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Beadboard Backing with Shaker Built-in Shelves?
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Posted by rlisji_wa (My Page) on Sat, Jan 30, 10 at 1:15
| We are having a wall unit constructed in our family room. The unit will hold our 46" television in the center and will be flanked by open shelving on either side. Tall cabinets with doors on the bottom and shelves on the top, will flank the open shelves. I want a timeless look, so I've chosen shaker doors on the 2 cabinets, and the finish on the cabinets will be white, to keep things light and bright in our otherwise gloomy Pacific Northwest environment.
My carpenter has proposed using beadboard on the back of the open shelf units. I have always associated beadboard with shabby chic, coastal, and farmhouse styles. I'm leaning toward a plain backing on the open shelves. Will using beadboard be too design-specific and take away from the timeless look I hope to achieve? Am I over-thinking this? Thanks for your input. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Beadboard Backing with Shaker Built-in Shelves?
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| You think like one of my clients. I built a unit similar to what you describe (I think it was 12' wide or so, with shelves above and cabinet bottoms). At first we finished it backless, but then they thought it was too plain. The client's house was comtemporary/craftsman. They wanted the backing to have a wider plank look that what you can get with beadboard, similar to some of their bookshelves in the house. The solution was to make our own wide grooves into sheets of 1/2" or 3/8" finish grade ply. We spaced the grooves at 4 1/2" inches, but you can do it wider if you want. Your guy can do it with a long straight edge, some clamps and a circular saw, but I just paid my specialty wood supplier do it for me in his shop. We used a 1/4" or less blade depth, and the width of the groove was simple the kerf (thickness) of the blade (not wider, nothing fancy). The unit turned out really nice and contempory-looking. I have a pic somewhere, but I'd have to find it. So, to summarize, beadboard will probably be too much, but something back there does pull it together nicely. |
depth
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| Actually, I think the blade depth was 1/8 or 3/16 (something like that.) |
RE: Beadboard Backing with Shaker Built-in Shelves?
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| You can also use a router with a v-groove bit and a straight edge. Gives the grooves a little more detailed finish look vs. a saw cut. |
RE: Beadboard Backing with Shaker Built-in Shelves?
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| I really appreciate your input, Homebound & Sierraeast! This sounds like a great idea and I will present it to my carpenter. If by any chance you can track down that picture, Homebound, I would be extremely interested in seeing the final result. This is an amazing forum that allows for knowledgeable help, like yours, to those of us grappling for answers. Thanks again. I'll let you know how we're proceeding. If there are others with experience in this area, I welcome your input as well. |
RE: Beadboard Backing with Shaker Built-in Shelves?
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| If you want to avoid "shabby chic" you might look for a more sophisticated forum than this one. |
RE: Beadboard Backing with Shaker Built-in Shelves?
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| Well, THAT was an inspiring and sophisticated comment. rlisji_wa,
I've offered an option using stock materials (and I wouldn't characterize it as shabby chic, either). That being said, you might find some special order panels that might fit the bill, or even panel systems in a shaker style (which require assembly). Sierraeast offers a good suggestion with the router bit - you could cut and compare the different cuts and "looks". |
RE: Beadboard Backing with Shaker Built-in Shelves?
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| Hi Homebound, et al, I took your advice and did some research on special order stock panels. As a minimum, it educated me on all the configurations of beadboard. The site I looked at was:
http://www.beadboard.com/products/SheetProducts.html. I definitely think you hit the nail on the head with your suggestion on 4", v-groove beadboard. It looks so clean & timeless! I sent the info to my carpenter and I'm waiting for his response. The site I referenced had so many examples of beadboard in it's gallery of projects. Your advice was right-on! 'Will keep you apprised of how we proceed. Thanks again for those who provided constructive input. |
RE: Beadboard Backing with Shaker Built-in Shelves?
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| Just an update for those kind enough to provide input... We found a shop that had the machinery to put the v-grove in the hardboard sheeting that we needed for our cabinetry backing. We are using 1/4" backing, so the groove isn't very deep but should be adequate. Our project is coming along and should be installed in about a week. I'll try to provide a picture, if I can figure out how to! Thanks again, Homebound & Sierraeast. |
RE: Beadboard Backing with Shaker Built-in Shelves?
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| Good job! Nice when a plan comes together and it all falls into place when doing a custom project. I liked homebounds advise to consider on future projects such as this,"you could cut and compare the different cuts and "looks". Try different cuts/grooves on a sample board to see what would go best on that particular project. Good thread! |
RE: Beadboard Backing with Shaker Built-in Shelves?
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| The irony of grooved paneling: a beaded groove is "shabby chic" while a v-groove is "clean & timeless". My kitchen hutch was made in England more than 150 years ago. Should I be ashamed of the beadboard back? |
RE: Beadboard Backing with Shaker Built-in Shelves?
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| Whoa, Macv ... easy does it! It's all a matter of personal preference. I've seen beadboard in amazing applications & loved it. In my case, I have a family room with varying styles going on & that's why I didn't want this 15-foot built-in to introduce yet ANOTHER distictive style. Live & learn, at the last minute & decided to go with, what I'll call, a "modified shaker look", but the v-groove backing will still support it and not make the look too dominant. Again, this is my taste & my particular situation. Do not compare it with your kitchen hutch ... I'm sure it's lovely! |
RE: Beadboard Backing with Shaker Built-in Shelves?
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| You say it's shabby-chic but you love it. Either your attitude toward this antique building material is oddly emotionally complex or you have difficulty avoiding flippant characterizations. But it really doesn't matter so forget I mentioned it. |
RE: Beadboard Backing with Shaker Built-in Shelves?
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| I completed a bookcase project with beaded knotty pine for the back. I think it added a lot to the project, but I wonder if this type of material is "shaker" or not. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Bookcase with beaded back
RE: Beadboard Backing with Shaker Built-in Shelves?
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| i think beadboard a little too common/nantucket/whatever for your desire, and i agree that a custom milled back would be more in keeping with your vision. look for some proportions in the room you can re-use on the back of the unit, (maybe the floor?) and it will probably give you the effect you're seeking. and hey macv, is there another forum you could suggest? i love this one, but could use another as i do my research.
my home aspires to sophistication, so far i think we come close, we've got a contemporary and unique farmhouse--excellent view forces some contemporary window walls for instance...but need to look at the details more closely.
thanks--and op, sorry to hijack. |
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