See inside: Plaza Midwood home gets a new bedroom with California Closets

Danielle Whitherspoon’s new-build home in Plaza Midwood is gorgeous, but there was one room she felt wasn’t reaching its full potential.

Luckily, the pros at California Closets were able to help her transform a downstairs flex room into a legit guest room with custom, wall-to-wall, built-in storage. It adds beauty, functionality, and a whole lotta resale value.

• Julie Bastien, the California Closets designer for this project, describes it as “an unseen functional storage space that exudes serenity and style” and said it was her favorite project to date. A bold claim, so we knew it had to be good.

We chatted with Danielle and Julie about the project and took a tour of the room.

What inspired this project?

Danielle: When we moved into our new home, this room was considered an office because it didn’t have a closet. We wanted to beautify it and increase its functionality by adding storage that would still look aesthetically pleasing for an office or a bedroom. 

• We also felt the home could use more storage space and being able to sell it as a 4-bed instead of a 3 would increase its value.

Julie: My client’s vision was to transform the space into a bedroom, make it feel spacious (without a visible closet), and blend with the home’s aesthetics.

How has it improved your home?

Danielle: This room is so beautiful and we always get compliments on the design and aesthetic. Our designer took our idea and made it highly functional.

• At first, we had a different plan for the configuration, but Julie helped us create something that fit our needs and the space.

What was the California Closets process like?

Danielle: It didn’t take long at all, even with backorders on building supplies. We started planning in November and it was completed in February.

The planning process was in-depth, which we appreciated, and Julie worked with us until we were happy with the plan.

• She asked the right questions and had a full understanding of our vision.

Were there any design challenges?

Danielle: Julie solved many challenges that we had, like vent and outlet placements and limited space — she really had everything under control. I’m sure this would have gone much differently if we didn’t have such a detailed, talented and experienced designer helping us! 

• She recommended getting the room painted before the project began to ensure we had the color behind the unit when it was opened, which was a game-changer! 

Julie: The biggest challenge was to make the room functional and maximize storage capacity. In order to balance design and functionality, I positioned the bed to face the window.

• This allowed for separate storage areas for shoes and accessories on the left wall, clothing organization on the right, and a window bench connecting the two for a flawless, built-in design.

Which California Closets products did you use in this room?

Julie: We used my favorite finish, Cashmere, tall square miter style doors and Modern Bronze swagger handles.

• These provided a warm, inviting feel and a transitional look that’s cohesive with the rest of the residence.

Here’s what the room looked like before:

And here’s what it looks like now:

California Closets can transform just about any room in your house. Get some design inspo and book a free consultation.

This content was created in partnership with California Closets.