The Fashion Forward Designer Closet: My Collaboration With California Closets

“Hello I live here” as I walked into my new closet. “You did me proud Mr.” “It’s love at first sight” as I placed my red Giuseppe Zanotti shoes on my shelf. I had my very first Carrie Bradshaw moment on March 15, 2018; except my Mr. Big was California Closets. My spare bedroom turned to a private closet oasis was complete; I could’t be happier.

***NOTE***

Please read through carefully. I have descriptions between photos to help guide you through the post. 

Now lets rewind a few months back. My boyfriend & I built our first home, and we moved in on October 31st. It was such an exciting time for the both of us; especially me because I was about to build my dream closet. Something I always wanted since as long as I can remember. Now the master bedroom has a huge closet, but in true blogger fashion it was not big enough for me; let alone sharing it with my “man friend”. We both agreed I could convert the smallest spare bedroom into my closet.

The next step was closet shopping. I spent hours on the internet, email & phone researching different closet companies both local, and larger chains. I did have my eye on one company in particular. Let’s just say they were on the very top of my list, and it was California Closets. This is who I ultimately wanted my closet designed by, but I wasn’t sure if they would be interested in collabing with me. As I sent out all my emails I said to Ray ” If California Closets wants to work with me then case closed”. Not long after I sent the email; I got a response back from them. They wanted to collaborate !! I was ecstatic. It was a very proud moment for me. If California Closets wants to collab with you; you pick them lol. It was a easy decision for me really. They were the best.

THE PROCESS

Step one. I was assigned a designer (insert Andrea Knox here). She called me to set up our first appointment; which would be at my house. She told me it usually takes about an hour, but I will stay longer if necessary. I had no problem with that at all. A designer willing to take as much time as I needed; really stood out to me. I wasn’t just a number with a time slot she was trying to get done, and over with.

Andrea showed up at my house on time with a huge smile on her face, and I of course in true Lana fashion was wearing a face mask. This was a first for her. She had never had a client open the door with a black clay beauty mask, and towel on her head. What can I say? It’s how I start my mornings. We both laughed about it. I’m pretty sure she will never forget me lol.

Now it was time for me to tell her the things I absolutely wanted, and did not want. First and formost, since I was turning a bedroom into a closet I wanted to make sure that the walls would not be destroyed. The room may need to be converted back to a bedroom for resale value reasons. I also said I wanted the closet to be white. This really narrowed down the materials for us because there is only one option that is removable, and white. So that was easy. Next; she asked what my budget was, and assured me that California Closets works with in your budget. I would like to stress this fact because a lot of peoples first reaction to me saying my closet is being done by CC is “They are amazing, but aren’t they so expensive?” They will do whatever possible to make it work for you. Are they a bit pricier then some others? Yes, but you get what you pay for, and I promise you the amount of work they put into designing your closet you can’t put a price on that. The closet is built to accommodate YOUR wardrobe, and YOUR needs.

Now we headed upstairs so she could see the space. At this moment I was terrified. I thought this poor girl was just going to take one look, and run for the hills. I had racks on racks of clothes, and boxes piled to the ceiling. But no she was a trooper. She walked right on in with her tape measure, and she just started measuring away. She measured my entire space andddddd she took inventory of all items. Yes all of them. She counted shoes, types of shoes, sunglasses, hats, belts, bags she even measured the size of my clothing. I mean really it doesn’t get more custom then that.

Next she wanted to know what I envisioned for the space. Well me being artsy and a designer myself I had my specifics. They were as followed:

• Display My Bags
• Display My shoes
• Display some of my tall boots (I have a over abundance of thigh highs ).
• Drawers For My jewelry
• Drawers For Sunglasses
• Belt Holder
• Short & Long hanging
• Separate area for coats ( I have so many)
• Drawers & Shelves
• White Closet -Gold Hardware
• Island
• Mirror
• Valets
• Utilize all possible space for maxim storage
• Pretty, but it had to be functional. I didn’t want to sacrifice storage for beauty

Then she and I started bouncing ideas off of each other. I thought this was going to be a stressful moment for me because I am very OCD, but it wasn’t. I was oddly calm. I felt at ease. She was doing all the work. She got me. I didn’t need to worry if I was going to have enough space for something because she literally inventoried my life. I can’t tell you what a relief that was. This is where California Closets shines. They truly are custom. Andrea even in that moment; only being in my space for a short amount of time; was able to give me an idea of what she had in mind. It aligned with my thoughts.

 

MY BEFORE PHOTOS

APPOINTMENT 2

The second meeting was at California Closets Showroom. This is where I got to see a 3D rendering of my closet on a big computer screen. I honestly was taken back. She hit the nail on the head from the start. It’s like she read my mind, and virtually built the closet I had been scheming in my head for months.

She slowly gave me a tour around the room; pausing at each little section to look at me to see what I was thinking. She just got me from the start. She knew I was hands on, OCD, particular and harp on every little detail. So she always made sure to stop, and ask me what I thought. Telling me to take as much time as I needed to look at each, and every detail. We only ended up making minor changes. For example; I decided I wanted the Island to look a little more substantial so we wrapped it in a textured wood. We also added that same wood to a counter top area.

I also got to see and feel the material that was going to be used. Picking if I wanted drawers to be flat; or have detail. I looked at all the hardware. You honestly end up looking at things you would never think of. I think another important thing to mention here is that you may have a idea in your head, but it may not work because of measurements. They know everything down to the last millimeter. As you make adjustments on the computer; its calculating everything so that it works. I took a video of the 3D rendering on my phone, and went home. Andrea advised that I sleep on it, let it brew and see if I thought of anything else. It’s a lot to take in at once; so it was defintly a good idea. I still did not feel stressed though. I thought I was going to be going nuts. I truly felt taken care of, she was catering to my exclusive needs, not rushing me.  I was getting that one on one attention that I feel is extremely important when you are taking this plunge.

APPOINTMENT 3 

Our 3rd meeting came along, and I was so excited. We re ran through all the plans. Once again she stopped to make certain I was confident with every detail. Sure enough the design was complete. I signed my papers, and left with a smile on my face. Andrea told me I would be getting a phone call with a installation date. A few days later I got the call, and a very nice man said “hey we can come next week.” It will be a 2 day build out. One full day starting at 8 am until 5pm, and the second was a half day.

INSTALLATION

8AM on March 14th the two gentlemen  showed up to install my closet. I greeted them with a face mask too lol. The were extremely polite and professional. They introduced themselves, and asked to see the space. They made sure they had foot coverings which is huge for me because I cringe when anyone walks into my house with shoes on. Clean freak!  They laid floor coverings from the front door all the way up the steps; through the loft, and into the room to protect my flooring. I didn’t even have to ask! I normally do. They truly offer white glove service. Now; I can’t even count the amount of times that I paid for a service, and the people doing the Installation were so disconnected from the company its self. This was not the case. The men who installed the closet knew the ins and outs of everything. The process was truly custom from my first phone call to the very last day. It all flowed so perfectly.

THE COMPLETED PROJECT

Once my closet was done I was told to look over everything. Make sure everything was up to par; which it was. They handed me a folder with all the details of my new space. Inside was a guide on the proper way to clean the surfaces, and adjust shelves etc. After the men left; I did decide I wanted to add a few shelves here and there. Andrea came right over; she inspected everything, and we decided what adjustments we wanted to make.

She put in the work order, and the boys came back. They added the shelves even though I could easily of put them in. They even stayed, and let me rearrange my bags to make sure the placement was perfect. This was something else that stood out to me. They didn’t just say well your closet is done, and threw their hands up, and walked away. There job was not done until I felt it was perfect. It was so refreshing. They truly go above and beyond to exceed their clients expectations. They even state that ” We’re committed to listening to the needs of every customer, working with them hand in hand, and always recognizing that it’s a true privilege to be invited into their homes and their lives.”

INSTALLATION PHOTOS

WHY CALIFORNIA CLOSETS?

In case my fairy tell story hasn’t convinced you they are the best; let me give you some facts about the company I found important, and a fun fact as well.

• Lifetime Guarantee
• White Glove Service
• Customized To Your Budget
• Leader in premium & luxury space managment, delivering truly custom products & unparalleled service
• Top Priority- focus on our customer’s needs
• Free Design Consultation
• Products manufactured using the finest materials & processes & guaranteed to last
• Finished closets add value to your home
• California Closets was founded in 1978 by a 18 year old college student! I thought this was really cool.                 

MY COMPLETED CLOSET

When my closet was complete, and time for me to style; it had to scream “Lana Alicia” . I didn’t want the typical super girly closet with pink accents, and a classic chandelier. I wanted it to be fashion forward, edgy, and designer. I wanted the decor in my closet to be my things; after all that was the point of the closet. A solution to my storage needs that displayed my beautiful pieces I have curated over time.  Bags, shoes, belts all staged to look like a showroom. I kept the outside decor to a minimum with just a few fashion books, and flowers. I made sure every wall in the closet was used wisely. I often see waisted space in closets because someone wants to hang a big beautiful picture; or mirror. Don’t get me wrong this looks pretty, but I would rather have that wall for extra hanging; or shoes. That is why I opted for the pull out mirror. It could not be more perfect.

Also the smaller walk-in inside the closet came out perfect. I have an over abundance of jackets, coats, and sweat shirts; so it was nice to have this space hidden away from the rest of my things. The shelves in there are perfect for me to fold sweats, and items I didn’t necessarily want out in the main area. Everything is adjustable in my closet so I can always switch things around as I please, and have plenty of space for my ever growing wardrobe.

Now lets talk about my chandelier. I had one sketched out in my head. I wanted something gorgeous, but modern glam. When I found this crystal chandelier at Shades Of Light it was everything I could ever want. It went with my vision, and style. It tied the entire closet together, and was the ultimate finishing touch. Talk about a statement piece !

***NOTE***

Please read through carefully. I have descriptions between photos to help guide you through the post. 

PHOTOS

At first glance this is what you see when you walk in.

The island Is doubled sided. The top 2 drawers on the front are for jewelry. 

This wall is the same wall as the entrance to the closet. It displays my heals, some bags, and long hanging. There is also a mirror that pulls out to the left of the shoes. Then pull outs hidden in the long hanging for necklaces & Belts.

ABOVE THE LONG HANGING I HAVE BAGS THAT HAVE SPECIAL MEANING TO ME DISPLAYED.

The wall to left of the entrance is all hanging space. I have jeans, pants, skirts up top, and shirts on the bottom. The racks were broken up with a shelf where I staged some of my favorite pieces. This wall also contains 2 valets that I can pull out to either display items; or better yet for me hang looks that I put together for up coming blog shoots. The top displays some of my favorite hats.

 

 

 

This is the main bag wall. Its the first thing you see when walking into the closet.

To the right of the bags is the window. There was a shelf built to hold boots. I also used the counter to display my Ruslan hats & some funky sunnies.

To the right of the entrance is the main shoe wall. It holds all my booties, high shoes, and more thigh highs . The 2 drawers contain sunglasses.

CUSTOM SUNGLASS DRAWERS

THE CLOSET IS BEAUTIFUL FROM EVERY ANGLE, AND ALL THE SPACE IS UTILIZED.

 

THE SMALLER WALK IN CLOSET THAT HOLDS ALL MY COATS, JACKETS, AND FOLDED ITEMS.

VIEW THE PHOTOS AS A SLIDE SHOW

MY CHANDELIER

Get the exact one here

Credits

I just want to give a big thank you to California Closets for collaborating with me on this project. I could not be happier with the outcome. You are a truly exceptional company, and I am so honored that you chose to work with me. This entire process was perfect from start to finish. You will forever be my go to for storage solutions.

 

Huge thank you to Haley Whalen of Haley Whalen Photography  for taking the most beautiful  photos of my closet; you are so talented! Direct Link to my photos on her page HERE.

 

Thank you to Shades Of Light for making my Chandelier Dreams come true.

 

To all my fans and readers; I know this has been one of your most requested posts, and videos and I am so excited to share this journey with you.  I know you will love it as much as me. Feel free to leave me a comment with any questions. YouTube tour to follow.

XOXO,

 LANA ALICIA