Dormitorio Fresco: DESIGN YOUR INTERIORS WITH BUILT-INS

Sunday, March 18, 2012 Posted by Arfin at 5:56 AM

There is nothing that puts your square footage to betteruse than built-ins. It could be a desk framed within a seldom-used closet or abookcase tucked into a niche beside the fireplace, or in your high ceiling, built-insmaximize every available inch of your floor plan. They handily transform thedead zones under stairs and below and above windows into functional space andhelp you get organized by adding new storage options without adding on to yourhome. You can design them to tie in with other architectural elements in theroom, such as crown moldings and wainscoting. Fitted with doors, they helpmaintain the integrity of your style by concealing modern amenities likecomputer workstations or a mini fridge in a wet bar.

Built-ins are a great way to addcharacter, function, and storage to a room. Custom, built-in furniture can makethe most of every inch of your home. Built-ins are secured to the wall thussaving the usual few inches required with free standing furniture pieces. Theircustom nature makes the options endless and the configurations more flexiblefor your particular space.

Irregularly shaped walls and nooks can become functionalspaces with a little creativity and a set of built-in bookshelves.

If you have an awkward kitchen nook, considerbanquette seating with storage underneath. No storage for your serving dishesand linens? Add built-in cabinets to your dining room. They can add value andfunction to almost any room in the house.

Consider the measurements you'llrequire. For instance, do you have a bunch of coffee table books you'd like onshelves? Check out their heights and widths to figure out what you'll need.Remember that books look good stacked as well as standing upright. I recommendhaving your carpenter make the shelves adjustable. Likewise, for cabinetstorage, measure games and other items to make sure they will fit.

As for aesthetics, look around theroom for horizontal lines to line built-ins up with, like mantles. Take a lookat the ceiling mouldings and baseboards in your home, and have your carpentermatch them across the tops and bottoms of shelving units.

Consider lighting needs. You canprovide light from rope lights tucked under shelves, consider art lighting,recessed lighting or you may want to install some outlets within the built-insso that you can incorporate some small table lamps or be able to hide unsightlymedia wires.

Storage is a common problem for most homeowners, but witheffective and clever built-ins, organization is a no-brainer. Because built-insare custom-made for each space, they maximize every square inch of your home.They can turn empty, unused space into hardworking home offices, drawers,shelves, or even entertainment centers. Essentially, built-in storage units canadd hundreds of square feet to your home without the need for renovations.