Home | Alcove to Built-in Cabinets

My love for old architecture runs deep. I’ve mentioned before, but I love turn of the century homes and their simple elegance. Our home is far from turn of the century, but we love it none-the-less.

When we moved in here years ago, the dining room had an alcove on that far wall. I put an old buffet in there for the time being, but it never felt quite right and the room wasn’t useful. As time went on, we realized that we needed the space for school, but we had no storage for school supplies.

One thing Mark and I agree on is if we’re going to do something, we want to do it right. I looked at images of built ins online and found a few styles that I loved. There were different elements about each that struck a cord with me, so we sat down and Mark drew out what I had envisioned in my head.

My biggest desire was to have the piece look turn of the century and like it was built with this home. We didn’t want it to stand out as a “new to the home” piece, so it took some careful planning since the walls that jutted out from the back wall of the alcove weren’t even. One came out 18 inches and the other side only 12 inches. You can see from the above angle the difference.

In the end, I think the project turned out exactly how I had imagined. The piece looks original and it isn’t flashy. It catches the eye, but then the eye can travel around the room and notice the other special bits about the room, such as the table or the beautiful, antique ship painting.

A few things that I believe made the project have such a beautiful outcome were the old-fashioned cabinet pulls, carrying the base trim around the front of the cabinet, and painting the cabinet a white that complimented the walls, but was a touch creamier. I also went with clear glass instead of decorative or beveled glass.

Below, you will see the before photo. The room is still a nice space, but the recent changes make it feel more like our taste and something we will love for years to come.