knee wall cabinets
the project...
My sister's house is a storey and a half so the upstairs ceilings are sloped and get pretty low at exterior walls, basically like a finished attic. These designs use space very efficiently and are among my favorites, but they do pose a few design challenges here and there. The space in need of a solution was off the upstairs hallway entering a bedroom. My sister was using this area as a reading station and bumping your head was not uncommon. She also had a baby on the way and was looking for some storage options.
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The idea I came up with was to build three boxes like shown, screw them together once in place, and then apply a face frame. These were pretty big boxes so I built everything out of 3/4" birch plywood, even the backs. I dadoed all the joints to keep everything tight and square.
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I also assembled the face frame on site due to it's size. The top and sides were initially left wide so I could scribe them to the ceiling and walls. Sometimes cabinets have a small trim piece nailed to them to cover gaps to the walls. When I build custom cabinets, I try to avoid that to achieve a seamless look. An extra trim piece is no doubt quick and easy, and is better than a noticeable void. Click here to see where I did use that approach on my mom's vanity.
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The boxes and face frame installed...
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Doors on and drawers in...
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The finished product ready for baby clothes...
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