November, 2006
Source: Pioneer Press
Have it Your Way; Design Custom Cabinetry That Meets Your Specific Needs
The ultimate method for meeting the storage needs of anyone is to design to those specific needs. The process follows a typical pattern. Homeowner is driven crazy by inability to store any number of items in aesthetically pleasing way in kitchen, family room, living room, bedroom or even the garage.
Find An Expert
This person reaches the end of their rope and decides a small amount of research is better than other alternatives leading to self destruction. Homeowner creates short list of people or companies, who are known to be very good at solving whatever storage problem they are experiencing. An interview with the people on this list is the way to start. Find out about their experience, estimated prices, approximate schedule, and how they would go about designing a piece to meet the stated needs. Get references and check them.
Do Your Homework
Once the homeowner becomes a client, there is homework to be done. The client must think carefully about what they want to accomplish; exactly what must be stored, what must be displayed, and what things must be accommodated. The more specific the list is the more helpful it will be. There is a direct correlation between how thoroughly this homework is done and how successful the end result.
Design Work
The designer will come back with some design options for the client’s review and feedback. Once the design is set, final drawings will be made for pricing purposes. Hand-in-hand with the pricing or bidding process, the materials will need to be determined. Is this piece being made of solid wood, wood veneers, wood and stone in combination? Perhaps metal will be mixed in. Samples should be provided for the initial selection and current samples, or strike-offs in the case of wood stains, should be provided and approved before the piece is begun.
Design Value and Market Value
When a large construction project is bid out, often the first things nixed are the custom built-in pieces. They can be relatively expensive, it’s true, but more than any other single item, they can enhance the aesthetics of a space exponentially, and this relates directly to an increase in market value. Built-in pieces that are well designed, suite the space and the architecture, more than make up for their out-of-pocket costs.
Alternatives to Totally Custom
What are the options if you are not up for the totally custom price tag? Good sources and some noodling on your own can go a long way. For instance, if you want to solve particular storage problems in your garage, call White Rabbit—they specialize in garage organization. Then, look through “Hold Everything” and see if you can accomplish most of what you need that way. Compare the prices and the solutions and see what makes the most sense.