Justina Blakeney’s Studio Closet Is Every Crafter’s Dream
If you're anything like us, extra time at home may be inspiring you to tackle organizing a forgotten closet in your home. Well, we've got a dose of closet inspiration for you courtesy of Jungalow founder Justina Blakeney, who recently made over the closet in her studio with the help of The Container Store. First, it makes us feel a little better about the neglected storage spaces in our own home that even a talented designer was living with a less-than-perfect closet.
"Nothing really had a designated space and the space we did have wasn’t being utilized well," explains Blakeney. "It was quite a time suck trying to set up an interior shot and searching for a specific item in all that chaos. We knew there was a huge opportunity to work more smoothly and efficiently if we had our closet in tip top shape." So, she got to work, creating a functional—and beautiful—storage space that will have you itching to turn to your own closets. Here are the main takeaways.
Make the pretty things visible
Having samples on display makes for a pretty space, but its real reasoning is more functional: "We needed a smart way to store and see all our rugs, textiles, vintage goodies, and all the stuff we need to pull off Jungalow photoshoots," says Blakeney. "We previously had our rugs folded and stacked on top of one another in a pile, but that made getting them out really hard." Moving samples from bins to racks makes selection easy.
Hide the clutter
That said, of course there are items in the closet that don't need to be seen—like shipping and office supplies. Designating organized containers for these was key, as it meant they wouldn't be out on a counter causing visual clutter and distracting from the prettier items. "Having drawers to store some of those things reduces visual clutter and helps the eye focus on the prettier elements in the closet," explains Blakeney.
Use all your space
Smart storage also means making the most of the space you have. The Container Store created a layout for Blakeney that made use of every inch of space—then, when the Jungalow team decided to add square footage to the closet, they adjusted accordingly. This also forces a total reorganization (instead of that whole "I'll get to that other drawer someday" procrastination). "On the day of the installation, we emptied the space completely and set it back up with the TCS team," Blakeney recalls. That way, you get to start fresh immediately.
Create visual arrangements
Blakeney recognizes that being an avowed maximalist can be a little difficult in functional spaces like a closet. "You actually have to make a little effort to be neat when you’re a maximalist because otherwise, there is no way to keep all the things you love organized and accessible," she says. A few tricks? First, symmetry. "Incorporating some symmetry into your design is a great way to ease the eye and artfully arrange your treasures," says the designer. Another "favorite maximalist trick" is "grouping like items with one another. Creating little collections of ceramics, houseplants, or art is a great way to display the things you love without having them look like they are taking over your whole space."
Plus, Blakeney says, "when these things that bring you joy are all displayed and accessible, it can be really inspiring and can spark some real creativity!"
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