Space Saving Advantages of Custom Built-Ins

Are you trying to decide between freestanding or built-in custom furniture for your home?  A recent article in the Ottawa Citizen by Jennifer Cox, “Custom advantage: Use built-ins to maximize space and storage,” highlights some of the advantages of choosing built-ins for your next home remodeling project.

• Custom made built-ins will allow you to utilize fully your available space.  No more hard to reach corners and awkward gaps between freestanding pieces of furniture.
• Built-ins can be constructed for any room.  A custom fireplace design that incorporates built-in shelving or built-in custom entertainment centers are perfect for living rooms, and custom cabinetry can solve storage problems in home offices and small bedrooms.
• Unique, professionally created built-ins will mesh with your home’s architecture and help increase your house’s resale value.
• Built-ins, especially in bedrooms, can combine multiple functions, including work areas, bed space, and even lighting.

Are you tempted to try a DIY built-in project?  Here are a few caveats discussed in the article.

• The difference in quality between professional custom carpentry and amateur enthusiasm will be apparent.  Poor work can actually detract from the value of your home.
• The over-zealous addition of deep built-in shelves to a room can actually make the space feel smaller.
• Built-in shelves and mantels around fireplaces must be constructed with the proper regard for heat and smoke.
• Shelves must be made of materials with the thickness and strength to support the weight of the items you intend to place on them and finished with stains or paints that will withstand regular usage.

You’re better off leaving your built-in project in the capable hands of a CustomMade artisan in your area.

Check out these CustomMade built-ins that not only solve storage problems efficiently but also create unique, beautiful spaces for your home.

Stone, wood, and sky.  This maple stained mountain home open bookcase with ladder by Calls Design Inc. is nestled between a gorgeous fireplace and a breathtaking view but does not suffer by comparison.  The bookcase itself is angled to make the climb up those steel steps a little easier.

Mountain Home Open Bookcase with Ladder by Calls Design Inc. at CustomMade.com

Do you have a style or two you want to combine for a room or home with a unique theme?  This custom Asian bedroom by Michael Humphries Woodworking combines contemporary and Asian styles and offers practical and beautiful storage solutions, such as built-in window seating, display shelves built into the headboard, and dresser drawers built into the closets.  The cabinets are made with figured tamo ash and curly maple panels.  Ebonized walnut was used for the detailing.

Custom Asian Bedroom by Michael Humphries Woodworking at CustomMade.com

Take a close look at the baseboard on the left side of this fireplace cabinetry by Tony O’Malley Custom Cabinetry.  In addition to integrating visually and aesthetically new maple cabinetry with the existing fireplace and mantel, an existing heating duct was integrated safely into the cabinetry by extending the duct through the baseboard.  An area that was previously off-limits to furniture due to the need to keep the duct unobstructed is now an attractive storage and display space.

Fireplace Cabinetry by Tony O'Malley Custom Cabinetry at CustomMade.com

Browse our gallery of CustomMade built-ins for more wonderful pieces that showcase the quality work our artisans can complete for your home.  If you’re still hungry for design inspiration, we have quite a few blog articles on custom built-ins for your perusal.