With builders and remodelers trying to create unique spaces that set their projects apart, cabinet manufacturers are adapting and are touting the flexibility of their products outside of the kitchen and bathroom.
Whether in the laundry room, living room, home office, or elsewhere, built-in cabinetry provides a wealth of options that standard furniture can't match, points out Connie Edwards, director of design for Timberlake Cabinetry, in Winchester, Va. “With standard furniture, your choices are your choices,” she says. “With built-in cabinetry, you have the ability to create anything that your imagination and design requirements need.”
Cabinets can be built in various shapes to fit a niche or a window seat, for example, and can be ordered in many sizes in any finish or species, Edwards says. Timberlake Cabinetry's bench unit, pictured below in the Montana maple door style with a coffee finish, provides a spot to take off your shoes in the mudroom or laundry room.
Built-in cabinetry can also provide functional features and quality parts that homeowners won't always be able to find in regular furniture, points out Rebecca Guentner, senior product manager for Canac. Wire rack pullouts, rolling shelves, tip-out units, and even gift wrap holders can keep a room tidy and organized. “It's more of the functional storage that people want,” Guentner says.
Kitchen and bath designers have been adapting cabinetry to the living room and home office for years, but homeowners are beginning to ask for cabine-try in other rooms, as well. Merillat designed a multipurpose room to show how one room could accommodate a variety of activities, such as laundry and hobbies, while providing extra storage. Though Paul Radoy, design services manager for Merillat, acknowledges that many builders and remodelers can't spare the floor space for a large laundry and multipurpose room, manufacturers agree that larger laundry rooms with versatile storage are a growing trend. No matter which room your clients are upgrading, it never hurts to inspire them with ideas — they'll appreciate the opportunity to upgrade their storage.
This article first appeared in the November/December issue of REMODELING 's sister publication, BUILDING PRODUCTS.
