Built-in shelves provide efficiency
When it comes to furniture, no pieces are as efficient as built-ins. While they are always more costly, the positives are numerous and convincing. When is it time to invest in a built-in? Let's look at a few ideas.
One area of your home for which to consider a built-in piece is where you have a strange architectural configuration that makes off-the-shelf furniture impractical. An attic is one example.
My home office is up in a loft area. The dormer-like windows are set deep and have 16-inch wood shelves below. My built-in desk sits below one window. It serves as a convenient shelf for a task lamp, a mini set of drawers for pencils and pens, and framed photos to enjoy as I work. I keep my dictionary and thesaurus close by, too.
The best way to take advantage of a low ceiling in your attic is to build in a desk. Or, in an alcove with a ceiling height of, say, 7 feet, a built-in bed might work best.
Another area suitable for built-in shelves is a wide hallway. One that's 48 to 60 inches wide would be perfect to host a built-in bookcase. You can afford to utilize 12 inches of depth along one wall for the bookcase and still have ample room for passage. With a custom built-in unit, you can achieve a fluid and organized look from floor to ceiling and over doorways.
A stair landing is sometimes a useful location for a built-in bookshelves and/or a built-in desk. If the purpose of the unit is to hold a laptop, then fortunately, not much more than 16 to 20 inches of depth is necessary.
In small rooms, the advantage of a built-in is obvious. Every possible inch can be allocated for a specific use. Continuous lines from floor to ceiling, or over or under a window, improve the room's aesthetic.
How do you go about having cabinets or shelves built? Most local cabinetmakers will come to your home and give you a bid, as well as prepare a drawing. Ask about a drawing up front. You should approve it with dimensions and notations about the materials to be used.
It is useful to have a general idea of what you want and what style and look you prefer. Do you want the piece built out of a particular wood? Do you want it stained, or do you want it painted?
Many cabinetmakers will offer medium-density fiber board, or MDF, as an option if you want a painted finished product. MDF is an engineered wood product made by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood fibers, combining it with wax and a resin binder, and using high temperature and pressure to form panels. MDF is generally denser than plywood. The surface of MDF is flat, smooth, uniform, dense and free of knots and grain patterns, making finishing easier and very consistent.
Custom built-ins will allow for increased function in a space. If that's what you're looking for, then it might be the right option for you.
• Christine Brun is a San Diego-based interior designer and the author of "Small Space Living." Send questions and comments to her by email at christinebrun@sbcglobal.net.
© 2017, Creators Syndicate