Paul D'Amico - Period Design The idea of a built in buffet is excellent. I have more modestly employed it myself. It is particularly useful at saving space. Wall volume is waisted space, one can make openings in walls insert a lintel and fill it entirely or partially with furniture fulfilling a storage function. Your examples are all aesthetically wonderful and I'm a period supporter. I would add that there is no reason why the concept cannot be applied to any style. Thank You for giving me the pleasure of seeing this concept so beautifully applied. It is also a way to increase connectivity between two rooms/spaces while allowing each to be distinct, unlike open plan.

platypus I miss the built-ins from my old Craftsman house. I have yet to find, purchase, and create a location for a buffet or china cabinet to house all the items I used to store there.

janehommel An oversize buffet can be a super kitchen in itself, as can a large antique wardrobe.

tcufrog Just inside the entrance to our patio we have a wetbar complete with small sink.it's not like the cheesy wet bars of the past with their mirrored backsplashes but is instead is a great place for serving drinks and food during outdoor parties especially since it has a mini fridges itch ice maker and small copper sink The minifridge has a cabinet panel door so it looks unobtrusive. During the rest of the time it serves as a coffee bar with our single serve coffee machine and stores seldom used entertaining supplies in it's upper and lower cabinets.

If your dining room is far from the kitchen and you plan to put in a sideboard it might be worth it to make it a modern take on the wetbars of yore and incorporate electrical outlets for electric chafing dishes and maybe even a small fridge and sink.

In addition, think about it's uses beyond storage and use a counter surface that you can set hot dishes and cold pitchers onto without worrying about trivets and water rings. We have a sideboard we bought that has a granite top and it's nice to be able to directly set dishes and drinks on it when I'm in a hurry.

Finally if you want a built- in look but can't afford custom cabinetry, look for stock cabinets or an already made sideboard in the same style as your dining room that can be stained painted to fit in. If you use stock cabinets can add a backsplash, mirror, wood or shelf between upper and lower cabinets (if you use them) or even directly set upper cabinets on the lower ones. Paint or stain them and then add trim and molding painted or stained to match the sideboard to build in your new sideboard. If you are careful about the style and paint or stain you choose it will like a custom piece built when the house was built.

Fine Art & Portraits by Laurel Bravo, Tim Anderson!

margaeg All of these built-ins are lovely. If any of these built-ins could fit one set of china for 8-12 and one set of crystal glassware, you would be lucky. However, where will you put those large bowls, platters, assessory pieces, etc., or another set of china. The lower half of the craftsman built-in above would hold very little since the lower shelves are only wide enough for stacking the dinner plates. The key is in the styling of the built to allow for maximum capacity. The row of shelving with several doors for access is much for practical.

frenchdecor Though they are good in some cases, mostly built in's challenge for re-sale because are too permanent (place and style) and expensive as custom work.

Paul D'Amico - Period Design The issue of re-sale often comes up. I find it discourages a homeowner to ask a professional to produce excellence as the examples shown here. There is a counter argument to this practical re-sale argument. If one prospective buyer likes one of these examples they want easily find another one on the market. When selling a property uniqueness can command the upper price while a property that competes against similar will have to do so on price.

tcufrog I would disagree about built-in harming resale. I think that well done built-ins that enhance the functionality of the space can only enhance resale. Our house has many beautiful custom built-ins which made the home much more sellable in a horribly depressed market. While we were closing on our house the homeowners received 2 other offers which is unheard of in this areas. I th I'm the built-ins were a large part of the reason.

Mackin Drafting & Design Some great looks. It reminds me of the built in hutch in the house where I grew up. It was in a pop-out on an exterior wall. As with a lot of old houses, the wall was uninsulated which made the inside of the cabinets very cold in the winter.....cold dishes!

eCustomFinishes Love the use of farm tables in these examples. Great job to all.

beckdo As a Realtor in New England, I can tell you that we always consider builtins as a plus.