Designer Wendy Scott of Sophisticated Storage Solutions in Bridgewater, NJ, turned an attic topping an existing closet into a dream room.

“With nowhere to go but up, a spiral staircase was added and [the new addition] was built into the nooks and crannies of the attic,” Scott says.

“Clothing and cherished possessions were placed behind glass doors to keep them dust free and within view.” And, she adds, “Special accommodations were made to honor the clients’ jewelry, scarf and tie collections.”

One of the main challenges of this project was how to make the space suitable and functional enough to match the aspirations of the designs.

“We encountered angled ceilings, overall low height, and a tray ceiling that was not centered on the space,” Scott notes. “In the back of the closet near the spiral staircase, the walls were nooks that were raised off the floor at three different heights. This became an issue with doors, and not hitting the corners of the higher ledges. The homeowner wanted everything behind doors, and no visible drilling holes. Every panel was hand drilled to accommodate this.”

Installation was done in stages. Unit shells were placed first and adjusted for height. Because of the uneven floor, the closet storage units on the angled ceiling wall were resized.

Additional challenges included installing the crown moulding, for this area in particular.

“Spacing for fillers were measured then cut to fit. Once everything was in, we took new height measurements for the crown because the ceiling and floors were uneven. We used a 3-inch to 4-inch board and floated the crown on it,” Scott explains. “Shelving, drawers and doors were then installed as well as accessories. The crown, base and marble were the last items installed.”

This project won Scott an honorable mention in the 2014 Closets Top Shelf Design Awards, Closet: Laminate over 18 linear feet category.