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There are two types of people: those who enjoy cleaning out the closet, love a clean pantry, and can’t concentrate until their desk is clear—and those who have never experienced the satisfaction of a truly organized space. Because once you know what it’s like to have a place for everything, there’s no going back.
I’ll admit, I’m biased. There is a reason I named my weekly newsletter Breathing Space. I crave spaces that feel open and uncluttered, and I’ve learned that clarity in the home often leads to clarity in my mind. When we started planning our beach house renovation, thoughtful planning wasn’t an afterthought—it was basic.
I knew this project would come with its own challenges, from maximizing square footage to creating flow in crowded spaces. So from the beginning, I wanted California Closets by my side. We’ve collaborated on several spaces in our Austin home, from our pantry to the kids’ closets, and I hope their team will translate my vision into spaces that aren’t just beautiful but deeply functional. This time, working with our California Closets Los Angeles designer, Katharine, we approached each space not just as storage, but as an opportunity to design how our home will function and feel.
Today, I’m sharing how we organized four key areas:
- Laundry Room
- Mud Room + Garage
- Primary Closet + Vanity
- Phoebe’s closet
Let’s dive in.
Designing How We Really Live
Before we talked about finishes or cabinet layouts, Katharine and I talked about our daily lives and rhythms. Because at the end of the day, these are spaces that must support the daily changes that make up a large part of our lives. We talked about seemingly small details like:
- Where do beach bags live?
- Where do golf clubs stack up?
- How do I want to feel when I get ready in the morning?
Living on the beach comes with one unavoidable fact: sand. When we first moved into the first house, I found myself cleaning the entire house every day because I could literally feel the sink under my bare feet. Towels and beach bags were falling in, and within hours, the sand had moved all over the house. So with the opportunity to start over, we designed it.
This friction is what led us to find a mudroom inside the garage. Become a shelter—designated hooks for beach bags, a washer/dryer for towels, and an outdoor shower to wash off sandy feet before heading inside.
When you design a real life instead of an “ideal life,” everything goes well.
Another thing to consider: our whole family now plays golf, which I love—but it also comes down to golf gear all over. So, we’ve deliberately carved out storage in the garage and mud room for clubs, shoes, gloves, and hats so there’s no last-minute scrambling when we head out the door.
Even small daily habits shaped our plans. I like to choose my jewelry as part of my getting ready process, so my jewelry drawers are built around my vanity. At night, taking it off becomes a ritual that happens next to taking care of my skin.
One of my favorite hidden details? In the laundry room, we carved out a hidden drawer for Clem’s litter box—complete with a little place for him to climb in and a push latch so we can reach it to clean it.
From Inspiration to Purpose
While function led the design, inspiration led the materials and visual details. I created a Pinterest board and divided it into sections dedicated to each area.
My visual inspiration focuses on natural wood tones, matte finishes, warm ambient lighting, minimal hardware, and spaces with room to breathe.
We ended up with California Closets’ Quiet Grove—a natural wood grain with texture and character—paired with soft white accents called Dove. The overall palette matches the spacious Japanese aesthetic of the beach house, complete with soft roman clay walls and natural wooden floors.
In the master bedroom, moroccan clay zellige tile will run from the bathroom straight into the bedroom, making it feel warm, earthy, and cohesive. One thing I was aiming to avoid: the shelves are too open. In a home with small footprints, closed cabinetry can be a lifesaver. I wanted these rooms to capture real life and contain it, rather than show it.
Translating Our Vision Into 3D Renders
Seeing everything come to life in California Closets’ proprietary CAD tool was the most exciting part of the process.
The translation allowed us to refine details that would later become frustrating. The shelf height has changed, and the cabinet configuration has also changed. The height of the hanging rods was adjusted as we discussed where it would sit.
One of my problems with our Austin closet is that the drawers are so shallow that they don’t hold anything. This time, we were incredibly intentional about depth and scale. Katharine guided us through a configuration that maximizes storage without sacrificing negative space.
He also suggested keeping track in the garage for bikes, skateboards, and tools—something I hadn’t thought of but that makes the space so functional.
What I appreciate is how Katharine really considered the flow, the proportion, and the way the room should flow to hearand the result went beyond putting shelves into solutions that I would never have thought of on my own.
Laundry Room: Designed for Flow
The former beach house didn’t even have a real laundry room; walk in the front door, with a washer and dryer there then. There was zero storage and no folding area, which resulted in continuous visible incubation.
Since I tend to wrap everything in the laundry room, I needed enough countertop and hanging space to make it work best. The stacked washer and dryer will be recessed so they can slide over the countertop (we actually pushed the wall back a bit to make this possible). A small detail, but visually very impactful.
Upper cabinets reach to the ceiling to store plates and pieces for entertaining. There is a tall cupboard for brooms and cleaning supplies. Space for hanging fragile pieces. One hidden hamper and sink for arranging flowers and branches. It’s compact, but it works very well.
Mudroom & Garage: Creating a Functional Dump
This space is designed to collect dirt before it reaches the house. Closets, drawers, hooks, bench seats for removing shoes or wetsuits, tall cabinets for golf clubs, and hanging space for outdated coats and clothes that don’t fit in our small master closet.
Since our main closet steps are tight, using this mudroom gives us flexibility in other areas. The goal here wasn’t perfection—it was about having a beautiful space that contained the elements of life that are necessary (but that we don’t want to look at every day).
Basic Closet + Vanity: A Space That Sets the Tone
Our master closet is a small footprint, so I’m amazed at the amount of hanging and shelf space we’ve been able to fit in—plus, a vanity that I’ll tidy up every morning! Katharine helped us organize our walk-in closet with a four-sided folding closet. In the center is a built-in vanity built into one wall under an LED mirror.
There is a combination of double hangings, long hangings, drawers, and hidden storage—everything is purposefully placed. The integrated warm light illuminates the hanging parts, while the LED mirror will provide bright, clear light for makeup.
As you enter the room through an open archway in the master bath, it should be as beautiful as it is functional. I want mornings here to feel calm, unhurried, and purposeful, so we designed it so we can see our clothes clearly and enjoy the process of choosing what to wear. A well-designed wardrobe really sets the tone for the day!
Phoebe’s Wardrobe: Designed to Grow With Her
True story: this space was almost a DIY project, and I’m so glad it wasn’t! In an effort to save a budget, I started assembling parts from a big box retailer. But the room’s unusual layout—resulting in a repurposed washer/dryer and mechanical units on one side—made it incredibly tricky.
When I was pricing everything out, I realized that I would probably spend a lot of money for a small solution that wouldn’t feel put together.
So, I called California Closets, and we added this space to our plans at the last minute. We use Quiet Grove cabinets with gold hardware, mixed hangings, drawers, and selected open shelves. Phoebe reviewed the plans with me and chose what she wanted to be shown versus hidden. Designing it together was special and made her very happy with her new wardrobe.
My take: sometimes trying to save money ends up costing you more—in stress, compromise, and time.
Making Room for What Matters
California Closets understands that high-traffic, high-touch areas also shape the way our home functions, and I’ve learned from experience: quality really matters. Precise construction, thoughtful proportions, and tangibles are important, as are designers who think about flow instead of just square footage.
When our systems are well structured, there is less conflict in our daily lives. Little visual noise and little running, which is what it’s all about. It creates a home that supports our rhythm.
At the end of the day, I long for organization, but I also want room solutions designed for beauty and order because when our spaces feel clear, our lives become easier and more comfortable—and we are able to make space for the things that really matter.
Stay tuned for more to come as these posts go live.
