Context

19 Reviews

Interior Designers & Decorators

8 Hires on Houzz

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About Us

4x Best of Houzz winner

21 years in business

Locally owned

Hudson Valley 4x Best of Houzz Interior & Architectural Designer

CONTEXT is a high-end boutique interior architecture firm located in Rhinebeck, NY, that provides top to bottom services: from conceptual schematic design through remodeling, full renovations to sourcing materials, furniture, and fixtures. CONTEXT is founded on the idea that the interrelationships between a project's goals and constraints, an inspired design process, and the fostering of a strong client/designer relationship lead to a successful project. Established in 1999 by Melissa Cohen. The office works with architects and developers as well as directly with clients on commercial, residential, and healthcare projects. The practice is now certified to complete Aging-In-Place assessments and designs. Context can oversee the entire project including steering clients to the right team for their project.

Services Provided

3D Rendering, Art Selection, Basement Design, Bathroom Design, Bedroom Design, Closet Design, Color Consulting, Custom Bathroom Vanities, Custom Furniture, Custom Kitchen Cabinets, Custom Pantries, Custom Walk-in Closets, Design Consultation, Dining Room Design, Downsizing, Drafting, Energy-Efficient Homes, Entry Design, Floor Plans, Furniture Selection, Handicap-Accessible Design, Home Office Design & Construction, House Plans, Interior Design, Kids Bedroom Design, Kitchen Design, Laundry Room Design, Living Room Design, Mudroom Design, Nursery Design, Outdoor Kitchen Design, Playroom Design, Project Management, Space Planning, Sustainable Design, Universal Design, Architectural Drawings, Basement Remodeling, Aging In Place

Areas Served

Annandale On Hudson, Barrytown, Clinton Corners, East Kingston, Esopus, Glasco, Hillside, Hurley, Hyde Park, Kingston, Lake Katrine, Lincoln Park, Mount Marion, Port Ewen, Red Hook, Rhinebeck, Rhinecliff, Rifton, Rosendale, Rosendale Village, Ruby, Salt Point, Saugerties South, Staatsburg, Stanfordville, Tillson, Tivoli, Ulster Park, Zena, Poughkeepsie, Brewster, Carmel, Cold Spring, Garrison, Lake Peekskill, Mahopac, Mahopac Falls, Putnam Valley, Accord, Stoneridge, Woodstock, Hudson, Millbrook, Millerton, West Hartford, Buffalo, Tannersville, Windham, Narragansett

Awards

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design - Fashion Institute Technology, NYCBachelor of Science Degree in Fine Arts - University of Wisconsin, Madison, WIGraduate Work in Interior Design - Pratt Institute, NYC

16 Projects

Inspiration for an industrial living room remodel in New York

Publications

Example of an entryway design in New York

Catskills Ski House

Andes, NY

Example of a small trendy master white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile and black floor bathroom design in New York with flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, a vessel sink, marble countertops and white countertops

Oth Bathroom

Cold Spring, NY

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Business Details

Business Name

Context

Phone Number

(917) 513-0727

Website

contextid.com

Address

Rhinebeck, NY 12572

Typical Job Cost

$55,000 - 2 million

Extends All Professional Discounts, Also provides DIY Design Bootcamp Services for 2 -3 hour consultations for a fixed fee. Please inquire about details.

Followers

98 Followers

Socials

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Credentials

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Featured Review

Cynthia Randles

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19 Reviews for Context

Newest first

Romber Works

I worked with Melissa on a some recent projects. I found her very helpful with gathering the information I needed for my part of the work to be done. She was also helpful and friendly with the customers. We communicated well with design, logistics and finishes. I look forward to doing more projects together.

November 14, 2019

Comment from Context:

Thanks Ross,
My own kitchen is in the works! Can't think of anyone I'd rather have work on it!

Corrados Design Center

Corrado's Design Center have developed a great relationship with Melissa over the past few years. She is easy to work with. She has her clients best interest at heart. Melissa has a creative "Out of the box" concept. Her spacial, textural, pattern and color aesthetic is unique and fun! When choosing tiles and counter tops it is evident that she listens to her clients and stays within their budget.

October 22, 2019

S Nac

I hired Melissa for "boot camp" and she transformed several rooms using things I already owned in her first visit! She helped me prioritize amongst all my ideas and, at my request, gently eased me into a new, more updated comfort zone. She is a very good, patient listener with a great eye!

October 8, 2019

Comment from Context:

Thanks Sherrie,
I think we had a good time moving your furniture around. It is amazing how much can be accomplished in the bootcamp! I look forward to our continuing relationship moving forward. Can't wait to see the new pieces put in place.

Ginger M

We began to work with Melissa on what was a complete decorating project for a new condo. Melissa brought great ideas to the table and was flexible in meeting our time challenges with our calendar. Although we ended up going on our own to decorate and make our major purchases, Melissa was a great sounding board, gave us her time and advice and had the utmost patience with us. She was a true professional in every way.

September 19, 2019

Comment from Context:

Thank you, Ginger! It was a pleasure working with you.

Mary H

My husband and I acquired my late parents’ home and found ourselves surrounded by three generations of family heirlooms, flea market finds and a mishmash of fine ornamentals and kitschy bric-a-brac. Now it was our turn to make the house our home. We were overwhelmed and underprepared for the task. I contacted Melissa from Context. We arranged a site visit that was convenient for all of us. She arrived with a notepad in hand and a keen eye for all of the house’s potential. In 3 hours she provided us with fantastic direction and we are now very excited about the pending improvements she recommended. Melissa proposed small and medium sized improvements that can be folded right into possible major improvements in the future as time and budget allow. She looked at the space and developed wonderful new ideas taking into consideration our preferences and physical needs. Melissa offers a full range of services including architecture, furniture, and color tones. We are taking advantage of the industry contacts she has to provide us with associated professional services and meet our home improvement retail needs. We absolutely recommend her for your interior design needs.

March 13, 2019

Cynthia Randles

We've been working with Melissa on a full-house renovation of an 80-s styled salt-box to bring it into the modern era. This is an expensive renovation since we are doing the full house, but Melissa has helped us tremendously by finding high-quality materials at value prices. We are very picky clients, and Melissa has worked with all of our sometimes crazy requests without complaint. She's brought innovative ideas that are helping to make our house a modern masterpiece! I cannot recommend her enough!

December 5, 2016

Liz Roth

Melissa and I are still working on pulling my living room together but so far things are going really well. We see eye to eye on design and her encouragement and professionalism has been crucial. She is committed to making a rather ho-hum room (architecturally) into a warm space which will also be enticing style-wise while staying within my budget. I'm really enjoying the changes we've already put in place and I only get compliments from guests.

November 16, 2016

john franzino

Melissa was very helpful at helping me decide the types of colors and look I wanted . She was highly attentive to details , listened well and offered several solutions to how I should paint the outside of my home and design my living room.

November 16, 2016

Carole De Saram

Very helpful and informed. I highly recommend her to one wishing to do a renovation. A nice person to work with.

October 16, 2016

cviega

We hired Melissa for a color consultation and some general design advice. She was very patient with us (as we had no idea what we wanted!) and came out over a few visits to help us get a better idea of color palettes for our main living area, and ordered several large swatches for us to consider our choices before taking the final leap.

December 11, 2015

melluc

I love Context: Melissa Cohen has a great eye, and above all she is flexible. She worked *for* me, not *at* me, by listening to my needs and then providing lots of options within my parameters. She investigated many design solutions I had never thought of before. Some were very clever and unique; all were well researched. We discussed all the ins and outs of these options. Eye-opening work.

November 18, 2015

Eric Fixler

Melissa is a great design and project partner. She saw things we didn't see ourselves, and helped define our project in an excellent way, while deeply respecting and understanding our own tastes. I'm so glad we worked with Melissa. We're so happy with the results and would definitely do it again.

September 17, 2015

mariayoule

Melissa helped me chose a color scheme for my house. She gave me the confidence and support I needed to make the right choices. Melissa assisted me by providing different color options and making suggestions which allowed me to step beyond my comfort zone. Melissa is a good listener with a sensitive eye to color and a sharp eye for detail. She's precisely the type of person you need by your side when trying to navigate the overwhelming world of color choices. Melissa was particularly helpful with the selection of the right white for our home; white is the hatrdest color choice!

January 18, 2015

anasanjuan

Melissa Cohen came into our home and immediately read our preferences and personality, our lifestyle and our risk tolerance. She has given us great, practical, cost effective solutions that were also beautiful and artistic. She has given us great consultation on color, materials, and design. Melissa has earned my complete trust. I am daring to stretch in my decorating decisions, knowing that it will be gorgeous under Melissa's direction. I couldn't recommend Melissa more.

October 18, 2014

arthros

Melissa was wonderful to work with on two separate color projects, one a complex and challenging interior job - repainting our entire 1923 home in an all-new color scheme - and the other a less complex but in some ways more challenging exterior project. She brings an organized and determined approach to her work, and uniquely combines a specific and sophisticated sense of style with real opinions, combined with a flexibility and an interpersonal warmth that make the whole experience great. Great approach, great style, amazing end result. That's five stars in my book.

October 3, 2014

butcherblock57

Melissa designed and furnished a large post-production office for me. It was a space that needed to provide comfortable surroundings for many clients who often would stay long hours. Working closely with me, and understanding my specific ergonomic requirements, Melissa designed and oversaw the construction of a custom console desk which was the centerpiece of the room. All in a all a very stylish and comfortable room that came in on time and on budget. It was a pleasure to work with Melissa, and a pleasure to work in the space she created.

October 3, 2014

docswein

I have the highest praises for Melissa Cohen. She had great ideas, understood my concept and what "look" I was aiming for in my office. She designed very specifically to address my needs and concerns about the space. She also came in at budget, as outlined at the start of the project. The office came out beautifully and I love it as much today as I did when I opened it 10 yrs ago. I recommend her to anyone looking to design/build or upgrade an existing office.

September 22, 2014

adeleageorge

Melissa helped me with Color Consultation and lighting consultation. She has excellent resources and was a great help in selecting the color palate for my home and developing the design for my lighting. She has superior taste and was totally prepared to deal with my needs. I would recommend her services to anyone. She was fun to work with too and that is important when you are working on the design on your home. Thank you Melissa!

September 22, 2014

Rachel Friedman

Melissa designed our master bathroom renovation and oversaw the whole project from initial ideas to the completion of the project. She has an excellent eye and a beautiful aesthetic. She was able to understand what look we were going for and helped us to find affordable and tasteful fixtures, tiles, paint colors etc. The bathroom turned out beautifully and has stood the test of time both in terms of design and functionality.

September 13, 2014

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31 Ideabooks

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30 Comments

Commented: Where did you get the shower wall?It’s cement tile.

February 3, 2024

Commented: Love this tile!Hi Kathy, thanks! I love tile, too! This is a cement tile and very tricky to work with. Make sure you work with someone familiar with cement tile challenges like working with how thick and heavy th...

January 21, 2024

Commented: What company manufacturers this tile or where can I find this tile?Sure. Hire me and I will create a custom tile- pattern, color, etc. just for you and your new custom home. Where r u located? Contact me and we can come up with something.

December 2, 2022

Commented: I have a question about the powder roomWhich powder room are you referring to? thanks!

October 9, 2022

Commented: Wall tilesHi Yanna, thanks for your interest! Context prides themselves in their ability to source unique and special products for their clients. What makes professionals stand out from DIYers is that we spen...

October 9, 2022

Commented: beautiful rooms!Those are from Blu Dot.

July 6, 2022

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Context rated?

Context is currently rated 4.8 overall out of 5

What services does Context provide?

Context provides the following services: 3D Rendering, Art Selection, Basement Design, Bathroom Design, Bedroom Design, Closet Design, Color Consulting, Custom Bathroom Vanities, Custom Furniture, Custom Kitchen Cabinets, Custom Pantries, Custom Walk-in Closets, Design Consultation, Dining Room Design, Downsizing, Drafting, Energy-Efficient Homes, Entry Design, Floor Plans, Furniture Selection, Handicap-Accessible Design, Home Office Design & Construction, House Plans, Interior Design, Kids Bedroom Design, Kitchen Design, Laundry Room Design, Living Room Design, Mudroom Design, Nursery Design, Outdoor Kitchen Design, Playroom Design, Project Management, Space Planning, Sustainable Design, Universal Design, Architectural Drawings, Basement Remodeling, Aging In Place

Where does Context provide services?

Context provides services in the following areas: Annandale On Hudson, Barrytown, Clinton Corners, East Kingston, Esopus, Glasco, Hillside, Hurley, Hyde Park, Kingston, Lake Katrine, Lincoln Park, Mount Marion, Port Ewen, Red Hook, Rhinebeck, Rhinecliff, Rifton, Rosendale, Rosendale Village, Ruby, Salt Point, Saugerties South, Staatsburg, Stanfordville, Tillson, Tivoli, Ulster Park, Zena, Poughkeepsie, Brewster, Carmel, Cold Spring, Garrison, Lake Peekskill, Mahopac, Mahopac Falls, Putnam Valley, Accord, Stoneridge, Woodstock, Hudson, Millbrook, Millerton, West Hartford, Buffalo, Tannersville, Windham, Narragansett

Context