First order of furniture business to start this new year is to wish everyone a happy, healthy ( mind and body ) and successful 2011.

Since 1989 we have been building custom furniture and almost anything our clients have thrown our way. When my partner Maite and I started our business we rented   the kitchen area of a empty industrial building in San Fernando, California. That 550 sf was all we needed to begin our journey into the world of furniture design and 2 years later opening our first custom furniture store.

A year ago, actually a bit earlier we were asked by our friend Nan Meltzer, interior designer extraordinaire, to build all the interior wood items for a amazing 3 story house on the beach side of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. This was one of the more challenging projects we have done because of the scope of wood work that was required from cabinets to custom banisters, a 200 year old barn ceiling, reclaimed lumber bi-fold doors, lots of custom furniture and more.

For this first design blog of the year I want to feature the kitchen, and mix of contemporary and vintage elements,  beautifully simple and methodically designed for the needs of the clients.

Nothing more exciting than starting with a stripped down interior. I am always amazed at the ability of great interior designers to take a empty palette and turn it into a amazing interior environment.
Want to mention that our vendors for this project are listed at the end of this post, great resources especially the hardware

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We built cabinets the same way we build furniture, lots of mortise and tenon joinery,
1 1/2" thick lumber and 3/4" thick classic core plywood sides and back. Yes we use thick plywood on the backs, adds lots of structural support and so easy to install. I know we overbuild everything but there is something comforting about sturdy furniture and it really doesn't add much to the overall cost. Stepping over pennies to save a dollar, not on our watch!

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All the doors are inset which can be a bit tricky when these cabinets new home will be at the beach. We actually installed the kitchen well before the home was finished to let the Malibu ocean do it's thing with expanding doors and did final fit and finish a month later.

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 As you can see we didn't need many screws or nails for assemble because our manager built these cabinets with traditional joinery. All the shelves were pullouts and we used Accuride Soft Touch hardware on all the drawers. Also, since everything was to be painted a Gloss white we decided to build all the drawers with solid lumber
which made the finish consistent throughout.

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A bit strange setting the cabinets when most of the home was still in a rough framed
stage but kinda fun to see the juxtaposition of finished and unfinished elements at the same time.

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Slowly but surely the kitchen began to take shape. Once we set the top cabinets
our part of this room was finished... up to the counter guys and tile setter to do their
magic.

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I think we hung these cabinets in under 2 hours. The walls of this kitchen was shear walled and our cabinets had 3/4" backs so a few screws did the trick.

The guys doing their carpenter magic, checking the cabinet level and fitting the doors. Have to mention how tricky inset doors can be in a older house at the beach. There most of been a 6" grade difference from front to back. I bet most of the homes on the cliff side must be moving toward the sea.

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The most fun part of building these kitchen cabinets was putting in the food pantry
and the panels for the Sub-Zero refrigerator. All the pantry shelves were 24" full extension pullouts... you could pack them with a years full of Whole Foods and Trader Joe's goodies.

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The door panels fit like a glove although I was on pins and needles or in our case drywall screws and finishing nails when they were getting built... were my measurements spot on or off by 1/2". All was well and everything fit perfectly so it was time to move onto other projects.

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Built-in refrigerators are a must for any kitchen redesign.

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Finishing touches.

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Time to move in!

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Resources:http://Mother of Pearl & Sons Trading Company
Decorative Hardware: Mother of Pearl & Sons Trading Company
                  12328 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, California
                  818.505.8057 ask for Robert
Lumber:    Valencia Lumber
                  15809 Strathern Street,Van Nuys, CA 91406
                   866-811-2909 ask for Mark
Hardware: Pro-fit Cabinet Hardware,Inc.
                    11942 Sherman Road, North Hollywood, CA 91605
                    877-765-4055 family run since 1982
Finishing: G & M Paint
                    8011 Webb Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91605
                   (818) 771-0608
Lastly: We use Elmer's non-toxic water based carpenters glue                                                                                                                                

Resources:Decorative Hardware: Mother of Pearl & Sons Trading Company 12328 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, California 818.505.8057 ask for RobertLumber: Valencia Lumber 15809 Strathern Street,Van Nuys, CA 91406 866-811-2909 ask for MarkHardware: Pro-fit Cabinet Hardware,Inc. 11942 Sherman Road, North Hollywood, CA 91605 877-765-4055 family run since 1982Finishing: G & M Paint 8011 Webb Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91605 818.771.0608Lastly: We use Elmer's non-toxic water based carpenters glue