I feel best in a space when it has a sense of calm: a serene, peaceful feeling. No surprise, then, that this “serene” feeling evaporates when little wonders grace us, like mismatched toddler’s toys on the floor, sports equipment under the bed, or no place to put the mail or the vacuum cleaner.
Having an efficient, clutter-free home goes hand in hand with good design. Custom cabinetry can be helpful in this effort, providing a lot of good storage and often serving as the centerpiece of re-imagined architectural solutions. I will show you a few examples below.
Solution 1: Wine Bar Turned Toy Closet
My clients and I decided that a wet bar did not serve their lifestyle, so we turned it into a toy closet instead. Outside, tall, thin doors and custom brass pulls provide seamless architectural detailing in keeping with the look of the living room. Inside, efficient pull-out shelves and a counter house toys and other items.
Before: wine bar 
After: toy & other storage
Solution 2: Hallway Transformed
A hallway cabinet became an architectural feature in keeping with the contemporary feel of the rest of the apartment. The cabinet also provides significant additional storage and covers a misplaced pillar.
Before 
After
Solution 3: Wasted Space Unwasted
An unused landing can be turned into something unexpected. We utilized the height of this otherwise “dead” space to make a children’s bunk and play area, complete with a desk, bookshelves, and storage drawers below.
Before 
After: bunk above with ladder 
After: shelves, desk and storage below bunk above
Solution 4: The Dressing is in the Details
Organizing the small stuff can be a huge lift off the mind. These drawers were custom designed for makeup and jewelry to fit the client’s personal collection.
Photo credit: Jon Heil Studio 
Photo credit: Jon Heil Studio
Solution 5: Office Study
In this home study, we created a wall of bookshelves with custom-designed interiors. We sized each square cube to fit the client’s binders. We also created racks inside the drawers for artwork storage, interior shelves for small items, and a pullout shelf at counter height for placing books and binders.
It can be amazing to reinvent your life through your space, and I think organization and cleaning up is the first order of business in this endeavor. I hope you are inspired.
In good design,
Brooke