Custom Built-In Cabinetry: Media Walls, Libraries and Window Seats

Built-in cabinetry is where custom work makes the biggest difference. Off-the-shelf units leave gaps at uneven walls, stop short of the ceiling and never quite fit the room. A built-in is designed for one wall in one house, and it becomes part of the architecture.

What We Build

• Media walls: cabinetry around the TV, with closed storage for equipment and open shelving for books and objects.

• Library and display shelving: floor-to-ceiling, often with integrated lighting.

• Fireplace walls: cabinets and shelves flanking the fireplace, tied together by the mantel.

• Window seats: with drawers or lift-up storage below.

• Vanities: custom bathroom vanities sized to the room.

• Wine storage: from display cabinets to full wine rooms.

• Architectural millwork: wainscoting, ceiling beams and staircase elements.

Custom pine living room cabinetry.

Planning a Built-In

• Measure the real room. Walls are rarely flat and floors are rarely level. Good built-ins are scribed to the room so there are no gaps at the wall or ceiling.

• Decide what's hidden and what's shown. Closed doors for clutter and equipment, open shelves for what you want to see.

• Plan the wiring early. For a media wall, plan the TV height, cable routes, and ventilation for equipment before the build.

• Think about lighting. Puck or strip lighting in shelves turns a wall of cabinets into a feature at night.

• Match the room. Door style, hardware and finish should relate to the trim, flooring and furniture already in the space.

A fireplace wall with flanking cabinets and floating shelves.

Stain-Grade or Paint-Grade?

• Stain-grade: hardwoods such as white oak, walnut, maple and alder, finished to show the grain. Best when the cabinetry is the feature.

• Paint-grade: poplar or high-quality MDF, which machine cleanly and hold paint well. Best when the built-ins should match painted trim.

Cabinet boxes are built from cabinet-grade veneered plywood or high-quality MDF, chosen to suit the project, so the cabinetry stays square and stable for years.

How a Built-In Project Works

1. Consultation: we talk through the room, what you want to store and display, and the look you're after.

2. Site measure: we measure the space in detail, including any out-of-square walls.

3. Design and quote: you receive a design concept and a clear quote.

4. Build: every piece is built in our Chilliwack workshop and almost entirely finished there, so there's very little mess or disruption in your home.

5. Install: we install and scribe the cabinetry to fit your walls, then complete the final finishing touches on site.

Floating shelves in poplar.

Serving the Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver

We build in Chilliwack and work across the Fraser Valley, the Lower Mainland and Greater Vancouver, including Abbotsford, Langley, Surrey, Mission, Maple Ridge, Coquitlam, Vancouver and North Vancouver.

See our home millwork, our millwork services, or request a free estimate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are custom built-ins worth it compared to store-bought units?

When the wall is irregular, the space is awkward, or you want the cabinetry to look like part of the house, yes. Built-ins fit wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling, with no gaps.

What materials are best for built-in cabinets?

For painted cabinetry, poplar or high-quality MDF. For a stained or natural finish, white oak, walnut, maple and alder are all excellent. Cabinet boxes are usually cabinet-grade veneered plywood or high-quality MDF.

Can you build a media wall around my TV?

Yes. We plan TV height, cable routes and equipment ventilation as part of the design.

Do you build built-ins in Vancouver?

Yes. We build in Chilliwack and work across the Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver.