There’s a place for everything in this Homearama home

As Homearama strives to honor lifestyle trends within the custom-home market, the teaming up of builder Sam Cohen and organization expert Jeff Bruzzesi might have the crowd in awe.

Hand-scraped hardwood floors, elegant trim, over-sized windows and mixed-element fixtures surround the roomy spaces throughout the 4,200-square-foot “The Treasure Chest: The Organizational House.”

The dwelling features four bedrooms, a first-floor master suite, three full baths and two half-baths, a library, home theater, children’s landing with computer station, and nickel and granite throughout. Craftsmanship by Cohen, president of Joey Corp. in Chesapeake, can be seen in elements like lighting, layout and even ceiling decor – notably, a stained and coffered ceiling in the media room – as well as in special features like the master bathroom’s rainfall shower.

But busy moms may be the biggest fans of custom touches by Bruzzesi, owner/president of the Closet Factory Hampton Roads, who worked with Cohen from the start to incorporate cabinetry in every room for optimal organization and visual impact.

Trimmed built-ins flank window seats in several rooms. The library’s wall of cherry units speaks volumes; cabinetry in the dining room, kitchen and butler’s pantry features accent lighting, dove-tail drawer construction with soft-close slides and glass display sections.

Closets boast adjustable rods and shelves, shoe shelves, ribbon holders, mirrors, hampers, jewelry drawers and more. A utility room houses cubbies, coat hooks and a laundry center with tuck-away ironing station; the garage sports a workbench, planting station and locker-style cabinets.

“The whole idea was that instead of trying to design organization around the (plan) of the house, we designed the house for organization,” Bruzzesi said. “Most people don’t know that we can do all of this work,” he added. “We’re known for closets,” but filling a house gives homeowners a new perspective.

For those wanting to build organization into their own homes, Bruzzesi recommends knowing what you want to store and building in room for inventory growth, deciding what to keep visible and what to hide and considering the look of each unit.

“Whatever it is,” he said, “it can be perfectly built to suit your needs.”

The monetary value of cabinetry throughout varies room by room, from about $400 to more than $10,000.

“Time saved is always my first thought about the benefits of being organized,” Bruzzesi said. “Beyond that is the alleviation of undue stress… I believe the more we can do to improve the way our home works for us, the more peaceful the environment will be.”

SUFFOLK