Design Follows Functionality...many times it seems.

[Two Much]

Not sure if this is where this discussion belongs?

But here it goes...comments on the basement cab build, (about the good
use of space) prompted me to
wonder how many builds are first for function before
design is considered?

I spend a tremendous amount of time thinking of building cabs for the space
we have, and the functionality of these cabs...it necessarily
doesn't all come at once, thus our kitchen is the kitchen
that Jack built... I drove the head cabinetmaker crazy, as I knew
what exactly I wanted each cab for (well almost) ...sometimes
things sprung into my mind after the fact, thus there were add on's
along the way. The biggest example is the cabs in the breakfast
room, on one wall (which was a design challenge, cause the wall
is only 13" deep, as it dead ends into a bay window) There were
four different builds for this wall alone.
I was wondering if anyone else has done this, adding cabs as an afterthought?

I have loads of pics of our "add on cabs as we went along" but is there
anyone else out there that has done this "piece meal builds?"

Please share your pics.

[cabinetman]

An interesting question. For the most part I avoid the "add ons" or "after thought" additions. Those conditions I try to work out with my drawings to the client. I make elevation drawings shown with and without doors to offer the opportunity to utilize the space as needed or as wanted. There are many factors that the cabinetmaker/designer keeps afloat while doing the design.

Could be where in the kitchen layout a certain cabinet or groups of cabinets are located and how they will interface with the work triangle. Or, how specific appliances can be placed...some which are used regularly, while others may not be. A well designed kitchen, or wall system expresses the living style and requirements of the family or individuals using it.

I allow a "mulling over" of my drawings just to give the client time to think about what they would like. I wouldn't want any part of the layout to appear as an afterthought.

.

[Two Much]

I am wondering cabinetman, how you handle indecisive clients and also
how much input do you get from the lady of the house?
I imagine in a kitchen build, a lot?

I myself never dreamed I would be adding the cabinets
as an afterthought that we ultimately did. I just didn't
think of it the first time around.

Being that you're a professional cabinet builder, I'm sure that
you've seen everything, and can design a kitchen properly...

With us (amateurs) it's more like " why can't we built our last concept first!?!"

[LinuxRandal]

This is where information and knowing what styles you like comes into play. I tend to watch things sent to me on small houses or apartments and such, as I learned from a former neighbor, who adapted their home over the years. They put a china cabinet in an existing wall, in other homes in our area, that were built for a second story, a staircase was there. I would rather have interior walls be storage boxes, then solid walls, as they can sit empty just fine, but it is harder to use them for storage, when a walll, when you start accumulating stuff.
My attic would have to be reframed (ceiling joists for the room below too small) for a bedroom as other have, but it would be fine for seasonal storage (Christmas tree, etc). Not really a china person, but one of those bookcase closet doors, would work great there, to cover a staircase.

But anytime you build, I have YET to meet someone who doesn't have changes. My brother had the least amount I had seen with one, that I am aware of, as he asked me to come in and see if I saw anything. He had just bought a front loader, washer and dryer, and they were getting ready to drywall the next day. He didn't take into account the pedestal changing the dryer vent height and I pointed that out. His other changes were more common upgrades from builders grade stuff.

[cwsmith]

Just about everything that I've built, so far, is to meet a need and therefore "functionality" is the first concern. However, I want it to look as good as my time and budget will allow and to that end I most always draw it first.

The nice part about the drawing (for me anyway), is that I basically build it on paper" as we used to say. Actually today, I build it on my computer screen. If it doesn't look quite right, then I'll rebuild it in SketchUp too.

Works well as I can figure out the cuts, how to maximize the material, and make the parts fit in the most efficient and costworthy way, for my skills.

CWS

[Two Much]

I do drawings with graph paper, haven't quite mastered sketch up.

But still, it's hard to picture what the final design will look like in
a specific area. For instance I designed a wall cabinet to go
above my roll top desk. I wanted three seperate cabs joined together,
the center cab being higher and protruding out more than the two
cabs flanking it. I was so hung up on not making the center cab
installed higher than the door frames next to it...
But then I got the brainstorm to add the small cubby hole drawers
in the center cab...so the center cab came out higher than originally planned, thus higher than the door frames, which I didn't want.

Solution was to make new moldings over the doors to raise it up to better
coordinate with the higher cab...But, really I did obcess over this.

This is just one example of how I drive the head guy around here crazy.

Lunix, talking about vents, when our over the stove microwave crapped out, we bough the exact same micro -- so it would fit the vent opening to the
outside...guess what ? it didn't line up! So, a simple plan, became a
complicated one, that went on and on...

[Stytooner]

I will sketch first, then put to CAD. I've built cabinets for hundreds of houses, but for my own, I just want plain simple cabinets. LOML likes that and so do I.
With CAD or sketchup, you can swap things around easy enough. I use Turbocad, which has a really nice design feature for interiors.

Now, have I ever built anything that worked out just like the plan? Nothing but shark guards.