Planning Custom Built-Ins: What to Decide First

Before anyone draws a custom built-in, decide where it goes, what it holds, how it meets the walls, and how it will be lit.

Those four choices shape everything that comes after, from the drawings to the final install. In Denver Metro homes, from older houses in Denver to newer builds in Highlands Ranch and mountain homes in Evergreen, the room itself often has quirks that change the plan. Settling these points early keeps the design honest and the finished piece looking like it belongs in the room.

Decide where it goes and what it holds

Start with the job the built-in has to do. A wall of shelves for books and photos is a different project from a wall that hides a TV, cables, and game consoles. A mudroom bench has to handle wet boots and heavy bags. Write down what will live in the piece every day, then pick the spot. Think about how people move through the room, where doors swing, and whether the built-in will block a window or a heat register. Most built-ins fall into one of these types:

• Living room bookcases and entertainment walls
• Home office cabinetry and desk systems
• Mudroom lockers, benches, and cubbies
• Closet systems and walk-in wardrobe builds
• Window seats with storage

Walls and ceilings are rarely flat: plan for scribing

Almost no wall is perfectly flat, plumb, or square, and ceilings sag and wave more than most people notice. A built-in that is simply pushed against a wall will show gaps along the sides and top. Quality built-ins are scribed, which means the edge of the cabinet is cut to follow the exact contour of the wall or ceiling. The result is a tight fit with no visible gaps, even where the surface is uneven.

You can get a head start by measuring the space yourself. Take the width at the top, the middle, and the bottom, and take the height at both ends and in the center. If the numbers differ, that is normal, and it tells you how much scribing the piece will need. While you are measuring, note every outlet, switch, vent, and light fixture inside the footprint. These are much easier to plan around on paper than to discover on install day.

Match the trim that is already in the room

The best built-ins look like they were always part of the house. That comes down to details. The baseboard, door casing, and crown molding on the new piece should match the profile of the trim already in the room. Ceiling height matters too, since a bookcase that stops a few inches short of the ceiling can look like furniture rather than architecture. Wall texture and the way light falls across the space also affect how the finish reads. During the site assessment, these details get noted so the design can blend the new work with the old.

Adjustable or fixed shelving

Shelving is one of the easiest choices to overlook and one of the hardest to change later. Fixed shelves are stronger and look more like fine furniture. Adjustable shelves give you room to change things as your needs shift. Most good built-ins use a mix of both. A few simple guidelines help:

• Fixed shelves suit long spans, heavy loads like books, and spots where the shelf also adds strength to the cabinet.
• Adjustable shelves suit open storage, display areas, and spaces where what you store will change over the years.
• Drawer and door placement should be locked in at the design stage, because moving them later means rebuilding part of the cabinet.
• Think about the tallest and widest items you plan to store, and size at least one section to fit them.

Plan lighting and power early

Lighting can turn a plain bookcase into the focal point of a room. Strip lights under shelves or puck lights inside cabinets add a lot of impact, and interior lighting and electrical integration are available for built-ins. The key is timing. Wiring is much easier to add during the build than after the piece is on the wall. If you want lighting, charging outlets, or power for a desk or media wall, the electrical rough-in needs to happen before installation. Coordinate with your electrician early so the wire locations line up with the drawings.

Questions to settle before design

• What will this built-in hold every day, and how much weight is involved?
• Are there outlets, switches, vents, or fixtures inside the footprint?
• Which trim profiles in the room should the new piece match?
• Which sections need fixed shelves, and which should adjust?
• Do you want interior lighting or power, and has an electrician been looped in?

Having clear answers to these questions makes the design stage faster and helps the finished piece fit the room and the way you live. When you are ready to talk it through, Urban Grain offers a free on-site estimate. We can visit, measure the space, look at the walls and trim, and go over your options with you. Call (720) 499-3142 to set up a time.