A recent decluttering experience at my grandmother’s old home opened my eyes to the usefulness of closets.
My friend suggested we do a closet upgrade alongside the home makeover to raise the house value. She further mentioned that she had lately discovered Closets by Design and swore by them, but my partner was baised to California Closets.
Thus began a steady descent into us building a comparison of Closets by Design vs California Closets.
You see, the storage solution for my grandmother were aged wardrobes that were half falling to pieces.
But nowadays, built in closets are far more popular as they maintain a breathable home by providing an out of sight organization space.
And since we wanted to opt for efficiency with maximized spacing, we had to ask, is Closets by Design or California Closets better?
In the following content, we will face the difference between California Closets and Closets by Design to determine which closet brand is the right fit. Shall we get started?
Exploring Closets By Design
Closets by Design is a franchise brand that was established in the year 1982 in Los Angeles, California and has been under the ownership of Home Organizers Inc. since 2001.
Since its first franchise opening in San Diego, it has continued to tailor storage solutions to make life simpler with function and sophistication.
They function with a direct to consumer service mechanism which means they construct and design their closets inhouse to the satisfaction of their customer.
This customization standard is aimed at fulfilling total customer satisfaction by curating a closet to match the lifestyle and need while taking budget into consideration.
You will find their floor base storage systems to be reliable as they provide more durability.
While their custom construction is made to look built into your home which is visually seamless and elegant.
Exploring California Closets
California Closets is a multinational brand that was established in the year 1978 in Woodland Hills, California and continues to operate under FirstService Brands since 1998.
Since its first franchise opening in Huntington Beach in the year 1982, it has aimed at improving daily life with their personalized designs.
They work on a basis of full custom solutions designed to bring life to their customer’s vision through a professional team of consultants.
This focus on customer satisfaction is highlighted through their complete end to end service model and white glove installation made by trained employees.
Their brand employs a sustainable standard with material selection as they utilize boards made from recycled wood fibers.
You will be charmed by the convenience of their specialized CAD (computer aided design) software that helps provide a digital view of your imagined design.
Comparing Closets By Design VS California Closets
As we continued to mull over the question of Closets by Design vs California Closets, I realized we needed to compare all the specs before coming to a sound decision.
The key factors which set the two brands apart started from the point of material reliability to customization and the cost of custom closets.
Both brands offer custom storage solutions through walk in and reach in closets including kids closets, wardrobes, home office storage and more.
Then through a brief Closets by Design vs California Closets reviews, we determined that Closets by Design is suited to a friendlier budget with sales offers.
While California Closets was considered more high tier and came out more expensive.
In order to understand the difference between California Closets and Closets by Design, we have to look at the following specifics. Let us begin!
Customization
The matter of customization when it comes to Closets by Design vs California Closets is determined by the choice between a focus on an adaptable build and appealing vision.
Closets by Design operates with a focus on fitting your storage solutions to the dimensions of your home and requirement.
They structure themselves with a floor based construction model with closet units made to look built into your home architecture.
California Closets on the other hand works with an appeal to aesthetic models where they provide custom storage solutions that make your closet feel like a designer boutique.
While Closets by Design focuses on a structural and functional technique and employs a visual tool like proprietary 3D design software.
California Closets align themselves with quality tech based customization which includes integrated LED lighting and high end 3D CAD renderings.
Construction Quality
If we have to speak on the construction quality of Closets by Design vs California Closets, for materials they both use ¾ inch thick wood based boards that provide stable resistance to wood warping.
These brands rely on MDF (medium density fibreboard) and particle board that is treated with thermo fused laminate (TFL) or Malamine.
The difference between Closets by Design vs California Closets are highlighted in the build of their closets where Closets by Design offers floor based systems that come with a bottom shelf and toe plate as a standard.
California Closets in contrast requires a paid upgrade to include floor based designs while having wall mounted systems as a standard.
For hardware, both brands come with soft close hinges and drawer glides where the quality of given hardware is dependent on the retail location. So pick and choose carefully.
Style & Finish
Closets by Design vs California Closets are defined by the difference in design focus where Closets by Design deliver a built in feel with floor based construction and woodgrain or stained finishes.
While California Closets bear a designer or boutique look with their linen textures, wood veneers and matte lacquer finishes.
When it comes to style, Closets by Design offers 4 collections namely The Everyday Collection that focuses on practical simplicity, The Classic Collection offering timeless charm, The Regency Collection that displays sophisticated strength and The Brio Collection for a modern textured look.
California Closets is not far behind in style as they focus on clean lines and suspended construction with 4 tiered levels for design detail and 3 specialised collections.
These include CC Luxe Matte Collection with 5 velvety finishes, the CC Wood Grain Collection with 7 wood texture finishes and finally CC Specialty Collection with 4 special finishes mimicking linen, painted wood and so on.
Warranty
When I looked into the warranty info for Closets by Design vs California Closets, I found that both brands offer a Limited Lifetime warranty for their closets. These warranties are attached to the original buyer and come with conditions on the basis of regional location.
For Closets by Design this warranty service covers the duration of the life of the product under normal use and wear. And for California Closets, it is serviceable as long as the home is under your ownership.
I will emphasise that services vary and depend on geographical location and coverage is limited to defects in material, faulty components and workmanship or installation by the company.
Any factor of third party installation or hardware will null the warranty.
You should also keep in mind that the warranty is non transferable and its validity will be voided under a second owner of the product.
Availability
Closets by Design vs California Closets are franchise brands that are widely available throughout the USA.
Closets by Design is widespread in major metro cities as it functions as an established national franchise and provides in-home consultations only.
California Closets, you will find, is a reach wider with about 158 locations within and outside their base country that offers both virtual and in-home consultations.
The initial consultation for both companies lasts 1 to 2 hours which leads to a 1 to 2 week window for design approval.
The general lead time from the start to end installation can range between 4 to 8 weeks which can be affected by material availability, geographical location and demand.
You can refer to Closets by Design or California Closets on their official web pages to book your very first consultation.
Pricing
As I continued piecing together the difference between California Closets and Closets by Design, I kept wondering, is Closets by Design or California Closets cheaper?
They both offer entry, middle and luxury tier levels of pricing depending on their varied collections, material or hardware quality.
You will find what your budget allows within both brands but if we are considering the specifics of Closets by Design vs California Closets price, California Closets is a lot costlier.
The cost is also dependent on the make of closets, whether it be reach in or walk in closets.
The standard cost of Closets by Design falls between $150 to $400 per linear foot with walk-ins costing $1800 to $7000 and reach-ins being $1100 to $3000.
For California Closets it is priced at $175 to $1800 per linear foot where reach-ins come at $1905 to $10,949 and walk-ins being $5817 to $33,607.
| Brands | Closets By Design | California Closets |
| Materials | Laminated melamine, MDF | CARB compliant laminated composite board, Ecoresin, LED lighting |
| Durability | Stable floor based support | Warp and scratch resistant |
| Product Lines | The Everyday Collection, The Classic Collection, The Regency Collection, The Brio Collection | CC Luxe Matte Collection, CC Wood Grain Collection, CC Speciality Collection |
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime Warranty, service varies by franchise location | Limited Lifetime Warranty for custom builds |
| Availability | Authorized franchise dealers. Showrooms | Authorized showrooms, franchise stores |
| Style Focus | Simple and smart storage options for accessible budget | Premium sophistication and organization like a boutique |
| Pricing | Middle range, low with sales offers | Middle to high end |
Closets By Design Vs California Closets: Online Consumer Reviews
I personally believe no search is complete without looking into real world experiences beyond my own when it comes to brands.
Therefore I set off on a journey to discover the opinions of people on Closets by Design vs California Closets.
Following this, I drew some valuable information in my exploration of Closets by Design vs California Closets reviews where a Reddit user pointed out that “the deals tend to be seasonal.” This did fill me with anticipation since it would mean cutting costs without losing value.
But I had some reservations due to a Closets by Design lawsuit that spoke about these sale promos being price deceptive. So I stress that you should personally check the quality of the product before making a purchase.
My study of Closets by Design vs. California Closets Reddit was more than positive as users mentioned Closets by Design to be made of “Quality of materials…We are very happy with what we got.”
While others highlighted how California Closets have “good materials, solid workmanship, efficient performance, and good post-construction coverage…They’re fairly expensive, though.”
Closets By Design
While reading a Closets by Design Reddit review for price quotes, a user mentioned that getting “cheap melamine closets…it’s not going to raise the value of your house.” They stated how custom closets are a luxury since we get what we pay for.
Other users echoed this sentiment since it will come with cheap hardware and materials though they considered “$3.1k for a master closet is a steal.”
This deeper dive into Custom Closets by Design vs California Closets Reddit made me stumble onto a user who was seeking advice on price quotes for reach in closets.
Users provided positive feedback by stating that “the advantage to Closets by Design is that it’s built to last…HDF with thick formica.” While another said the price quotes are pretty standard and “the best part of this is that they install it.”
The OP on this thread did end up getting The Classic Collection worth $1188 which I believe is a good investment.
California Closets
I continued my search into Closets by Design vs California Closets Reddit where a consumer said “California closets is by far the best, because most of their stuff is in house and they can customize things in a way that the other companies can’t.”
A careful thing to note here was that if we want simple designs then we will end up paying a “higher cost for relatively little value.” The user also suggested that we do online consultations and “find someone that seems to know what they’re talking about and be careful with accessories and you’re good to go.”
Most users on Facebook had good experiences with California Closets where one stated they got their walk-in closet 12 years prior and “the closet has held up very well and still looks great!”
Other users were happy with their purchase since the closets held up for several years and one stressed how “they helped us figure out the best use of space and personalized it for our exact needs.”
While this spoke of the good quality of California Closets, a user who is an architect mentioned how their “quality is good but they cost more than if you go direct with a millworker.”
Closets By Design Vs California Closets: Pros & Cons
The factor of pros and cons when it comes to Closets by Design vs California Closets is an important element influencing our final pick. This end choice between Closets by Design or California Closets is highly influenced by what either brands are offering.
Let us again establish that Closets by Design is the reachable choice when it comes to pricing for custom picks. While California Closets offers top quality designer led custom installation.
Since we already know the main specifics and the say around these two brands, let us consider their varied advantages and disadvantages in the following.
Closets By Design
The express advantage or pros for Closets by Design begins with their standard build floor based system that gives you a furniture quality built in look for your home.
They offer practical storage solutions centred around maximizing functional organization. This is elevated by the fact of friendly pricing with seasonal discount offers.
Its drawbacks or cons, as I found, lie in inconsistent quality control related to alignment miscalculations and material defects plus installation mistakes.
Their standard make comes with limitations on design and will require paid upgrades to get your desired dimensions.
California Closets
With California Closets, one highlighted pro or advantage is the offer of professional level consultation with designers for custom construction of closets.
They come with 4 tiered levels of aesthetic accessories and storage solutions for maximum space organization with elegant appeal.
The coverage of all these specialized elements raise quality but also the pricing. This in particular is its glaring con or disadvantage for budget conscious customers.
Added to this is the inconsistent level of service and customer service from region to region with considerable wait times due to high demand.
Comparing Closets By Design Vs California Closets To Other Brands
I was conscious of limiting myself to only two choices of Closets by Design vs California Closets, so my friend suggested the following brands to help my judgement.
Seeing what these brands offer in contrast to California Closets and Closets by Design will help to open the scope of your search for the right brand.
It is important here that you note the value of understanding the common standard of pricing in the industry as you pick and compare between brands.
Please keep in mind that pricing is related to the product.
Budget friendly choices will limit you to a lesser quality product while pricier choices can range between moderate to premium makes.
Let us begin exploring!
Closet Factory
Closet Factory is a custom closet brand that was launched in the year 1983 in Los Angeles, California and began franchise operations in 1985.
It sets a standard for meeting the exact dimensions of any space with local based manufacturers.
They come with FSC approved plywood, water based stains and formaldehyde free boards which makes them an eco friendly brand.
When we look at Closets by Design vs California Closets vs Closet Factory, the difference is underlined by cost, construction and design.
With Closets by design vs Closet Factory you will find that both brands offer floor based builds and are more budget friendlier than California Closets.
If you turn to California Closets vs Closet Factory, you will see that California Closets use hanging models with a pro design led process to installation.
Closet Factory is the middle range pick between all three brands and their services often extend to onsite modifications which speaks of their commitment to flexibility in meeting client demand.
Closet World
Closet World models itself as an affordable brand and was launched in the year 1991.
This brand seeks to make storage solutions budget friendly with a very competitive sales strategy of 50% off on materials.
They mainly operate within California and Nevada, so procuring their products is more difficult than Closets by Design vs California Closets.
If we are considering Closets by Design vs Closet World vs California Closets, you will note that Closet World lies in the lowest price range with free installations alongside their sale offers.
While Closets by Design or California Closets are offering Limited Lifetime Warranties, Closet World gives you a limited 7 year warranty. They also pitch speedy deliveries with a lead time of 9 to 14 days.
So go with Closet World for a quick and cheap access to a temporary closet if you are situated around California or Nevada.
If you want a reliable budgeted alternative then Closets by Design is readily available while you will get your money’s worth with specialty designed closets by California Closets.
Classy Closets
Classy Closets is a high end brand that was founded in the year 1983 in Phoenix, Arizona and is situated around West and Southwestern USA.
Theirs is a designer level model with floor based construction and a built in furniture look. If you want a premium upgrade to Closets by Design vs California Closets, this is the brand for you.
When we examine Classy Closets vs California Closets vs Closets by Design, you will note that Classy Closets is far more expensive due to its mid to high pricing.
The standard make of this brand is different given the use of quality materials like real wood veneers, custom painted MDF (medium density fibrewood) and TFL (thermally fused laminate).
Focus on Closets by Design for a budget friendly product that will give you a built in look.
Or turn to California Closets for their designer makes with elegant wall hung closets.
If both brands do not satisfy, then Classy Closets for better durability and quality components are for you.
When To Choose Between Closets By Design vs California Closets?
The choice between Closets by Design vs California Closets is reliant on your personal preference and their aesthetic appeal.
Since the materials of their construction are the same, the choice boils down to the value of cost and available array of designs.
My friend and I tracked down some local showrooms to get a feel of the materials. I recommend a first hand experience when it comes to brands that you will work into the spaces of your home.
Because what is a closet if not an upgraded wardrobe? If you think it too taxing, then online consultations are just as accessible for both brands.
Let us now have a look at which brand will meet the most of your demands.
Choose Closets By Design
Closets by Design boasts a seamless look that fits your home with their built in construction. So if you want a traditional, classic and solid look for your closet, this is the brand for you.
Their functional model is budget friendly which is ideal if you are looking to find an accessible product that will match your transitional or traditional home.
They will meet you halfway with their discount sales for standard designs.
But do look out not to fall into their upgraded sales packages if you are looking for a specific look and design.
Choose California Closets
California Closets comes with a designer touch that aims for a boutique look. It is the best choice if you are leaning towards a high fashion aesthetic that feels sophisticated, modern, minimalist and premium.
They come with wall hung models that open up the space of your room with speciality textures like linen plus LED lighting within the closet units.
It will suit your taste if you want a showroom look for your walk in or reach in closets.
Do be mindful that added customizations will raise the price for this brand which will not meet budget friendly standards.
Conclusion
The extent of this discourse was aimed at helping find the closet for you.
After learning about these two brands, Closets by Design vs California Closets, I can say with surety that you now have a better clue on what to go with.
Be it the design savvy California Closets or the classic looking Closets by Design.
We have learned the difference between California Closets and Closets by Design by exploring their details that feature their customization, design, warranty and so on.
From the talk online to their pros and cons, we have established the two brands to have similar makes with certain distinctions.
In case Closets by Design or California Closets do not satisfy, I have also provided alternative brands that offer closest within low to high value for your convenience.
Now explore, feel and see it first hand before making your choice.
FAQs on Closets By Design VS California Closets
What is the average price of Closets By Design?
Depending on the size, dimension and scope of the closet you want, the average price of Closets By Design fall between $1100 to $7000. It is estimated that the cost per liner foot is $150 to $400. With high customization comes higher costs and walk in closets can go well up to $ 20,000. The cost is tiered by the value of each collection where The Everyday Collection is the most budget friendly at a start price of $1080, Classic Collection at $1188, Regency Collection at $1296 and finally the highest that is Brio starting at $1512.
Is Closets by Design an American company?
Closets By Design is an American company that was established in the year 1982 in Los Angeles, California. It became part of the Home Organizers Inc. in 2001 and is currently headquartered at Whittier, California. It became a franchise in 1998 with a spread of about 50 locations throughout the USA and Canada. You can source their products from authorized local showrooms or consider an online consultation through their website.
Does California Closet use real wood?
California Closets use an engineered variation of wood, therefore they do not use real raw wood. Their products are made with recycled wood fibers that come as laminated boards like particle board or MDF (medium density fiberboard). This makes their closets more cost efficient and budget friendly when it comes to large projects. They provide wood veneers, wood grain textured finishes for an organic look while offering solid wood accent upgrades like dovetail drawers.
Why are California Closets so expensive?
California Closets are considered expensive since they focus on providing bespoke design and labour for their customers. They have a full service system focused on delivering high end closet results that parallel boutiques. Their high prices are affected by their pro level consultation model from initiation to white glove installation by their skilled employees till the end. They are also CARB (California Air Resources Board) certified and come with a limited lifetime warranty for the original buyer.
