Built-in wall units are shelves, cabinets and other features directly integrated into the wall of the house. Built-ins streamline a house, allowing you to store your books, dishes and other possessions without cramping the room with big shelving units. They also add character, giving houses unique, custom-designed features in place of plain walls. Does this Spark an idea?
Built-In Entertainment Center
Modern flat screen televisions are low profile, rendering the classic, bulky entertainment center all but obsolete. Instead of buying one, build a built in wall unit around your television and other audio visual gear to save space in your living room. Create a central shelf with the correct dimensions for your television and a few inches of extra room on each side to provide extra heating. Place shelves for your DVD or other movie player, an iPod or other MP3 player dock and other media gear beside your television. Place your favorite DVDs on display on a narrow shelf above the television. Build other shelves for DVD and CD display further out to the sides of the television. Finally, mount the speakers on brackets or on high shelves in the corners above the television. Install a sliding door over the television or the whole entertainment center to prevent it from dominating the space when not in use.
Reading Nook
If you are an avid reader, there is nothing nicer than a small corner designed to curl up and read a book. Build yourself a reading nook as the perfect miniature escape. Leave a gap beside another built-in to create a space big enough to fit a recliner, bean bag chair, cushions or whatever else you prefer to curl up and read in. Add a small built-in shelf inside large enough to hold several shelves and a second one to hold a cup of tea or coffee and some snacks. Install track lighting, wall sconces or other built-in light sources to give the space a bright, yet cozy look.
Cob Built-Ins
Use an earth-based material such as cob to line the inside of your house with built-ins in organic shapes. Cob is a natural building material made out of clay, straw and sand which can be shaped into any space desired. Create cob walls with small, rounded built-ins to hold vases, candle holders and other objects. Build in organic ledges underneath the window for comfortable window seats tailored to the shape of your body. Build small ledges into the wall to serve as coffee tables.
Tags: your television, above television, curl read, into wall