One of my favorite things about working in an existing home is finding the details that are worth keeping. Oftentimes, it’s the quality of the original millwork that gives us the best place to start. That was exactly the case in our Colorado Colonial project, where the solid oak entertainment center built-ins offered beautiful craftsmanship and generous storage, making them an obvious candidate to preserve and build upon.

Making the Old Built-Ins Feel Like New

The original built-ins spanned nearly one entire family room wall and featured a solid oak base with open shelving above. While the lower cabinets were exceptionally well made, the upper section was designed for an older television and no longer functioned for today’s technology. Rather than starting from scratch, we kept the base cabinetry and reworked the upper portion by widening the center cabinet to accommodate a modern television and adjusting the surrounding shelving for balanced proportions.

To ensure the new upper cabinetry felt like it had always belonged, we introduced tongue-and-groove paneling behind the open shelving and referenced millwork found elsewhere in the home. We also carried the same crown molding found in surrounding rooms across the top of the built-ins and replaced the original partial-overlay cabinet doors with full-overlay fronts for a more tailored appearance.

We also paid close attention to how the built-ins would function behind the scenes. Carefully placed grommets conceal all cords, and a removable back panel hides the technology mess while keeping it easily accessible when needed. We also preserved the original cabinetry’s functionality by reusing the pull-out drawers on either side as well as the existing shelves in the center section. Finally, painting both the original and newly constructed elements in one finish unifies the different materials and makes the entire built-in feel like a beautiful furniture piece.

As the entertainment center built-ins near completion, we will continue to share more of the space as the finishing layers come together. But even at this stage of the project, there is something really satisfying about seeing a beautifully made piece given a second life. I think it goes to show that sometimes the most interesting solution to a design challenge comes from working intentionally with what you already have.

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Interior planning and custom cabinetry are foundational to how we create family homes that are as practical as they are beautiful. If you are considering a project of your own, you can learn more about our interior design services here.