Top 10 Designs of 2017 No 2 Downsizing with room for family reunions

Starting over with only two pieces of furniture, these empty nesters maximized every inch of their new space.

Top design of the year with new home's pantry and smaller master closet.

Design Consultant

Merrick McGraw

Merrick McGraw

Honored to have been nominated for a Top Ten Design for the 2nd time in her 4-year career with California Closets, Merrick feels lucky that she’s landed her dream job this early in her career! Her education in design has helped to guide her creativity in every client interaction, no matter the size of the project.

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CLIENT

Describe the clients, their design style, and the challenge. Downsizing from a 7,000-square-foot home in the suburbs to a 2,500-square-foot home downtown, this couple wanted a "simpler" life. Their new two-bedroom home didn't utilize space efficiently, and they wanted to ensure there were three individual spaces for each of their children when they came to visit. They wanted a clean, upscale contemporary look, which was very different from their previous style of home.

How did you collaborate to create the best possible outcome? We worked together on six different spaces and collaborated closely with the couple's interior designer as well to ensure the designs also felt cohesive with the rest of the home's aesthetic. Because the home had only one true guest room, we added a loft area with a pull-out sofa, and a Murphy bed to the den, to achieve three 'spare rooms' for each of their children. We also transformed their awkward entryway to create a more appealing first impression, while incorporating the storage they were missing. Lastly, we worked on streamlined organizational solutions for their new home's pantry and smaller master closet.

Clean lines, clean lines, clean lines!

– Merrick McGraw, Designer

Before and after photo depicting organizational solution for smaller closet space

MATERIALS

How did you design a better life for these clients? Altogether, these organizational design solutions turned a two- into a four-bedroom home, giving my clients the much needed storage and flexibility they desired, while adding beauty and value.

Close up shot of dark gray and brown cabinet with stainless steel hardware
Your new closet starts with a
— complimentary design consultation —