One Designer's “California Mudroom” Makes the Case for a New Type of Closet
Photo by Renovate 108
Designer Jessica D'Itri Marés of Renovate 108 loves the big picture of her Southern California home. "We have gorgeous mountain views, and sometimes it feels like we live in a landscape painting," she says. "And more directly, our neighborhood is a collection of 1960s tract houses, which run the gamut from ranches to colonials." But as for her home's details, well, she's slowly been updating them to fit into the image she has.
"Tract houses are only cookie-cutter until a homeowner decides to reconsider uses of a space," she notes. Take her hall closet, for instance. It was a standard box off the front door with a utilitarian hanging rod and carpet that likely hadn't been updated in decades. As Marés renovated the kitchen, entryway, and office around it—which included swapping out that carpet for hardwood—she considered how the closet would contribute to her family's daily lives. "We live in a mild climate," she says. "So I didn't feel like I needed somewhere to store heavy-duty gear."
