Industry Ed with Richard: Pre-Finished Cabinets

Prefinished cabinets used in a recent job. See more pictures here. 

After the flood two years ago, prefinished cabinets were almost a necessity in the Baton Rouge area. Many people simply did not have the time to wait for custom cabinets to be created for their homes. The disaster gave locals a new respect for prefinished cabinets. 

Prefinished cabinets used in a recent job. See more pictures here. 

For a long time, pre-finished cabinets have had a bad rap. “Particle board” construction has long scared away homeowners – as a material, it can be difficult to work with, and it does not always age well.  But today’s prefinished cabinets are far more sophisticated, both in material and construction. New construction techniques mean they can be customized to a greater degree than ever before. These cabinets can be a welcome addition to your next project, if you know how to work with them.  

If you’re planning on using them in a job, there are a few things you should consider. 

Prefinished cabinets used in recent mid-century modern remodel. See more pictures here. 

For Builders and Contractors

• Come to jobsite finished; some brands have automotive-quality finishes 
• Can be installed at any point in the job, which makes them less likely to get beaten up or scratched during the rest of the job
• Interiors come finished as well   
• Don’t have to worry about overspray on your hardware        
• Once installed, they are completely done 

Prefinished cabinets used to remodel a bathroom. See more pictures here. 

For Homeowners

• Nearly unlimited options for colors and finishes
• Come with a high quality finish
• Easy to match colors or hardware when something needs to be replaced
• Endless options for customization (add wine racks, slide out drawers, under cabinet lighting, etc.) 
• Reflect popular and modern styles, including slab doors and frameless styles 

Prefinished cabinets used to top off a bathroom remodel. See more pictures here. 

If you're planning on incorporating prefinished cabinets into your next project, be sure to work with a reputable dealer. This will help you avoid getting products that are made from low-grade particle board or that have variances in hardware. Look for the The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association, or KCMA, certification to ensure that your cabinet manufacturer is using high-quality materials.

Pull-out drawers like these are just one of the many customizations that can be added to prefinished cabinets. See more pictures here.

Some things, like inferior materials or hardware, can be avoided by working with the right company. 

At Ourso Designs, we are a dealer for Wood-Mode, a high-end prefinished cabinet brand. These cabinets aren’t made from poor particle board; the materials Wood-Mode uses are great, and their range of customizable features means that you can find something to suit any homeowner’s needs. Wood-Mode is one of the founders of the KCMA. I highly recommend working with them for your next project.

This is not to say that we don’t use custom cabinets in our projects. We have a longstanding relationship with the team at Baton Rouge Custom Cabinets; I cannot recommend those guys enough. They do a great job, from choosing quality materials and hardware to installing at the jobsite. Custom cabinets can be the right choice for the job. 

Baton Rouge Custom Cabinets made these cabinets for a local kitchen we worked on. See more pictures here. 

It’s always a good idea to know your options, so that you and your client can make an informed decision for your project.   

Divide and Conquer: Partition Walls

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Partition walls and small spaces suit each other well. Often, when we think of partition walls, we think of small spaces as going hand-in-hand. Partition walls are a great way to divide a space without closing it in. They are also a great way to separate a large space. 

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It has become quintessential to have an open floor plan... so when every room is opened up to another, how do we separate one area from the other? Of course this can be done in a number of ways, like with a detailed ceiling plan or changes in floor material, but another good way to do this is with partition walls. The foyer seen above is a great example that incorporates all of 3 these ways.

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This is another great example of a successful partition wall. It allows this house to be more open to the dining room, without having to completely tear out valuable walls for cabinet space.

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This partition wall opens up the center stair well. It opens up the stair well, so the user does not feel closed in, as well as, provides a fantastic feature for the room.

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This partition wall separates a back entry from a living space, and like the kitchen example above, it uses a half wall to for a bench and storage space.

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On to the bathroom. It is very common to use a partition wall to separate the shower space from the rest of the bathroom. We love how this one allows you to walk completely around it, and doesn't go all the way to the ceiling. It adds a lot of good dimension to the space.

There are so many useful places for a partition wall and so many ways they can look. Here are few more great examples.

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La Boheme

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Amidst the energetic patterns and bright colors of the modern bohemian aesthetic, there is an order. Perhaps the inherent balance - the ying of untamed energy and the yang of symmetry - is what makes this style so popular.

It could also be the cool rugs.

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If you love the serenity and naturalness of the mid-century modern look, but you want to mess up its hair, the modern bohemian look might be the way to go. In these pictures, you'll recognize a couple of mid-century hallmarks: pin leg furniture, neutral walls, and lots of wood. But you'll also see some unexpected patterns, shapes, textures, and bursts of colors. 

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 The finished space is always fun, yet cool.

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If you want to replicate this style, be sure to incorporate these key elements:

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Wood 

Like mid-century modern style, modern bohemian has lots of wood. If you have existing wood beams or rafters, put those on display. Wooden tables, either in the kitchen or the living room, add natural warmth.

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 Neutral background palette 

Neutral colors provide a great backdrop for the mix of colors and patterns in the rest of the room.

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Texture 

This can be added with patterned throw pillows, different weaves in fabrics, even baskets.

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A Good Rug 

The star of any good bohemian space is the rug. As the star, it need to do a lot of talking. Pick a piece that has bold geometric shapes or lots of texture made by an open-weave and natural fabric choices. 

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