We love when our customers request library style custom bookcases! The accent lights and rolling ladder makes me want to get lost in a new book!
Summer break may have come to an end, but our dream of a classic Wood Speed Boat remains!
We vote, and I quote “hell yes!”. Painting your walls black may seem dark and daunting, but we think it’s magnificent and refreshing. Black wainscot wall paneling, mixed with bright white furniture accents makes this room simple, yet ultra stylish!
Make the most out of your square footage through creative design. Adding a streamlined work-station can make organizing your tasks clean and easy. In this room we added a custom desk, wainscot, crown moulding and topped it off with a tongue and groove ceiling. All the custom woodwork paired perfectly with the existing Dutch door and hardwood flooring. Call Woodwork Solutions, Orange County for your next “making life easier” project!
Cabinets seem to have a life and mind of their own, judging by how difficult it is making a decision regarding these small and yet significant parts of your home. They decide how a room looks, how you feel when you are in it, and how much space you will get in the end. In the office space, you are likely to need cabinets that do not just look good, but can also provide storage for your files among other important things. This is why you will need to discuss a number of factors with your custom cabinet maker if you are to get your money’s worth in terms of design, functionality, aesthetics, durability and relation to your style.
Quality and durability
These two words form the basis of all major investments in your home. Your cabinets need to be long lasting, without compromising on their aesthetic appeal. This means that your custom cabinet maker will need to explain their choice of wood with relevance to these two aspects. Some types of wood may look good but have a shorter durability. This is especially why you should not rely on aesthetics to pick a cabinet. Rather, ask the experts to give you the pros and cons of each option in relation to their quality and how long they will last. Cabinets are quite expensive to replace, and as such, paying extra for better quality products is a rational choice.
Which colors you can get
Like the rest of your house, your office needs to be coordinated and in sync with respect to colors. This means that you cannot just have any colors on your cabinets. You may have noted that some kinds of wood look good when painted in bright colors while others can only have dark colors unless treated to numerous coats of bright colored paint. You will need the cabinet maker to clarify this before you choose colors that may not compliment the wood used in the cabinets.
How they will fit into your style
Other than the colors, the style of your home also affects the kind of cabinets that you need. It may help to define your style and allow the cabinet maker to give you a list of options that will maintain that style. If your home office is especially antique, you will want cabinets that are historically stylish rather than the modern European versions that look better in a contemporary setting. The point of buying custom cabinets is to satisfy your needs and expectations, and your style is a great part of both.
How much storage space you will be getting
Other than their aesthetic aspects, cabinets should be able to meet your storage needs in the home office. This means that you need to talk about their size and capacity as well. First, large cabinets that do not have a stable support may not be able to offer much in terms of storage space. This means you will need to know the specifics about how much storage space you will get. Smaller units may also seem limiting if you need more space in your home office cabinets, although they are often more stable. Depending on your specific home office storage needs, you will have to ask your custom cabinet maker for the best alternative amongst the available options.
Can what you need be accomplished within your budget?
The prices of custom cabinets vary, since the wood needs to be of high quality and the makers need to ensure that they are durable while keeping your aesthetic requests in mind. This implies that you will be making a serious investment when you are buying these custom cabinets. It follows that you must allow your cabinet maker to offer a list of options that are relevant to your budget. You will find that while the high quality wood is quite expensive, there could be a number of cheaper alternatives that are just as durable and aesthetically appealing.
While you need to get the best cabinets for your home office, you must also work within your budget to ensure that you complete this project in time. Also remember to look out for opportunities that can save you money without compromising on the quality of the cabinets you are buying.
Home improvements and remodeling exercises often need the input of an expert. A custom home office cabinet is especially important since it will affect the ambience of your home office. It will also determine how much storage space you will have, meaning that in the end you need to find a balance between functionality and aesthetics. Its durability is also a significant factor to consider. If you are looking for a custom home office cabinet maker, you can contact us for more tips and recommendations as well as ideas on designs that may suit your style.
Unlike the historical buildings where builders worked to create a legacy in terms of architecture and artistry, the current houses are mostly built on a basis of functionality. This means that unless you are willing to invest some time and money, your home will be like a factory box with minimal style and class. You do not have to be working from home or making a six-figure income to live in a stylish home. All you need is a few weekends of woodworking, the right ideas and a little money for the required tools and materials.
Decide on your objectives for the design
Like any other DIY job that involves woodwork, the planning phase determines the outcome. You need to have a clear picture of how you want your house to look. This means deciding on the basics like how high the panels will be, how much of the house you will be covering, which color you will paint on the panels and how much time you have to complete the work. It would be especially unwise to start the project when you do not have time over the weekends to finish it. Make sure you plan for it in advance to avoid leaving the materials lying around for too long.
Make a realistic budget
The trickiest part of remodeling your house is often the budget. If you do not have a budget, you may get stuck before you finish the project owing to lack of funds for materials or labor where required. This is why you must make a realistic budget and ensure that you are able to source for the funds that you need for the project. An incomplete project is often worse than a plain house. In order to come up with the budget, you may have to ask around and obtain the market prices of the materials and tools that you need.
Estimates may be useful at times, but here, you need the real prices to avoid underestimating the cost of the project. This means visiting various stores and finding a fair market price range on which to base your budget. This will also ensure that you know where to get the best deals and value for your money when you start the project.
Go shopping
Since you will be working during your free time, it is a good idea for you to buy all the things that you need in advance. This implies devoting one weekend or a few afternoons to a shopping spree for tools and materials needed in this kind of woodwork. You could also opt for online shopping but always be sure to be present during the delivery so as to ensure that you get the right products. You will also need to know where everything is stored in order to have an easy time finding them when you start working. If you have issues with storage space, you could speak to your vendor and have them deliver the materials in bits as per your working progress.
Prepare the frames
Depending on the length of your walls, you may build your frames in one long piece or shorter units. The frames are often made of top and bottom boards as well as the stiles. To accomplish this task, you will need to have some basic knowledge in woodwork. You will also need wood glue and some pocket screws among other things. You, however, need to be careful with the measurements since the position of the stiles will determine where the panels are placed. Your frames also have to be sturdy and smooth enough to look good on the walls. This part of the project may take a while depending on the size of your walls, the amount of hours that you can commit to the project and your speed in woodwork. Just take your time to create the best frames as per your ability.
Installation and painting
It is advisable to nail the frames onto the walls before installing the panels and painting your wainscoting. The panels will be obtained by cutting the boards into measured sizes depending on the decisions you made at the initial stage of the project. The measurements here must be exact because larger boards will not fit onto the frame, and neither will smaller ones. As for the painting, remember to use good quality paint and also to do a thorough job since the appearance and durability of your wainscoting depends on it.
Wainscoting helps you to create a custom look for your home, saving you from the bluntness of the modern day buildings with little artistic attention. If you are considering a custom look for your home, talk to us about raised panel wainscoting and we will be happy to offer you some more information on how to go about it.
If you did not play a part in designing or picking out the design of your fireplace mantel, chances are that you will be dissatisfied at some point and wish to change this vital component of your home. The common assumption is that your fireplace defines your home’s theme, and as such, it is in sync with the rest of the design in and outside the house. The good news here is that you can choose a different fireplace mantel that compliments the rest of your house by considering the tips below.
What is the room used for?
This is a big part of your remodeling exercise, considering that it will define the kind of fireplace mantel that you want. If you need to create an entertainment center above the fireplace, you may have to get a custom fireplace mantel that suits the size of your TV and can accommodate all the systems that you will be using. Also, you will need to conceal all the wires and this implies drilling holes and other important structural modifications to your fireplace mantel. Most fireplaces are in the family room, and this means the mantel has to be of a certain size to accommodate an entertainment center. Decide on the specifications in terms of height and width, as well as the holes that need to be drilled before picking out a design.
Pick your colors right
Home owners are often particular with their color choices, and this limits the potential of the home. If you are looking to maintain an old fireplace, you may want to change the color and use a better shade or color combination without having to alter the rest of the house as well. Your best option here is to use colors that can coordinate easily with the others. Most old and artistic homes are rich in browns. This however does not mean you must stick to shades of brown for your fireplace mantel. You can pick any deep hue that will go well with the other colors.
To keep or not to keep the tiles?
This is often a tricky question when it comes to remodeling your fireplace mantel. If you feel the need to get rid of the tiles, do not hold back. If the home design is mainly art and craft, you can always use replace the tiles with slate or any other earthy material that will look good and still fit in with the home’s theme. Slate is actually a good replacement of tiles if you feel the need for a completely different fireplace mantel. If you decide to keep the tiled look, you may have to replace them with newer tiles. Old tiles are often cracked or damaged and they do not look as appealing. Also, you cannot change their color as easily and this means you do not have too many options. Look for new tiles that live up to your standards in terms of color, texture and quality.
The salvage store
Since you are not building a new home, you will appreciate that there is a need for some historic touch in your remodeling. Most people tear out their fireplace mantels when they buy an old home. This means that there are a lot of old fireplace mantels that are elegant and in good condition. You can visit a salvage store even if it is to get ideas on the kind of fireplace mantel you would like to install, or how you could improve your current fireplace mantel. Salvaged mantels are not only cheaper, but also often in original designs that would lend that antique value to your home. Once you find a piece that you like, you can have it customized to suit your style and preferences before installation.
Getting the job done
After all the time spent thinking about and planning for a new fireplace mantel, you will have to start the implementation work at some point. A poor installation is worse than an old and worn fireplace mantel. This is why you will need the services or at least the guidance of an expert when installing your new fireplace mantel. You also need to be careful enough to avoid damaging the rest of the furnishings, especially the walls and the floor.
A new fireplace mantel does not have to imply a new house, although sometimes a total makeover is not such a bad idea for your home. If you are looking to change your fireplace mantel and you need some ideas and expert advice, do not hesitate to speak to us. We will be pleased to help out as much as we can to ensure that you continue to enjoy your home in its original theme, but with a custom fireplace mantel that suits your needs and preferences.
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