Making the Case for Built-Ins

Custom made built-ins are a way to add instant character and personalization to a new home. Built-ins free up valuable floor space, provide additional storage and can be designed to complement the overall interior theme of the home. Customized built-ins give buyers a peek into the possibilities of a new home. In this blog, we are sharing a few of our favorite built-ins we have installed that blend function and style.

Living and family room spaces

Built-ins are a natural choice for living spaces because they can be tailored to a homeowner’s specific media and electronics components. Contemporary floating cabinets in the great room at Mystral at Skyline Plan 2 keep the space open and light while offering plenty of storage room for media equipment. Plan 3 at Cava at Rancho Soleo makes the most of a slender niche by incorporating similar floating cabinets and shelving specific to the niche depth. Built-ins in both spaces were designed to accommodate the media in the optimal viewing location — a customized off-center solution that is difficult to create with freestanding media cabinets.

There are times when a large built-in cabinet is necessary to anchor a room and create a focal point, like the floor-to-ceiling built-in at Plan 2 at Cassis at Rancho Soleo. The height and dark wood stain give visual weight to this open loft, offering a second gathering space in the home. Custom built-ins are also an opportunity to reflect the style and finishes of a home. A two-toned finish in Plan 2 at Briosa at Esencia offers balance and visual contrast with floating white cabinets framed in dark-stained wood to tie into other cabinetry finishes used throughout the home.

Small Spaces

In smaller rooms when floor space is at a premium, built-ins can offer solutions difficult to solve with furniture. The media built-in at Ebb Tide’s Plan 1 makes the most of a tight living room corner. It frames the TV as well as creates storage for flexible seating and multiple surfaces to style with decor. A creative floor-to-ceiling arrangement of cabinets and shelves surrounds a small sofa in Plan 2 at Riverstone. The design maximizes every inch of space with storage, built-in end tables, and shelves.

Pro tip: Define the width of upholstery first and then design the dimensions of the built-in with a few inches of clearance.

Home Spaces

Remote working continues to be a reality for millions of households. According to a recent study by John Burns Real Estate Consulting, 40% of Americans expect to continue remote working this year, and households are interested in better design for home offices to accommodate this new paradigm. These spaces should function similarly to a commercial office to promote productivity. Built-ins in home offices are a practical choice, especially when layout configurations must take into account window placement, natural light, and the optimal spot for a workspace to promote focus.

Home office built-ins can customize style and function. The home office at Vu’s Plan 1 gets a sleek treatment with white floating shelves that span and accentuate a long wall. When space allows, wrapping a built-in in a corner creates a unique and custom look. Built-ins can be achieved at every budget. Mystral at Skyline’s Plan 3 and The Place’s Plan 2 exemplify simple block shelves and asymmetrical floating shelves to add additional storage and style without spending a tremendous amount of money.

Nooks and Niches

A creative built-in can also help solve a room’s challenges, like tight spaces that are awkward to fill with freestanding furniture. A niche in a child’s bedroom is an opportunity to create a treasured hideaway, like the hexagonal reading nook at Cava at Rancho Soleo Plan 4. A pop of blue paint adds a touch of playfulness, and shelves above and below the seating area provide easy access to books, toys, and games. The bedroom niche at Plan 3 at Mystral at Skyline is an ideal spot to highlight family photos and favorite artwork atop chunky block shelves. The dining room built-in at Lafayette at Riverstone is an example of maximizing a small space with rectangular cubicles for decor and storage below.

Multi-Functional Spaces

Bonus rooms, lofts, dens — these coveted spaces offer limitless ways to personalize a home to reflect different lifestyle needs and preferences. Many times, these rooms also have to accommodate several different tasks simultaneously and are prime locations for well-designed built-ins.

A family room or bonus space can double as a home office, as in Lusitano’s Plan 3 with its bookshelf-style shelves, drawers, and convenient pop-out desk. Lofts can do double-duty as a home office or kids’ study space as in Plan 5 at Hazel at The Preserve. This built-in provides individualized spaces for focused study for the kids and media for the whole family. A bonus room at Plan 1 at Mystral at Skyline becomes a craft lover’s paradise with shelves for display and plenty of closed cabinets to house materials.

Custom-designed built-ins can truly personalize a space and provide individualized function for the homeowner. They can be an opportunity to enhance the interior design theme of a home and ultimately add value at the time of resale.

For more interiors inspiration, please check out our design portfolio of projects and our blog.