Editor Kelli Lamb’s clever home “cloffice”
For Rue Magazine editor Kelli Lamb, working at home used to mean stealing a corner of the dining room. “It had the best light,” she says.
But once she and her artist husband began searching for their first home, she realized she might be able to create a dedicated workspace of her own.
It would become the room she spends the most time in, so it was important that the space be “just right.” "
“I wanted my office to foster creativity, evoke a sense of calm, and be incredibly functional.”
How California Closets did it
Working with Missy Almester and the California Closets Orange County team, they identified a corner guest room that could be converted into a “cloffice” — part closet, part office.
For Kelli’s workspace, they decided on an oversized L-shaped desk with hidden electrical storage underneath and plenty of shelving above. In fact, Missy cleverly suggested adding a magazine shelf, which was an unexpected detail Kelli absolutely loved. Now she can display the latest issue of Rue, along with her first book which had just come out. “It felt like this really full-circle moment,” she remarked.
For the closet part of her cloffice, Kelli wanted to reimagine the room’s existing but small walk-in closet at the same time. Missy helped Kelli determine the type of storage needed, which included shelving for sweaters and jeans as well as tall hanging poles for long dresses. A retractable valet rod allows Kelli to visualize and plan outfits.
But because the existing closet space was small, they decided to add a custom wardrobe to really boost storage. Taking advantage of a large empty wall the new wardrobe includes cabinets for extra clothing as well as drawers for office supplies – a fitting dual-purpose unit for this “cloffice.”
“I was in disbelief how talented and tuned in their team was from the very first meeting.”
Final result
Dining room squatter no more, Kelli now has a personal retreat that supports her work-from-home lifestyle as well as her flair for fashion.
For the girl who used to make magazines out of craft paper in her bedroom, you could say it was destiny.
Finish
Natural
Shadow Black
Note: finishes vary by location, inquire with your local California Closets showroom for current finish availability.
Metal
Oil rubbed bronze
Additional accessories
Note: product availability may vary by location
Client
Kelli Lamb
Location
Altadena, CA
Design consultant
Missy Almester
Photo credits
Amy Bartlam
