Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
From Disaster to Dream Home! takes you inside the homebuilding process, from the ground up. In each episode, acclaimed interior designer Jana Rosenblatt brings you both the time-tested practices and the latest trends in homebuilding through conversations with leading architects, designers, and industry experts. Whether you’re building a custom home, rebuilding after a natural disaster, or renovating an older home, From Disaster to Dream Home! is your trusted source for the insights and connections you need to bring your home dreams into reality! www.FromDisasterToDreamHome.com
This is the EWN Podcast Network. As soon as the drywall is installed in our
Speaker 2:new house, it is time to design the interior of our closets. Closet design is like finding how all the pieces of a puzzle come together. Today, Connie Regan from Inspired Closets is here to help us learn where to start and how to get the most bang for our bucks.
Speaker 3:Welcome to From Disaster to Dream Home, the podcast that takes you inside the home building and rebuilding process. When interior designer, Jana Rosenblatt, had an 80 foot tree fall in her house, she saw the opportunity to create the customized home of her dreams. From Disaster to Dream Home provides you with the information and resources Jana wished she had during her rebuilding process. Now she's sharing with you the expertise of leading architects and home builders and the newest products and materials on the market. Here's your host, Jana Rosenblatt.
Speaker 2:Welcome back home builders and remodelers to another episode of From Disaster to Dream Home, the podcast that will take you through the process of building or rebuilding a new home from the ground up in 52 episodes. If you are rebuilding after the loss of your home or building a new home from the ground up, each episode of From Disaster to Dream Home will help you know what you and your design team will need to do next every step of the way so your dream home can rise from the ashes. At this point in our new home build, we are closing the interior walls with drywall. This is when we can first get an accurate measurement of each of the interior spaces, especially important for our closets, pantries, and organizational infrastructure inside our homes and in our garages. Our guest today, Connie Reagan, is a designer with Inspire Closets, which is a California based custom closet company.
Speaker 2:At Inspire Closets, as with most closet companies, the first visit as well as the design process is free. The design is rolled into the ultimate cost of the built ins and installation. But don't stop there. Once it is designed, having the closet company fabricate and install is well worth the investment. This is the opportunity to improve all of the organizational disasters of your old home as a closet company will have a perfect solution for every need.
Speaker 2:A well designed closet is as necessary luxury and a gift that keeps on giving as you make yourself at home in your new house. Connie, thank you so much for being with us today. Thanks for having me, Jana. This is such a fun time. I know.
Speaker 2:It's really cool. First, can you tell us what inspired you to get into closet design? Get it? Inspired you? Inspired me.
Speaker 2:Yes. I think I've been inspired most of my life. I'm actually very organized, and I went to the fashion institute. I love design. I love I love people, and it kind of fell in my lap.
Speaker 2:I was working in a furniture store, and one of my friends, she went off to do kitchen design, and I thought, oh, I'll get into closet design. Mhmm. And that's kinda how it started. That's amazing. We've been working together for many years.
Speaker 2:How long have you been doing, closet design? On and off for about thirty five years. Oh my gosh. Yeah. That's a long time.
Speaker 2:Experience. Mhmm. There are a lot of closet companies out there. What sets Inspire Closets apart from the other design firms? Well, since I've worked for many of the other companies.
Speaker 2:Right? Right. I started with company called Closet World. Most people have seen their flyers. You know of them.
Speaker 2:I've worked for Garage Envy. I've worked for California Closets. Mhmm. And I've been with this company, Inspired Closets, for six years now, and it was very important for me to find a company that had the installation team Yeah. That were employees, not subcontractors.
Speaker 2:Right. That's great. Yeah. I've had clients call me and say the guys didn't show up. Mhmm.
Speaker 2:I I know warranty is a big issue as well as far as materials too and making sure that things are gonna last. I've seen some failings of drawer glides being plastic. They just fall apart. Uh-huh. So, ultimately, it's the the quality and the staff.
Speaker 2:Yeah. The your installers are great. I mean, I you know, I request the same guys when I can, but they they do seem like they're invested, which is wonderful. And for me, my salesperson is everything. As an interior designer, I represent my client's needs, and I like to work with someone like yourself who will listen to all of the client's wants, listen to my thoughts about it, and then meld our ideas into your vast experience to come up with the best designs.
Speaker 2:What's the difference for you between working directly with the client versus working with their interior designer? I love working with both. Mhmm. So if sometimes the the client is not in the state. Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:So the designer kind of knows all of their needs and wants. I like working with the designers because they kind of have that design background and idea and understanding of space Uh-huh. And planning. But, also, I think the client's needs are really important as well. Mhmm.
Speaker 2:Listening to do they want jewelry trays? Do they want glass drawers and or doors and drawers for their undergarments? So Yeah. Now so as you know for the purpose of our podcast, we're building a new home from the ground up with clients who have lost everything they own and will be rebuilding their wardrobes as well as their lives and putting them all into their closets. With that client in mind, let's talk about the design process.
Speaker 2:You have a spectacular showroom. Is it best to start there, or do you have your client visit after you've met in the home and begun the design? Either way, but I do like to meet at the home first. And I recently just met with a client that had a fire in the house Uh-huh. And everything was empty.
Speaker 2:And she kinda had a layout of the closet, so I kinda had an idea, but she had lost everything. Yeah. I was able to get somewhat of an idea of her measurements for her clothes and shoes and purses and things like that because of the the layout of the closet. And then we're meeting again at the showroom. That way, I have the measurement.
Speaker 2:I could create the design, Then meeting the showroom, the design is already set. Mhmm. They could see all of the details of materials. Mhmm. And then we can make any changes and then go over pricing as well.
Speaker 2:So if the client comes to the showroom early in their design process, can they get an idea of what certain things cost? Is there, is there pricing available when you kinda walk through the showroom? Yes. We have all of our vignettes are priced out. We also in our, look books, we are the only company out there that really gives a range.
Speaker 2:So people have a pretty good idea what this might cost, and that's a big question they always ask. What is this what is this gonna run? Yeah. It's an important bottom line. Very important.
Speaker 2:Can you walk us through the typical process of designing a closet for a new home build? What are some of the key considerations when designing a closet from scratch? Nothing's there. I could work off architectural designs if the walls aren't up yet. Mhmm.
Speaker 2:If there is framing, I could measure from the framing, kind of guesstimating what the drywall might be Uh-huh. Ideally. So that will give it kind of an overall an idea of the cost. We could get an overall design and idea of the cost. And then once drywall goes up and everything is mudded and ready, then we get final measurements Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:Where we order materials. Right. Right. Mhmm. So to talk a little bit more about the budget line items, you know, with a rebuilding project, the builder may not have included more than a very basic dollar amount for the closet build outs.
Speaker 2:They use an algorithm. I don't know where it comes from. Mhmm. Mars, I think. How soon in the conversation do you need to get an idea of the available budget?
Speaker 2:It's it's good in the beginning because a lot of factors come in when you're designing a closet from color to door styles, door styles. Do we do we take everything to the floor? Do we add molding, crown molding? Lighting would add to the cost. Mhmm.
Speaker 2:So there's a lot of variables variations. And I sometimes will design in three different ways. Uh-huh. One, a very basic, one kind of a middle Uh-huh. And one are, like, a higher end.
Speaker 2:Uh-huh. That way it's up to the client to decide which one they like. But you'd rather know what the line like, what they have to work with. Sometimes people don't know, and they're not gonna have an idea. But if they do have an idea, should you wanna know what that is?
Speaker 2:Sure. Because then I know where I could tweak the design because function to me is important, but so is the aesthetics. Yeah. Yeah. And especially if somebody has a lot of handbags that are valuable, they're gonna wanna put those behind glass.
Speaker 2:And then if they want lighting Yeah. You know, and that's important to them. So these are I'm I'm smiling at you because, I just did, a client whose closets we had done ten years ago when we designed I didn't even know you then. Yep. When we designed their renovation of their house, and they no longer need this home office space.
Speaker 2:So we made it into, a kind of she shed room where we we have now changed all the shelving is now to display her purses and things like that. It's really kind of fun when you can do that. Yep. So what are some of the specific factors that influence the cost of a custom closet? Good question.
Speaker 2:Color is interesting. Important because we do have a range of color variations. White is beginning price. And then we can add different colors. I love playing with color.
Speaker 2:Yeah. It's so fun. Drawer and drawer style also would add a little bit of cost, adding glass doors, lighting, so and moldings. So there's some factors. That's why I think coming to the showroom and being able to see that, then people can have that decision or choice.
Speaker 2:Yeah. And we have a great program that we can change it on the spot, and then we can kind of look at what that's gonna cost. So if you do find that you have a client with a somewhat limited budget, what are the specific things that you can do to stay within their budget while achieving a high quality closet design? We can do a wall hung version. We put a rail up, and then the verticals are attached onto the rail, and it comes up off the floor.
Speaker 2:Mhmm. So less material, less cost. So there's no full back full backing? We wouldn't need to add backing is an option in some cases. Right.
Speaker 2:It does add to the cost. And so we could reduce the cost by taking that backing off. Sometimes backing is necessary. We have uneven walls or structurally. Our garage cabinets all have a full three quarter inch backing, which gives a lot of stability and strength Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:Cabinet so you could weigh it down with heavier items that are that are in the garage. So with the closet design in an existing home, you can often go in and literally count the amount of shoes and measure how much long hang versus short hang and really see or, you know, all of the things that a client needs. In this case, the client needs to think back to remember what their needs have been in the past. How might you approach this kind of sensitive issue? Because I've been doing this for so long by talking and asking a lot of questions.
Speaker 2:I can kind of get an idea of their lifestyle. I know an adult needs about a 10 inches of minimum of hanging. Mhmm. That's not always the case with sometimes there's a real small closet in the home and there's nowhere else to build out. Mhmm.
Speaker 2:Shoes, I kind of ask, are you with COVID hitting, some people aren't going to work anymore. So the men are wearing ties. Yeah. You know? So I think a lot of questions.
Speaker 2:I am I am focused on question based selling Uh-huh. And and asking those those Learning questions. Learning what they what they can tell you. Sure. Using my tape measure, putting it out there and saying, does this look like enough hanging to you?
Speaker 2:Mhmm. Mhmm. And so then how do you balance the aesthetics and functionality with your designs? And, again, it just depends on what that client is looking for. If they want a big boutique closet that's beautiful Yeah.
Speaker 2:With lighting and glass and that client, you know, they're gonna be willing to spend probably a little bit more to get what they want. Mhmm. I do have clients that maybe their budget is 10,000, and we're at about $12,000 with everything they want. Mhmm. And they're willing to stretch a little bit.
Speaker 2:Uh-huh. Because this is something that you you're not gonna be doing every other year or every five months. It's an installation that's gonna last your life in the house. Right. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah. That's interesting. So is there a way to be able to do some things in stages if you do have a kind of, you know, Hollywood dream of, you know, like you're like you're stepping into a beautiful boutique with the lights and the bells and the whistles? Can you do things and and then add to them later? I love doing that.
Speaker 2:Okay. Good. Yeah. I'm doing that in my own home right now. Oh, you are?
Speaker 2:I am. I did construction about four years ago. Uh-huh. And I got the basic setup, and then I kinda wanted to get set in and settled. Yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm just adding some floating shelves to my office. Yeah. But I just wanted to kinda get things set up. So I do that with my clients. Mhmm.
Speaker 2:Let them kinda get things Actually, you're doing that with one of my clients right now. Yes. This, couple have just joined together in a in a new home for the first time, so they don't really know fully what each of their needs are. And they've created this wonderful full room to put the closet into off of the primary bathroom, was completely gutted and renovated. And so what we've done is we've, we've designed the whole plan and then created the perimeter of all of the, the closet installation that they really need to function first, but then they know that they're gonna put in an island in time and do a few other things.
Speaker 2:And then down the line, they have some you you created some designs for their First Floor family room built ins and things like that that they'll be able to kind of do in chunks because they know what the costs are now that you've designed everything. Yeah. That's a really great way to do it. So what are the other areas of the home where a closet company can be beneficial? We do pretty much everything but kitchen and bath.
Speaker 2:I love doing laundry rooms. Uh-huh. However, our materials aren't good for water. That's where the kitchen and bath comes in Uh-huh. Using plywood Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:When there's water. Right. We have a core that is built with scraps from a mill Right. A Canadian pine, and then they glue it together. Right.
Speaker 2:So it Which is perfectly strong and really good for the use in a closet. Yes. But exposed to water or moisture in the air would not be as good Correct. Long term. So I just had that client.
Speaker 2:She wanted to do laundry, and there was a sink. And I said, you might wanna get someone who does kitchen or bath to do that and have it cohesive with, yeah, the sink base because we don't do the plywood sink base. And I think that's important because I don't want somebody in a few years coming back Yeah. With damage Mhmm. And just being knowledgeable.
Speaker 2:Mhmm. But a laund so a laundry room that doesn't have a work sink. Correct. Isn't a problem. Nope.
Speaker 2:Because the machines are, you know, intact. Correct. Yeah. And so then, garages. What about what do you do with garages?
Speaker 2:Same thing. We could do everything but the sink base. Sometimes they'll get a stand up sink base. Right. Right.
Speaker 2:We used to do sinks where you could do a you know, what a undermount sink is. Yeah. Mhmm. But what I'm finding is the the material that we put over the sink, if it gets wet, it's been coming apart. So it's better to either do a wood when you do butcher block or the clay gets stone.
Speaker 2:Yeah. That's fun. Right. Well, that was yeah. The next question on that regard is you could put in the base and get it all ready, and then they could do a stone countertop.
Speaker 2:Yes. The the the stone cutter in the house could Correct. Could help out? Yep. Okay.
Speaker 2:And so then what about pantries? They're one of my favorite ones. Much fun. I know. Right?
Speaker 2:So what are the bells and whistles that you like in in pantries? Doing the corner shelves. Yeah. Having pullouts. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Mhmm. We do the tray dividers. Mhmm. And then, you know, I think from my experience of going into so many homes and the installations and then I always ask my clients afterwards, like, what would we have done different? And what I found is in the pantry, sometimes you want cleaning supplies there.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Sometimes not. Creating maybe a broom closet. Yeah. We do have a great flat wall material that you can put books.
Speaker 2:So it makes it so you could put your brooms, mops. You just sold yourself another job. Oh, there we go. Yeah. I'm thinking about right now.
Speaker 2:I'm doing a a garage, and it's now segueing into the family room where they have this closet that used to be where the the water heater was, but it's not there anymore. So it's this nice deep closet. We wanna make it into a a broom closet. So, yeah, you will you will take a look at that project with me. That's great.
Speaker 2:Vacuums. Yeah. And then I look at like, if it's a electrical Uh-huh. Where we need electrical outlets. Sometimes they wanna plug in their Dyson.
Speaker 2:Yep. So you need to have an electrical outlet. Know? And even in a pantry, they can they can have some appliances that are plugged in. Many people are putting coffee makers Yep.
Speaker 2:Toaster ovens Yep. And having a counter space so that way the coffee makers aren't cluttering their kitchen counters. They're into the pantries. And so that's where it comes into making sure working with an electrician to put the the outlets in the right spot. Very good.
Speaker 2:Sounds lovely. I love a good pantry. Now built ins for kids rooms and desks and home offices, what are you doing in that regard? Fascinating. It's a lot of fun.
Speaker 2:And so, again, just listening to the client's needs. Do they need most people are digital now. But some people like myself, I still keep paper files. I wanna know, do we have to put a file cabinet in there? How are you gonna use the space?
Speaker 2:How much space do you need? There's there's some rules about sitting. You want don't wanna get too tight in there with your chair. Drawers, pencil drawers, computer usage. And, again, then it gets back to the electrical.
Speaker 2:We don't wanna miss that. Where do you put your plugs? Mhmm. Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 2:And then built ins for family rooms and media rooms. Are you doing sort of entertainment center areas? The many. We could do floating entertainment centers. Oh, nice.
Speaker 2:Could do floating shelves. Mhmm. Yeah. Bookshelves, kids kids rooms. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Kids rooms are fun. And I think because I have such a good organizational background Uh-huh. Is really finding out and it depends on how old the kids are. If they're young Yeah. They're they're gonna need a space to put all their toys.
Speaker 2:Mom doesn't wanna see all that clutter. So whether we do baskets or doors, put some baskets behind them. And so I think it is going back to listening to the client's needs Mhmm. And the aesthetics. Mhmm.
Speaker 2:Are there any other pockets of of space in the home that you can do closet company work in? We do Murphy beds. Oh, that's a great thing to talk about. Oh, yes. Yeah.
Speaker 2:That's wonderful. So that's wall beds. Wall beds. Mhmm. They're very popular.
Speaker 2:Yeah. I think when COVID hit, more and more people are having family members come to their home rather than Yeah. My nephew moved in and didn't leave. That's it. It was wonderful.
Speaker 2:Yes. Murphy beds. And then we can add on the sides of them storage for either clothing or drawers, bookshelves, and office conversion from, you know, guest room to office. That's a great option so you're not having this bed in your room the whole time. Right.
Speaker 2:Folds up. Right. Which is great. Entry areas, I find that Like mudroom? A Oh, that's great.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Storage, whether it be for coats, hats, purses Mhmm. Dog leashes, shoes. A lot of people don't like to wear their shoes in their home. So where are they gonna put them?
Speaker 2:Right. Whether it be in the garage, at the entry area, or in the home inside the doorway. That's cool. So then how do you handle revisions and changes during the design process? Yeah.
Speaker 2:So they can revise up until the draft. When we do a bigger project or it's a little more detailed, I'm so lucky because our install manager, Dino, has been with us a long time, and he will come and remeasure and draft just to make sure sometimes there's obstacles, whether you have fans Yeah. Or pipes and things like that. So he's just my double check. And so once the draft is set and done, we can't revise anymore.
Speaker 2:Mhmm. So it's it's usually within a couple of weeks of them making a commitment to move forward. We do get the installation date at that time and then do the draft, and then we send it into production. Mhmm. And is the draft what the final sign off?
Speaker 2:Do the when do the client sign? They would make a sign off when they decide to move forward with the project. At the draft, in case there's any design changes that cost money or changes in the design, then I would send them final signature. A new signature. Mhmm.
Speaker 2:Yes. Because I wouldn't wanna make any decisions. Right. You wanna make sure it was their decision. Right.
Speaker 2:I always review it with the client, whether it be in person or Zoom, to go over any of those changes. Alright. So then once the design is complete and the order is placed, what is the timeline? What can people expect? We're about six to eight weeks out from the time that they make that decision.
Speaker 2:Mhmm. There's some factors. Our manufacturing facility is in Holland, Michigan. It's a huge facility. I I have been there.
Speaker 2:And Oh, wow. That's fun. It's really great. They then ship it to us, and we have a big warehouse. We, unpalletize everything, make sure there's no damage to the materials, and that everything's correct.
Speaker 2:Sometimes we move it up. I've seen things go in four weeks. Oh, wow. That's pretty amazing considering it's not made locally. Right.
Speaker 2:And then the eight weeks gives us enough time just in case there is any re reordering that we need to do because we don't wanna give someone an install date and then have to bump it back. Right. So I'd rather give them a little leeway. And then if something's open and available and the client's open You can always make it faster. Yeah.
Speaker 2:And usually a smaller project's easier to move up Mhmm. Than a big project. Right. You need just the time frame. Man you know, people available.
Speaker 2:What are some of the range of materials that our closets can be made of? So what we use is an engineered fiberboard. It's made from a repurposed Canadian mill that does a long grain Canadian pine. And that's our core. And it's important because some of the companies, look at those cores, and it's a lot of air gaps, which doesn't make it very strong, and it's less less expensive to produce.
Speaker 2:We're also, carb two compliant for the state of California with the off gassing. And then the outside is a laminate. It's very durable. It's heat baked thermally fused, so it's not gonna chip chip and peel. Right.
Speaker 2:You know? And some of the doors are a vinyl, which are a little bit softer. Mhmm. But I always show my clients with the key, I take a key to it and do, a scratch test. Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:A lot of the other companies won't do it because they use most of them use a melamine. Uh-huh. Ours is a laminate. Oh, okay. Good.
Speaker 2:That's great distinction and something people can look at look for in whatever area they're in to make sure that they're, you know, as a stronger product. And then what are the range of the looks that you can achieve? Because you can you can create looks that look like wood and then also, you know, some pops of color. And then, of course, there's always the clean cottage y white. Right.
Speaker 2:We have so many different colors to choose from, and we could even mix them and have fun with it. But we do have some wood grain looks that kind of look like a wood Mhmm. But yet are more durable than, say, a wood, solid gamut. Mhmm. And then and how do the difference in the materials the look of the material affect the price?
Speaker 2:Are some, you know, much less expensive than others? Good question. Yes. They are. Mhmm.
Speaker 2:We have four colors right now that are like a wood grain color that are 30% more than white. Uh-huh. Some of them are only 20% more than white, and then white is our starting price point. And then we have something that's, a little bit off white that we could use. And I love, like, doing the guts of it Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:In a solid color Uh-huh. And maybe highlighting some of the countertops Uh-huh. The drawer faces. Yeah. But contrasting.
Speaker 2:Contrasting. And that's what working with the designer. Yeah. I always ask my clients, you know, especially with a new build, I usually have them bring a sample of their flooring or paints and as much information as I could get of their color Mhmm. Design, and I love the color process.
Speaker 2:It's so much fun. Yeah. And what are the most popular customization options that your clients are asking for? I mean, there are so many things that you can include. I don't know how you even cover them all.
Speaker 2:I like keeping things timeless. Uh-huh. Colors, you know, I the big trend right now is navy with brass. Yeah. We do have a beautiful vignette in our showroom with navy and brass.
Speaker 2:Yeah. And it's interesting. The women are drawn towards lighter colors, I find, and men seem to be drawn towards those darker colors. But then we have to be careful of the space. If it's a very small closet and you put a dark color in there, it may just look too cavey.
Speaker 2:Yeah. And so those are some considerations as well that I walk the client through different options and color color combinations. And then what about the interior bells and whistles? The things, you know, that lighting, you know, the light up toe kicks and the lighting in, you know, above and lighting in in areas and glass panels and jewelry and things like that. What are some of the most popular customizations in terms of bells and whistles?
Speaker 2:For sure, the jewelry trays. Yeah. Yeah. And a lot of times, it's unfortunately with burglaries and robberies, if they're putting their jewelry in there, we can put a lock. But, usually, it's for guests coming over or housekeeping kind of situations.
Speaker 2:But the jewelry trays are great. We have those. We have an ironing board pullout Oh, that's fabulous. We have pullout mirrors, full length mirrors that we can add, ballet rods, scarf racks Mhmm. Tie in belt racks that we can add.
Speaker 2:Yes. Lighting is fabulous. We have puck lighting. We have LED lighting that's dimmable. Glass, we could do either frosted or clear glass.
Speaker 2:We have beautiful shoe shrines that have either glass shelves or metal shelves. I just love the the term shoe shrine. Yeah. Who who created that term? I don't know.
Speaker 2:Is that by that, you mean, like, shoe storage? Shoe storage. Yes. Well, we all need Yes. We all need shoe storage.
Speaker 2:And then lighting up your stuff, like the the handbags that you wanna show off. Yeah. Your shoes. Yeah. Shoe fences.
Speaker 2:Lot of different Mhmm. Accessories that we can add. Can you share an example of some of the most unique or challenging closet designs you've worked on? What comes to mind? You know, I think everybody wants a or not everybody, but a lot of clients would like to have an island in their closet.
Speaker 2:Yes. Well, I think I think the design process is great. We also have what what's called augmented reality. Uh-huh. Our our dealership Yeah.
Speaker 2:Is the first testing. Uh-huh. So I've gotta be careful, like, advertising it because we are throughout The United States, and not all the other dealerships are using augmented reality right now. But it's a great program for me. I do a lot of that.
Speaker 2:They they convert it so clients could put on the goggles and walk through the space to really get an idea of the feel. So it's a virtual imaging? It's a virtual imaging that and it's eventually And do people want to see? Do they want that feature? Yeah.
Speaker 2:And when it's when it's a more complicated design Uh-huh. And what I find myself, I find maybe design errors of the door should open to the left rather than the right Mhmm. Or I didn't overhang the countertop enough that I should. Uh-huh. But it it gives the client a really good idea of the space.
Speaker 2:Sense of space. Yeah. The sense of space. Because especially with a new home build, that could be amazing. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Because sometimes you don't have that space Yeah. To walk through. So, yeah, I think and giving them options. A built in island may not be an option where maybe a little poofy bench or a pull up bench that they can have storage in might be better where they can move it around. Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:Because you do need to have clearance to walk. Yep. You do. That leads us right into what are some of the common mistakes that homeowners make when designing their closets and and how can you help avoid them. So people don't understand.
Speaker 2:They they may want a lot of hanging where I don't encourage hanging into hanging. Like a lot of the builders, they just put those Right. They just took a lot of them. Yeah. Right.
Speaker 2:And trying to get back into those corners are almost impossible. It's just not functional. And so those are some things I usually will do hanging with shelves on the side or drawers, and it just makes it function a little bit better. Mhmm. And then what about a smaller, closet?
Speaker 2:What are some of the tips and tricks that you might employ if the closet isn't a beautiful walk in closet? It's just a or it's half the size of a good walk in closet. What is some of your favorite tricks? Here's what I found. We all have too much stuff.
Speaker 2:Really? We all have too much stuff. Shocking, honey. I'm shocked. You'd be amazed what I see.
Speaker 2:Yeah. I bet. And I have to I have to live by this rule myself. Yeah. When I design in a smaller space, we all need to have a little bit of long hang.
Speaker 2:Uh-huh. Jackets, coats, robes, double hang. Yeah. Some hanging for regular clothing. And you've got shoes.
Speaker 2:If you're putting them in the closet, if they're not, that's even better. They can use the shelves or drawers. And I I use this rule that if you buy something new Mhmm. You have to get rid of something old. Know, Oprah says that.
Speaker 2:I love that. That's Oprah's closet trick. Yep. Every time someone yep. Something comes in, something has to go out.
Speaker 2:And you know what? I've been doing it myself. It's actually it's kind of a fun thing. You have to force yourself to find the thing you can lose. But I think what it does, it prevents us from over overspending and overbuying if we have that mindset.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Yeah. It's true. When I'm shopping, I really have to think of what do I need to get rid of. Mhmm.
Speaker 2:So what are some of the best reasons to hire a closet company, a closet design company like yours? I think because we understand like, talked about the rules of of the design and the space planning, we kind of have an idea. I think also cost wise, we're not that much more expensive than if you went to Home Depot or Lowe's and got materials. But I think the quality with our company is much better. Yeah.
Speaker 2:I've gone into homes where they've had the the cabinet builder, you know, get materials from Home Depot, Lowe's, or one of those companies. And the the quality, it just starts falling apart after a few years. So you're really spending more in the long run than going cheap in the beginning and then having to replace it as it's either falling apart, degrading. Yeah. And so and for me, the additional comment that I'd make to that question is that it's the thinking.
Speaker 2:I mean, like with everything else, you think about closets and pantries and garages and organizational spaces every day, and you really know how to make the system work to its maximum benefit, especially corners. I mean, that's the biggest mistake people make when they don't have the experience level. Mhmm. And, you know, those that those amounts of storage are important. Anything you lose, you know, is really something.
Speaker 2:But, you know, when you were saying a minute ago about we all have too much stuff, do do you ever tell someone that they need to clean out first? They need to clear out? This would be obviously a renovation versus hard subject. Yeah. Because I can.
Speaker 2:As an interior designer, I can tell them. I usually go and and I say myself, I say, you know, I just went through construction myself. I've done some cleanouts. The first part of the cleanout, you have to empty the space, especially when you're doing new construction, so there's nothing in there. But for a client that might already have an existing closet Right.
Speaker 2:They've gotta get all those rods and shelves out. We do offer garment racks. Oh, wow. That's something that they could use during that time. Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:And that way too, they could go through that first clean out. Yeah. And if they haven't and that's a question I usually ask. When was the last time you cleaned out? Yeah.
Speaker 2:And if it's been quite a few years Who's politically correct, are you? I know they're gonna be getting rid of probably 20 to 30% of that Yeah. Stuff. Yeah. The next clean out might be when they go to put things back.
Speaker 2:In. Right. And if it's cramped, you can't really see what you have. And most of those things, we're not using anyway. Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:And I explain it in my terms of this is what my process does. Yeah. That's because I don't wanna offend anybody. Right. I do go into situations sometimes when people are whether it be a hoarder situation or people just have way too much stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah. It's one thing when you need therapy. It's another thing. You need a closet company. And I kinda joke and I say, I can work miracles, but I can only work so many miracles here.
Speaker 2:Got it. Part of it is gonna be on your part with the client to also go through the cleaning out of the process. And what is the most rewarding part of your job? I love afterwards going to the going to the I always follow-up with my clients. I go to the installations.
Speaker 2:I work really closely with my team from our office. I also have a design specialist Mhmm. That helps me that, before we order, she reviews everything. So we actually have myself, then my install manager, and Barbara who checks our designs. Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:And it's a wonderful process. And then I go to the clients afterwards, and I see the joy. Yeah. I've had clients say, oh my god, Connie. You've changed my life.
Speaker 2:I get it. Happy, less stress. You know? And then I always ask them what will we have done different? Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:Because I've learned from my mistakes. Mhmm. I really wanna go through the process of making sure that everything is exactly perfect. Mhmm. Because I don't want the regret.
Speaker 2:There are small changes that can be made. I know with closets you've done for me, when a client has thought they need a little more of one thing than another, we've we've gone in and been able to maybe change a hanging area to a shelf area and things like that. So Mhmm. So the continuing conversation is valuable. And Yep.
Speaker 2:You know, it doesn't cost a lot necessarily once the bulk is done Right. To make a small change or change. And I don't like to put too many shelves or not enough shelves. Right. And it is adjustable.
Speaker 2:A lot of the the pieces could be adjusted. I help people with that. Mhmm. Moving things around so that we could utilize that space a little better or adding a few shelves. Cool.
Speaker 2:Yep. And then can you describe I know you're working on your own. Can you describe your ideal closet and what features it would include? Oh my gosh. If money was no object.
Speaker 2:You know, I love taking rooms Yes. And turning them into, like, that boutique closet. I know. Me too. I did a project in Thousand Oaks with this client, and it was she was her and her husband both were so happy.
Speaker 2:There were a lot of needs and wants. He did not want a big island in the middle for the walk space, and she wanted a vanity, and she had another closet. We we did some built ins in that room, some drawer bases. We customized the colors. Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:It was so much fun. And I would say that probably the taking the rooms and converting them to a closet is the most fun. Yeah. It is fun. It's it's the most, you know, abstract, and I'll go back to the puzzle analogy from the beginning.
Speaker 2:It's really you know, you can really create a magic. And is there anything else that you'd like to share with our listeners about closet design and your company? You know, I selected Inspired Closets kind of almost I found them by accident since as I was getting back into the closet industry a little over six years ago. They showed up on my Facebook feed. And I'd never come with Inspired Closets before Yeah.
Speaker 2:Because I'd worked for so many of the companies. And what was important for me was going having a showroom. Mhmm. I wanted to see, look, and feel, having the installers as employees, not subcontractors, and knowing that I had a team behind me that would support me. And so, you know, I just as we talked a little bit earlier about retiring and and getting up there in age, I just can't imagine not doing this Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:As a life life long kind of a thing. Yeah. So I'm just so happy to be able to help people get better organized and then love their space. Yeah. That's a lovely ending thought.
Speaker 2:Though I hope that we've inspired you today to look at the design of your organizational infrastructure early to get ideas of what you might want to include. Look at the budget line item your builder has included for the interior of your closets and determine if this amount will meet your needs and wants. Then work with a professional to customize your spaces so that you achieve the most value for the investment. I consider a great closet design an essential and affordable luxury. Connie, what's the best way for clients and listeners to reach out to you?
Speaker 2:They could email me at seed,ragan,@inspiredclosets,plural,la.com, or my cell number is (818) 730-4685. And if you do call into Inspired Closets, just be sure to ask for Connie. I am actually the second longest employee of the company. If look at the Yelp reviews Uh-huh. I am very Yelped out there.
Speaker 2:And so you wanna be sure to get an experienced designer. Okay. That sounds great. And we will put your email on our web link on our website. So if you want some more information, you can also go to www.disastertodream.home.com, where you can find all of our previous episodes and photos of each step of the construction process.
Speaker 2:Janet Design Interiors is a full service interior design firm working with commercial and residential clients. If you're thinking about a company move or a major home renovation or you are building after the loss of your home and you are in the Southern California area, please reach out to janah@janahdesigninteriors.com.
Speaker 3:Thank you for joining us on this episode of From Disaster to Dream Home, the podcast that takes you inside the home building and rebuilding process. Each week, we bring you time tested practices and the latest trends through conversations with top professionals in the building industry. You can find other episodes of From Disaster to Dream Home at ewnpodcastnetwork.com as well as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, and most other major podcast streaming services. Need design help? You can contact us or find out more about our guests at from disastertodreamhome.com.
Speaker 3:Until next time, let us guide and inspire you as you create the home of your dreams.