replacing windows alone can save up to 7%-24% on heating and air-conditioning bills.

Are you thinking about installing wood floors in your home? Hardwood floors are beautiful and give homes a warm feeling. However, bamboo floors are now among the rise in home trends and they are considered environmentally friendly due to the years bamboo takes to mature compared to usual hardwoods. Their light nature can easily lighten up a room and gives it a beautiful, but unique look.

Reduce trash. That may sound a bit silly to many households, but now we want to rethink and reuse before we recycle. Pounds and pounds of compost is thrown away as trash and that can all be reused in every household. Such items are banana or orange peels, tea and coffee grounds, egg shells, apple cores, and even moldy cheese! The compost can be collected in a jar (there are so many decorative ones for all styles of home) and reused throughout your garden. A popular way to reuse compost is as soil for gardening and it is known to have a higher nutrient value compared to most store bought soil.

Outdoors
Plant trees! How many times have you heard that said over and over again? However, planting trees close by to homes creates natural shade, especially in the summer. The foliage blocks radiation in the summer that would warm the house and in the summer, the branches are bare and allow radiation to come through and warm the house.

Now what are you going to do to make your home more green?

New Trends in Kitchen Design

2010-06-28T11:10:00.001-07:00

Have you ever taken notice to no matter how large a home is or who is living in the home, everyone always congregates in the kitchen. The kitchen is truly the center hub of any home and should show tasteful design (no pun intended!)

As we know, trends are constantly changing and a kitchen should not be renovated or redesigned more than once in the home’s lifetime. The key to having a kitchen that does not lose style over time is to make the style compatible with the homeowner. Traditional kitchens continue to be the most popular design trend for kitchens in 2010. Contemporary is closely behind, but shades of white, beige, and bone are in which carry heavy weight in traditional style. Cherry wood remains to be the most popular for kitchens, cherry evokes a warm feel and that is most comfortable for kitchens. To coincide with cherry wood, hardwood floors is increasing in popularity, although ceramic, tile, and stone are regularly seen in kitchens.

Now the whole world is moving towards green energy and conservation. It is not difficult to find energy saving appliances and now they are smaller and more efficient as well. For example, dishwasher drawers don’t carry as large of a load but use less water and remind users to conserve as well.

If you are thinking about remodeling your kitchen, consider what is most important to you. The form, functionality, or perhaps the size? Consult what you don't have currently and what you find dire to have. This will help greatly when beginning your renovation process.

ASID 26th Annual Design Awards Celebration

2010-06-24T11:37:00.000-07:00

Last night, Wednesday, June 23, 2010 was the CA Northern Peninsula Chapter’s Gala. It is a big celebration for professionals in the design industry in which they are recognized for their achievements and are able to applaud fellow designers. The event was hosted at the Tech Museum of San Jose and approximately one hundred guests attended. Green was seeping out of every corner of the room, inspiration drawn from the Gala invitation designed by BCDA designer Kate Puvogel.

The award ceremony took place after cocktails and Bethe Cohen Design Associates walked away with four awards! Three of which were gold awards: single family residence over 3000 sq. ft., bath, and single space—house entry. The fourth award was a platinum judge’s choice award for a single family residence over 3000 sq. ft. All awards were well deserved and it was very exciting for the BCDA team to be recognized among fellow professionals in the industry.

This year, owner and founder Bethe Cohen herself, was the co-chair for the Gala. In addition to Bethe’s contribution, other members of the BCDA team helped coordinate and execute plans of the Gala. Numerous gifts were donated by vendors, clients, friends, and businesses to raffle throughout the night. Cocktails and dinner were served and guests had an amazing time. The BCDA team had so much fun, they are already looking forward to next year’s gala.

How About a Sculpture?

2010-06-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

Does your garden feel drab and uninteresting? Do you believe you have planted all the flowers possible and raided every nursery around, but there is nothing that you see fit for your yard?

Consider putting sculptures in your garden. Sculptures, whether, metal, glass, or stone offers much character to any yard. Many feel that adding a sculpture to landscape gives the garden a contemporary feel. On the contrary, many sculptresses create pieces that complement any styled home. Many sculptresses around the Bay Area create custom sculptures for customers that have an exact idea in mind. Sculptures come in all sizes and sometimes they are not even the centerpiece of the garden. They can be discreetly placed beside a tree or in bushes to add a natural look to the garden.

If considering purchasing a sculpture or finding out more information, here are some recommended sculptresses.

Benbow Bullock
Jerry C Karlik
Arthur Norby

Martis Camp

2010-06-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

Located between Truckee and North Lake Tahoe, Martis Camp of the Martis Valley was the ideal location for this specific clients’ vacation home. BCDA designed the house interior from the very beginning and worked closely with the architect. This home has a contemporary feel, with dark colors, and minimal furniture. Below are three videos that highlight senior designer, Vivian Solemani’s, progress throughout different stages of the project.

In addition, this house is one of six chosen to be a part of Martis Home Tour 2010, benefiting Excellence in Education. If interested in viewing the home, tickets for the tour are available for purchase through the website and the event takes place on August 7, 2010 from 10am-4pm.

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

Keeping it Trendy

2010-06-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

These days we are all just trying our hardest to keep up with the current trends. We all want our house to be stylish, but most importantly we don’t want to be stuck with outdated furniture, trends from decades ago, or a house that makes guests feel like they just traveled back in time.

Conclusion to this dilemma? Make the foundation for the room you are designing basic, so if and when the time comes for an update, no drastic changes need to be made. Keep your walls and furniture neutral, grey is a great neutral for 2010, with an accent wall or piece that adds some character. The rest of the accessories in the room, such as artwork, carpets, and coffee tables are easier to swap out in the future.

When deciding how to ramp up the energy in the room after a neutral base color has been decided, first consider how the room will be used and what energy you want it to give off. If it is a formal sitting room, static pink is most likely not the best option. However, if it is a family room, possibly an energetic blue or green would suit the room well.

Colors that are sweeping the trends of 2010 are played up earth tones. Such would consist of bright oranges, fun greens, a mix of purples and exciting yellows. Above is an example of a living room using the neutral gray and bright red as an accent, the picture is from Fresh Contemporary Interiors.

Inspiration for a Los Gatos, CA Home

2010-03-31T22:22:00.000-07:00

Last month we completed a project for a residence in Los Gatos and we are very excited about the collaboration with the client. Daniel J Boyd Construction was the builder for this home.

In this four part series we highlighted how to take inspiration and design goals for the overall project and then how to break it into major elements: space planning, exterior finishes and interior finishes. While the home is not 100% completed in this series of videos, it is nearly so and in the coming month the final landscaping and minor finish work will be done. You might have to use a little imagination of your own to see the exterior patios and landscape as it will be when it is finished. Please take a look at these different segments with Vivian Soleimani, Sr Designer for BCDA as she talks thru the goals and products used while touring the home.

Part one overall design inspiration.
Video - Part 1: Design Inspiration

Part two covers the challenges and client objectives for the space planning. This home is for a young family with 2 children. It is essential that there is room for this active family and an easy indoor/outdoor lifestyle to suit the climate and location.
Video - Part 2: Space Plan

Part three begins to detail the exterior finish details and why specific elements were chosen.
Video - Part 3: Exterior Finishes

Finally in part 4 the many details on the interior finish are discussed. This house has a very clear and consistent contemporary feel. It is also welcoming and durable for the young family. Many of the details are the very newest in design and construction techniques.
Video - Part 4: Interior Finishes

What is your feedback from the project? We'd love to hear your comments.

Tips on starting design process

2010-03-31T22:12:00.000-07:00

One of the aspects we love about interior design is getting to know our clients well and understanding their lifestyle and personal design preferences. Of course there are many ways to get to know our clients better, but we have found that traveling together to different design centers really brings out the landscape of options and ideas in a very creative and collaborative setting.

We hope if you are considering hiring an interior designer that you will opt to take this step and ask your design team to show you many different venues and showrooms for different aspects of art, furnishings and home decor.

Who knows, you may find that there is something incredibly appealing about mixing in pieces from outside your traditional comfort zone. Inspiration comes to us in all kinds of places and at unexpected times, the key is to be open and ready for inspiration to strike!

short video from Bethe on topic

California Home + Design Awards Gala

2010-03-31T22:01:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's not all work and no play for our office, in fact on February 3 we were invited to the San Francisco awards gala for 2010 California Home + Design award winners. Not only was it a wonderful place to reconnect with long time colleagues and friends, but we were able to appreciate the excellent work done by fellow California designers. Simply fun for us to participate. Congratulations to all the winners.

Short video on California Home + Design event

Designing Commercial Spaces - Body Dynamic Studio

2010-03-31T21:55:00.000-07:00

There are opportunities for art and design in the most functional commercial spaces we use day to day. Recently we had the good fortune to work with the team at Body Dynamic and create a whimsical and functional interior for them in their new studio in Los Gatos. It's very enjoyable to work with a business project when you can bring out the clients unique or individual qualities. Take a look and tell us what you think.

Video - Designing Commercial Spaces

Remodeling or Building? When To Engage An Interior Designer

2010-01-25T17:13:00.000-08:00

It's not uncommon for us to get a call from prospective clients when they are well into the design and construction phase of a new home, or major remodel. We then join the client's team of architect, contractor and (sometimes landscape designer). Most of the time the transition is smooth, though some architects and contractors can be reluctant to bring in a new stakeholder who might adjust the project scope, budget and timeline. This then brings up the question in the client's mind, "what would have been the best time to call in an interior designer?" There is no right answer, we can only share what we have seen work best in over 20 years of work with clients, architects and builders in California and beyond. In our experience it is best of the project begins with an interior designer firmly on board. In this video, Vivian Soliemani of our Bethe Cohen Design Associates team explains why it is best to hire a design firm in the beginning. She also highlights the unique areas an interior design firm can address with the clients.

- Bethe Cohen & Team

Video - When To Engage A Designer

How To Buy Art For The Home

2010-01-11T18:31:00.001-08:00

Something we hear often from clients is "how do I and where can I select art for the home?" Fortunately it's something we love to talk about and work on with people. It's remarkable just how much a discussion with a client about art can help us gain needed insight and perspective on that client's own design eye and hopes and dreams for their home environment. We don't recommend purchasing art for decoration, it's more about finding something which is itself interesting and captivating and can also work for your home environment. Take a listen to this short video where I share my ideas about straight forward steps towards finding art you can enjoy and art which enhances your home. Set a budget, do some browsing with a art savvy friend and then get ready to find what fits your home and your life.

Give us your feedback, and feel free to share with others what your experience has been buying art for the home.

- Bethe Cohen

VIDEO - Bethe Cohen discusses "Buying Art For The Home"

Welcome to the BCDA blog.

2009-12-21T13:32:00.001-08:00

Much more information will come including the latest news from Bethe Cohen Design Associates. We hope you visit often. Until then, please visit our website at www.bethecohen.com.