Built-in Bookshelves w/ Window Seat

This is probably the most advanced project I have done.

This is in our master bedroom. The wall is fourteen feet long and eight feet tall. The window is not centered along the length of the wall.

I built the base cabinets and upper units in my basement workshop, and then installed them upstairs. I apparently mismeasured because I had to “customize” the units on the right side by installing strips of filler between the cabinet units (about 1 1/4” in each gap). I had to do that so the units would be symmetrical on each side of the window. The middle shelf in each of the upper units is fixed and the two other shelves are adjustable. The base cabinets each have an adjustable shelf inside.

The trim and face frames are made of poplar. I would measure the pieces in place and then go down to the basement to cut them, then go back upstairs to install them. Lots of steps, but I chose that over running the miter saw in the bedroom.

The cabinet doors are made from poplar with MDF panels. I bought a rail-and-stile router bit set from Freud to make the doors.

I bought two pieces of crown molding for the top. I won’t show you any close-ups because the corners ended up pretty sloppy, but wood putty and paint will cover a lot.

All in I spent about $600 dollars. 6 or 7 sheets of plywood, 30 or so board feet of poplar, hinges, knobs, shelf pins, crown molding, primer, and paint.

I was able to re-use the baseboard that was in place. It was one continuous piece of baseboard 14 feet long. I don’t know how the original construction crew brought it into the house, unless it was through a window.

This was a lot of fun to build. The construction was not too advanced, but installing built-ins is very different from building something in the workshop. My hat is off to any of you LJ’s who do this kind of thing for a living.