Your home’s small spaces have the potential to make a the biggest impacts.
They say the best things come in small packages, and I’d argue the same is true for small spaces. We spend so much time focusing on the look of our statement rooms— the kitchen, the living room, the office, the master bedroom, our outdoor entertaining space — that the small nooks and features like our bedroom closets and home elevators take a backseat. Well, these spaces are coming front and center as we dive into what’s new in the marketplace specifically for them.
I started first exploring the customized world of home closets, because I’m a girl with an extensive shoe collection … enough said.Jack Green, owner and president of the Closet Factory locations in Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville, happily showed me some of the latest and greatest projects he’s recently completed for home owners just like you. Closet Factory happens to have 52 locations nationwide,which makes Jack an expert in creating dream closets. Closet Factory understand that everything in your closet is an expression of you, and your closet system should be no different. Whether your closets are walk-ins, reach-ins or dressing rooms — or if you are looking for more space, better organization or even your own boutique — the company has the vision and creativity to make it happen. Jack shared three key trends he sees sweeping the market in residential closets.
LED Lighting in Small Spaces
“LED lighting has enabled lights to enter the clothing area of the home, which were code-prohibited in the past. Many electrical codes have strict limits on lighting within the closet, but that is all changing with the new generation of LED lighting. They run cool, last50,000+ hours, and are UL-approved for lighting all areas of the closet. Dimmers, colored LEDs, remote-control options and battery-operated lights for remote locations are additional features available with the LED lighting we provide.”
Textured Materials Used in Small Spaces
“Textured materials are very popular. Modern melamine materials provide the unique ability to have very real simulated wood surfaces,which allows much greater wear ratings than real wood at reduced costs. We also have real painted and stained wood but really encourage clients to fully look into the new textured materials for real value.”
High Gloss Add to Small Spaces
“The other trend is high gloss. If textured wood is not your thing,clients trend toward high-gloss accent pieces with alternate solid or wood color schemes. The high-quality gloss products are very scratch resistant, and used in the right places and quantity can be a cost-effective, high-end look for any home-improvement project. We have even used this in our Motor Trend Brand garages.” – Closet Factory
Wayne Smith, Senior Executive Sales Designer at Southern Closet Systems in Odessa, also had several high-end residential trends to share. Wayne and JoAnn Smith began Southern Closet Systems in1983 after many years of experience as a custom furniture and cabinet maker, and they’ve always looked at building a storage system like building a fine piece of furniture. Every piece is custom-made with an obsessive attention to detail. Wayne shared these three key trends he sees popping up in Tampa Bay homes.
Small Spaces and Modern Touches
“While the main function of a closet space remains the same, we do see a move from traditional finishes to more contemporary and modern finishes like in the door fronts. We have modern slabs and fine Italian linear options that a lot of homeowners really like. We are also seeing a lot of high-gloss finishes with whites and blacks that create a mirror-like finish, which is really popular. We see people looking for different looks that really complement the rest of their home and fit into their design elements.
Dreaming Big in Small Spaces
“Homeowners are much more aware of what’s possible out therein the world of custom closets, and they are really asking for all kinds of things that they want us to do, and we can do it. We are doing rolling ladders in closets, remote-control wardrobe lifts that lower clothing down from up high, large islands with glass tops for custom jewelry inserts, floor-to-ceiling jewelry cases with velvet lining. We design based on the needs of the customer, so if they give us a list of what they want, we will make it happen.”
Upfront Planning Needed for Small Spaces
“Homeowners come prepared with a lot of inspiration and research before we meet in a lot of cases. Thanks to several interior-design sites, homeowners can spend hours looking at closets and really seeing what’s possible in advance. They will save 20 pictures for us to review, which really helps us nail the design and drawing upfront.” – Southern Closet Systems
After seeing these beautiful closet creations, I picked my jaw up off the floor, and set out to explore the world of residential elevators.Zia Xiong, who handles marketing for Waupaca Elevator, cheerfully got me up to speed on this customization space. Waupaca Elevator Company has been an industry leader in the design and manufacture of residential elevators with dealers throughout the US.Zia explained that it’s becoming increasingly important to have access to all levels of a home, ensuring that the ease of day-to-day living now and in the future. She also shared two key trends she’s seeing in residential elevators.
Finishes are Key in Small Spaces
“A home is a reflection of the homeowner’s own design tastes and personal style. By using combinations of woods, metals, inlays, glass or contrasting stains and wood varieties, a beautiful elevator cab can be created that will add lasting value to a home.”
Preparation for Small Space Design
“Stacking a set of closets on each floor can be converted into an elevator shaft at a later date, when the time is right to install an elevator. Residential elevators can increase a home’s resale value and expand its marketability to a wider range of buyers.” – Waupaca Elevator
Small spaces have just as much impact as your statement rooms, and these trends show that other homeowners are investing in these spaces in a big way.
Learn more by visiting or calling:
Closet Factory
13420 Wright Circle, Tampa800.838.7995 | www.closetfactory.comSouthern
Closet Systems
13211 Byrd Drive, Odessa813.926.9348 | www. southerncloset.com
Waupaca Elevator
1726 N. Ballard Road, Suite 1, Appleton,WI800.238.8739 | www.waupacaelevator.com
By Melinda Tam Orlando
