Design Tips from Jere Bradwell Interior Designer

Custom Closet Design: Creating a Dressing Room That Feels Beautiful and Works for Real Life

Fri, 08 May 2026 02:02:33 GMT

A beautifully designed closet can completely change the way you live in your home.

For many people, the closet is one of the most used spaces in the house, but it is often one of the least considered. Clothing gets crowded, shoes disappear, handbags are stacked wherever they fit, and the morning routine can feel more stressful than it needs to be.

At J Bradwells Home & Design , we believe even the most practical spaces in a home deserve to be beautiful. A custom closet or dressing room should not just store your things. It should help you feel organized, calm, and ready for the day

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A Closet Should Feel Like a Room, Not Just Storage

One of the biggest shifts in luxury home design is treating closets as true living spaces. A well-designed dressing room can feel like a private boutique, with custom cabinetry, thoughtful lighting, beautiful hardware, and a place for everything.

Deep painted cabinetry, warm brass details, elegant drawer fronts, and a center island can transform a closet from ordinary storage into one of the most enjoyable rooms in the home.

The goal is not simply to make the closet look impressive. The best closet design makes everyday life easier.

Beautiful Details That Make a Difference

A custom closet becomes truly special when the details are carefully planned. Some of our favorite features include:

Custom drawer storage for folded clothing, scarves, jewelry, and accessories
Double hanging areas for shirts, jackets, and pants
Long hanging sections for dresses and coats
Open shelves for handbags and decorative storage baskets
Pull-out trays for watches, sunglasses, or special accessories
Shoe storage designed around the client’s actual collection
Integrated lighting so everything is easy to see
A center island for packing, folding, or laying out outfits
A built-in hamper or laundry area to keep the room neat

These details make the space more functional and feel personal.

The Beauty of Color in Custom Cabinetry

Closets do not have to be plain white boxes. A rich navy, deep charcoal, warm taupe, or soft painted finish can give a dressing room the feeling of fine furniture.

Color adds depth and personality. Paired with beautiful hardware and lighting, custom cabinetry can become one of the most dramatic design features in the home.

At J Bradwells, we are known for our use of color, and we love helping clients choose finishes that feel sophisticated, timeless, and well-suited to their home's architecture.

Lighting Is Everything

Lighting is one of the most important parts of a custom closet design. A beautiful pendant or chandelier can create a sense of a finished room, while recessed and interior cabinet lighting make the space more practical.

The best dressing rooms use layers of lighting. You want the room to feel warm and flattering, but also bright enough to easily see clothing colors, textures, and details.

Designed Around the Way You Live

No two closets should be exactly the same. A custom closet should be designed around the person using it.

Some clients need more shoe storage. Some need more drawers. Some want a beautiful place to display handbags. Others need packing space, seasonal storage, or a dressing area that makes their morning routine smoother.

The first step is always understanding how you live, what you own, and what would make your day easier.

Custom Closets as Part of Whole-Home Design

A well-designed closet should feel connected to the rest of the home. The cabinetry style, hardware finish, flooring, lighting, and colors should all relate to the surrounding rooms.

This is where interior design experience makes a real difference. A closet is not just a storage project. It is part of the home's larger feeling

At J Bradwells Home & Design , we help clients create homes that are both beautiful and practical, from custom closets and dressing rooms to bedrooms, bathrooms, home offices, kitchens, window treatments, furnishings, lighting, art, and accessories.

Live Beautifully, Every Day

The best design is not only about how a room looks. It is about how it makes you feel when you use it.

A custom closet can bring order, beauty, and ease to everyday life. It can make getting dressed feel more enjoyable. It can help protect the things you love. And it can turn a forgotten area of the home into a space that feels truly special.

If you are thinking about creating a custom closet, dressing room, or a more organized and beautiful home, we would love to help.

J Bradwells Home & Design
Luxury Interior Design, Custom Cabinetry, Window Treatments, Furnishings & Accessories
Lambertville, New Jersey

Live Beautifully with J Bradwell's Home & Design

A Designer’s Guide to Inspired Living

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 01:58:47 GMT

How to Make Your Home Warm, Beautiful, and Practical

At J Bradwells Home & Design in Lambertville, NJ, we believe your home should tell your story—with comfort, personality, and timeless beauty. For over 20 years, we’ve helped clients from Bucks County, the Main Line, South Florida, and the Hamptons bring their dream interiors to life. Whether it’s custom window treatments, full-home renovation project management, or finding that perfect velvet accent chair, our approach blends warmth, color, and function with a designer’s eye for detail.

Layered Design That Feels Like Home

We specialize in transitional interior design —that perfect mix of classic charm and fresh, updated style. Picture a space where elegant upholstery meets grasscloth wallpaper, or where modern cabinetry is softened with beautiful lighting and warm wood finishes. Our interiors are designed to feel calm, personal, and just a bit indulgent—exactly how a luxury home should feel.

From personalized home design services to full-home planning, we tailor every project to reflect your personality, taste, and lifestyle.

The Luxury of Custom Window Treatments

As a Hunter Douglas Gallery Dealer in Lambertville, we offer top-of-the-line window treatments—including PowerView® smart automation, classic plantation shutters, and custom shades that let you control light and privacy with ease. But we don’t stop there.

Our in-house workroom creates soft fabric draperies, valances, and roman shades in fabrics you choose, perfectly matched to your rooms and furniture. Whether you're in New Hope, Yardley, or the Main Line, we bring a designer touch to every detail.

If you’re looking for custom draperies in Lambertville, NJ or automated window treatments in Bucks County, we’d love to help.

�� Color Is Our Signature (and Our Secret)

Clients often come to us because they’ve seen how we use color—whether it’s a hunter green velvet, a deep navy grasscloth, or a soft peach accent. Color can change how a space feels, and we know how to balance bold choices with comfort and sophistication.

We complete every space with finishing touches that matter— home styling, luxury accessories, lighting, and curated art that reflects your personality and elevates your space. We’re proud to be known as the interior designer known for color in the Lambertville and New Hope area.

Famous Recipe from the Pizza Parlor Tampa FL from the 1980's

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 11:58:21 GMT

The Legendary "Christmas Tree" Salad from Tampa's Pizza Parlor

If you lived in Tampa during the early 1980s, there’s a good chance you remember the cozy pizza spot on Dale Mabry Highway simply known as The Pizza Parlor. While their pies were certainly worth the visit, it was a certain salad—yes, a salad—that truly captured the hearts (and appetites) of locals.

Affectionately known as the "Christmas Tree Salad," this unique and delicious dish was shaped like a little festive tree when served. It became an instant icon, lovingly remembered by Tampa natives for decades. And now, after a little digging and a lot of nostalgia, we've unearthed the original recipe just as it appeared in the Tampa Tribune years ago.

I'm sharing it here not only as a tribute to Tampa’s flavorful past, but because it’s still just as delicious today. Whether you’re hosting a nostalgic dinner party or just want to serve something a little unexpected, this salad will bring both flavor and conversation to the table.

Pizza Parlor Italian Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 head lettuce

1 or 2 tomatoes, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup green olives

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup juice from jar of olives

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. sugar

Instructions:

Mix lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and cheese in a bowl.

In a separate container, whisk together olive oil, olive juice, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, vinegar, and sugar.

Pour the dressing over the salad, toss well, and serve immediately.

For an authentic presentation, try shaping the salad into a cone and placing a single olive on top—just like they did back in the day.

If you're local to Lambertville or the surrounding areas, we always love celebrating iconic recipes like this one at J Bradwells Home & Design. Food, like home, is full of memory, tradition, and joy.

We’d love to hear from anyone who remembers this salad firsthand—or better yet, sees it return to their table. Stay tuned for our next newsletter where we’ll feature this recipe and a special seasonal pairing suggestion!

Have a favorite vintage recipe or hometown memory you'd like us to feature? Drop us a note!

The Tradition of Afternoon Tea

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 23:51:25 GMT

Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg, Germany

The tradition of afternoon tea remains a cherished part of British culture to this day. It commemorates the friendship between Queen Victoria and Anne Maria Russell and the influence they had on the customs of their time.

To revive the traditions of bygone times, our renowned chefs at Althoff Hotels have collaborated to create a selection of sweet delicacies and sandwiches. Our chefs found inspiration for these creations in the original recipes of renowned chef Charles Elmé Francatelli.

Afternoon tea is a unique and unforgettable experience that will take you on a journey through time and space. Let yourself be enchanted by the charm of a bygone era.

The Story of Afternoon Tea

The Lobby Bar Is The Perfect Setting

The Hotel is located in this historic Castle

An Eclectic & Comfortable Sunroom

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 14:13:46 GMT

An inviting sunroom is a tranquil haven for relaxation and rejuvenation after a day well spent.

Our clients for this project had an uninspiring sunroom in their home that hadn’t been decorated for 15 years. With outdated furnishings and a lack of privacy, the space simply didn’t feel welcoming or functional.

After removing the original furniture, we created an entirely new ambiance with patterned wallpaper on the walls that contrasted beautifully with green wallpaper on the vaulted ceiling, to give the space a distinguished feel. A large, comfortable sectional and thick area rug creates an inviting atmosphere to relax.

A leather chair and plush green armchair offer additional seating, surrounded by intriguing décor elements that combine to bring the space to life.

Is a space in your home in need of an inspiring design to bring it back to life? Book a Design Inspiration Meeting today to explore what’s possible and turn your vision into a reality.

New Black & White Modern Elegance

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 02:36:23 GMT

Black and White is a powerful clean statement

Black is a classic that works with every color, but when combined with white and creams and a touch of gold it really shines!

A Elegant Dining Experience

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 19:23:05 GMT

Take flight with our amazing Crane Wallpaper in this elegant dining room design

We created this elegant and modern dining room for one of our clients. Starting with the custom Crane Wallpaper and an amazing contemporary rug, we layered in the table the chairs options and lots of extra elements to complete the look. We offered two very unique chandeliers, as well, We like to give a client options in style and price. You can shop each item below or call us to have a free consultation for designing your own dining room or other space. 215-794-4443 for customer service & design.

Peacock Blue Collection

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 11:33:04 GMT

The stunning Peacock Blue luxurious velvet takes a cool color from cool to cozy warm!

This new collection is totally shoppable item by item below.

Contemporary Family Room in Blue to shop

Sun, 07 May 2023 14:10:07 GMT

A Clean look in classic blue for a comfy sectional is the star of our room.

You can shop every item in this room below. This was a design for one of our E-Design Clients.

Houzz Spotlight Article Featuring Jere Bradwell Designer

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 12:58:50 GMT

Jere talks about his use of color in design in this Spotlight Design Article in Houzz

Shoppable Room Designs

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 01:48:38 GMT

This Sectional is so functional and comfortable. It is the star of this design.

Our E-Design clients receive mood boards that allow them to visualize their new design. Each Item in the design is listed in the shopping list below the design. By clicking on each item, they get to see additional information extra detail photos and pricing on each item. All items can be purchased through the shop button.