5 days ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Longing for Built-in Cabinets? The Cheaper Way to Get the Look With Furniture
Whether they're bookcases constructed to tidily flank a fireplace or fitted custom breakfronts, built-in cabinets generally evoke a sigh of envy. All that storage, so polished and cohesive. But is commissioning pricey bespoke woodwork the only route to cabinetry that appears made for your space?
Actually, no. Resale, vintage and auction sites teem with large-scale pieces that can stand in for built-ins. They go by such names as glazed bookcases (meaning some doors are glass), hutches, cabinets and vitrines. Which free-standing alternatives have that made-for-the-room feel? 'Anything that's sitting on the floor or has minimal elevation,' said Emily Arthur, co-founder and chief creative officer at New York cabinet company Isla Porter.
