Meet Bergen Baucom | Head Honcho at BB CASA

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bergen Baucom and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bergen, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained’ has long been my motto. I’m blessed with parents who have always encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone– be it through participating in local theater productions as a child, starting an advertising business in high school, devoting my twenties to chasing a career in journalism, or recently–resigning from the most lucrative job I’d ever held to start my own company and go back to school full-time. I think a lot of people are terrified of trying something new and failing. I’m more terrified by the idea of looking back over my life and saying, ‘dang, I wish I had [fill in the blank].” My best friend’s mother is a therapist who has a slew of wonderful saying we call “Paula-isms”. My favorite is, “the good thing about being a person is that you’re not a tree.” You are not stuck. Change probably won’t be easy, but it is always possible. Move across the country. What’s the worst that can happen, you hate it and move back? Quit your job and start a company. What’s the worst that can happen, it fails and you have to get a new job? Leave the lackluster relationship that’s *good* but not *great.* What’s the worst that can happen, you’re single for a while until the next love comes along? Develop a strong relationship with yourself. Learn to listen to your intuition, then learn to trust it. When you are at home within yourself and in tune with the universe, you’ll begin to accept change and risk as not only inevitable but far more exciting than it is scary.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
BB CASA is an interior design house and purveyor of eclectic homewares. We believe ‘home’ is a uniquely-sacred space and celebrate the individuality ‘home’ elicits for each of our clients. We do this by curating aesthetics that are rare, distinguished, and personal. Our core principles are rooted in environmental sustainability and social justice. Whether shopping our unique collection of one-of-a-kind home goods or fully renovating your home, you can trust BB CASA to treat people and the planet with the utmost respect.

I believe there are some lingering misconceptions and misinformation (“green-washing”) about what it means to design with a focus on sustainability. Many people still conjure up an image of a pastel seafoam-colored spa with bamboo floors and, although they like the concept of being “green”, they don’t like the look. Another misconception – it’s widely assumed options will be limited and very expensive. In reality, the above scenarios couldn’t be further from the truth (though I’m here for seafoam and bamboo when it’s right for the space!). Sustainability has come a long way in the past twenty years and is constantly evolving. Sure, some products come with sticker shock, but typically, when you divide the cost of the product by its lifespan, it more than pays for itself. At the end of the day, earth is our first home and we have to protect it. People look to BB CASA when they want a space that is personally layered, strikingly curated, and anything but ordinary– and that is what we deliver– sustainability and all.

As a former journalist, I approach designing spaces in much the same way I would approach telling a story: with an open, curious mind. I soak up the space and ask lots of nuanced questions to understand the way my clients live– mentally and physically– in their homes. This allows me to take on the pain points of a space and provide tailormade solutions. Our clients tend to have an appreciation for art-forward style. Most seek BB CASA to curate aesthetics spanning the spectrum from minimalism to maximalism with modern, bohemian, and vintage in between.

Building BB CASA hasn’t been easy, but it has been incredibly rewarding. It’s continuing to teach me to find and trust the balance of constantly learning and charting my own path. I learn something new from everything I do, and I hope to stay that way.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Shop: Thrift and vintage shops on Broadway
Perch
Cherry Creek Shopping District
Shops on Pearl Street
Bronze Petal

Eat:
Table 6
El Five
Quality Italian
Illegal Pete’s
Post Chicken and Beer
Angelo’s
Uno Mas
City O’ City
Fire on the Mountain
Jerusalem

See/ Do:
Wash Park
Union Station
Milk Market
Red Rocks (duh)
Botanic Gardens
Fort Greene
Catch a show at Larimer Lounge
El Chapultepec was my all-time favorite haunt, but sadly closed permanently during the pandemic.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, my parents. Nothing I’ve achieved would have been possible without their unwavering love and support. I am so thankful for the work ethic they instilled in me from a young age. They have given me the gift of stability and fostered the courage it takes to try new things. Next, the absolute love of my life, Neal. He believes in me when I doubt myself. He picks up the slack when I’m juggling school, design projects, and the woes (errr- joys?) of small business ownership. He identifies my blind spots and provides creative solutions. Whether he’s being an “Instagram boyfriend”, photographer, or spell-checker (like, for this article) he always has my back. He’s patient and accepts me for exactly who I am. With that, he gives me the freedom to be my most authentic self. I *might*be able to do all this without him, but God knows it would be really hard and significantly less fun. I don’t want to do a day of my life without him in it. He is my very best friend and I love him endlessly. Last but not least, my friends. They are my cheerleaders and biggest supporters. Be it sharing my social media content, referring me to one of their clients, showing up at my events, or supporting my business, they give me the gumption to try new things with the comfort of knowing they’ll be by my side regardless of the outcome.

Website: www.BBCASA.com

Instagram: BergenBaucomInteriors

Facebook: BB CASA

Youtube: BB CASA | Bergen Baucom Interiors

Other: Email: BB@BBCASA.com