Success Stories:
Gordon's Blog
Check out my recent work posted on my blog. My work centers around custom cabinetry and woodworking for the home and office.
Design on the Fly
How an idea evolves into a design, which then evolves into a physical object.
Cherry Everywhere
Bob and Mary loved Cherry wood. So how does one create built-ins that fit the room that is Cherry from floor to ceiling?
Teapot Display
These homeowners desired maximum use of wall space without completely obliterating its horizontally applied western pine paneling.
About Me
For more than 30 years I have been designing and constructing custom cabinets and casework.
Gordon A. Hastreiter
8979 Bailey Drive
Woodruff, WI 54568
(715) 356-2169
Design-On-The-Fly (Page 2):
Repeated Duress
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Photo #2 Click image to enlarge |
To install the flooring it was only proper to have the base cabinets permanently installed. But the owner still wasn't sure exactly what kind of cabinets or the arrangement he wanted.
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Scan #1 Click image to enlarge |
My computer program - 'Solid Builder' - really helped the homeowner visualize the possibilities for sizing and arranging the cabinets (shelves, drawers, doors, counters) to best function for him (Scan 1). It's large library of cabinets, etc. enables one to fairly quickly rearrange and swap items. (One of the computer generated drawings is included here as an attachment.)
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Photo #3 Click image to enlarge |
In order to buy the homeowner (Photo 2) more time for the aesthetical decisions but still enable him to install the flooring, countertops, sink and appliances and actually use the kitchen, I installed for him structural 'boxes' of 3/4" birch plywood constructed and finished in my shop. (I also did this for his three bathroom vanities for the same reasons.)
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Photo #4 Click image to enlarge |
I also installed plywood sub-surfaces to which he (Photo 3) could apply marble tile for the counters and backsplash. (A photo of the owner installing this tile is here attached.)
Ultimately the aesthetics part of the design came down to: (1) Reflect the appearance of the western red cedar ceilings. (2) Keep it simple but not too generic or boring. (3) Use cherry for its hardness and for its warm contrast to cedar for counter edgings and door frames.
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Photo #5 Click image to enlarge |
So, that's what I did.
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Photo #6 Click image to enlarge |
For drawer fronts (we used a lot of drawers rather than pullout trays behind doors), to avoid having a lot of distracting rectangular shapes, I made full height fronts and sliced them at the drawer intersections, (Photo 4) letting the natural colors and grain patterns of the cedar do all the talking. (Photo 5)
Because of the arrangement of appliances, the sink, and the dining counter and walk-thru, there are four 'inside' corners, which house large easy access Lazy Susans.
Yet under consideration is how best to treat the tops of the upper cabinets and the side of the refrigerator viewed from the dining area. (Photo 6)