Spring is in the air—between droplets of much-needed rain. The freshness and smell of petrichor have many opening their windows and thinking spring cleaning, perhaps even spring redecorating. Why not? The East Bay is rife with options for home enhancement. In honor of fresh air and new flowers, one can make the most of spring with the following home and garden enhancement options.
ParaÃso Plant Studio
1780 Fourth St., Berkeley
Supporting Paraiso, a local, Latina-owned small business in Berkeley, is a no-brainer. Specializing in plants that thrive indoors, ParaÃso has an incredible collection of houseplants. Among them are the monstera deliciosa, also known as the split-leaf philodendron, with heart-shaped leaves and streaks of white through green, thought to bring good energy to the home, and the climbing pothos plant, which purifies air and spruces up the corner of any dull room. ParaÃso also has expert advice on pests, light, watering and more, so even the plant novice leaves feeling a budding green thumb.
KCC Modern Living
805 University Ave., Berkeley
KCC provides an opportunity for everything from a single-piece refresh to an entire house overhaul, with a reasonable price tag. Carrying over 60 high-end furniture lines, the store has elegant options for everyone’s taste. The 9,000-square-foot Berkeley showroom gives interested buyers plenty to peruse and experience before making any major adjustments to their home. From sofas and sectionals to lighting and outdoor furniture, KCC has all options necessary to create a spring-fresh living space.
Terra Outdoor Living
1823 Eastshore Highway, Berkeley
Terra Outdoor Living is outdoor living at its best—the elegantly designed outdoor sets and individual pieces elevate a backyard from quaint or cute to picturesque, warm and inviting. For those looking to make 2024 the year of outdoor dinner parties, garden fêtes and early morning coffee and reading sessions, Terra Outdoor Living can be the facilitator. Their website may be explored by material, product or collection to find the exact right color, durability and style. All Terra products are exclusive to their brand, Ventana, and feature premium quality European designs. Plus they only use responsibly sourced Indonesian legal wood for their teak furnishing, making for eco-consciousness and subtle glamor all in one.Â
Sue Oda Landscape Architect
617 Evelyn Ave., Albany
Sue Oda began creating landscapes at eight years of age and has never looked back. She has produced stunning landscapes from commercial to residential, working with the city of Oakland, designing parks, community gardens and playgrounds. Now exclusively in residential landscape architecture, her extensive portfolio includes patios, outdoor entertainment and dining, entry gardens, decks, trellises and more. The firm has won Best of the East Bay from East Bay Express two years in a row, and is a phenomenal option for those looking to enhance, embellish or altogether redo their garden space for spring. From drought-resistant to Asian-style gardens, Oda’s skill and vision allow for every garden dream to become a reality.
LMB Interiors
339 15th St., Suite 301, Oakland
Laura Martin Bovard Interiors offers a stunning opportunity for the design expert and novice alike to curate exquisite, fresh, welcoming spaces. Inspired by her time in France and Italy and her early work managing restaurants, Laura Martin Bovard believes in the balance and harmony between our spaces and everything else. The goal of LMB as a design firm is to create an interior that truly emulates and amplifies the best qualities of its inhabitants. For those looking to go all the way with a spring refresh, LMB is a wealth of creative design knowledge and resources.
Blue Dog Construction and Renovation
3158 Gloria Terr., Lafayette
Gut Ding will Weile haben means, loosely, good things take time. This is Blue Dog Construction and Renovation’s motto, and ensures that they always produce the best in remodels and renovations. Dedicated to high-quality construction, materials and green building practices, Blue Dog ensures their final result is not only to the client’s liking but also stands the test of time. As interior renovations, deck work, add-ons and more are all in their toolkit, this spring one may make full use of their expertise. Perhaps a new deck is just the thing for spring…
Masaya Homes
1911 Fourth St., Unit 104, Berkeley
An exceptional company, Masaya Homes provides seven different styles of ADUs, each built from teak they grow in their own forests. These ADUs are turnkey—Masaya takes care of everything from permitting to delivery to set up, and hands over the keys once everything is finished. This could be the year for a yoga shed, artist’s studio, meditation room, music studio or whatever the springtime heart desires. Masaya has everything necessary to make additional space dreams come true, in an elegant, easy and eco-conscious way.
