The Space: A recently constructed multi-purpose room consisting of two dining areas (one formal and one informal), a large seating area and a new kitchen.
The Need: To design and build a contemporary sideboard that meets several purposes: general open and closed storage, a home for a new flat screen TV with room for various peripherals, CDs and DVDs, lit display for the clients’ pottery and space for serving food when entertaining.
The Solution: A long built-in cabinet with a solid mahogany base and two rectangular protruding volumes dramatically sheathed in Hot Mottled Makore wood. One horizontal volume houses all the entertainment equipment while a smaller vertical cabinet (not shown) displays the pottery. The play between the protruding volumes, their active veneer and the mahogany base (which provides additional storage) offers a welcome rhythm along the formerly bare wall of this rather wide new room. Electrical and wire management needs were addressed as well.
Photo: E1
Photo: E2
Before
During
CONTEMPORARY MAHOGANY WALL UNIT
The Space: A recently constructed master bedroom with a large rectangular space off to the side that was left for the eventual construction of cabinetry.
The Need: To follow the clients’ original intent and fill in the available space with a cabinet which would house their sound and media components as well as offer room for books, general storage and display space.
The Solution: The obvious solution called for floor to ceiling cabinets to fill the small rectangular space but InHouse instead decided to “float” a cabinet and have it extend to the right beyond the available space in order to achieve needed balance for the new wall unit in the room. In reality, only a shallow part of the façade of the cabinet extends beyond the space so no additional demolition was required for installation. The unit protrudes several inches from the wall and has built-in lighting to accent some of the clients’ personal possession in a large display area. The inside of the cabinet houses the media equipment as well as several drawers for CDs, DVDs and misc. items. Since the space was originally built with a small access door in the rear to provide access to the back of any new cabinetry, wire management was easily handled. InHouse facilitated the electrical, framing and sheetrock work as well as the cabinetry design and installation. Mahogany solids and veneers.
The Space: A recently purchased home less than a year old.
The Need: To design and build a traditionally inspired comprehensive home office for a retired client incorporating an entertainment area with state-of-the-art equipment in a large lower level space.
The Solution: InHouse worked with the clients on dividing the large space into three distinct areas with one complimentary “look”. One area houses the office while the multi-media equipment is housed in an adjacent niche. Another area provides seating and entertainment and is centered around the flat screen TV at the other end of the room which is visible from the home office. A large cabinet under the TV hides the speakers and subwoofers while the perimeter walls contain open shelves which house part of the clients’ library. Cherry wood with a distressed finish. InHouse designed the lighting and electrical improvements and consulted on the room color. Electrical, cabinetry and sheetrock improvements were all facilitated by InHouse.
Photo: E4
Photo: E5 Cabinet doors closed
Photo: E5 Cabinet doors open
KIREI BOARD AND WALNUT MEDIA CENTER
The Space: A small multipurpose room in a mid century modern home.
The Need:: An updated family room with an area for a flat screen TV and related equipment, miscellaneous storage and a small home office. The Client indicated interest in a “green” solution.
The Solution:A storage intensive design, limiting all cabinetry to one wall maximized the space in the small room. After exploring various furniture and cabinetry layouts, the media center was positioned for easy family viewing from an adjacent seating area. It is housed in one of two deep cabinets which surrounds a small home office. The design provides ample room for a large TV and supporting equipment as well as the clients’ collection of DVDs and videos. Kirei Board, a green product composed of edible sorghum grass, provided visual activity which was counterbalanced by a dark walnut. The walnut served to ground the overall look of the cabinetry while picking up on the dark tones of the Kirei Board. InHouse designed the lighting and electrical improvements as well.
Photo: E6 TV Cabinet doors closed
Photo: E6 TV Cabinet doors open
TRADITIONAL FAMILY ROOM FIREPLACE/TV WALL
The Space: A utilitarian wall containing a fireplace and a niche for a TV in a newer residence.
The Need: A total redo of the wall with a more traditional aesthetic to give it personality while not sacrificing utility. The function of the wall was to remain the same.
Photo: E7
Before The Solution: InHouse redesigned the entire wall.The fireplace was lowered and surrounded by a traditionally inspired brick hearth and mantle. Open shelving combined with a closed cabinet with pocket doors houses the flat screen TV and peripherals. A built-in niche for stacked wood (not shown) and crown molding was also part of the solution. Paint consultation, electrical, cabinetry and fireplace improvements were all facilitated by InHouse.
The Space: A master bedroom with an inset box for a TV over the existing mantle.
The Need: The Clients’ wanted a cost effective/easy solution to mask the box and hide the TV.
The Solution: InHouse had the mantle painted white and then designed a similarly colored sympathetic cabinet above it which hid the TV and its components in an inexpensive yet attractive manner. The solution reads as one tall floor-to-ceiling cabinet which integrates the fireplace mantle into the design.
Photo: E9 Cabinet doors closed
Photo: E9 Cabinet doors open
MAHOGANY AND SLATE LIVING ROOM
ENTERTAINMENT WALL
The Space: A living room in a mid-century home with a painted paneled wall and an inset fireplace with a cantilevered concrete shelf below. Upon entering the home, the wall is highly visible and serves as a focal point of the main floor.
The Need: The Clients wanted to install an entire home entertainment center on this one wall with: plasma TV; multiple stereo components; surround sound speakers; storage for CDs and DVDs; and a seating area. They were especially interested in giving the wall some personality by warming it up and utilizing different materials. For the most part, the entertainment system was to be hidden and the plasma TV was to “disappear” when not in use..
Photo: E10Cabinet doors closed Photo: E10 Cabinet doors open
Before The Solution: InHouse designed a warm contemporary wall environment of mahogany and slate to house the Clients’ entertainment components and address their other specified needs. The cabinetry, which protrudes from the main wall at various depths depending upon the function of the unit, creates an interesting rhythm on the wall. Where possible, it deeply penetrates the wall to allow for the Clients numerous stereo components to be stored in an almost invisible manner. The TV cabinet above the fire box is, of necessity, quite shallow as it had to be designed not to interfere with the existing fireplace flu. When in use, its doors bifold out of the way exposing the plasma TV. It easily closes up and becomes a sculptural extension of the rest of the cabinetry. The existing concrete shelf below the fire box was cut down and incorporated into a new slate-covered container which houses the central speaker and some of the Clients’ art books. To its left is a mobile mahogany seating and storage unit (cushions not shown) which contains drawers in its base for CDs and DVDs and seating for two people. This unit can be moved around the room at will. A lit display niche and a copper-lined firebox for logs gives added texture and utility to the overall design solution. The entire wall is sheathed in 12” x 12” slate tiles that alternate with the 4” x 4” slate sheathing on the unit below the fire box. This dramatic design solution has given new life and personality to one of the most important rooms in the Clients’ home.
The Need: The Client asked InHouse to design a multimedia cabinet to contain a new flat screen plasma TV, his audio components as well as his CDs and DVDs. A clean contemporary look was requested with a long, low profile.
The Solution: A two tone walnut entertainment center divided into three components: a central TV cabinet with bifolding/pocketing doors which can be hidden when open and two side storage compartments for all his audio equipment. There are three storage drawers for CDs and DVDs as well. Custom knobs were designed and fabricated to make a strong design statement. Wire management and ventilation were incorporated throughout the design. Walnut, natural and dark, solids and veneers.
