Built-ins, or casework, can provide you with practical options for storage, but they can also frame a room and become an interesting visual point. Read on for a few ideas on how to incorporate built-ins into your home design.
Create A Cozy Nook with A Window Seat
If you have recessed windows, don’t let that extra space go to waste. It’s the perfect spot for a cozy reading nook with a window seat for plenty of natural light and a lovely view. All you need is a comfortable bench that fits into the space, if possible with some in-bench built-in storage so you can keep your favorite books handy. Add the finishing touches with some comfortable cushions and window treatments for a hideaway perfect for getting lost in a story.
Frame A Central Element
Visually speaking, built-ins create a natural frame that will draw attention to a central element. Casework can emphasize a fireplace, an antique cabinet, or another noteworthy feature if used properly. It’s the perfect spot for displaying a collection, some picture frames, or your favorite coffee table books.
Here are a few other inspirational ideas to apply to a family room, bedroom or wherever else you’re imagining:
- Opt for wrap-around casework to fill in walls that look empty.
- Take advantage of limited space with tall and narrow shelves.
- Choose floating shelves for a more open feel.
Build Some Practical Casework For Your Home Theater
You can enhance your living room and save space by using a built-in to set up your home theater or entertainment center. You’ll have plenty of storage for gaming consoles, movie collections, and cable boxes, and your TV screen will look even better with a frame to finish off the look.
It’s a functional use for built-ins that prevents your flat screen from taking the center stage in your living room, and you can easily add some cable management solutions to keep that area tidy.
Enhance Built-Ins with Accent Lighting
LED strip lights are a quick and easy way to add accent lighting to your casework. Accent lights will create a dramatic effect by lighting up every nook and creating unique shadows for the items you’re displaying. Alternatively, you can use built-in shelves to frame a central element with some decorative lamps.
Lighting can also become its own showcase when combined with dimmer switches and home automation, making your built-in look like part of a movie set.
Have Fun with Shapes and Colors
Rectangular boxes are a common trend for casework, but you can also pick cabinets with round lines or use shelf brackets with ornamental elements to introduce different shapes into your interior design.
Additionally, even though neutrals are ideal for framing a central element, casework can become the focal point of a room if you cover the back of the shelves with some contact paper or peel-and-stick tiles to create a modern accent wall. You can even use textured wallpaper!
Built-ins are one of the small things you can use to turn a house into a home. It’s the kind of modification you can do to personalize one of the floor plans offered by Craftmark Homes to make the most out of the space available. Take a look at our floor plans to get a better idea of how built-ins can fit into your dream home!