California Closets has done other projects in the home since they first bought it. Sandra prefers high quality unique furniture and doesn’t want anything that could be considered mundane or cookie-cutter.

Q: What was this project about?

Simone: Sandra wanted to have a display unit and covered storage without encroaching too far into the room. I would need to design something that blended with the current decor while satisfying specific storage requirements. She was determined to not have any paper or clutter in the room whatsoever.

Q: What did she envision as a solution?

Simone: She imagined a design that didn’t look like a normal book shelf or a typical media unit but would still be able to display her husband’s rock collection. It would also require ample storage for files along with covered storage for a variety of miscellaneous items.

Q: That sounds tricky. How were you able to do it?

Simone: The length of the wall is 184 inches so we decided to use 160 inches of it to optimize the area without packing it too tightly. To keep the shelving from overpowering the wall, we used staggered, 12-inch deep boxes instead of typical shelves. This gave the unit a feeling of depth and variety and visual interest. By not filling the entire space with shelving, we found we could create plenty of useful storage space without having an imposing wall full of shelves.

For the cabinets below, we used doors with pull-out drawers behind them for plenty of file storage. In the large vertical section in the center, we used doors so the things that they didn’t want on display could be covered.

Q: Describe the finishes, hardware and accessories that were included in your design.

Simone: The body of the wall unit is an Antique White finish to blend in with the wall and be the backdrop for his colorful rocks. Because this room is open to the kitchen, we wanted a finish that would complement the kitchen cabinets so we used Tiger Wood foil. To make it more contemporary we turned the grain horizontally. We also designed three Tiger Wood-wrapped removable dividers to break up the long, horizontal lines of the shelves.

For the hardware we used hidden touch latches so we wouldn’t disturb the visual flow of the Tiger Wood. Sandra found her own oil-rubbed bronze handles for the base cabinet doors.

Q: The results are very impressive. How does Sandra feel about the solution?

Simone: She is extremely happy with the result and we continue to do work for her and other members of her family.

Simone Jackson is a design consultant for California Closets Las Vegas. She has a bachelor’s degree in interior design and uses her knowledge and skills in design to collaborate with her clients on the perfect solution for their organizational needs.

One of my very favorite product lines is our Ecoresin collection by 3-Form. Ecoresin is a sustainable product that incorporates 40-percent pre-consumer recycled content and creates a beautiful material that can be used as panels, door and drawer inserts, and any artistic accent that can be dreamed up. They instantly brighten a bedroom or entertainment center and effortlessly change the style of a room from season to season.

Ecoresin Accents offers a product line called the Full Circle series that I absolutely love. These materials are created by artisans throughout the world and support global communities.

Here are just some of the Ecoresins that we carry that are from the Full Circle line:

Passion Connection – Villagers in Nepal earn supplemental income by tending silkworms and their delicate cocoons in the attics of the homes.

The cocoons are carefully soaked in water and hand pulled and dyed to make the exquisite passion strips. The vibrant red is a stunning addition to any space, adding a pop of color and style to the design.

Bamboo Rings – Artisans in Southwest China handcraft the bamboo into alluring rings that are cut to various depths and sizes to create dimension for the Ecoresin panels. They transform an abundant resource into a work of art. The bamboo rings bring a richness to any design by adding a variation of depths and shadows within the material.

Fossil Leaf – Chinese farmers grow ‘prayer leaves,’ which are washed and processed in a delicate manner to preserve the structure of the leaf. The beautiful balance of nature and design is so beautifully represented in the Fossil Leaf material, making it well suited for any space.

Dark Ponder – Villagers in Nepal gather and replant Lotka bark to be sorted and hand washed before going through the paper-making process to create the beautiful material that is then embedded in the Ecoresin. Dark Ponder makes a bold statement open for interpretation by the beholder.

We celebrate and appreciate our partners, such as 3-Form, that bring us visually appealing and sustainable materials such as those found in the Full Circle line. We love working with these beautiful accents, and we look forward to talking with you about how they can be incorporated into your own home and personal design.

Ginny Snook Scott is the Chief Design Officer at California Closets. She has over 25 years experience with California Closets and has helped over 1,000 clients create custom closets and organize their home. Connect with Ginny on Google+.

Q: Describe your client for us.

LiShelle: Michelle is a dedicated mom who loves to do crafts with her daughter Rachel. She was very excited to explore how we could optimize a space that felt challenging to her. She wanted every inch to count. Michelle was so much fun to work with and she’s a perfectionist like me! We worked very well together and I hope to do it again.

Q: What was the main problem or challenge she was facing?
LiShelle:Her space was very small and had some angles in the closet. There is no natural light, so she didn’t want this small space to feel even smaller with a built-in storage solution. She wanted to be able to craft, sew and paint. She also had a pipe near the ceiling she wanted to have covered.

Q: What were Michelle’s feelings about the space before you started and what were her hopes for how it would look after?
LiShelle: She was very nervous that she wouldn’t be able to get everything she wanted and still love the flow of the space. Her goal was to be able to use all the wall space possible while still being visually appealing. She wanted the finished room to be inviting so she and her daughter would want to spend time in there. Michelle envisioned pull-out shelves so she and her daughter could work on the same project.

Q: How did your design provide that solution?
LiShelle:I tried to come up with a design that had depth and visual interest by working with different colored materials. I utilized as much space as possible without packing in too much.

Q: Please describe the finishes, hardware and accessories that were included in your design.
LiShelle:I used a White finish for the main structure with a contrasting Candlelight counter top. To store accessories, I incorporated a slat wall. Traditional crown molding gave a beautiful finished look. Chrome pullout baskets with liners help organize her cloth.

The best part was that I was able to design the system with the pull-out shelves that Michelle wanted.

Q: How does the client feel now?
LiShelle: This is the email I received from Michelle:

Rachel is a cutie of course. She loves sitting up at her perch and works on her stickers and crafts while I’m working. The room has been a very useful and hardworking room since I saw you. A special Rachel quilt had been created and completed this summer, along with birthday invites, goody bags, Halloween season decor, three digital photobooks, five digital calendars, and knitting. “Santa’s Workshop” went into overdrive this season with gift wrapping, storage, and decoration making.

So, thank you, thank you! Great product and awesome design.

LiShelle Trembath is a Senior Design Consultant with California Closets Alberta and has been with the company for six years. She believes that helping people optimize their spaces and simplify their lives is the best job in the world.

They decided that it was time to convert their unused bedroom into a walk-in closet.

After meeting them and being completely charmed, we got to work. When we took a look at all of their clothing and had a few honest discussions about what they wanted, we were able to come up with some concepts. It was decided that the room needed to feel fresh and modern, but since it is an older home, we had to strike the perfect balance. The design and aesthetic choices for this room couldn’t clash with or overpower some of the older features of the house.

We experimented and finally found a design they were very pleased with.

The sections for each person flowed together with no jarring transitions, but each of their specific needs were met.  In addition to creating double-hanging spaces and incorporating plenty of shelving, I added glass framed doors to create two beautiful, enclosed shoe cabinets with polished chrome shoe fences. This kept dust away from both of their gorgeous shoe collections and was an appropriate and striking design accent.

Our simple, bright and fresh solution gave each of the ladies their own space but kept the overall look cohesive and visually pleasing.

Warm LED lighting brightened up the room gave it the feel of a high-end boutique. We took advantage of the fact that there were many existing electrical outlets, which allowed us to easily include built-in lighting.

We used Bellisima White, one of California Closets’ exclusive, Italian-inspired Lago finishes, to keep the feel of the space bright and uplifting. The texture of this particular finish ensured that the room exuded the elegance they were looking for.

By keeping the middle of the room open, there was room for the clients to personalize the space by adding a rug and smaller pieces of furniture to make round out the design.

They love their new closet and are very pleased with how we were able to create something that is so beautiful in addition to being a completely functional storage solution.

If you found this post interesting or inspiring, please share it with your family and friends.

Stephanie Scharr Bonini is a California Closets design consultant based in northern Connecticut who works with clients throughout New England. She is an expert at listening carefully to her clients to achieve a perfect balance of style, function, and budget with every custom closet project.

She wanted something beautiful, but very functional, that incorporated an entertainment center and a home office that could be shared by her and her husband. In spite of the fact that the room was tall with a slanted ceiling, the customer preferred a more horizontal design.

It was a tall order, but there were options.

I took advantage of her two main walls and designed the system so that the media center would be the first thing people saw when they went upstairs. With that building block in place, I could place the home office abutting the wall with the two tall windows. I felt this would take advantage of the nice views and natural light.

Now that we had the structure in place, we needed to choose finishes that would also work with the space. We chose Roman Walnuts for the main structure to give it weight. As a contrast, we decided on glossy white door and drawer fronts. The desktop would be Corsican Weave to blend the dark and light together.

We played with the colors and shapes in the overall design in order to achieve the horizontal and cozy feeling the customer wanted. The wide lower drawers and the long counter top worked very well and created a very contemporary look.

With so much closed storage space, the customer was able to keep the visible areas tidy. All the wires and cables for the electronic components were hidden from view and all the office supplies lived behind closed doors.

My customer was very satisfied with the design and functionality of her space.

Please share this post if you found it interesting or inspiring.

Laura Ochoa holds an Architect Bachelor’s degree from the Tec de Monterrey University in Mexico and joined the California Closets San Diego team in 2012 after designing the new San Diego showroom . She has more than five years of architectural, industrial, retail and interior design experience.

At this year’s show, we saw a departure from some of the trends we saw in 2012. Instead of the focus being on pops of bright color, monochromatic color schemes were prevalent throughout the show with black coming through in all areas of the home. Although there were beautiful examples of color in textiles and vivid artwork, overall the palette was much more neutral than in years past, with a heavy emphasis on black.

Admittedly, black doesn’t sound nearly as lively as last year’s “pops of color,” but the pieces that embraced this color did so without compromising drama and personality. Texture was key to make this happen. Texture played a role in everything from living and dining room sets to artwork to kitchens through highly polished surfaces, carved out wood surfaces, and textiles.  Golds, silvers and other accent colors were often also used to pull in the viewer and once grabbed, the textures took center stage.

In a recent survey, we found 23% of people connect dark colors to luxury and this was evident in décor that embraced rich, black textures. In such instances, the luxury of black was personified by varying finishes within a single piece, such as combining leather, lacquer, textured wood and glass. It was refreshing to see designers go beyond just solid black and tap into the color’s richness, especially since decorating with black can be challenging. Oftentimes depth and perspective can be lost when black is the focal point, but as we saw at the show, by incorporating textures and mixing materials, black can add a dramatic glow and new dimension that you might not otherwise get.

It was obvious by the time we finished walking the show floor, black is the new black.

If you’ve found this post inspiring, please share it with your family and friends.

Ginny Snook Scott is the chief design officer at California Closets. She has over 25 years experience with California Closets and has helped over 1,000 clients create custom closets and organize their home. Connect with Ginny on Google+.

Various interior designers, architects, businesses and students in the field are invited to showcase their own installation to exhibit during the event. Each display provides a visual experience that brings imagination to life. Some of the presentations that I particularly enjoyed were:

The Ralph Lauren Home environment was front and center when walking into the show and quite inviting. Wonderful combinations of hues of brown with exquisite bouquets spaced along the table created a serene setting where anyone would enjoy dining. The overhead glowing lanterns created a quiet ambience for the waterfall on the back wall to be quietly enjoyed.

The Benjamin Moore table did exactly what you would expect with a ‘splash of color.’ This table setting showcased every color combination imaginable and created an exciting and eclectic tabletop that would inspire anyone to breathe in a little color in their home! They brought color and texture throughout the design by pairing different colored chairs, wall design, and even the table and plates in varying colors.

Another display that spoke to my ‘closet heart’ was the design by New York University mentored by David Rockwell and Barry Richards. The base of the table and each chair was designed with brass coat hangers. Very innovative and fresh.

Rachel Laxer Interiors with Robert Kuo created a magical storybook space reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland complete with mural and corset-sytled napkin holders. The table setting was rich with flowers, porcelain animals, and an abundance of fruit to create a welcoming table.  I particularly liked the tree trunk chairs.

Before exiting, we were sure to catch what ultimately was a favorite. The Rockwell Group joined producers Daryl Roth, Hal Luftig and Maya Romanoff to create one of my favorite dining experiences complete with fantastic hanging boots over the table. This space was to celebrate the opening of the April 4th Broadway opening of Kinky Boots, but it personally was fun to see boots as a theme at this shoe since they are a theme in my life every day when working with clients. Red was a powerful backdrop, and if you look closely – you see the ‘laces’ of the boots used as wall décor as well.

All in all, I truly enjoyed my entire experience at the Architectural Digest show and look forward to returning next year!

Ginny Snook Scott is the chief design officer at California Closets. She has over 25 years experience with California Closets and has helped over 1,000 clients create custom closets and organize their home. Connect with Ginny on Google+.

Our customers are always looking for suggestions on how to best incorporate the latest trends into their home through décor.

In 2012, the color of the year was Tangerine Tango and it served as a lively, exciting color to bring hope and inspiration to people in their decorating.

To match the emerging economy and people’s excitement to reinvest in their homes, Emerald Green makes a splash into decorating for 2013.

This fantastic jewel tone makes a statement that is both regal and lush. It magically brings the outdoors, indoors. A pop of Emerald can turn even the most boring room into an enchanting space. However, it can also be such a bold statement that if used too enthusiastically it can easily overwhelm a room.

Our decorating tip is to find ways to incorporate this bold color simply as an accent within individual elements in a space. Finding exquisite accessories with a strong emerald focus can update your space and bring a lively energy into your room.

Pillows, lamps, and other small decorative items can transform the look and feel of your home without investing too heavily in larger purchases. With such a strong color, it is not recommended to invest in reupholstering a large item that you expect to keep over time such as a sofa or curtains.

Another way to tone down this vivid jewel tone in your decorating is to mix emerald with other shades of green. This can neutralize the richness of the color and also provide you a little texture and depth to your decorating. Again, this can be accomplished through incorporating individual small accessories and positioning throughout the space you are decorating.

When working with your California Closets Design Consultant, be sure to ask how you can incorporate color, texture, and style into your new space.

If you’ve found this post helpful or inspiring, please share it with your family and friends.

Ginny Snook Scott is the chief design officer at California Closets. She has over 25 years experience with California Closets and has helped over 1,000 clients create custom closets and organize their home. Connect with Ginny on Google+.

When the California Closets team visited the Milan Furniture Fair in the Spring of 2011, we were overwhelmed with the beauty and expertise in which texture was incorporated into the design of furniture and rooms.  It can be very intimidating to think about how to bring in texture and yet not have it drown your space.  However, there are some simple ways in which you can add texture without it overtaking your space.

Texture can be brought into a room in small amounts and still make a statement.  This can be done with rugs, pillows, drapes, or even in the use of wall coverings or art. Consider using materials such as chenille, jute, silk, and velvet in your accessories.  You can also blend textures through woods, glossy finishes for cabinetry, and countertop materials.

A new trend has emerged which showcases textures within door and drawer faces of cabinetry. The benefit of incorporating texture in this manner, is that you can make a bold statement that can easily be changed out when you wish to shift your décor.  You can also incorporate color into various textures for an even more dramatic affect. Layering colors creates visual texture, even if it’s not tactile.

Textures also traverse the lines of traditional, contemporary, and modern style.  For a traditional approach, consider using dark, sleek woods and textured fabrics that are rich and substantial and create surprising depth. For a more modern style, you can work with metallic and glossy finishes. Of course, you can also easily create a very rich, earthy feel by bringing in accessories that incorporate materials you would find in nature such as reeds, stones, and grasses.

Use of texture can improve the overall feeling of style in every room of the home. Consider textured wood grain finishes in the home office or Ecoresin® panels in the doors of your entertainment center.

The first step in bringing texture into your room is to define the style and emotion that you wish to evoke when being in the room. If the space is meant to be one of tranquility – think about using smooth textures that allow for the emotional flow of the room.  If you want to create a space that is more bold – you can incorporate materials that bring in sharper edges and lines within their appearance. Once you decide on what you want, it’s easier to find the pieces and parts you will need to see your vision through to creation.

It can be intimidating when incorporating so many elements into a design when you’re starting with a blank canvas or when you’re attempting to blend a new aesthetic into an existing design. Be sure to talk with your California Closets design consultant about how you can incorporate texture into your space.

If you’ve found this post helpful or inspiring, please share it with your family and friends.

Ginny Snook Scott is the chief design officer at California Closets. She has over 25 years experience with California Closets and has helped over 1,000 clients create custom closets and organize their home. Connect with Ginny on Google+.

As a designer at California Closets I get asked this question often. For the most part, I really do have well-organized closets.

Well, I do now…finally.

A New Beginning

Last summer I moved into a lovely new town home. Prior to moving in, I made sure my walk-in closet, my children’s closets, and my living room were beautifully designed for our needs. When we moved in, unpacking was a breeze – everything had somewhere to go!

At the time I still wasn’t sure what I wanted or needed for the entry closet so I decided to just leave it for the time being. There was a typical pole-and-shelf configuration and I added a simple shoe rack on the floor to make it a little more functional. And then, almost on cue, life got in the way.

The Snowball Effect

As a busy working Mom with two little children, there were just other priorities. The entryway closet slowly got worse and worse. Because we had moved in in the summer it wasn’t such a big deal. A few flip flops, some sandals, and the odd light coat. But, as fall came in, the closet started to get a little messier. More coats, more shoes, and boots!

I live in Vancouver and it rains a lot here. There were rain boots, rain coats, and umbrellas. The summer stuff was pushed to the corners and things started piling up.

Then winter hit! This poor pole-and-shelf closet desperately struggled to accommodate winter boots, hats, gloves, scarves, mitts, etc. It was ready to burst!

Things Get Worse

In addition to being overstuffed, the little closet had another major issue, regardless of the season. My children are little. Both of them are far too short to reach the pole. Not that it really mattered at this point. As many of us know, a two-year old hardly knows how to work a hanger. They were left with little option but to just throw their coats into the closet and hope for the best.

Every morning the three of us would have to search for shoe pairs, matching mitts, and an appropriate weather coat. Here’s what the end result looked like:

Designing The Perfect Solution

It’s no surprise that I finally reached the breaking point and took the time to design a far more functional space. I knew exactly what I wanted:

• Baskets for the kids shoes so they could find them easily
• A drawer for each of us to house our sweaters, hats, mitts, etc.
• Hooks for the kids so they could hang their own coats up
• Shelves for my shoes so they could be spared being squashed by muddy boots
• Space for my bags and purses
• Hanging space for long and short coats
• A certain amount of miscellaneous storage space

Harmony Restored

The end result is perfect. Today it looks exactly how it did after it was installed because everything has a home and everything is easy to put away.

In fact my 2-year-old insists on showing everyone how to use it when they come over.

How do you like the solution? Leave your opinion in the comments. And if you’ve found this article helpful or inspiring, please share it with your family and friends.

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As an interior designer and design consultant at California Closets Vancouver, Tara Blanchet has ten years of experience helping people find the perfect look for their homes. Her favorite part of her job is seeing the excitement on her clients’ faces when they see that not only can they fit everything in their custom storage system, but it looks wonderful too.