What began as
lighting control led to custom cabinets
Before renovations
began, the homeowner called us to design and install a home theater lighting
control system, as well as the wiring for a new living room theater.
While on site, we considered conventional solutions to his equipment location
problem: stand-alone custom cabinetry or locating the A/V equipment in another
room of the house. Initially, the remote location seemed to be the best and
most cost-efficient alternative.
An eyesore spurs opportunistic thought
During the site
planning, we noted that the house had a large, obtrusive cast-iron radiator
in the entry hallway, which was on the other side of a non-load-bearing wall
common to the living room. We proposed a third alternative: cutting a "through-the-wall"
cabinet in the space above the radiator. This plan would show the face of the
A/V equipment into the living room and provide access to the rear of the equipment
through hinged doors from the entry hallway side. As an added bonus, an attractive
radiator cover was incorporated into the design.
The concept becomes
reality
We
first designed the through-the-wall cabinet to accommodate all the A/V equipment.
Then our cabinet shop fabricated a structural "box" that fit into
the common wall opening. The foyer hallway construction consisted of a one-piece
lower cabinet to cover the radiator, and the upper section to hold the access
doors in place. Aesthetically, a facade was designed to blend into the crown
molding already in the living room. The bottom skirt trim of the shelving was
custom cut to match the existing window trim woodwork. The solid oak hallway
cabinet was stained to match the recently resurfaced hardwood floors. Most importantly,
the Shaker-style design blends seamlessly with the farmhouse decor. |
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Multiple benefits
from one idea
When assembled,
the new through-wall cabinet provided an attractive, convenient storage solution
while eliminating the need for expensive stand-alone cabinetry that would have
dramatically reduced living room floor space. Meanwhile, the design led to other
significant benefits. First, it offered easy access to the rear of all of the
equipment for future wiring changes -- a dream come true for any A/V enthusiast.
Second, it complemented the existing period woodwork. Finally, it provided the
satisfied homeowner an attractive focal point in the main entry hall -- much
nicer than the radiator eyesore.
Before
After |
Clever through-the-wall A/V cabinetry
