Melanie Whittington, Whittington Design Studio
“The most important thing to consider is permanency. You are adding an expensive detail to your home, so it’s essential that built-ins add value to the physical structure. The rest is classic design decision-making. How will the space be used? Are we featuring art and accessories or hiding clutter? Client needs change over time, so versatility is key.”
—Melanie Whittington, Whittington Design Studio
whittingtondesignstudio.com, 703-533-3705
“One of the most important factors is determining what will be stored inside and displayed on the outside. A built-in needs to be beautiful, functional and timeless since it is adding to the architecture of the house.”
—Laura Hildebrandt, IFDA, NKBA, Interiors by LH, LLC
interiorsbylh.com, 571-334-6476
“A built-in should integrate and complement existing architectural details. Avoid designing doors that are too large and cumbersome to open and close easily.”
—Barbara Hawthorn, Barbara Hawthorn Interiors, Ltd.
BarbaraHawthornInteriors.com, 703-241-5588
“The most important things to think about when having custom cabinetry designed and installed are function and aesthetics. If you are paying to have something more custom created, then make sure you are working with someone who can really create or capture that for you. If you are working on a budget but want a more custom look, there are a lot of ways to achieve this through small modifications like hardware or paint.”
—Laura Fox, Laura Fox Interior Design, LLC
laurafoxinteriordesign.com
“Our favorite benefit of built-ins is the way they can make an eyesore in a space, like a bulky soffit, disappear as we blend it seamlessly with a new built-in.”
—Andrea Maaseide, Allied ASID, Studio 320 Interior Design
studio-320.com, 571-459-2136
Bonnie Ammon
Bonnie Ammon Interiors
bonnieammoninteriors.com
703-778-5755
Jamie Merida
Jamie Merida Interiors
jamiemerida.com
410-819-8666
DuVäl Reynolds
DuVäl Design, LLC
duvalreynolds.com
703-989-0521
Sarita Simpson and Jason Claire
Interior Matter
interiormatter.com
202-900-3818
Cathy Purple Cherry
Purple Cherry Architects
purplecherry.com
410-990-1700