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Building Built-Ins: They're Really Just A Bunch of Boxes
My name is Layla, and I'm a designaholic. I work from home as a design consultant and write a home decor blog called The Lettered Cottage.
My name is Layla, and I'm a designaholic. I work from home as a design... More »
While free-standing furniture can look beautiful and provide ample storage, size-wise it may not always work into your space plan.
If this is the case, you may consider blending storage into the room so that it looks like a part of the house itself.
Built-in cabinetry lets you achieve this look, and believe it or not, it doesn't have to cost a fortune either.
ADVANTAGES OF BUILT-INS:
- Built-ins blend in to your interior instead of standing out from it. Free-standing pieces of furniture can sometimes project out into the room as much as 24" and tend to appear much "bulkier" than built-in cabinetry that is fitted to (or into) the wall.
- Built-ins can provide large quantities of storage because they can use an entire wall without overwhelming the look of the room.
- The trim in your house can be coordinated with the built-ins for a nice, cohesive look throughout.
- Built-ins can provide more efficient storage because they can be tailored to fit specific needs.
- Lighting can easily be integrated into your built-in cabinetry which will add ambience to the room it's in. Double bonus!
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
- Search design magazines and the internet for photos of built-in cabinets that appeal to you. Then, analyze your house to determine what will work, and what won't.
- While a large room can handle a full wall of bookcases, a smaller room might do better with a combination of cabinets, cubby holes and shelves. Also, varying the depth and height of the cabinets can go a long way towards balancing the overall look.
- When deciding what finish to go with, look to the finishes you've already used in your house so that your cabinets blend seamlessly with your existing look.
- Think about what you're going to store in your built-ins. For instance, if you plan to use baskets, measure them and use their measurements to determine the size of your cubbies.
WHO CAN BUILD YOUR BUILT-INS?
- Local cabinet makers can bid on your project once you decide on the look and basic design you want.
- You! Built-ins cabinets are really just big boxes with trim around them, so with a few inexpensive tools, (and a lot of caulk!) it's actually fairly easy to build them yourself. If you're intimidated by adding drawers and doors, just leave them off and use boxes, baskets and other containers to conceal everything.
If this is the case, you may consider blending storage into the room so that it looks like a part of the house itself.
Built-in cabinetry lets you achieve this look, and believe it or not, it doesn't have to cost a fortune either.
ADVANTAGES OF BUILT-INS:
- Built-ins blend in to your interior instead of standing out from it. Free-standing pieces of furniture can sometimes project out into the room as much as 24" and tend to appear much "bulkier" than built-in cabinetry that is fitted to (or into) the wall.
- Built-ins can provide large quantities of storage because they can use an entire wall without overwhelming the look of the room.
- The trim in your house can be coordinated with the built-ins for a nice, cohesive look throughout.
- Built-ins can provide more efficient storage because they can be tailored to fit specific needs.
- Lighting can easily be integrated into your built-in cabinetry which will add ambience to the room it's in. Double bonus!
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
- Search design magazines and the internet for photos of built-in cabinets that appeal to you. Then, analyze your house to determine what will work, and what won't.
- While a large room can handle a full wall of bookcases, a smaller room might do better with a combination of cabinets, cubby holes and shelves. Also, varying the depth and height of the cabinets can go a long way towards balancing the overall look.
- When deciding what finish to go with, look to the finishes you've already used in your house so that your cabinets blend seamlessly with your existing look.
- Think about what you're going to store in your built-ins. For instance, if you plan to use baskets, measure them and use their measurements to determine the size of your cubbies.
WHO CAN BUILD YOUR BUILT-INS?
- Local cabinet makers can bid on your project once you decide on the look and basic design you want.
- You! Built-ins cabinets are really just big boxes with trim around them, so with a few inexpensive tools, (and a lot of caulk!) it's actually fairly easy to build them yourself. If you're intimidated by adding drawers and doors, just leave them off and use boxes, baskets and other containers to conceal everything.
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Built-in cabinetry provides a unique seating opportunity in this dining area. I love the use of sconces on the sides of the tall cabinets.
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This set up would be so easy to make. First, clad the wall in beadboard, or panelling. Then, hang inexpensive, unfinished upper cabinets. (You can find them at furniture or building liquidation warehouses.) Then, it's really just a couple of boxes with a shelf in them for the seat. Next, use crown molding across the top and then paint everything the color of your choice. Finally, adding coat hooks and cabinet door hardware are the perfect finishing touches.
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Here's another great example of an easy built-in to replicate. (You can find "Billy" bookcases at Ikea that look very similar to these, for very little money. Ikea even carries doors just like the ones in this photo too.) By customizing the layout, and placing a cubby shelf below, this arrangement takes advantage of the huge expanse of wall here. Another bonus- the shallow depth doesn't interfere with traffic flow. (PS- Ikea's "Billy" bookcases are only about 11" deep.)
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Accessorizing built-in bookcases is an art. When in doubt, use this photo as your guide. Stacks of books, a collection of pottery and some framed prints. Voila!
by Amoroso Design
»
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Painting your built-ins to match other key design elements, such as fabric, can really make a beautiful statement. (But be prepared to re-paint if you grow tired of your accent color!)
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I want to live here.
That's all.
I just want to live here.
:-)
That's all.
I just want to live here.
:-)
by Amoroso Design
»
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Concealing the washer and dryer in these built-in cabinets makes for a very pretty laundry room, wouldn't you say?
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Here's a great "Before" look at just how simple it is to construct custom-looking built-ins around a window. Just bookcases and a box in the middle!
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Here's a look at the "After" photo. I love the use of a "bridging shelf" across the top of the window. What a great idea for additional storage!
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by Amoroso Design
»
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| I adore the aqua peeking out from these built-ins. |
by Niche Interiors
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Here, the built-ins blend in seamlessly with the wainscoting around the rest of the room. Brilliant!
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A bold window treatment bridges the gap between two bookcases to completely fill up up this wall in the prettiest of ways.
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This one would be fairly easy to replicate too. Just a bunch of boxes!
Ideabook updated on Aug. 16, 2010.
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http://my-creative-attempts.blogspot.com/2009/10/hidden-doorwaysbuilt-in-bookcases.html