Each spring for the last 46 years, architects, designers and future homebuyers have flocked to Florida’s Marion County Parade of Homes — where dozens of newly constructed model houses await — to get a glimpse of what’s new and trending in residential design. This year, two homes in particular attracted buzz not only for their finishes and fixtures, but also for their innovative storage solutions made possible by ClosetMaid, the worldwide leader in home organization.
Founded in nearby Delray Beach in 1965, ClosetMaid offers an unparalleled range of products, all easily specified and customized, that can transform ordinary storage areas into true showplaces, as these Craftsman-style, three-bedroom-two-bath open-plan houses demonstrated.
Both houses made elegant use of the brand’s signature MasterSuite system. Most notably, for instance, the product line elevated a simple box of a walk-in closet into an upscale dressing room. Two rows of freestanding, stacked cubbies greeted visitors on entry, atop rows of single- and double-height drawers with fronts of white contoured-edge thermo-foil with raised panels and bar pulls finished in satin chrome. A jewelry tray and drawer box made of solid birch with full-extension could be smart organization choices here, too, as could crescent and round knob hardware options.
Built-in cabinetry surrounded the cubbies, tucked into a back wall and on both sides. In the rear, high bars offered enough space to store dresses and coats; above them were two shelves for accessories like folded scarfs, hats or shoes. On the sidewalls, sturdy 1-inch-diameter tubular steel rods provided ample space for hanging items such as shirts, blouses, jackets and pants, with spaces left above and between for folded items like sweaters or eye-catching displays of hat or accessory collections.
The builders for these houses specified a sophisticated yet neutral white finish for the system’s industrial-grade engineered wood and melamine and solid wood drawers, but cozier hues — Chocolate Pear and Coastal Gray, to name two — are also available. Multiple hardware and door and drawer front options ensure that every closet — whether you go all out and build a walk-in dressing area or decide on a simpler reach-in bedroom closet — is as stylish as the clothes it holds.
Clothes in and of themselves have to be cared for — so why not do that in style, too? Laundry and utility areas of these houses utilized Superslide All-Purpose Shelving. Multiple racks hung above outlets for the washer and dryer, offering a handy spot for storing cleaning supplies and the like. Superslide shelves are constructed of cold-drawn steel for longevity, but should needs change before then, they can easily be recycled. A side closet, meanwhile, included five rows of shelving for hampers, cleaners and other laundry and utility room accessories, all neatly organized and tucked out of sight until needed. White finishes offered an appropriately clean look.
Speaking of clean, bathrooms simply must be, which is why ClosetMaid’s popular Ventilated Wire Shelving was the obvious choice in these spaces. In a corner of the model home’s bathroom, nestled beside a sunny window seat, folding doors revealed a closet with five levels of custom-made white-wire shelving, each ideal for storing toiletries and spare towels. The open arrangement of wire shelving allows for bright visibility so you can easily find what you’re looking for while encouraging airflow to combat humidity from showers and baths. An enormous array of wire diameter and density options can accommodate any size and strength parameters. Here, too, a clean white palette did the trick, but a cool, satin chrome finish could also lend a touch of industrial chic.
Every Ventilated series shelf is welded at each wire-to-wire intersection, with these welds further protected against corrosion and chipping by an almost impenetrable vinyl coating — which is all to say that these products will last as long as you need them and look as good as on the day you installed them. With optional continuous sliding hang rod attachments, depths ranging from 6 to 20 inches, versions for smaller closets with 5/8-inch wire spacing and even a heavy-duty system that can support 100 pounds per linear foot, the Ventilated line is well-suited to any room in the house where organization is desired.
Finally, no matter how lovely the other spaces, it’s the kitchen that tends to become the heart of the home. ClosetMaid’s top-of-the-line MasterSuite system was also the ideal solution for these model kitchens: Constructed of industrial-grade engineered wood that can hold up to 45 pounds per cubic foot, the system shelves could easily stash typical cookware and pantry items. And the units, which can be installed on the wall or floor, can easily be retrofitted with drawers and doors if needed. Finishes for the MasterSuite series include Warm Cognac, Chocolate Bar, Coastal Gray, Antique White and White, the latter of which was used on the model kitchens’ open shelves to coordinate with the various storage areas throughout, ensuring a uniform look much admired by community residents, home seekers and prospective buyers who encountered ClosetMaid solutions for every room in this year’s Parade of Homes.