Client Stories:

Mixing Fun and Function for Designer Justine Ma

client: Justine Ma

location: Alberta, CANADA

design consultant: LiShelle Trembath

Pink and white closet in blue bedroom for Justine Ma

Image of hand reaching into pink drawer of neatly organized clothing

What She Wanted

While renovating her 1952 bungalow with husband Mike, designer and hand-letterer Justine Ma took advantage of the opportunity to fix the home’s lack of storage. For years she’d stored her clothes in an extra bedroom while work projects piled up in the master bedroom, resulting in cluttered spaces that were anything but relaxing. Her four-year-old daughter Ruby’s closet was small and impractical, and with a busy family, Justine dreamt of a mudroom to organize everything from shoes to art supplies. Justine needed solutions that were high in functionality, but with her flair for design, she had a personal request: storage that was pretty, fun, and full of color.

White California Closets child's closet with two rows of hanging clothing in pink room

Tall white shelving flanking wooden bench in green room

How we did it

Designer LiShelle Trembath of California Closets Edmonton immediately recognized Justine’s unique style and abundant creativity, and set out to design effective solutions that increased small-space functionality and captured Justine’s colorful taste. Starting with the master bedroom, LiShelle outfitted the reach-in closet with ample hanging space and shelves. To the left of the closet, she added a custom unit complete with a pull-out hamper, jewelry storage, and drawers finished in petal pink to match the closet. Ruby received an upgraded reach-in closet with her own accessible pull-out hamper and a tie rack to organize her necklace collection. In the mudroom, benches for seating, a sink for laundry, and plenty of storage space maximize function; a color palette of petal pink, saffron yellow, gold, and white offsets the room’s whimsical vinyl floor and green walls for a fresh, playful aesthetic.

Justine is one of the most creative people I’ve ever met; everything she does has flair, style, and personality. I knew these spaces had to be elevated to her level. They’re pretty magical, if you ask me!

LiShelle Trembath

final result

Three small spaces that went big on function, style, and creativity. By elevating each solution to meet Justine’s needs and taste, LiShelle created custom storage that will keep the family both organized and joyful for years to come. Plus, with everything carefully hidden in cabinets and drawers, each unit’s beautiful design rises as a focal point, bringing life to the family’s newly renovated home.

Photo Credits:T Bolinski Photography