The city that never sleeps has gotten a lot cozier in the last five years.
Long famous for its nightlife, New York City is evolving into a hub of domestic hospitality. The post-pandemic landscape and economic factors have come together to create a newfound preference for intimate social experiences at home, giving way to the “stay in” era. The living room is no longer simply a place to lounge, but an entertainment-first epicenter of the home, and modern homeowners seeking ways to reimagine and redesign this space have turned to California Closets for help. TRD sat down with two of the company’s top designers, Keith Johnson and Brian Ogle, to discuss how they’re turning ordinary rooms into high-impact social spaces.
Putting the “entertainment” back in “home entertainment”
“The pandemic changed the way people looked at homes, especially in New York,” says Ogle. “It hasn’t always been a place where people entertain too much, but now they’re staying home and spending more time with friends and family.”
Ogle initially noticed a shift when homeowners began to look for fun and functional ways to repurpose rooms. For many, the guest room has been replaced by multifunctional spaces like libraries and home offices. But the biggest change is still taking place, and it’s happening in the living room.
Clients of California Closets are moving away from the classic “credenza and a TV” set up to integrated wall-to-wall entertainment units that function as the room’s centerpiece. Johnson notes that, aside from functionality, aesthetics is critical.
“Ninety-five percent of the time, the client wants their space to look like it has high-end custom millwork,” he says. “To achieve that, we use thick materials for exposed units, providing a high-end look that standard melamine simply can’t replicate.”
High-impact zones
While the “stay in” concept is a broad one, it comes to life in the details. For Johnson, this recently took the form of a custom bar unit designed to anchor a customer’s living room.
“The fireplace was the focal point, with nooks on either side,” says Johnson. “The client wanted to make magic happen.”
Johnson utilized black cabinetry to pick up the dark tones of the flooring, creating a seamless, built-in aesthetic that feels original to the architecture. The unit features dedicated wine storage above a custom stone countertop, which California Closets provided the substrate for to accommodate the client’s choice of high-end slab.
“It completely transformed the space from a standard room into a conversation piece where guests naturally gather,” says Johnson.
Ogle sees a similar demand for pieces that balance “grandeur” with daily utility. He recently completed an entertainment center for a customer in NYC. Moving away from conventional setups, Ogle designed a two-toned white and black media center that frames the television with open shelving and integrated puck lighting.
“It’s all about making a space look better for when you’re entertaining,” says Ogle. “For this project we kept the storage hyper-personal, using closed lower cabinets to hide daily clutter while using upper shelves to display decorative pieces and books. It allows the room to feel sophisticated and ‘company-ready’ at a moment’s notice.”
By tailoring cabinetry to the client’s specific lifestyle, the design feels intuitive to the home
How materials and lighting create a mood
The difference between a functional unit and a statement piece comes down to the smallest of details. Both designers stress that lighting is the secret sauce.
“Lighting is key to elevating a space and making it feel warmer,” says Johnson.
Puck lights can provide a soft, thoughtful effect for bookshelves and displays, while linear lighting can transform a bar area into a glowing, sophisticated lounge.
Texture is equally important. For those aiming for a high-end look, California Closets’ offers products by Elements, which features metal-framed doors with bronze satin or back-painted glass, and adds a layer of grandeur.
“It brings in a level of luxury you can’t get from any other product line,” says Ogle. “I look at the house as a whole to ensure cohesion room to room.”
Built-in value
In a competitive market like NYC, a custom-designed entertainment center or home bar is a major selling point.
“People gravitate toward built-in furniture because it looks like it was always meant to be there,” says Johnson.
For clients planning to sell, the designers guide them toward timeless, sophisticated aesthetics rather than hyper-stylized trends. When a buyer walks into an apartment and sees a floor-to-ceiling, custom-trimmed wall unit, it creates a high-end, turnkey feeling that can significantly influence property desirability and resale value.
Whether designed to sell or as part of a forever home, California Closets’ custom solutions are all about creating a backdrop for life. From custom bars to integrated entertainment centers, the right design proves that there’s no place like home.