Homemade aubergine built-in cabinet in the living room, by Leonie

An aubergine built-in cabinet that gives your living room character

Plenty of storage space and room for your most beautiful items: with this homemade built-in cabinet, you combine both. Leonie made the cabinet entirely herself, using custom-cut wood from OPMAATZAGEN.nl. The color Aubergine (S 6020-R) makes the wall cabinet a warm eye-catcher in the living room. The alternation between closed doors and open compartments gives the large piece of furniture a playful, calm overall look.

From white cabinet surround to personalized wall cabinet

The construction photos show how the cabinet is built from vertical uprights, horizontal shelves, and back panels. The initially white sheet material forms an almost ceiling-high cabinet with rectangular compartments in various sizes. Small black adjustable feet are visible underneath the cabinet. These allow you to set the cabinet perfectly level, even if your floor is not completely flat.

In the final result, the bottom section features a continuous row of closed cabinet doors. At the top, multiple compartments are also enclosed with flat fronts without visible handles. Open niches remain between them: a tall plant compartment to the left of the center, a wide horizontal niche for books and plants, and smaller display compartments in the upper right. The narrow seams between the fronts reinforce the clean lines.

Cleverly organized around existing technology

During construction, a underfloor heating manifold with pipes is visible in the bottom right. In the final image, this location is behind the cabinet fronts, causing the technical components to disappear from view. Would you like to create a similar solution yourself? Keep technical components accessible for operation and maintenance, and align the required clearance and ventilation with the installation regulations.

Custom work next to the garden door

The built-in wardrobe is situated in the living room, between the glass patio door on the left and a protruding wall on the right. The wardrobe utilizes the available wall width and extends to just below the ceiling. This allows you to use a large portion of the wall for storage space, without having to place separate cabinets side by side.

The daylight from the garden door beautifully highlights the deep aubergine hue. The light herringbone floor, soft wall colour, and long curtains create a calm contrast. In the open compartments, you can see books, green plants, and a slender white tower figurine. This is how you turn a practical storage cabinet into a personal spot in your interior.

Build your own built-in wardrobe with custom-made wood

For this DIY project, Leonie used MDF Primed, cut to size by OPMAATZAGEN.nl. By outsourcing the sawing, you can get started with panels in the desired dimensions. You retain control over the layout, assembly, and finishing. Especially with a design featuring so many different sections, a well-developed cutting plan provides a great foundation.

The advantage of making it yourself? You choose the height, width, and panel layout that suit your living room. You also determine the material and color yourself. By doing the assembly and finishing yourself, you can save on labor costs. Of course, the final budget also depends on your choice of materials, hinges, other hardware, and paint.

Start by measuring accurately

Measure the available space at multiple heights and check that the floor, walls, and ceiling are level. In your design, account for assembly space and sufficient clearance for the doors. Level the cabinet and ensure proper anchoring to the wall. This lays a good foundation for fronts that fit together neatly.

Warm modern style

With this aubergine built-in cabinet, you give a modern interior a warm, personal touch. The flat doors and straight lines create a sense of calm, while the irregular compartment division keeps the design lively. The deep Aubergine colour (S 6020-R) connects the open niches and closed sections into a unified whole. With greenery, books, and a few carefully chosen accessories, you complete the look without it becoming cluttered.

The material used: MDF Primed

MDF Primed is a convenient choice if you want to build a sleekly painted cabinet. This board material has a smooth, uniform surface without visible wood grain and is already primed. This saves preparatory work on the pre-treated surfaces. Check the saw edges and finish them separately where necessary with a suitable MDF primer. Follow the instructions of the chosen paint system for sanding, cleaning, and finishing. This way, you give your self-made built-in cabinet a neat, even finish.