bldc design: Celebrating 10 years at the Bloc at Almar

“My name is Dawn Cook and I am one half of bldc design. The “BL” is my business partner, Linda Smith. Her business is called Blulens, and we are interior designers based here in Shaker Heights.”

Dawn and Linda’s partnership began as a second career for each of them. After working in business for years, they decided to return to school for design, where they met in an AutoCAD class at Tri-C. They quickly realized how well they complemented each other, and began taking on projects that grew larger every year. At first, they worked out of their homes, balancing family life while managing a steady stream of packages, but by 2015 they needed a professional space and moved into a storefront at The Bloc at Almar. 

“We decided to combine our businesses and open up bldc design, which became like a studio collective,” Dawn said.

The new space – 3235 Warrensville Center Rd – gave clients a calm environment to think about design away from daily distractions and quickly became a place where ideas felt tangible. When the florist next door retired in 2018, they expanded into a larger studio with a kitchen, meeting area, storage, and workroom. The timing was striking, since the expansion wrapped up during the pandemic just as demand for interiors surged. 

“It went crazy during the pandemic with interiors,” Dawn recalled. “Lots of work, lots of learning how to do design over Zoom.” 

Those skills stayed with them and gave them the ability to manage projects not only in Shaker but also in New York, Florida, and later in Michigan when Linda and her husband bought a home there. Even with those expansions, their foundation remains in Shaker Heights. “We are definitely the go-to design team for the Heights,” Dawn said with pride. 

Their work extends throughout the Heights and nearby suburbs, with some projects downtown and on the west side. What makes that reputation possible is not one look or formula but the range they bring. “Linda loves mid-century modern and funky and eclectic, and I definitely love classical and traditional and transitional and historic,” she explained. “So really, anybody who wanted any kind of style of design could come to us and get what they need, whether it’s redoing a fireplace or taking on a whole house renovation.”

Client stories show how deeply those relationships run. One woman came into the studio, saw a bedroom display set up with a bed, bedding, and nightstands, and bought the entire set to furnish her guest room before her mother’s visit. Another family has returned for multiple projects in the same home, a reminder of how trust carries forward. “Referrals are everything,” Dawn said. “It’s the best compliment when people want to work with us again.”

Inside the studio, the work is supported by a small team that has grown alongside them. “Everyone who works for us has a design degree, so everyone is skilled from project management, to construction, and design,” Dawn said. 

Several staff have been with the company for more than a decade, and over time they have grown into running projects independently. That means bldc can manage dozens of jobs at once while still keeping things personal.

Of course, design is only one part of running the business. There are always hours spent on cash flow, payroll, ordering, and keeping the studio fresh. 

“No one would ever pay us for the amount of time we really spend doing this job,” Dawn admitted, though she is quick to add how much she loves it. “It is energizing. It is different every day. I could never go back to corporate America.”

Ten years later, the difference between those early days and the studio they run today is easy to see. What began with two women working from their homes has become a well-known firm with clients across Shaker Heights and beyond. As bldc design marks its 10th anniversary at The Bloc at Almar, Dawn sees it as both a celebration of how far they have come and a promise for what comes next. The studio will host a celebration this fall, inviting clients, colleagues, and friends to share in the milestone and reflect on the role design plays in shaping their homes and lives.

“We want to make sure that design is done right,” Dawn said. “The houses in Shaker have such gorgeous architecture, and we want to give people unique and beautiful design. Every project is a new chance to create.”

Website: bldcdesign.com
Instagram: @bldcdesign

Photo credit for Cleveland Magazine cover and living room/dining room: Suzuran Photography; storefront photo: Brucevision Global Photography