Best way to make a built in buffet look 'built in'

14 years ago

Sorry for posting my floor plan again... I am quite needy lately.

In my breakfast area, I have a built-in buffet drawn in the plan on one end. I'm struggling to visualize this.

Will I need a little 12x12 wall or something similar on each side of the buffet to make it look built in? Otherwise, counter and cabinet will just be finished on the sides, if it doesn't go all the way to the walls of the room? I am hoping to get rid of those little just out walls that the architect has labeled as 1'5"... which is why I'm curious about this.

I plan to use the built-ins for extra cabinet storage and if we are running short on cabinet budget, I may put a frig under the counter for beverages or have a knee hole or 2 and set some stools there. I would love to use the counter as a buffet for setting out food and drinks and such. My current non-built-in hutch is 16 inches deep, and I'm hoping to keep it to no more than that so I have room for the table.

So do I need those side walls or not?

Thanks for all my needy questions! Sometimes I feel so ignorant about all this stuff!

Comments (10)

granite-girl
14 years ago
O.K. I don't really think it looks built-in unless the cabinets go completely wall to wall, so the 1'-5" wall would need to be full depth to the cabinets or deeper. But does that really matter ? If you want to get rid of the 1'-5" wall anyway, it won't look built in. Also a under counter frig will be 24' d. so that won't fit in a 16" deep cabinet.
What if you shortened it & didn't have it against either wall & make it look more like a piece of furniture ?
I like your plan by the way.... Good Luck

Here is a link that might be useful: granite countertops
rosie
14 years ago
Shelly, no, it really doesn't have to be set between walls to look built in. A couple of things that would further the look would be to have the upper and lower parts connected by a single end panel, such as one sees for instance on one-piece hutch and sideboard units. A second device is to give it the same finish as the walls or the trim in the room, rather than setting it off as different from the house it's part of by a different finish. This also works well if the cabinets have, say, a wood finish because it no longer looks like part of the set of cabinets.
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shelly_k
Original Author
14 years ago
granite-girl -- thanks for the tip on the under counter frig. I knew that, but forget... :)

Rosie, I think I understand what you're saying. Our kitchen cabinets will be dark espresso stain, so do the buffet in the same cabinets? I'm just still not sure about the end of the cabinets if they don't go wall to wall? Our trim will be painted cream... Any pictures?
kompy
14 years ago
Here's what I did with my 1910 dining room. There was just a niche and I had a cabinet built to fill the space. Because of the short window, up high, my buffet is taller than kitchen height. But I can still use it during dinner for excess dishes, or water pitchers. The cabinet is 21" deep and we love the storage.

I had two outlets installed on the matching countertop for buffet lamps.

I think you could do a nice 'furniture' piece with or without a wall....but it will look more 'built-in' if the wall is deeper.
shelly_k
Original Author
14 years ago
Kompy -- thank you so much for that picture! Your buffet is beautiful!! I love the outlet idea too. The lamps really add to it!
sombreuil_mongrel
14 years ago
The short walls just might be structural. It may have made the difference in span for a steel beam vs. a wood beam. Ask the designer. Deleting them makes the span almost 3' wider, which is quite a jump load-bearing-wise.
I see the small walls as an opportunity for some nice detailed trimwork.
Casey
shelly_k
Original Author
14 years ago
I think I am leaning toward some sort of wall on each side of the buffet... love Kompy's picture.

If anyone else has pictures, please post! :)
teacup_princess
14 years ago
I couldn't tell from your post if you were doing upper and lower cabinets or just lowers. Here's a pic of mine anyway. I tried to make my buffet look more like a piece of furniture. I needed uppers for more storage since we use this piece as our pantry. I put feet on mine to make it look like furniture.
ovenbird
14 years ago
Like teacup_princess, we put feet on ours to make it look like a piece of furniture. The horizontal area above the granite is an appliance garage where we keep the microwave and the toaster oven...the double door flips up and slides into the cabinet.
shelly_k
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks ovenbird! Yours is beautiful. I like being able to see it without a wall on one side. Thanks so much for the picture@

Best way to make a built in buffet look 'built in'

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granite-girl

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Best way to make a built in buffet look 'built in'

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granite-girl

rosie

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