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What makes BR Wood Design stand out among the crowd of woodworkers?

CUSTOM

Have you ever searched for that perfect piece or cabinet style in a showroom?  Having custom made millwork gives us the opportunity to build exactly what you want and have envisioned.  We want the finished project to look like you envisioned down to the finest detail. Our design and build skills far exceeds any stock prefabricated options.  BR Wood Design custom cabinetry provides more functional and usable storage space and than stock cabinets.

CONSULTATION
You will have the opportunity to meet with our design team who will be able to work through
your ideas with you and come out with a functional design.Our craftsmen are not limited by
style.  We are able to replicate any piece of furniture or cabinetry you like with your special
twist. Our craftsmen build in any period of design influence or a combination of both.

MATERIAL
We build with the best materials available.  Dovetail drawers,  3/4″ Birch Plywood Boxes,
Solid Hardwood, Premium Hardware, Catalyzed Lacquer. Manufactures who mass
produce cabinetry and furniture woods are not hand selected. Each piece of wood is
hand picked for all of the cabinetry and furniture we build. You are able to choose the
exact style, finish, dimensions, hardware, and wood species for what you are envisioning.

FUNCTIONAL

Each piece of cabinetry and furniture we build is designed to meet your functional storage needs. A few examples of this would include having full extension slides on your drawers, pantry pull outs, pot drawer pullout, trash can pullout, mixer lift, non-standard table sizes, customized entertainment center, customized mirror frame to match your trim, etc…

INVESTMENT

Having custom cabinetry and furniture built for you is a long-term investment.  I am sure you’ve heard the saying, “you get what you pay for”.  It is true in custom cabinetry and furniture as well. You will find that you will receive quality craftsmanship and custom options at prices competitive stock, off the shelf options. Any added cost, due to genuine custom work is well worth the added benefit.  Custom work adds value to your home.  Each piece is built to stand up to its daily use.  We pride ourselves in the quality and durability of our work.  It is built with the durability to stand the test of time.

Allow us the opportunity to work with you in creating what you are envisioning!

Let’s first look at the cabinet box.  Most cabinet boxes are made with different types of plywood or particle board and in some cases can be made from solid wood lumber pieced together.   Typically the cheaper the cabinet you will find that the manufacture uses particle board, MDF (medium density fiberboard), and melamine.   With particle board cabinet boxes you will have a weak foundation and it will likely twist and warp.  You will find that with particle board you are more likely have water damage from moisture.  Once the cabinet starts to retain moisture the wood swells, will start to split and break, and you will have to replace the cabinet.  There are no easy fixes to particle board cabinetry.  Now a good option to choose would be hardwood plywood.   It comes is so many different species options.  In our cabinet making we’ve used plywood species all way the from birch plywood to black walnut.  The higher the grade of wood the more you will pay.  Example,  you may want cherry cabinets, but are staying on a budget.  You can choose birch plywood boxes to cut down on the cost without cutting aesthetics.  (another tip… looking for cherry cabinets but find them too pricey?  Have you considered using alder?  Alder mimics cherry so closely you won’t be able to tell the difference!  Ask one of our customers, they have people commenting on their beautiful cherry cabinets all the time!  The truth be told they are really alder wood!)

Drawer boxes are just as crucial when choosing cabinets.   The way a drawer box is assembled effects everything from the way it sits level in the space to how long it will last you and how much weight it should actually hold.  There are many different ways they are assembled.  Standard stock boxes (picture to the left)  are glued together and typically stabled or a small nail shot into them.  These are boxes that fall apart in a short time and can hold little weight because they are typically made of particle board as well.   Dovetail joined drawer boxes are a must when choosing cabinets (actually if you purchase cabinets from BR Wood Design this is our standard drawer box made with hardwood and a hardwood plywood bottom) Dovetail joinery is one of the strongest drawer boxes you will find, not to mention one of the prettiest.  As you can see the picture to the right exhibits the dovetail joined box which proves to be a quality box by the way each panel is connected together giving it strength.   

Cabinet hardware is also a step not to glance over quickly.  When choosing your hinges, drawer slides, etc… get the specifications on them.    If you plan to put your pots and pans or plates in a drawer, you will want to choose a drawer slide that supports the weight of what you are putting in the drawer.  There are other nice options to consider like soft close drawer slides, or drawer slides that mount under the drawer box (undermount slides), invisible hinges if you don’t want to see the hinge when the doors are shut, and so many other options.   
                                                         

I can not stress enough to know before you buy what you are getting.  Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions, in fact come prepared with questions in hand about what you can expect from there cabinetry.  

Here are a few things to ask for:

1.  Samples of the craftsman work. 

2.  Referrals.

3.  Options available.

4.  Standard materials used.

5.  Delivery Time.

6.  Who installs them for you. 

7.  Warranty and what it covers.

8.  Estimate of how much the complete job will cost.

Buying quality handcrafted American made cabinetry is a great way to enhance your home without breaking the bank.  If we can assist you in anyway, please call or email us.  We are happy to give help to those living in the local Michigan area and those of of state.    If you have a just have a question, call BR Wood Design!  If you are looking to have some work done and need a quote,  call BR Wood Design!    Support the small businesses in your area and ask for your quote today!    

BR Wood Design is a full service custom wood working shop located in Clarkston, Michigan 48348.  We are happy to not only service areas like Oakland County, Macomb county, Genesee County, Livingston county, Washtenaw County, Wayne county, but all over the state of Michigan.  We have done work as far as Illinois should the need arise. 

First, what is a “stock” cabinet?   Stock cabinets, often called builders grade cabinets, are limited to fixed sizes, colors, doors, materials, which means very few, if any, modifications can be made to the design and style.   Stock cabinets are mass produced and stored in a  warehouse waiting to be assembled and installed by a carpenter and even some cabinet makers.  There are different grade of stock cabinetry ranging from a basic builders grade to premium grade.  Many of the cabinet boxes and drawers are built with inexpensive materials like pressed particle board, joints are just glued and stapled, and draw slides that aren’t able to support weight.    Stock cabinetry can be restricting because it is one size fits all rooms.

Next, what are custom cabinets?  The home improvement center said they have a custom line, so what really does custom mean?    Custom cabinets are made just for your specific style and your specific space requirements at the time you order them and made by the hand of your local cabinet maker.  You will have a consultation and first hand access to the artisan working on your project at any time before, during, and after the project.  Anything can be made to your specific design style.  All the materials used are hand selected by your cabinet maker thus ensuring quality cabinetry.

You have choices like size of each individual cabinet, how many drawers or doors for that cabinet box,  size of the drawers, drawer accessories (plate drawer, spice rack built in the drawer, etc…), wood or metal drawer (such as blum meta-box), drawer hardware (soft close, side mount, under-mount slides),  exact stain, color, or glaze, wood species, door styles, beaded backing to the cabinet boxes, etc..   You are able to choose styles that are unique to your home and reflect your personal taste and style. Custom means what you would think:  made just for you.  Your dreams become reality in your home.

Custom cabinetry sounds great, doesn’t it?  Some wonder if they can afford this type of service. Let me give you a for instance.  We met a family who had bought premium semi-custom cabinetry from a kitchen and bath cabinet store.  They had trouble installing them and gave us a call.   The homeowner offered the amount paid for their cabinetry and then asked what we we charge to build and install cabinets from start to finish for their kitchen.   We were shocked at the high price paid for what the store called semi-custom.  Out of curiosity, we worked out a quote to compare. Our custom price came in lower then the semi-custom cabinets and that was with our dovetail joints and 3/4 inch thick drawer boxes and industrial strength slides.  That being said, please remember that custom doesn’t mean break the bank.    There are ways to stay in your budget without compromising quality or design!

We hope this article helps dispel the myth that custom cabinets have to be more expensive than stock or semi-custom cabinets.  When selecting furniture and cabinetry for kitchen, bathroom, dining room, home office, library or den, home theater system or entertainment center, bedroom, or anywhere cabinetry is used in the home, it is very important to us that you have quality that will last a lifetime.

We have the experience in working with homeowners no matter what the budget situation. Whether it is a simple or intricate design, BR Wood Design caters to any and all customers needs.  Custom cabinetry doesn’t have to break the bank.  Give us a call to see how our custom cabinets can fit into your budget.

If you live in Michigan, give BR Wood Design a call.  We would love to spend time talking about your visions and making them become reality.  When you hire BR Wood Design as your cabinet maker, you are hiring an experienced craftsmen and artisans of wood.  If you do not live in the Michigan area and have questions, please feel free to call or email us.  We are happy to help you answer any questions or aid you in finding a craftsman in your area.

Home Improvement Tip:  When purchasing cabinets and furniture, make sure they don’t just look nice on the outside. Make sure the “bones” of the cabinets are as nice, built with quality materials and craftsmanship.

BR Wood Design servicing all of Michigan, specifically Oakland, Genesee,   Macomb, Wayne, Lapeer, Livington, Washtenaw or St Clair County.  

A very simple way to dress up your family room is to enhance the fireplace.  Well you might respond to that statement with, “I have a very simple off the shelf home improvement store mantel, and I would like to upgrade and add built-in bookshelves.” or “I don’t have a fireplace, and I would like to add one.”  Both of those statements can be done! 

First, if you don’t have a fireplace, adding one will require a some demo work.  There are many options that I will touch base on for you here in this paragraph.   Picking an exterior wall for venting is important.  Do you want gas, wood burning insert, or a stove?  Installation on your new fireplace all depends on the type you choose to add to you home.  For more information on choosing a fireplace, speak with your local heating and cooling expect as well as your carpenter who will be installing your fireplace, mantel, and any built-in shelves or bookcases.  If you live in the Michigan area, BR Wood Design would be happy to assist you. 

Now, moving on to upgrading your existing fireplace surround and mantel.  There is no set way to build the space around a fireplace.  You as the homeowner may not have an exact design in your head but have an idea of what you would like the room to look like or you may see one in a catalog you just love and want to duplicate it.  Sit down with your local custom millworker or cabinet maker (Just about any custom furniture maker, cabinet maker, or millworker builds custom fireplace surrounds.) and plan out your dream design. 

Picking a style that fits your house and taste is important.  There are so many different styles of fireplace surrounds.  You may want a very ornate decorative double mantel with huge columns or very sleek modern look with simple clean lines.  A fireplace surround can really do so much to change the style of your entire home.  You walk in the room and it becomes a focal piece, an attention getter.  Make pleasing to the eye by showing it off with “new look”.   Fireplace remodel jobs, when done properly, don’t have a huge mess.  Remodel means updating or face lift, not necessarily “pull your hair out” mess.

The fun part about  a custom fireplace surround remodel job is that you get to pick every detail.  You get involved in choosing if you want bookshelves, the how many shelves on your book shelves, do you want drawers to store DVD’s or cabinets to hide games or toys,  do you want a simple or ornate mantel, what textures (brick, granite, slate, travertine, stone, etc…) hearth material used, the possibilities are endless.  Maybe you want your plasma or LCD Flat screen TV mounted above you fireplace that can be built in as an integral part of the whole design.

Now remember, don’t let the words “custom fireplace surround” scare you. Custom doesn’t mean expensive, just  personalized for you needs!  If you live in mid to southern eastern Michigan, give BR Wood Design a call or email.  We will love to meet with you about your next fireplace surround job.  All of our estimates are free.  If you don’t live in the area, seek out a local cabinet maker or millworker.  If you have any questions and don’t like in the area, feel free to call or email.  

BR Wood Design servicing southeastern Michigan in Oakland, Genesee, Macomb, Wayne, Lapeer, Livington, Washtenaw or St Clair County. 

Cabinet re-facing will change the whole look of the room without the mess of a full remodel job.  Cabinet refacing can be done to both frameless and framed cabinets.   A cabinet refacing job is typically completed much quicker than a fully remodeled kitchen or bathroom.  You can go from a country kitchen to a modern kitchen in a matter of days or a very average bathroom to a bathroom that looks like you just walked into a spa within a few days for a minimal amount money when you re-face your cabinets.   

When choosing to re-face cabinets, you need to have precise measurements to fit the existing cabinetry.  If you choose to use a cabinet maker or millworker, they typically will come out an measure for you.  Many custom wood shops will have samples to choose from, this helps you view the quality of their work as well.   

There are many options to weigh through from deciding what types of materials to use such wood type, stain or paint, soft close hinges and pulls, dove tail drawer boxes, type of rail and stile, etc…   When doing a cabinet re-facing job, you may also want to change or add crown molding and trim.  You may want to add a wood range hood as well.    Most custom cabinet makers are carpenters and are able to mill their own custom trim, crown molding, and hoods for stove tops.  Another thing to remember when re-facing your cabinetry is that if you are changing the color or stain, you will also need to add wood veneer or paint the cabinet boxes.  This is something the cabinet maker will do for you before installation and quoted in the price.  

You may wonder, if this is something you can afford.  I believe you will be surprised to find that “custom” doesn’t mean expensive.  Don’t shy away from custom cabinetry  because of cost.  “Custom” means quality and personal.   An estimate is typically free with most custom cabinet and furniture makers, don’t hesitate to make the call!

When you are making the decision of whether to remodel the entire room or just have the cabinets refaced, it is best to call a local custom cabinet maker in your area.  If you live in the Michigan area, specifically southeastern counties such as Oakland, Wayne, Macomb, Genesee, Livingston, Lapeer, or St. Clair, feel free to give BR Wood Design a call or email and we can set up a free consultation to talk through all you possibilities and break down the costs.   If you have a hard time finding a custom wood shop in your area.  We do also ship cabinet doors and draw fronts if you would like to get a quote, email or call us.     

Re-facing cabinetry is such a great way to update your home without the mess and expense of a full remodel.  

BR WOOD DESIGN. . . .Making your Dreams Reality!  

These days we are hearing a lot about how we can become more environmentally friendly and green So, what does this really mean in for building cabinets? Let’s define what “green” means. Wikipedia.com defines Green building “as the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings use resources — energy, water, and materials — while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal — the complete building life cycle.“ That is a lot to take in and sift through. Basically, when we build “green”, we are using natural occurring materials or “raw materials” that enhance the quality of our earth’s environment instead of man-made synthetic materials that harm our surroundings.

So now you may wonder, what was so bad about the cabinets I had in my house? Is their a benefit to me in building environmentally friendly cabinets? In this article, we are going to go through steps on how kitchen or bathroom cabinetry can be made green or environmentally friendly. We will also look at the health benefits of having green cabinets in your home.
So let’s start talking about cabinets. First, would be the selection of wood chosen to build your cabinets with:

Certified Eco Friendly Wood: Environmentally friendly or green wood is generally certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which in short definition is an organization that ensures the quality of the forests the continued growth of forests.
Environment and Human Friendly Wood: Select wood that has not been boded with formaldehydes, low emissions agriboard, and that eco-friendly. We would avoid man-made synthetic materials meaning we would not use chemically bonded plastic or wood veneers, plywood, and particle board, but certified wood veneers bonded with non-VOC adhesive, solid slabs of certified wood, or agriboard.

Assembling Cabinets: We would use water based glues and adhesives that have low or VOC emission. VOC is short for Volatile Organic Compound and is defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) “as gases from certain solids or liquids that have a high vapor pressure and low water solubility.” VOCS have short term and long-term health effects that are harmful. When indoors the amount of present VOCs are always considerably higher indoors than products outdoors. 

Typically synthetic glues and adhesives are used which contain formaldehyde, melamine, cellulose, etc… The list can go on and on. By using a natural low or no VOC glues and adhesives, it ensures that the cabinets are not giving off toxic gases and that we not polluting the indoors with health hazard toxins. These VOC toxins can lead to many health problems if you are exposed to them for a length of time. So it is in the best interest of the cabinetmaker, as well as the home owner, to use low or no-VOC products.

Finishing the Cabinets: If the homeowner chooses to have their cabinets painted, choosing a low or no-VOC paint is necessary to ensure a healthy indoor environment. There are a few manufactures that are producing paints options with low or no VOC. They do not change the finished products look in the least, just enhance the quality of the indoor space for your family.

For stained cabinets, we would use a naturally occurring pigment found in nature that is has no emission of VOC. To give the finishing touches on the cabinets, we would seal the cabinets with a natural oils or a sealer that is free of polyurethane and formaldehyde.

So now that we have scratched the surface of how your cabinets can be environmentally friendly or green you may be thinking, “Can custom built environmentally friendly green cabinetry be constructed with the high quality look of traditionally built cabinetry?” And my answer is Yes, Yes, Yes. Green cabinetry does not change the finished products durability or quality. Green cabinets are superior to tradition to cabinetry in that you are enhancing your quality of life and the quality of our earth’s environment by keeping the air you breath free of toxins emitted from the chemicals used in the assembly of traditional cabinets.

The next question you may have is building green worth the extra cost in certified and eco-material? That is a question you will have to decide for yourself. Can you afford to build green? What is the cost difference between building green and building traditionally? (That question all depends on many factors like wood species, amount a cabinets in the kitchen, etc…) The option is there should you decide to build your kitchen cabinets traditionally or green, BR Wood Design is there to help you weigh through the options.

BR Wood Design does not claim to be a “green company”, but we do take conscious measures to be environmentally friendly and be a good steward of the earth God has made for us.

www.brwooddesign.com

BR Wood Design offers free quotes.  Please contact us, we would love to be apart of your next project!  Just because it custom doesn’t mean it has to be expensive!  Many times we are cheaper than other DO-It-Yourself Home Improvement centers!  Give us a call and find out!