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 (Also called Design Under Duress):
When it comes to made-to-order cabinetry and casework, the process is straightforward. The first requisite is always an idea that evolves into a design, which then evolves into a physical object.
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Photo #1 Click image to enlarge |
When a recent customer constructed the shell for their new house (Photo 1), they had only a rough floor plan and not even a close idea of what they wanted for a kitchen. All they knew is that they wanted it small and open to the Great Room and Dining Area.
Winter was closing in and thoughts were turning to "We've got to get some heat in here!" First, of course, the place needed to be insulated.
The building inspection process actually pushed the kitchen design. Building codes require that in order to insulate, anything that will be “buried” in the framing (i.e. pipes, wires, ducts, etc.) must be installed and inspected.
Based on the recommendations of the plumber (who needed to rough-in for the kitchen sink), the electrician (who needed to wire the kitchen range, vent hood, refrigerator, etc.), and the appliance dealer from their vast experiences, the homeowner decided on an arrangement of appliances in relation to the sink that he felt would best suit his needs.
The homeowner now had a rough kitchen plan, but only because he was forced to make some serious decisions. Now his thoughts departed from the kitchen to insulating, installing wall and ceiling finishes, etc.
Two major decisions remained regarding the kitchen. One was a matter of function, and the other merely aesthetical.
Function
At this point the limiting factors affecting function were (1) the two walls against which the range and refrigerator would be situated, (2) the almost fixed location of the range and refrigerator themselves (a little lateral movement along the two walls was still possible), and (3) the fixed location of the future sink.