Bespoke Closets & Organized Spaces, a division of Burke Architectural Millwork, officially opened its high-end design studio with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception on June 24 in Livonia, Michigan.
Owners Barry Burke and Kelly Victor-Burke invited the local design community, industry partners, family, and friends to celebrate the launch of the 1,800-square-foot high-end showroom. Designed to replicate a home, Casa di Burke, as it is affectionately called, is inspired by European design and luxury products, and showcases organized, glamorous custom spaces from the kitchen and pantry to the closet and garage.
The showroom is a departure from the traditional retail spaces typically associated with closet companies. Rather than simply showcasing their products, Bespoke Closets & Organized Spaces has embraced a collaborative approach by partnering with various suppliers and home renovation professionals to bring their vision to life.
“As part of the conference, there were several architectural millwork companies that also had ventured into the closet and organized spaces. They said that it was really a good addition to their business, so we really were intrigued by that,” Kelly explains.
After more networking and talking with other people in the industry, Kelly returned home and decided to write a business plan for expanding into closets. That decision “proved to be very valuable because what I saw was that there is a niche of luxury closets that is out there where there is not really a lot of competition,” she added.
She also realized that education on closet standards was important not only for the entire team. So, they wrote a grant and received funding from the state of Michigan for training.
“We hired the Closet Training Institute and Eric Marshall to come in and give our team a two-day learning workshop on what the closet industry standards are all about. And that was really very helpful to us.”
From that point, they began developing the concept for the high-end showroom. Initially, they planned to have an 800-square-foot design studio. They brought in a retail designer and consultant who was a friend of theirs to help them. “He came in and said, ‘800 square feet is not going to work. If you really are luxury, you have to do it luxury.’ So, he said, ‘Everything has to go.’ So, we took everything in that space and removed it down to the cinder blocks.” They built a luxury home in the industrial complex that housed the parent company, Burke Architectural Millwork.
The design studio is by appointment only and is headed by design director Jennifer O’Connor. “She’s amazing,” Kelly adds. “She’s going to handle everything, and we expect that we’re going to be adding to our design staff because we see them as our primarily sales partners.”
Bespoke showroom vignettes
You know you've entered a unique space from the moment you step inside the design center. Here’s a closer look at some of the remarkable displays that grace the showroom:
First impressions are everything, and the Bespoke Closets’ doorstep is the first clue that you’re about to enter a different kind of showroom. A blue door flanked by a row of lush planter boxes welcomes each visitor to Casa di Burke. According to the company, the custom door decal and planters are inspired by the scenes of Amsterdam along its canals. And the blue door, according to European folklore, represents peace, safety, and faith.
Once inside the welcoming and luxurious foyer inspired by the 17th-century European countryside, the living room vignette is on the immediate right, featuring a simple, flexible, and functional Scandinavian design.
To the right of the living room is the signature urban closet display, which features decorative touches like a hand-polished snake pull. This vignette also has a wall bed, highlighting the ability to convert a closet or other space into a guest room.
The next room is a home office inspired by European design trends from Maison & Objet and Salone del Mobile. A German-style kitchen and Butler’s pantry also fill the space.
A wine nook and cellar with Bespoke’s signature wine box and on-trend colors leads visitors to the glam walk-in closet. This custom space full of personal touches, including a replica of Kelly’s mother’s wedding dress, was inspired by the mystique and enchantment of Paris, the company says. Full of glamour and luxury, the space highlights carefully curated materials and finishes.
Just beyond the walk-in closet is a “cozy laundry room” inspired by Irish cottages with verdant green cabinets and warm pear wood look accents.
The next vignette is a Bauhaus-inspired garage space featuring a combination of textures, metallic and glossy finishes and stone-look counters and backsplashes.
The final display of Casa di Burke is a patio space inspired by the neighborhoods of Hamburg, Germany. Details include custom stainless steel cabinets and a picnic table and benches.
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