Outside the windows, the picturesque view of the Ohio River created an inviting ambience, yet the interior did not reflect that artistic allure, especially the lower level. The owners were uncertain how to make the space more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, but they desired a fresh look. Centerville Design Associates – which was tasked to refurbish the upper levels with new furnishings, wallpaper, lighting and rugs – developed a plan for the remaining space.
“Lower levels represent a tremendous opportunity to create space that is unique and useable – an area of the home that becomes a focal point, whether it is for an individual, a couple or a family,” said Renee Beerck, who owns Centerville Design Associates. “For the project at the condo in Cincinnati, we transformed what had been a lower level with multiple rooms into an expansive open space with different areas for gaming and watching TV as well as a section for a bar, and a Murphy bed built into a bookcase for guests.”
Our homes are our sanctuaries, and remodeling breathes renewed interest in those sanctuaries, whether it is one room or an entire living space. Featuring a staff of six designers led by Beerck, Centerville Design Associates is the Dayton area’s longest-serving design firm. A full-service interior design company featured in national publications like House Beautiful and Housetrends, CDA is a one-stop operation with a team of degreed interior designers and credentialed subcontractors. The firm manages complete interior design, room redesign, furniture selection and placement, flooring, window treatments, painting and wallpapering among other projects. CDA works with new home builders across southwest Ohio, and commercial and residential clients.
Not only is CDA one of the few interior design firms that can coordinate every element of the project in-house, but it also has a showroom at 205 N. Main St. in Centerville, where visitors can purchase pieces from more than 250 furniture and accessory providers.
“We are committed to creating a ‘wow’ factor based on what each client wants. Our primary rule for decorating is to focus on the client, and not the trends,” Beerck said. “We are all individuals, and we have our own tastes. You spend more time at home than you do anywhere else – and home is your retreat – so making that retreat comfortable by the way it looks and the way it feels is what’s most important.”
Beerck, who earned her interior design degree from Sinclair Community College, is a longtime Centerville resident whose career path led to interior design from a former career in lean manufacturing at Delphi, where her creative inspiration was implemented in an industrial setting. Feeling a passion for interior design since childhood, she decided to turn that interest into her life’s work, and she served as a designer at CDA for two years before acquiring the business in 2010.
“When you meet with us, we will sit across the table from you, ask a lot of questions and design based on your choices,” Beerck said. “Whether you want to mix & match patterns, embrace bold colors, keep it neutral or try an accent wall with wallpaper, all of this can be done while picking the perfect furniture, artwork, rugs, window treatments so you can sit back, relax and enjoy your family and friends in the beauty of your surroundings.”
Kitchens, bathrooms and lower levels are the most remodeled areas of single-family homes, Beerck says. Each of those spaces are their own sanctuaries within the home. CDA creates a 3-D visual drawing of a layout for clients so they can see how their new furniture will look in the space, and that the scale and proportion are correct, the art work is proper size, and lamps are at the correct height. CDA’s sub-contractors handle the deconstruction and reconstruction in a timely manner while the lead designer oversees the process.
Interior design is not as costly as some people believe, Beerck explains. You can breathe new life into a space with simple changes, like painting kitchen cabinets or changing traditional cabinets into glass-front cabinets. New colors in rooms, complemented by furniture pieces and accessories from the CDA showroom, can brighten rooms without a complete revamp.
Like they are implementing in lower levels, many clients are opening layouts in their kitchen, Beerck says.
“We are seeing a greater desire for informal dining and comfortable cooking, supporting a casual yet connected lifestyle,” Beerck said. “Open kitchens encourage interaction and entertainment, and kitchens are the most popular gathering spot for daily life, and when guests visit.”
Lower levels and basements, Beerck points out, offer additional living space without the need for an addition. Some clients like transforming the area into one open space for multiple purposes while others prefer specific uses – like a ‘man cave,’ a guest apartment or recreation (ranging from gaming and TV viewing to home theaters and the traditional pool table.
“Since lower levels offer ample additional living space, we are seeing more clients want an open space for multiple uses instead of particular purpose, like a home theater,” Beerck said. “With appealing design elements, including the right lighting to enliven the space, a lower level often becomes a focal point in the home because of the open area that is attractive to every member of the family and guests alike.”
Smaller bathrooms with an emphasis on efficiency and small-scale luxury are emerging as an interior design trend. The key to making a bathroom comfortable, and not cramped, is effective use of space, Beerck says. Freestanding single-person tubs, artfully designed toilets, uniquely designed sink bowls and artistic touches like using an antique bureau as a vanity adds character and comfort.
“As interior designers, we look at our projects as works of art, and we are devoted to creating a final product that our clients find comfortable, functional and aesthetically pleasing,” Beerck said. “No two projects are the same because everyone’s preferences are different, whether it is a new home design, a complete remodel of a home, or a redesign of a particular space. Listening to what our clients want, and transforming ideas into a client’s sanctuary, is what stirs our creative inspiration.”
For more information about CDA visit the showroom at 205 N. Main St. in downtown Centerville.