Since we bought our house, we have been dreaming about putting a built-in cabinet and bookshelf to fill the little nook next to our fireplace.
Our dream has finally came true!
Our dream has finally came true!
This is what the space looked like before. The large wall of the space overwhelms our cluttered console table. This space is the perfect size and shape for something more permanent that will only add value to our home!
This was our inspiration. This is about the same type of area as our nook. I love how it is asymmetrical and how the shelves are styled.
I applied this inspiration and drew a rough sketch with dimensions. We meet with a carpenter and showed him our ideas. He made some different suggestions and added some great options. It took him about 1.5 months from the time of our design meeting until install.
The night before the instal we cleared out the nook.
Then, he came with this and installed it. It is made of hardwood. The craftsmanship is excellent and it definitely exceed our expectations.
Yeah, yeah I know Mr. Engineer and I could have probably done it ourselves, but it would not be as detailed. It was completely worth it to get a skilled carpenter with excellent craftsmanship.
Also bonus... inside the cabinet, the drawers slide out! It was one of the suggestions he gave.
We ultimately decided just to paint it. We are going for a lighter feel since our sofas, side and coffee tables are dark. So to prep for the priming and painting, I filled any holes and imperfections on both the built-in, molding and walls with Spackle. Then, sanded and finally wiped down the whole surface with a damp rag.
I then primed everything using a basic wood primer.
Then primed it again and then touched up any areas I thought could use an extra coat. So I would call it 2 1/2 coats of primer to make sure everything was evenly covered. Between my priming, I sanded the areas that needed it.
Finally, I did a coat of paint. I choose the same paint color as our base boards and molding. I went to Lowes with a paint chip and matched it. I would call it a coat and a half. I just touched up the spots that needed a little extra. With my major priming, the coverage was excellent with the paint.
Next, I taped the where the cabinet meets the wall and touched up the paint on the walls as needed.
We ended up with a pretty sweet built in.
My favorite feature is definitely the slide out drawers.
My favorite feature is definitely the slide out drawers.
I couldn't wait to start putting things on the shelves. I still have some more books to fill it with and stylize it more, but I am so happy right now! This dream has been two years in the making!
