Making the Large Kitchen Functional

I was recently presented with a tentative kitchen design to bid for a new house being built.  This home is only in the planning stages, so everything at this point is fairly changeable.  The kitchen is u-shaped with a small island in the center.  In the initial design by the architect, a work triangle had been formed with ovens on one wall, dishwasher and sink on another wall and range and refrigerator on a third wall, but the work triangle was huge with each leg at least 8 sink in length, the refrigerator 14 feet away from the sink, and all legs  broken by the island.

The original kitchen plan with a spread out work triangle broken up by the island in the center.

 

According to design guidelines set by the National Kitchen and Bath Association, no leg of a kitchen work triangle should ever be less than 4 feet long or greater than 9 feet long, the sum of the three legs should not be greater than 26 feet, and a work triangle leg should not intersect an island or peninsula by more than 12 inches.

The solution to the problem is to swap the traditional kitchen work triangle in favor of separate “activity stations”, bridged by the island.  In this way we can use the island rather than have it interfering in the work space as an obstacle.

The following changes serve to create work zones and make this large kitchen functional.  (A note about this kitchen is that the main view is out the windows on the wall that has the oven tower.)

• Add a prep sink and separate trash can to the side of the island facing the cooktop.  Knives can go in the drawer above the pull out trash and the island top can be butcher block, resulting in a complete prep station with knives, cutting surface, trash and sink across from the cooking zone.
• Keep the wall ovens where they are.  The double ovens with counter space to right and island across serves as the baking center, and the tall cabinet serves to separate the kitchen space from the dining/serving space.  A tray divider cabinet can be tucked in the base cabinets directly to the right of the oven tower and extra storage in island facing the oven cabinet can hold baking dishes and mixing bowls.
• Move the main sink under window to right of wall ovens and place dishwasher next to it to create the clean-up zone.  Dishes will go in uppers along this wall and on wall to right so that dishes are stored at last point of use (close to dishwasher).  An extra detail is to make some of the wall cabinets 15″ deep rather than 12″ deep so that they can hold extra large dishes such as chargers.
• Move refrigerator from in dining space to next to door; omit window currently there.  This makes the refrigerator in easy reach of the island prep space, and close to the clean up area for storing leftovers.  (The back door can be a glass door so that natural light isn’t lost by omitting the window on this side of the room.)
• Keep range/cooking zone as is.  Its been made functional by placing the prep station directly across from it in the island and moving the refrigerator close to the prep station.
• Replace area in dining room where refrigerator was moved from with a hutch that could be used as a bar or china cabinet (built-in buffet stays in original position to left of oven tower).  These two units across from each other with dining room table in between become “serving” zones.
• Add a 12″ overhang to dining room side of island for a couple of small barstools for in-kitchen seating.

The reconfigured kitchen plan showing activity zones that were created to make a large space divided by a center island more functional.

 

Those changes take care of the function of the room.  From a style perspective, we are now looking at a room that is basically lined on three sides with cabinets.  To add variation and distinction of space, we can make the built-in buffet, island, and hutch look like furniture pieces, and use a different doorstyle and/or color from the three walls of kitchen cabinets.  Adding variation in height and depth to the kitchen cabinets and flanking the window above the sink with glass door cabinets also adds interest.

Elevation of redesigned kitchen showing the dining room built-in buffet , the double ovens and the sink/dishwasher.

Elevation of redesigned kitchen showing new refrigerator placement.

Elevation of redesigned kitchen showing the cooking zone and dining room hutch.

3 Guidelines for a Less-Stress Project

A kitchen or bath project is almost always a big one, with a myriad of decisions to be made. My three best tips for you, if you are embarking into the world of a new kitchen or bath, is to 1) have a budget, 2) know where you can compromise and 3) use a professional designer.

1. The Beauty of the Budget

You don’t have to have the budget nailed down to the exact penny, and you certainly don’t have to stick to it if you decide to prioritize something above the budget, but having a starting point for what you want to spend is imperative. There is an unbelievable selection of products out there to choose from, so knowing the ballpark of what you are planning on spending helps any professional help you find the appropriate products for your project. If you don’t like the quality of the products in your budget, then its time to reevaluate your project and see if you need to adjust your expectations about what products you can afford, adjust the scope of your project, or adjust your budget, or even put the project on hold until you can do exactly what you want. You must keep in mind with kitchens and baths, as with anything else in this world, you will get exactly what you pay for. As enticing as the “low bid” is, it may not make you happy in the end. In fact, in the end it may not end up being that low at all. Low bids are wonderful IF they are realistic. By knowing your products and your budget, you will know if that enticingly low bid is on-target or not. Many times the low bid is bare bones, leaving many items out that you might think are included. You only find out once the project is well underway, that those things were not included.

2. The Art of Compromise

I know you don’t want to hear this when you’re ready to embark on creating your dream kitchen, but every project involves compromise. It is the nature of the beast, and because projects are a process of creation, it is almost inevitable that some aspect or detail will get changed along the way from the original plan. (Or maybe quite a few!) If you’ve done your homework, researching your “look’ and knowing what details make that look for you, researching products and understanding what it is that you like about each one, then you’ll be prepared when the time comes to compromise. You’ll know exactly what you must have to keep the integrity of the finished product you are creating, and which details could be substituted with something else, or left out altogether. This type of preparation is key for eliminating stress during project and still ending up with a room you absolutely love. The need for compromise just happens, whether its a budget issue, a discrepancy between you and your significant other, a product that is suddenly unavailable, etc., so be ready for it!

3. The Guidance of a Designer

Yes, you can design your room yourself. After all, who knows you likes, needs, and wants better than you? Many people have done this and have quite happy with the results, and many people have wished they had hired a professional. And I mean a professional kitchen and bath designer – not a cabinet or appliance salesman. Although I can sell you cabinets and appliances, I am a designer. I went to school for design and my main concern is design. I do make money by selling products, but rather than pushing you into certain ones, I’m going to look at your budget, wants and needs to determine which products fit you best and work from there. A professional designer does every day, what you may only do once or twice in a lifetime. She knows where to start, what questions to ask, and pitfalls to be avoided. Your designer, in getting to know your budget, needs, wants, and ideas, will automatically cover the budget and being prepared for compromise. In that way, when wrinkles arise during the project, your designer can help it move on more smoothly.

Knowing your budget, preparing for compromise and enlisting the help of a professional designer will help ensure a less-stress project with a happy ending. A kitchen or bath, whether a remodel or new construction is a big project that you will literally be living in and using for years to come, so isn’t it worth it?

Why You May Want to Rethink Your Carpet

In the next couple of months, I am FINALLY going to be able to rip out the 12-year-old berber carpet covering my living and dining room areas and replace it with a hard surface.  The carpet is a permanent shade of dingy after 12 years of people, pets and Colorado mud seasons, and my disgust with it is perpetuated by the thought of what might be ground into it and soaked into the pad beneath.

With this momentous occasion fast approaching, I wanted to share a rendition of my November 2009 post, “Let’s Talk Carpet”.

Although old carpet can be extremely yucky, its almost more dangerous when it is new.  With our new and improved methods of building these days making our homes airtight, we keep in all of the chemicals emitted by all of those new cabinets, wall-coverings, and yes, carpet.

New carpet can emit up to 40 different chemicals into your home!  These chemicals include VOC’s or volatile organic compounds as well as flame retardants known as PDBE’s or polybrominated diphenyl ether.

Heavy exposure to VOC’s (say in a newly built, energy efficient home) can trigger all sorts of symtpoms such as fatigue, headaches, body aches and gastrointestinal problems, or even something called “multiple chemical sensitivity”.

PDBE’s are thought to contribute to thyroid problems in people as well as pets.  They have been linked with hypothyroidism in adults, and high PDBE’s in a woman could contribute to low levels of T4 hormones, which could lower the IQ of her baby.  Because young children and pets spend more time on the carpet emitting these chemicals, they are more succeptible to having a higher concentration of them in their systems.  (And isn’t it funny that I have been diagnosed with a thyroid problem, as well as my dog and my cat?)

If you’re now thinking you should get an environmentally friendly natural fiber carpet, such as wool, hold that thought. That might solve the chemical problems (depending on what type of glue you use for tacking it down), but it won’t solve your critter problems. In fact, it might even make them worse.

Any carpet can have a problem with mold, mildew and dust mites. The mold and mildew are especially a problem in humid climates or if something has leaked or spilled on the carpet. Dust mites also love humidity. The average home hosts two million dust mites. Not only do these critters love the carpet, they can hang out in furniture and on mattresses and pillows. Plus, they are so small you can’t see them – 7,000 can fit on a fingernail! Another fun fact is that they can double their numbers in less than 10 hours. They feed on dust (i.e. dead skin, etc.), hence the name “dust mite”, and they can cause some of us some serious allergic reactions. Its not actually the organism that most people are allergic to – its the waste produced by the organism. This waste can trigger asthmatic and allergy attacks for many people.

Of course vacuuming frequently displaces the little critters as well as their food, but they are tough to completely eradicate. A hot water extraction for not only the carpet, but rugs and upholstery helps control the mites because they literally can’t take the heat. But, with a population that can double in 10 hours, you can imagine you would need to do this frequently.

Another note on chemicals in your carpet.  Don’t forget that carpet also holds any chemicals that come in from outside on shoes.  There’s been recent news about common lawn care products, used not only on golf courses and athletic fields but also maybe your own back yard, containing a chemical called 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, which was an active ingredient in Agent Orange.  So, if you think about it, if you have it on your shoes and walk around on the carpet, then your toddler and/or pets roll around on the carpet, they are receiving fairly regular doses of it.  Another vote for hard surface floors with washable/replaceable rugs (and taking your shoes off before coming in!).

So, my recommendation is to have as little carpet as possible and to use natural fiber rugs that you can clean easily and often, and to make a rule of no shoes on the carpet/area rugs. (The carpet tile options offered by Flor are a great option if you want to easily be able to replace parts of your rug without getting an entirely new one every time.)  If you have carpet, vacuum it frequently (at least once a week) and throw in a deep clean fairly often. (Just remember that if you get it too wet, you’ll have a mold and mildew problem.) And don’t forget to open those windows and ventilate the house whenever possible – fresh air helps diffuse all of those chemicals floating around in your home!

Quick Guide to What Type of Lighting to Use Where in Your Home

Lighting is complicated. There are a lot of considerations, like the types of lighting discussed in my last blog, as well as temperature and color of lamps used, and if your remodeling in some cases, whether you have room for new circuits on your electrical service panel.

With so many types of lamps out there to choose from, here’s a quick guide to what types of lamps work best where. (By “lamps”, I’m referring to the bulb, or lighting element that fits into the fixture.)

For task, accent, and art lighting, halogen or xenon lamps are the most popular choice. (For art choose a lower voltage lamp such as PAR halogen or MR 16, since it will keep the heat away from your artwork.)

PAR halogen and compact fluorescents work well for general lighting. The compact fluorescents should have a color temperature of around 3500K.

In the dining room, think ambiance. Fluorescents provide a great light to work by, but can cast a harsh light on skin and food at the dinner table. Use a warm, soft incandescent here and keep a candle or two handy for those special occasions!

Types of Lighting

You have the perfect new kitchen planned – you’ve spent months deciding on the perfect space plan, the perfect new appliances, cabinets, and counter tops.

But have you considered the lighting? The lighting you choose can make or break your new space, so its a decision you should spend some time on.

Contrary to that one ceiling fan with built in light you may see in many (or all) rooms of some houses, every space in your home needs three different types of lighting: ambient, task and accent. (At the very minimum you need ambient and task lighting.)

Ambient lighting is the general lighting in the room that allows you to see enough to get around. An example of this would be that ceiling fan and light combo in the center of the ceiling I described earlier. Indirect lighting lights the room after first bouncing off of a surface, direct lighting is just as it sounds.

Task lighting is especially important for the kitchen but is also useful in the bathroom, living room and bedroom for things like putting on make-up and reading, sewing or working on crafts. Task lighting does just what its name implies. It provides lighting for a specific task. A reading light or an under-cabinet fixture that lights the counter top work space in a kitchen are both examples of task lighting.

Accent lighting calls attention to certain areas. A ceiling light directed onto artwork or a light illuminating an in-cabinet display area would both be examples of accent lighting. While less utilitarian than ambient or task lighting, the addition of accent lighting will do wonders for a room.

Think carefully about your space, what it will be used for and the appropriate lighting and its placement before completing your new space. You’ll be happy you did.

Designing an Asian-Inspired Bathroom Remodel

The Asian aesthetic is perfect for bathrooms.  Tranquil, clean, with natural elements, it is refreshing and soothing.  It is sophisticated in its simplicity, and invites one to slow down and take a deep breath, or even meditate, during the daily grooming rituals.  So I was excited at the prospect of turning an outdated pink and gold, inadequately heated and ventilated, poorly laid out master bathroom into a zen retreat.

This shows the bathroom as it is. The toilet is visible from the bedroom and there isn't much privacy. Also the 24" deep tall cabinet between the vanity and the toilet pinches the entry to the shower. The pocket doors don't work well, the heating is not adequate, the only ventilation is the window next to the toilet, and the dominate color is dusty pink, which is offset by gold fixtures. Time for an update!

The plan. This floor plan shows the vision of the new bathroom with the addition of a washer -dryer, fold out ironing board, and ofuro (Japanese soaking tub). Execution of this plan will involve removing and rebuilding walls, the addition of in-floor heating and new lighting and ventilation, the moving of all of the plumbing (vanity sinks, toilet, and shower, and adding plumbing for the washer) and rebuilding the closet. The only finish that would remain in tact would be the wood floor in the remaining part of the closet. The end result would be a functional and stylish master bathroom.

The new plan includes bumping the bathroom entry into the bedroom about 24″ and moving the vanities and toilet toward the entry.  This allows the shower enclosure to be located where the existing window and skylight are so the natural light doesn’t get closed off from the rest of the room.  The partial walls on each side of the toilet still provide for a semi-private water-closet, but the open floor plan allows the new combination light/vent/heater to service the toilet and shower area and provide a secondary heat source for the bathroom.  The only existing floor vent will be covered by the shower enclosure, so the primary heating source will become the radiant floor heat that will be installed below the new floor tile.  Also the closet has been made smaller and the only closet entry will be from the bathroom to allow for more usable wall space.  Room has been made in the bathroom for a stacked front-loading washer/dryer with a small cabinet and folding area as well as fold-down ironing board that will be recessed into the wall next to the washer/dryer.  In addition to a new layout, new heating and ventilation and new finishes and fixtures, the room will benefit from new lighting, including recessed ceiling can lights, wall sconces in the vanity and tub areas, and the combination light/vent/heater centrally located in the ceiling.

Visually, the focal point of the room will be the back shower wall covered in narrow stacked stone tiles and the cast concrete stone-look elliptical ofuro, or Japanese soaking tub, that will sit on a bed of black pebble tile and be framed by a piece of frosted glass.  Complimenting and supporting this focal point will be doors made of blonde to caramel stained wood with frosted glass inserts, gray tile flooring for the main part of the bathroom, dark iron or oil rubbed bronze lighting fixtures, plumbing fixtures and hardware, and concrete making up the partial shower wall (that also has a frosted glass partition insert) as well as the vanity and laundry counter top, and triangle shelf in the tub area.  The vanity is composed of two floating three-drawer banks in blonde wood with slab drawer and door fronts to each side of an open shelf below the single basin sink for two.  Resting directly on the counter top to the left and right of the double sink is a 9″ deep cabinet providing even more storage.  A strip of backsplash tile above the counter top in between the two uppers houses the wall-mounted faucets and above that sits a mirror and over-vanity light fixture.  Supplementing that lighting are the overhead recessed can lights as well as a wall sconce on each side wall of the vanity.  In the water closet area, floating shelves provide visual interest and a place to keep fresh towels at the ready for the shower.

This elevation shows what the vanity wall of the remodeled bathroom might look like. The 72"w double vanity is retained, but to maximize space and style, a large rectangular sink (vessel or integrated trough) is used in the center with two wall-mounted faucets and open shelf below, allowing space on the sides for drawers and wall storage.

Elevation B shows the wall opposite the vanity. There is an fold down ironing board recessed into the wall between the bathroom entry and washer/dryer, a small cabinet/countertop area nestled to the right of the washer/dryer for laundry storage/folding, the door to the closet, and then the tub area. The drawing to the right is an elevation of the storage and surround that will be built around the electric heater in the bedroom on the wall next to the bathroom entrance.

Elevation C shows the back wall of the bathroom where the shower/tub is located, and on the other side of the wall, the closet. A partition wall will separate the shower from the toilet and eliminate overspray from the shower head. A frosted glass partition will not only tie in the frosted glass element from the doors, but also allow natural light from the window and skylight to spill into the rest of the bathroom. At the other end of the tub/shower area will be the ofuro (Japanese soaking tub) which could be free-standing or even sunken, and will be open to the rest of the bathroom. The pebble flooring defines the tub/shower area even where there is not a wall, and also unifies the tub and shower together as one defined space. The pebbles and stone bring a feeling of nature.

Finishes include dark gray tile for the main bath floor with radiant heat below, black pebble stone tile defining the tub/shower area, providing texture, area differentiation, and representing the earth and water elements, earth stacked tile on the shower walls, also representing the earth element and providing a rustic, natural feel and bringing warm greens, grays and bronzes into the mix, frosted glass letting light spill from area to area, providing an open, airy feel, and bringing a crisp, refreshing aqua blue into the color mix, blonde wood to warm up the space and tie into the existing closet floor, and dark iron or oil rubbed bronze representing metal and offering a dark contrast to the other elements, and warm, sophisticated concrete for the counter tops, partition wall and tub.

This is an example of an Ofuro, or Japanese soaking tub, made by a company called Sonomastone. There are many varieties of ofuros, including square, rectangular, round, and oval shapes, and being made of wood, cast concrete, or even metal. This photo also shows an example of a bridge-type tub fill and overflow with the plumbing coming out of the floor, which allows the tub to be a free-standing focal point in the room and not backed up against a wall.

This dark gray pebble tile, used as the shower and tub area floor, would add another layer of texture to the bathroom. It would blend in with the color of the gray floor tile, but define the shower area by varying the shape and texture. Many times black is representative of water in oriental cultures, so this material serves several different purposes, representing water figuratively, earth literally, providing texture, tying into color while still being functional, as it is durable and feels good underneath bare feet.

This shows an example of the type of stone tile that could be used in the shower area, creating an earthy, elemental and visually interesting focal point. Its durable and would also add texture.

The finishes come together to create a tranquil, light- and nature-infused space.  Proper heating and ventilation make it comfortable, and proper space flow and well-appointed storage make it functional and user-friendly.  Another example of how beauty and function can come together to create an artful interior space.

An example of a wall sconce that could be used to each side of the vanity and in the soaking tub area. Ideally the tub area sconces would be larger than the ones in the vanity area.

This is an example of possible main bathroom flooring tile. It could be tile or stone, but should be a grounding color with little or no pattern/variation, and should pull together all of the bathroom materials. Ideally, radiant heating would be installed below this.

The main door between the bathroom and bedroom, and the door between the bathroom and closet, would both be a blonde to caramel colored wood with frosted glass panel. The wall base trim would also be the same wood tone, and the frosted glass would be a repeated element in the shower area.

Another Entry Cabinet Design

The following elevation shows a different entry cabinet design I recently created for a client.

This one is in a hallway just to the left after you enter from the garage (which is the entry the homeowners use) and across from the laundry room. They needed space for frequently used coats, hats and shoes, but also wanted storage for brooms and their central vacuum system parts, and a display area to round the area out.

Entry cabinet elevation, designed to provide a landing place for frequently used coats, hats and shoes, as well as provide closed storage for brooms, mops and central vacuum system parts, and have decorative shelving as well.

When my clients are ready to move forward with this project, they will simply take this dimensioned, scaled elevation along with the dimensioned and scaled plan view to the same cabinetmaker who made the original cabinetry for the rest of the home and have this custom-built.

Solving the Entry Problem Part 3: The Finished Product

In my last post, the main shelving portion of the entry cabinet has been hung on the wall.

I then made shelves out of a hollow core door I bought at Habitat for Humanity.  This online article has great instructions on how to do this.

I cut the trim pieces, nailed the bead board up, and then caulked and painted.  (I primed certain areas with magnetic primer – I didn’t find the magnetic primer to be as strong as other magnetic surfaces, but it does work and it helps clean up the refrigerator in my small space.)  Then I added the coat hooks, and built and installed the drawer boxes.  Last came the two legs to add additional support under the heavy water crock,  a shelf to hold the water crock, and a piece of sandblasted glass I will be using as a dry erase surface.

In the end, I have a beautiful and functional  storage area that only cost a couple of hundred dollars and blends naturally with the rest of the house.

The finished product from the left...cook book storage on top, lots of coat hooks, baskets in cubbies to hold hats and gloves, shoe storage below, magnetic paint , drawers, water crock storage, and a dry erase board.

A view of the finished product from the right side - note the magnetic paint and satin opaque glass used as a dry erase board.

Entry coat rack with cubbies and drawers DIY from front - note book shelf, hat and glove baskets in cubbies, and storage for water crock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Solving the Entry Problem Part 2: Starting to Build a DIY Coat Rack

In my last article, “Small Spaces and Small Budgets:  Solving the Entry Problem”,  I walked you through the steps of thinking through and designing a spot to keep all those odds and ends that collect at the main entry of a home – coats, shoes, gloves, hats, scarves, keys, bags, purses, etc.

The Design: a 53" wide unit across from the garage entry between the kitchen and laundry that will hold coats, cookbooks, scarves, hats, gloves and odds and ends such as sunglasses and headphones, serve as a message center, and tuck away the family's drinking water crock and jugs.

Now that we have a design that not only is functional, but will look good and fit in with the rest of the space, its time to get to work.

Preparation

1. The first thing I did was draw the unit to scale and think about what materials I would use and how it would be built to support the weight. I wanted to make sure that shelves would not sag over time and that the unit would be sturdy.  Rather than making a list of every item I would need to complete the entire project, at this time I only concentrated on what I was going to construct out of plywood and a few additional items.

Dimensioned elevation of the first part of the project - the horizontal and vertical cubbies that will be built from 1/2" plywood.

In order to get my dimensions correct on the drawer boxes, I had to pick out my drawer slides and look at their specifications.  I  chose the Accuride C3832 Side Mount 8″ drawer glides, since the depth of the unit is 10 3/4″ and a little space must be left behind the drawer box.  These are rated up to 100 lbs, so no problems there.  They are 1 7/8″ h, so the sides of my drawer boxes and pull out shelf must be tall enough to accommodate them, and they require 1/2″ of space between the inside of the unit and the outside of the drawer box.

While fine-tuning my plan, I also went back over my drawing and changed a few things.

• I had originally planned the horizontal and vertical cubby shelving units without backs to save money on materials, but I have decided that I want to give them backs to make them more sturdy.  I will use the same veneered 1/2″ plywood for the backs and it will fit inside the sides to hide the cut edge of the plywood from the side view.
• Because of the addition of the back and a decision to make the thick hollow core door shelving pieces deeper than the plywood cubby units so there is an overhang, I reduced the depth of the plywood cubby units.  The hollow core door shelves will be approximately 11 1/4″ deep.  The plywood cubbies will sit recessed  1/2″ from that, at 10 3/4″ deep.
• I am adding 1/2″ x 3″ hanging strips to the inside top of the cubby boxes that will be screwed into the studs.  This will provide extra support for my unit.  I will use scrap leftover from the veneered plywood so the hanging strips can be painted to match the rest of the unit.  Because the cubbies are below eye level and each will be filled with storage items, I’m not worried about the strips taking away from the look of the unit.  They will be worth it in terms of extra support and stability.

It's important to clearly understand how your drawers are going to fit into a cabinet and how each will be built, as well as the specifications for any hardware being used.

2. Next, to re-check my design and dimensions,  I drew a life-size version directly on the wall.  This gave me a feel for the actual size of the unit and ensures everything is where I want it, and reachable.

3. Then I found the studs in the wall. I want to be able to attach the load-bearing parts of the unit directly to the studs already in the wall for strength.

An exploded diagram of the horizontal and vertical shelf cubbies showing how all of the pieces will fit together.

Material Purchase No. 1

My next step was to go to the local hardware supply and purchase the materials I would be needing.  I am going to build the horizontal and vertical plywood cubby units first, and I went ahead and also purchased the hollow core door for shelving as well as the material that would hold the coat hooks, the trim and  the bead board paneling.  I should be able to also build the drawer boxes and pull out shelf.

I’m painting this unit, so I’m not concerned about my wood species matching or if grains are all running the same direction (a great benefit of painting for the beginner woodworker).  I chose the following items to start with:

• 1/2″ thick veneered sanded plywood, 4’x8′ sheet: $34.97

• (1) 1x4x8 Solid Pine Trim: $9.62

• (2) 1x2x8 Solid Hemlock Trim: $11.50

*Note:  If I were staining this I would make sure my wood species were the same.  In this case the inside edge of the 1×2 trim was going to be exposed since it will be the frame around the beaded panel, so I chose the hemlock because it had an eased square edge.  I chose the pine for the 1×4 trim, which will be used to anchor the coat hooks, because none of the edges will be exposed and it was less expensive.  (The edge was a sharp square edge on the pine, which if exposed would dent and ding more readily than the eased square edge and isn’t as nice to the touch.)

• (1) Pkg 1/4″ thick x 96″ Pine Bead Board: $15.97

• (2) Pkgs Wire Brads: $2.60  (I don’t have a finish gun, but these brads can be tacked in with a hammer for a nice finished look.  The sales associate was kind enough to remind to use needle-nosed pliers to hold the brad in place while tapping in so there are no smashed fingers.)

• (1) 24″ hollow core bi-fold door (at Habitat for Humanity):  $15.00

That’s just under $90.00 (without tax) to get started. This will build the plywood horizontal and vertical cubby units, the bead board back with frame for the coat rack area, the frame for the dry erase board, the drawer box sides, the pull out shelf body and the coat hook area. (I already have some scrap plywood to make the 2 interior layers of the pull out shelf, 1/4″ hard board for the drawer bottoms, and screws at home.)

The hollow core door will create the thick floating shelf units that will give the unit a strong horizontal component.  When I’m farther along I’ll purchase the  solid material for the drawer and pull out shelf fronts, the glides, the dry erase board material (I’m thinking glass or mirror), the solid wood edge-banding that will go on the front of the plywood units and the paint.

Using my scaled elevation drawing of the unit as a guide, I drew out all of the pieces I would need to cut onto the plywood I bought. I left a blades-width in between each piece so that they would be exactly the right size. Before cutting I will also go back and remeasure and check square on each one. If you don’t get each piece perfectly cut to size and square now, your end product is never going to go together correctly.  The measuring and cutting stage is when it’s really important to take your time and double-check EVERYTHING.  Precision here is key for a good-looking finished product.

All of the parts needed to construct the horizontal and vertical plywood cubbies are drawn out onto a 4'x8' sheet of plywood. The dimensions are double-checked and all items are checked for square before cutting. Remember to allow for the width of the saw blade between each piece.

As I was cutting pieces and putting them together, I changed some of the dimensions, so this is what was actually cut.

1. Back of Vertical Unit (12 1/4″w x 47 3/4″h)
2. Bottom of Entire Unit (51 1/4″w x 10 3/4″d)
3. Right Side of Vertical Unit (10 3/4″w x 47 1/4″h)
4. Left Side of Vertical Unit (10 3/4″w x 47 1/4″h)
5. Back of Horiz. Cubby Unit (38 3/4″w x 11 1/4″h)
6. Top of Horiz. Cubby Unit (38 3/4″w x 11 1/2″d)
7. Horiz. Cubby Center Shelf (15 3/4″w x 10 1/4″d) (Omitted)
8. Top of Vertical Cubby Unit (11 3/8″w x 10 3/4″d)
9. Right Vertical Divider of Horiz. Cubby (10 1/4″w x 11″h)
10. Center Vertical Divider of Horiz. Cubby (10 1/4″w x 11″h)
11. Far Left Vertical Divider of Horiz. Cubby (10 3/4″w x 11″h)
12. Top of Pull Out Shelf (11 1/2″ x 8″)  (Will be re-cut to fit new width)
13. Bottom of Pull Out Shelf (11 1/2″ x 8″)  (Will be re-cut to fit new width)
14. Left Side of Drawer 1 (8″ x 2 7/8″)
15. Right Side of Drawer 1 (8″ x 2 7/8″)
16. Back Side of Drawer 1 (10 1/4″ x 2 7/8″)  (Will be re-cut to fit new width)
17. Back Side of Drawer 2 (10 1/4″ x 2 7/8″)  (Will be re-cut to fit new width)
    
18. Left Side of Drawer 2 (8″ x 2 7/8″)
19. Right Side of Drawer 2 (8″ x 2 7/8″)

I re-measured each piece in several places after cutting to ensure correct dimensions and checked square.  The 1/2″ plywood warped a bit, (3/4″ would’ve resisted warping better and been stronger and sags less over wide unsupported spans, but would’ve also been heavier) and I have chosen to leave out piece number 7 (the horizontal shelf) and use that material to add a shelf just under where the drawer boxes will be to help keep the vertical sides straight.  The vertical dividers in the horizontal portion of the shelving not only divides the area for storage, but also helps support the top piece of plywood, which is almost 40″w, and helps to keep it from sagging in the middle over time.  A rule of thumb with cabinetry is to never have a span of over 36″ without a vertical divider or some other type of support for it.  I try to do no more than 30″ actually, especially if it will be carrying weight such as dishes.

Next I sanded all of the edges and put the boxes together.

The assembled plywood horizontal cubby section and vertical section that will contain the drawers and pull outs. A cut has also been made in the back of the unit to allow access to the electrical outlet that is on the wall.

To hang on the wall, I stacked scrap wood pieces on the floor to support the unit while it was being attached to the wall.  This way I didn’t have to hold the unit up and screw it at the same time.  Working with warped wood is never fun, but it happens, so I used the level and the square putting it together and the cubby units are very near square.  You can’t always count on that with walls however.  Shims were required in certain spots during installation to get the fit right.

The horizontal and vertical shelving unit installed.

The beaded paneling has been taken out of the package to acclimate to the humidity and temperature of the room it will be placed in, but the next part of this project will be creating shelving out of the used hollow core door.

Another view of the installed unit. Next the thick shelving pieces will be made from the hollow core door and the last part of the project will be the beaded paneling, trim work, drawers and hardware.