Cabinetry Articles & Guides
Understand cost breakdowns, how to choose the perfect bathroom vanity, the latest kitchen trends and more.
Design by DuraSupreme
Needs ways to make the back to school season simpler? Functional and stylish storage make early mornings a little easier.
Whether you enjoy the school season or are already missing summertime, we can help you transition into the busy school months with storage solutions that make mornings a breeze. From the coffee station to the backpack drop zone, cabinetry options can keep your home organized and prepared for each busy day. But where to begin? We'll help you navigate top trouble-space in the home - where clutter tends to build up first once that busy school season starts.
1. Perfect the Drop Zone or Mudroom
Backpacks, shoes and more need their own assigned space in the home, and locker-style cabinets or hall-tree built-ins can make it easy for kids to put their own belongings in a place they can find them the next day. We recommend tall doors for large items (such as sports gear and big coats) and large drawers for shoes, with smaller cubbies for baskets that can hold mittens or other accessories. Sturdy hooks for backpacks, purses and laptops are essential.
We especially love this moody, olive green and stained wood combination, including glass doors. We know finding space for these dropzones can be tricky, especially if you have a smaller home. Semi-custom cabinetry makes it possible to optimize those small areas, including mudrooms, entryways and more. A garage-to-house entrance can also be a feasible option. This look includes locker-style doors and a bootbench.
What is a mudroom?
A mudroom is similar to an entry wall or halltree, but is often a smaller separate room often off the back door or garage entrance. Mudroom flooring is often more durable as it can be the transition space to take off coats and shoes from the outdoors.
What's different about mudroom cabinets or locker cabinets?
Mudroom cabinets often have locker cabinets with hooks and baskets or drawer storage for mittens, gloves, and other accessories.
Design by DuraSupreme
2. Elevate the Bathroom Vanity
Getting ready early in the morning feels a little less dreadful when a warm, inviting bathroom space. Elevate your sink storage with a beautiful and functional new bathroom vanity. Looking to open up the room more? Floating vanities, also known as wall-mounted cabinets, create a sleek, modern aesthetic that instantly makes a bathroom feel more spacious and luxurious. They provide a contemporary, high-end look while offering easy floor cleaning and a visually lighter appearance. Pairing them with under-cabinet LED lighting enhances the ambiance and gives your bathroom a spa-like feel.
Don't Skip the Bathroom Vanity Storage Accessories
Hot Tools holders (cabinets with built-in features to hold your hair straightening, curling iron, blow dryer, etc.), drawers that fit around pipes, and roll-out trays to make everything easy to reach. Vanities with lots of drawers keeps hair tools, makeup and more out of sight.
We love the color combinations in this look with a unique stone tile and dark, textured wall.
3. Design a Designated Study Space
Built-in cabinetry around a desk or study space is the perfect solution to house homework, books, offices supplies and other essentials. Hide large printers, scanners or other hardware in stylish cabinetry that sits on the counter, similar to a kitchen larder cabinet. Drawers can be customized for file-folders or set with dividers and other organizational accessories.
Home Office Cabinetry & Built-Ins
The important thing to keep in mind with built-ins is whether or not you want flexibility in the space. Moveable shelves vs. floating shelves can limit your options, so think about the uses of the space over the years to come. We often work with homeowners whose spare bedrooms have lived 9 lives, so it's best to remember your needs for that spare room may change over time.
Design by DuraSupreme
4. Prioritize efficiency with Laundry Room Cabinets
Tall cabinets with roll-out shelves, shelving for towels and additional linens - need we say more? You spend a lot of time in the laundry room (kids in sports? A LOT of time) so make it your calming sanctuary. Drawers for additional bedsheets or spare linens can make all difference when you have those last-minute sleepovers or unexpected company too. A sink on a spacious vanity makes the stain-removal scrubbing process feel just a little bit easier. Cabinets in a laundry room bring so much function and peace to the space, you might even get some volunteers to help fold and put away the load (or you can keep it a secret and have some peace and quiet with an aroma of fresh cotton.)
Design by Cape & Island Kitchens
5. Designate Relaxing & Calming Areas
When dinner has been finished, the dishes are done and homework is put away for the evening, it's time to gather together as a family and watch your favorite show or pull out a board game. Think about how you want your family to spend time in the evening, and design your space around that preferred routine. We hear from families all the time how difficult it can be to have routine time together, especially during the busy school season. Keep an area of your home ready for friends to come over and watch movies, hang out, or do homework in a space that's both inviting and relaxing, but can still feel put together on an average weekday.
Fireplace Built-In Shelves for Style and Function
Built-in cabinets in the living room can give you a beautiful family room with storage for all the games, toys and fun you want on hand when screen-time is over. Most often homeowners are looking for built-in cabinets to surround a fireplace, with floating shelves to balance the room and display meaningful keepsakes or family photos.
Design by Honeycomb Home Design in Arroyo Grande, California. Photo by Lisa Maksoudian.
7. Style Your Coffee Station
Believe it or not, it is possible to have easy-to-access appliances while keeping clunky coffee or espresso makers off the counters. Lift-shelves for stand mixers, sliding trays for coffee or espresso makers, and plenty of drawer space to hold coffee pods, creamers and more can make all the difference in a clutter-free kitchen or coffee bar.
Focus on the Coffee Bar for an Easy Morning Routine
Those early mornings can be a little bit sweeter with a latte ready to go - so make those little joys a key element in your kitchen design. This design features doors that open and slide back in to the sides so they're out of the way during those busy morning.
7. Get Creative with Additional Storage
Don't forget to have a designated space for the items you restock on a weekly basis. Drawers with special accessories to hold single serve coffee pods are not only easy to access, but satisfying to see every time you open that drawer.
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