California Closets

California Closets believes exceptional design changes people's lives.

California Closets, the industry leader in custom closets for premium and luxury space management since 1978, has a business model based entirely on customization and personal service. Their showrooms must do more than simply display products; they need to be studio environments that allow their customers and on-site design consultants to work together. It is critically important that this studio-like environment clearly and consistently supports California Closets' business model in every market they serve.

Bergmeyer’s design assignment for California Closets had many layers.

The first step was helping California Closets create a customer experience strategy. This required the reinvention of the typical showroom. From the outside in, the space evokes a modern and spacious residential setting with a sublimely well-organized aesthetic. Clear and immediately intuitive visual cues at the front of the space invite customers into living and dining room-like settings with a loft-like sense of urbanity. Further into the 2,600 SF space, the fixtures and furnishings change to cue entertainment walls, bedrooms, and dressing rooms.

Next, Bergmeyer developed the showroom’s iconic brand elements to showcase the company’s creativity, inventiveness, and focus on craftsmanship. Veneers, hardware, laminates, shelves, drawers and sliding doors are cleverly and prominently displayed in angled display walls and on hands-on fixtures that never overwhelm the space’s pervasive sense of calm. The center of the showroom is anchored by the California Closets “Design Studio;” a unique space that serves as a tranquil area where the customer and design consultant can work together to create a highly customized solution. An electronic display wall allows design drawings and computer models to be shared. Hardware and finish samples are within easy reach in well-organized drawers.

Finally, the Bergmeyer team developed a prototype standards manual for California Closets — a full kit-of-parts and design documents including a “how to” guide for the use of environmental graphics and trade dress components so the original flagship showroom in San Francisco could be faithfully implemented in locations across the country.

Now every customer can design and create their own vision of closet nirvana.

Awards • Silver Award, Service Retailer, Shop! Design Awards