After a scheduled visit to the home, we agreed to the following:

• Build large shelf for Television, add 1/4″ backing to create TV compartment.
• Divide lower section equally and build two raised-panel doors to fit new openings.
• Build two A/V component shelf units, (1) per side: approx 24″ wide x 20″ deep. (Adjustable)
• Add an open shelf above TV to create ‘built-in’ look and utility.

The brunt of the work for me was prepping the poplar boards and 4′x8′ sheets of birch plywood with oil-based primer and coats of finish paint. The oil-based painting took far more time than estimated and the increased drying time was lengthy.

To the house, I delivered two new lower cabinets with adjustable shelving. The units and shelves, like all other parts, arrived with 3 coats of enamel. I also brought the one large shelf, one smaller shelf with 2″ edging, some 1/4″ backing, pre-painted nailers and a single mullion to complete the cabinet modifications, which took about 4 hours in-house.

I had to order a large cove profile raised-panel router bit from Amazon (overnight) to match the atypical 1 3/4″ raised-panels. With the new doors completed about a week later, pre-drilling for cup hinges made for a 5-minute install.

“Hey Kim..WE LOVE IT!!! It looks wonderful and Chuck thought so, too.”

Here’s a gallery of images showing the progress. The blue is protective plastic covering the panel, door and drawer faces. The more I build, the more blue this place becomes!

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I am using a combination of Ikea’s 36″ X 96″ Filler Panels, cabinets and deco-strip as material to construct a stove cabinet, built-in sub-zero fridge, microwave cabinet and desk with bookshelf. I will add pictures as I complete the kitchen this week.

Update: Friday Jan. 4th. – I have finished most of the installation. The island is set. The Sub-Zero closet is built. The oven cabinet awaits a reconsideration of the layout of the 3 Gaggenau ovens. Everything looks awesome!

WoodDance Studio 2008

As with most jobs, I visit the location to assess the situation and make the required measurements.
My client wanted a fireplace mantel built in their family room.
I would have to build this mantel to fit.

• Maintain 8″ stone for code
• Build top of mantel below built-in flatscreen TV
• Accommodate center channel speaker built-in wall. (right in the middle!)

I measured it up and left the client with a book showing various styles of Fireplace mantels to choose from. Later we agreed on what was feasible and might look good and I built it up in my shop.

I built the mantel based on a plywood panel so I could cut out for the speaker and maintain strength. I cut the plywood ends at 45º and added edges to keep the plywood away from the wall the thickness of the stone surround. I made some custom plinth blocks and added some 1×3 legs. The capitals got another wrap of 3/4″ wood and then trimmed out.
For the mantel shelf I laminated a piece of 1/2″ finish ply to a piece of 3/4″ for a nice thick profile. For the leading edge, I used the same trim that crowns every door and window casing in my own house.

After finishing a basement remodel and some cabinetry work here in Darien, CT. I was called out to Bronxville, NY to build some cabinets for a friend of the clients who noticed my last job.

On certain projects I work with a Contractor, Designer and an Architect. Most often I visit a home and meet with the residents myself, to inspect the location and discuss their desires and the possibilities.
I take that information home, draw up a picture and send it to the client with a price.

For this project I gave two layouts and a few options. The clients chose to eliminate a radiator and build a window seat alongside the bookshelves they required. I built up the boxes in my shop and made certain I had all the pieces before making the long drive toward the city for the installation.
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Remember when I said that I deliver the proposed plans and then we discuss possibilities. Not atypically, it’s how is it possible to make alterations to the price and I do what I can to accomplish everyone’s goals. In this case I was able to shave off $80 dollars by changing from decent hardware to slides that cost $4 each. Even though this change was documented and discussed before the downgrade the client later said “If I knew it meant losing that 4″ of space on each drawer I would have paid the $80.”

I’ve learned that being careful pays but being cheap can sometimes cost you so much more.

To replace them with full-extension hardware would now cost $100 in hardware, 2 hours labor and about 4 hours of driving. How much would you charge? He lived with it and I went away feeling I didn’t do a perfect job. Since this is a backdated post to the time when the job was completed, now five years later, I can see how nice these cabinets really are.

Not to make this entry too long but on every job we learn something. After this project I made several changes to my policies including covering expenses for travel or not accepting work at such a distance and I no longer option cheap hardware. Today, my prices are super-reasonable and nearly double what I charged these folks back in 2003.

I was called by a friend of this client, years later, for a similar task. After explaining there would be a fee for my plan drawings after a visit their NY home they lost interest in my attention and I… breathed a sigh of relief.

WoodDance Studio

The requests for this entertainment center were:

• custom fit from wall-to-wall
• retracting flat panel doors
• drawers for media
• lots of shelving for their books
• built off the ground for special storage needs

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The client wanted to stain or paint this one themselves and had already purchased a TV so there’s a separate box inside to enclose their TV and provide a large shelf above for their cable box. A month later I stopped by to see the client’s finish work. They chose a stain and polyurethane application. It must have taken a long time.

This is a backdated post, entered Jan. 2008, for a job completed in 2002.