Deciding to add these built-ins was 100% a necessity for the study. When we moved in, this was somewhat of a formal sitting room. Really it was just a box of a room with no character beyond the crown molding. At first, we pictured this room as a music room, but once we decided it would serve better as a study, we realized at some point, we would need to add some more storage. Enter in this high gloss, custom built-in cabinetry.

Here’s what the opening looked like before deciding to narrow it, add built-ins, and pocket doors.

Before

We spent a lot of time sketching things up before making any decisions and landed on this design.

Sketch

After

My jaw cannot be picked up. What once was a blank white box is now dripping in color and character, and of course, I’m just dying to style those shelves and get all settled into this practically new space! As you can see, we need just a few more pieces of hardware to arrive for the drawers, and actually, our dedicated painters want to do just one more coat on those shelves before we start “moving in.”

But in case you’re wondering, I could not be happier with my choice of the Topsoil by Benjamin Moore paint color or the high gloss finish. Our painters color matched in the Milesi brand, and it’s actually a waterborne lacquer, which gives it that hard enamel finish! I really wanted to add some charm and character to this space, and they both contribute to accomplishing exactly that.

Designing the built-in cabinetry

As for the custom built-in cabinetry, these towers were designed to optimize function in this study. Believe it or not, we’ve lived in this house for just shy of two years, and we still have boxes of unpacked books that are awaiting a home. Of course, I’ll be styling them with other decor because I love my home to be both functional and aesthetic.

The drawers will serve as storage for cords, scissors, pens, pencils, sticky notes, and all things “office.” And the cabinets are actually more than just “cabinets.” One side is actually a pull-out filing cabinet, and the other has a pull-out for our printer. Love being able to tuck away all those “ugly” but necessary things.

Hardware for the cabinet towers

I’ve never seen a picture light I don’t like, so it’s not shocking that I jumped at the opportunity to add some secondary lighting to this space. These are hardwired, and I can’t wait to see them in action. If you’re looking for a full guide on picture lights, check out this post!

The knobs and the pulls are both from Rejuvenation and although we’re still waiting on a couple of pulls to arrive, I’m really happy with the placing. There’s not really a rule of thumb, but when it came to deciding on the placement of the pulls, I rely a lot on that gut feeling of what “looks right.” To me, they didn’t look right centered to each cabinet front, so I inched them a bit closer to the outer edge. Perfecto.

We’re visiting family in Idaho this week, but by the time we get back, the study should be ready for “move-in,” and I’m itching to do so. Stay tuned!

Other posts related to the study

7 dark green paint colors for interiors

Painting the study a glossy dark green

The study mood board

Choosing a paint color for the study again