StudioBecker: StudioBecker shows how the small spaces of our homes benefit from thoughtful design.

Haute HOME & DESIGN From Wine Walls to Wardrobes, StudioBecker Fulfills Design Dreams

StudioBecker expertly designs and executes a home’s most personal spaces.

BY FRAN ENDICOTT MILLER

Wine drawer

WHEN DESIGNING OR REDESIGNING A HOME, CENTRAL spaces dedicated to entertaining command the most attention. Smaller spaces are often an afterthought, but mood and vibe are most accurately conveyed within some of these more diminutive regions of the home. A wall of elegantly displayed varietals expresses culinary sophistication; a wardrobe with an “everything in its place” motif articulates order and a sense of serenity. While San Francisco’s StudioBecker designs and executes every facet of a home, these more personal spaces best demonstrate the design studio’s unique talent.

Founded in Norway in 1946, StudioBecker soon grew into the largest kitchen and bath retailer in Scandinavia. In 1987, the familyowned company established its U.S. headquarters and quickly became known for its fine, pre-sized, modular German cabinetry. As the industry evolved, so did StudioBecker. Their product development team developed a line that could meet any design challenge in any room of the home, and by 1998, they introduced the Private Collection line of bespoke, German, handmade furniture.

Today, the third generation continues the family tradition of innovation and excellence, utilizing expert designers and craftsmen who transform the finest materials into innovative furniture and exclusive accessories for any room. Wine storage and wardrobes are two of their specialties, and StudioBecker has created patented product designs for these specialty areas of the home.

Wardrobes tend to be very personal spaces expressing the homeowner’s style. A well-designed wardrobe makes getting ready for the day or a night out a delight. Every individual StudioBecker wardrobe design begins with an extensive review of a homeowner’s storage needs for short, long, and folded items, belts, boots, shoes, etc. Then, each need is addressed with the company’s extensive accessory program, carefully designed to beautifully display items while maximizing organization.

A room too small for a walk-in closet may be outfitted with a statement piece such as a walk-up wardrobe featuring the client’s choice of graphic exterior artwork and individualized interior organization. A wardrobe designed with a corner carousel maximizes hard-to-reach corner space, and the additions of dedicated tie and belt storage and pull-out pants and shoe racks add the finishing touches. A narrow space proves perfect for a custom design featuring sculpted matte white lacquer art cubes for purses and shoe storage, with contrasting mahogany wood and specialty museum lighting creating a boutique-style space.

In creating its patented wine systems, StudioBecker consulted with expert wine makers to address key elements of proper wine storage. Designs incorporated into custom furniture pieces include the ability to remove a single bottle without disturbing other bottles, separation and cradling so labels are visible and remain pristine, and gently gliding wine bottle drawer inserts with feltlined cradling scoops, ideal for wines that don’t require aging. Patented shelving includes a scalloped shelf that perfectly stores a case of wine with identifying display space for a single bottle.

Adept at designing for specific customer requests, StudioBecker fulfilled a client’s desire for a unique wine partition to separate living room and hallway by utilizing wire suspension and chamfered walnut blocks to create the appearance of floating bottles. Dramatic, backlit shelving can be used to highlight a wine collection, as can a curved wine wall that allows each bottle to become an objet d’art.

For a bolder presentation, the StudioBecker Piano Bar is the ultimate entertainment piece that can also be customized. At the push of a button, this playable, programmable grand piano opens to reveal a stunning bar wrapped in supple, hand-stitched, Italian leather. The piano holds all the equipment, utensils, and beverages for entertaining, including glasses for martinis, champagne, red and white wine, and mixed drinks. Also included are compartments for cigar cutters, a lighter, and an ashtray.

“Designing wardrobes is both challenging and extremely rewarding,” said StudioBecker designer Gabriel Zaga. “It’s like working with a myriad puzzle pieces that need to be effectively arranged so that the end result is the perfect balance of functionality and aesthetics … leading to the ultimate reward of a delighted client. Wine cellars were once more specifically for practical storage and are now ‘wine rooms’ that have become something to be displayed, even showcased. While there are still many functional aspects to be incorporated, they are great spaces for creativity with materials and unique designs.”