Rooms

Comments:  We provided the cabinetry for this light and spacious hearth room, part of an addition to an existing home built by Starr Homes of Overland Park, Kansas.

The project, designed by Tom Johnson of Johnson Design Studio in Prairie Village, Kansas, has a spacious and bright main room with a two-story cathedral ceiling -- and lots of light.

Flanking the massive stone fireplace, a pair of Cherry wood cabinets soak up the sunshine, and display art and precious objects in cubbyholes above, while hiding television and media equipment behind pocket doors down below.

Opposite the fireplace, under the high cathedral ceiling, is a free-standing alcove, supporting a play loft above. In the alcove is a serving bar with cabinetry for stemware and accessories, as well as a large wine cooler. If you need more, linens and serving items can be stored in a six-drawer dresser to the right of the bar.

Wardrobe space  is easily accessible in a closet for the whole family, shown at left. The center panels are doors with hanging clothes storage behind; the bottom panels are drawers, and the top panels are doors that swing upwards.

Around the corner from the wardrobe, a ladder accesses the kid's realm, a loft overlooking the main room. It's easy to keep grown-ups out -- only kids can scale the ladder! {We provided handholds for the adults anyway.)

Beyond the ladder, a series of cubbyholes line the stairwell to the basement, making it easy to grab a sweater or coat on the way upstairs.

But if you'd prefer, continue down the stairs, and you will find yourself in a whole other world.

A play area for kids of all ages and interests occupies the entire bottom floor, with room for a pool table, a television viewing area, a small kitchenette and serving bar, and a full bathroom. We supplied the cabinetry for the bath and wet bar, then built a custom entertainment center to hold all the electronic goodies behind closeable doors and drawes.

The cabinetry throughout the new addition is Black Cherry wood and veneer, with a distinctive grain that ages over time to produce a rich, dark tone. The finish is a durable lacquer.

Rooms