My brother Jim was an amazing finish carpenter and I always wish I could talk to him about my wood working projects. I don’t think anyone will ever notice unless I point it out but I wanted to bring up this little detail with all of you DIY gurus out there. In retrospect I should have cut a narrower piece for the sides that meet the wall so the reveal around the bookcase frame was the same all around, but I had already installed the front piece with Liquid Nails and my brad nailer before I realized the error, so I just went with it. I also had to notch out the trim on the fireplace surround and against the wall so this piece could fit into it. The MDF trim I used has a rounded edge on the primed side, so I turned it over and used the unprimed side so the straight edge would abut the shelf and I’d have less of a gap where those two pieces meet. This took me several attempts to get the pieces nice and snug, and wood fill came to the rescue in some spots that were less than perfect.
![adding cabinet vision 8 database to 9 adding cabinet vision 8 database to 9](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bTyoPg7Yejc/maxresdefault.jpg)
…so that it could fit into the shelf and onto the face of the bookcases.
ADDING CABINET VISION 8 DATABASE TO 9 HOW TO
I like that little detail so I pondered how to modify the bookcases and eventually decided to use my jigsaw to cut MDF trim like this…… I was just going to add the doors and leave it at that, but a lot of built-ins like these are actually base cabinets with shallower bookcases set on top of them, creating a ledge where they meet (see my Pinterest board on bookcase and built-in inspirations here). I can’t tell you how fired up I am at the storage potential for things like Scrabble, fire starters, matches and all the un-pretty essentials! Read my techniques for antiquing brass here! The brass pulls are from here and I love the size and weight of them! They were a little shiny for me so I gave them more of an antique brass finish with my quick paint trick. I used my paint sprayer to prime and paint them, then hung them with these concealed hinges that I also used when I made over the bathroom vanity. I opted to have the hinge holes pre-drilled for me too, so the doors came all ready to paint and hang. MDF is also very smooth and paints up beautifully.
ADDING CABINET VISION 8 DATABASE TO 9 PROFESSIONAL
I did a ton of research on custom cabinet doors and this seller had a great price and reviews so I gave him a try, and am so happy with how they came out! The doors are very professional looking, perfectly sized, and because the shaker-style trim is cut from one piece of MDF, there are no seams where joints meet. I considered making the doors myself, but after DIYing doors for our mudroom cabinets, I decided to order custom MDF doors made to my exact measurements for the family room.
![adding cabinet vision 8 database to 9 adding cabinet vision 8 database to 9](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AKjNVbT4gpI/hqdefault.jpg)
This year we got a new, slimmer TV, removed the outdated eyeball light in the ceiling, and at long last I installed custom made doors to the lower two shelves. If you’re new here, I gave our family fireplace a makeover a couple of years ago by removing the tall cabinet doors, high mantle and brick supports, refacing the surround and the hearth with marble tile, and adding a new mantle and woodwork over the existing brick.
![adding cabinet vision 8 database to 9 adding cabinet vision 8 database to 9](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/keuwO7Mxpmo/maxresdefault.jpg)
I’m so happy I finally tackled this small project, because the family room is finally completely, totally DONE!! (Well, except for the floors which we have yet to tackle!) It’s a subtle difference but makes this wall feel less cluttered. ….and now with the new doors and some finish carpentry. Here’s where we left off at the end of the One Room Challenge …. Today I wanted to fill you in on the last piece of our family room makeover – adding cabinet doors to the built-in bookcases that flank the fireplace.