Best of the Week: 30 Savvy and Stylish Built-In Joinery Ideas
Seeking ideas for built-in joinery? Look no further – we've gathered together 30 clever and classic examples on Houzz
There’s much to love about built-in joinery – done right, it can deliver perfectly proportioned storage, comfortable seating, an easy-to-use solution for all those children’s toys and more. Today, rather than blending in with its surrounds, on-trend built-in furniture is designed to stand out. Here are 30 striking examples from around the world.
And remember, you can get more details of a project and see more of a professional’s work by clicking on a photo.
And remember, you can get more details of a project and see more of a professional’s work by clicking on a photo.
2. Location: Brisbane, Queensland
Designer: Base Architecture
Features: We love how this built-in shelving-and-seat combo perfectly fits the room’s unusual angles.
Designer: Base Architecture
Features: We love how this built-in shelving-and-seat combo perfectly fits the room’s unusual angles.
3. Location: Sydney, NSW
Designer: Brett Mickan Interior Design
Features: Full-height cabinetry provides oodles of storage, and we love how the white interior contrasts with the dusty blue of the painted-panelled doors.
Designer: Brett Mickan Interior Design
Features: Full-height cabinetry provides oodles of storage, and we love how the white interior contrasts with the dusty blue of the painted-panelled doors.
4. Location: London, UK
Features: An offbeat cupboard set-up creates a lovely little spot to sit and enjoy the garden view.
Features: An offbeat cupboard set-up creates a lovely little spot to sit and enjoy the garden view.
5. Location: Hamburg, Germany
Features: This built-in, eye-catching bookshelf takes its shape from the pitched roofline.
Features: This built-in, eye-catching bookshelf takes its shape from the pitched roofline.
6. Location: Adelaide, SA
Designer: BTF Constructions
Features: A blonde-timber bench seat stands out against a deep-grey backdrop.
Designer: BTF Constructions
Features: A blonde-timber bench seat stands out against a deep-grey backdrop.
7. Location: Watsons Bay, NSW
Designer: Walter Barda Design
Features: This built-in banquette seat offers the cosiest spot imaginable to sit by the fire in a room that embraces rustic sophistication.
Designer: Walter Barda Design
Features: This built-in banquette seat offers the cosiest spot imaginable to sit by the fire in a room that embraces rustic sophistication.
8. Location: Hobart, Tasmania
Designer: Room 11
Features: A delightful contrast of angles – plus a great way to store logs for the fire.
Designer: Room 11
Features: A delightful contrast of angles – plus a great way to store logs for the fire.
9. Location: Queanbeyan, NSW
Designer: Status Living
Features: A bank of dark-painted kitchen cupboards is brought to life with the inclusion of a contrasting pale-timber display nook.
Designer: Status Living
Features: A bank of dark-painted kitchen cupboards is brought to life with the inclusion of a contrasting pale-timber display nook.
10. Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Designer: Indi Interiors
Features: Built-in seating with storage drawers in the base is both practical and appealing.
Designer: Indi Interiors
Features: Built-in seating with storage drawers in the base is both practical and appealing.
11. Location: Brisbane, Queensland
Designer: CG Design Studio
Features: This honey-coloured timber storage unit has a distinct mid-century feel, while the inclusion of a marble section in the base makes it feel modern. An unframed artwork in similarly warm hues is the perfect finishing touch.
Designer: CG Design Studio
Features: This honey-coloured timber storage unit has a distinct mid-century feel, while the inclusion of a marble section in the base makes it feel modern. An unframed artwork in similarly warm hues is the perfect finishing touch.
12. Location: Alexandria, NSW
Designer: Studio 1 Interiors
Features: These built-in, panelled cabinetry doors in soft, chalky grey complement the blonde timber and touches of sage green in this dining area.
Designer: Studio 1 Interiors
Features: These built-in, panelled cabinetry doors in soft, chalky grey complement the blonde timber and touches of sage green in this dining area.
13. Location: Toorak, Victoria
Designer: Northbourne Architecture + Design
Features: A concealed, built-in laundry set-up and lashings of
overhead storage allow this space to smoothly transition from bathroom to laundry and back again.
Designer: Northbourne Architecture + Design
Features: A concealed, built-in laundry set-up and lashings of
overhead storage allow this space to smoothly transition from bathroom to laundry and back again.
14. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Features: It’s the thoughtfully considered details here – from the way the built-in storage unit has been angled to capture the light to the soothing colour palette and the striking window seat – that make this space truly spectacular.
Features: It’s the thoughtfully considered details here – from the way the built-in storage unit has been angled to capture the light to the soothing colour palette and the striking window seat – that make this space truly spectacular.
… and here’s a beautiful view of that window seat from the garden.
15. Location: Sydney, NSW
Designer: Bondi Kitchens
Features: Fine lines and exaggerated proportions elevate this simple little cupboard into something special.
Designer: Bondi Kitchens
Features: Fine lines and exaggerated proportions elevate this simple little cupboard into something special.
16. Location: Sydney, NSW
Designer: CplusC Architectural Workshop
Features: A bookshelf that follows the curved lines of the staircase and the rhythm created by these timber rods add a touch of flair.
Designer: CplusC Architectural Workshop
Features: A bookshelf that follows the curved lines of the staircase and the rhythm created by these timber rods add a touch of flair.
17. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: Melbourne Design Studios (MDS)
Features: A pale grey and white palette is given a subtle lift with a blonde-timber built-in unit. There’s a wonderful sense of restraint here – perfect for creating that calm, cleansing ambience.
Designer: Melbourne Design Studios (MDS)
Features: A pale grey and white palette is given a subtle lift with a blonde-timber built-in unit. There’s a wonderful sense of restraint here – perfect for creating that calm, cleansing ambience.
18. Location: San Francisco, USA
Features: A built-in bench seat (with storage) flows smoothly from the kitchen benchtops.
Features: A built-in bench seat (with storage) flows smoothly from the kitchen benchtops.
19. Location: Fitzroy North, Victoria
Designer: Constructing Spaces
Features: An ingenious wall storage set-up brings this simple room scheme to life.
Designer: Constructing Spaces
Features: An ingenious wall storage set-up brings this simple room scheme to life.
20. Location: London, UK
Features: Built-in wall storage and a generous desk that runs all the way to the stairs maximises every little bit of space here.
Features: Built-in wall storage and a generous desk that runs all the way to the stairs maximises every little bit of space here.
21. Location: San Francisco, USA
Features: This ranch bedroom not only makes clever use of built-in cupboards and shelves for storage, it also features a built-in bed that disappears into the wall to transform the space from a bedroom to a living area.
Features: This ranch bedroom not only makes clever use of built-in cupboards and shelves for storage, it also features a built-in bed that disappears into the wall to transform the space from a bedroom to a living area.
22. Location: Lennox Head, NSW
Designer: PRG Architects
Features: Running the same pale-stone tiles from floors and walls to the built-in seating and barbecue area gives this area a sophisticated feel.
Designer: PRG Architects
Features: Running the same pale-stone tiles from floors and walls to the built-in seating and barbecue area gives this area a sophisticated feel.
23. Location: Paris, France
Features: In a small home, every centimetre of space counts. Here, the under-stairs area has been transformed into a complex desk-and-storage set-up that provides a space for everything.
Features: In a small home, every centimetre of space counts. Here, the under-stairs area has been transformed into a complex desk-and-storage set-up that provides a space for everything.
24. Location: Sydney, NSW
Designer: Watershed Design
Features: A trio of tubs that are perfectly sized to fit the wall niche make for easy-to-use storage for this room’s young inhabitants. The set-up is versatile too; when the kids are older, the tubs can be replaced with a desk for homework.
Designer: Watershed Design
Features: A trio of tubs that are perfectly sized to fit the wall niche make for easy-to-use storage for this room’s young inhabitants. The set-up is versatile too; when the kids are older, the tubs can be replaced with a desk for homework.
25. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: Northbourne Architecture + Design
Features: Space-efficient, built-in cupboards run right the full height and width of this wall… and even include a charming niche in contrasting, raw plywood to put the sofa.
Designer: Northbourne Architecture + Design
Features: Space-efficient, built-in cupboards run right the full height and width of this wall… and even include a charming niche in contrasting, raw plywood to put the sofa.
…here’s a closer peek at that gorgeous niche.
26. Location: Toronto, Canada
Features: Cherry-red upholstery creates a striking contrast against the grey-blues in this kitchen and ensures that the built-in seat is the star of the show.
Features: Cherry-red upholstery creates a striking contrast against the grey-blues in this kitchen and ensures that the built-in seat is the star of the show.
27. Location: Los Angeles, USA
Features: A cosy under-the-stairs reading nook that, quite frankly, we’d find impossible to resist curling up in. It even comes with reading material tucked in the base.
Features: A cosy under-the-stairs reading nook that, quite frankly, we’d find impossible to resist curling up in. It even comes with reading material tucked in the base.
28. Location: Drummoyne, NSW
Designer: Woods & Warner
Features: A built-in bench in hardy materials that will withstand weather exposure – a practical, space-efficient solution for a small alfresco area.
Designer: Woods & Warner
Features: A built-in bench in hardy materials that will withstand weather exposure – a practical, space-efficient solution for a small alfresco area.
29. Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Designer: Atticus & Milo
Features: The sleek, savvy and space-saving design of this built-in desk and shelves keep their profile to a minimum while packing a punch.
Designer: Atticus & Milo
Features: The sleek, savvy and space-saving design of this built-in desk and shelves keep their profile to a minimum while packing a punch.
30. Location: Geelong, Melbourne
Designer: Bower Architecture
Features: Honey-hued timber in the form of a built-in storage unit and wall panelling adds much-needed warmth to the medley of greys here.
Your turn
Do you love a built-in? Tell us in the Comments and don’t forget to save your favourite photos, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Did you miss last week’s Best of the Week? Catch up here with Best of the Week: 25 Shiplap Walls to Inspire
Designer: Bower Architecture
Features: Honey-hued timber in the form of a built-in storage unit and wall panelling adds much-needed warmth to the medley of greys here.
Your turn
Do you love a built-in? Tell us in the Comments and don’t forget to save your favourite photos, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Did you miss last week’s Best of the Week? Catch up here with Best of the Week: 25 Shiplap Walls to Inspire
Designer: Vitale Design
Features: Caramel leather, mid-tone timber and coastal blues. A dreamy casual dining set-up.