Big sound for a small place

You asked for it. And now you’ve got it. The 805 Diamond from Bowers and Wilkins is an industry world-first – the only speaker of its size and type to incorporate true studio-grade technology in the form of a diamond dome tweeter. Experience remarkable, lifelike sound from a discreet speaker that fits almost anywhere. Diamond dome tweeters have long been considered an exclusive luxury in the world of audio – a refinement to be reserved only for the most expensive, studio-sized loudspeakers. No longer. The 805 Diamond is nothing less than a revolution in speaker design: the first speaker of its size and at this price point to come with a diamond tweeter. Small but perfectly formed, the 805 Diamond will fit almost everywhere. Tucked away on a bookshelf or positioned on its specially designed stand, it’s perfect for smaller listening spaces. And it will serve equally well as the rear channels of a home theatre system, bringing superb, breathtakingly realistic sound to places you never thought possible.

805 Diamond speakers can be purchased at Mission Audio and Video. 1910 De La Vina Street, Santa Barbara. 805-682-7575.

by LesLIe A. westbrook

When you hear California Closets, you may think this company will re-do your closet so that it’s well organized. The design consultants at this company do that, but surprisingly they do much more.

Whether you want to convert a garage into a “man cave” or workshop, create a Hollywood star-worthy walk in closet, re-organize your home office (that can double as a guest room with a murphy bed), or are looking for ways to organize your children’s bedroom/playroom, there are many solutions available to fit all design aesthetics.

“It is no accident that much of our business comes from repeat customers and those referred to us. Our entire team is dedicated to providing a superior experience —from our Customer Liaison who answers the phone and schedules your appointment right thru to the finished installation,” notes General Manager Lisa Lennard, who began as a customer and has been with the firm for 17 years, adding, “Our mission is to assist our customers in beautifying and organizing their home in a way that satisfies each and every customer, every time that we work with them. We call this the California Closets Experience.”

The Process

The process begins with a complimentary inhome design consultation to discuss storage solutions that fit your wants, needs, budget and space. Colors and materials come into play, as well as the look or mood you want to create.

No unwanted surprises

Once you’ve settled on a design and materials, there is no guesswork on what the results will look like: California Closets has a special 3D CAD program that creates a highly detailed three-dimensional visualization of the design.

There are also materials to choose from and California Closets stays on top of current international design trends.

“We are leaders in the industry—always on the lookout for the latest in materials and products,” says Lennard, “We are not looking at what our competition is doing — we are looking for what is new and trending in Europe. We were the first to import the newest textured melamines from Italy. We work with the premier source in Europe. Our corporate product team attends the Milan Furniture Fair each year so that we know what is happening in Europe before it gets to the U.S. This puts us two years ahead of the competition! All of our product offerings are special – each in their own way — from our installed accessories such as belt & tie racks and garment rods to our deeply textured melamines, Eco Resins and Italian Glass door and drawer front inserts.”

Closet Organization

Who doesn’t dream of being able to reach into their closet and find what they want to wear quickly and efficiently? You can add tremendous storage in a standard 8’ “reach in” closet (as opposed to a walk in closet, which they also can design with panache and style) with the addition of shelves, drawers, pull out baskets and staggered heights for hanging short and long items and even shoe shelves.

Man Caves

Are you a fella dreaming of a room to play poker, watch sports or movies, listen to music or share your fine wine collection with friends?

California Closets has a helpful video on man caves on the company website with ideas and examples. The video discusses choosing a paint color to begin with to set the mood and deciding the purpose of the room and what style, with visuals to match, making the entire process very easy!

Home office/Guest Rooms/Murphy beds

Wondering where to put those visiting friends and relatives? You can create a combo home office/guest room with a storage wall system that incorporates a Murphy bed that no one will suspect is there. New Murphy bed designs are not the slapstick versions of yesteryear movies.

Children’s Rooms

California Closets are experts at setting kids on the right path towards organization. They create systems for toys to be sorted according to activity; creating a place for everything from school books to games and best of all, making sure the room has style by incorporating color and texture that provide a space for imaginations to soar.

“Our highly skilled Design Consultants are here and looking forward to helping with your next project,” Lennard enthusiastically concluded, “They will work closely with you to ensure that you get the right solution within your budget. Our systems start at $200 per linear foot and go up from there. We will do a fantastic job for you!”

For information or to schedule a free design consultation contact California Closets, 15 W. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara, phone (805) 4859100. http://www.californiaclosets.com/santabarbara Open Mon-Fri 10-5