Emma’s Project Brief

Emma’s wish was for a new wardrobe in the master bedroom. And when we visited the property, we could see why.

The wardrobe, which most likely came along with the house build, was a decent size but far from practical.

So, whilst the size of the wardrobe remained the same, the use of the space has now been optimised.

And, it’s far more aesthetically pleasing. Gone are the very glossy door panels that reflect a lot of light.

 

 

Planning Emma’s Wardrobe

Listening to what Emma was after, we also suggested a few ideas.  Emma had already visited the ICM Geelong website to see what Geelong’s best cabinetmakers had in their image galleries, the ICM Geelong Instagram and Pinterest accounts.

When planning a wardrobe, it is important to get the correct balance between hanging space, shelving and drawers, so we discussed this at length.  Emma needs ¾ of the space, Tom can have the rest!

 

There’s nothing like getting a visual on what your project will look like, so we had Cabinets by Computer use their fantastic KD Max 3D software mock-up some plans.

This gave Emma a realistic idea of what the wardrobe will look in her space, before the project is even commenced.

 

Shaker Style Doors

 A natural choice for the Hawkins’ farm property located just outside Geelong, shaker style cabinets and doors transcend trendiness and are also a hot trend in kitchen design.

The simplicity of shaker doors—almost like a flat-panel door but with a slightly raised border—are a large part of their appeal. It’s a basic and straightforward look, with just enough detail to provide depth and interest.

Shaker furniture is a distinctive style of furniture developed by the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, commonly known as Shakers, a religious sect. Their beliefs were reflected in the well-made furniture of minimalist designs.

And here’s a bit of trivia: before the American Civil War there were nearly 6000 Shakers in 23 communities. Today, there is just one active Shaker village left, with just three members. Just above Sabbathday Lake, in central Maine, the last Shaker community straddles an old road in the midst of 1800 acres of forest and farmland.

 

Materials Used

The Shaker doors are in 18mm double sided white MDF supplied by Laminex Australia. 

MDF is a high-quality Medium Density Fibreboard with a white melamine surface bonded to both sides. The melamine surface is non-porous and hardwearing making it ideal for cabinetry including wardrobes and shelving. The reconstituted wood fibres used to make White MDF are obtained from Australian pine plantations – a sustainable renewable resource.

White MDF is available in a range of surface finishes:  Décor Texture, Velvet and Satin finishes.  Emma chose the satin finish.

Paint Colour for the doors is Dulux White on White satin finish.

What’s inside the wardrobe counts too and the white interior board from local cabinetry hardware supplier, Cabinet Makers Choice is the perfect choice.

Drawer hardware and hinges are supplied by Lincoln Sentry. It’s important to note that not all hinges and drawer systems are the same. If you want doors that continue to open and close nicely and drawers that slide smoothly, you need to select a quality provider.

Door Handles

Emma was presented with a range of handles and door knobs to choose from.

Some of the top hardware styles for Shaker cabinets include classic ceramic knobs, elegant glass knobs, brass / nickel knobs, modern tubular bar pulls, sleek flat bar pulls, vintage bin pulls, retro latches, industrial pulls with exposed screws … the options are endless.

Emma has chosen Kethy handles –  walnut with brass feet.

 

Lighting

LED lighting not only sets the mood,  but is also very practical in a wardrobe. We used LED lighting from Lincoln Sentry.

Turning on automatically when the wardrobe is opened, the LED lighting provides just the right  amount of illumination to disperse the light around the robe, evenly.

 

And the surprises …

Emma wanted an area to lay out her fashion jewellery so a velvet lined jewellery drawer was a no brainer. And, if Emma was to have a drawer like this, Tom needed one too. So, Tom has a slightly smaller version, used for ties, cuff links etc.

Tom also has a belt rack on his side of the wardrobe.

 

The end result

The old wardrobe was removed and the new wardrobe installed within a day.

Now it’s over to the professionals to paint the rest of the master bedroom.

 

And for Emma to sort through her wardrobe – the Marie Condo way!

 

 

*ICM Geelong is a collaboration of cabinetmakers in the Geelong and surrounding region. In full transparency, we provided this custom-made wardrobe for Emma Hawkins in return for Emma taking on an Ambassador role for ICM Geelong.  Emma is assisting us in promoting the quality work done by cabinetmakers and encouraging people to use a local cabinetmaker for projects.

Special thanks also to Windsor Kitchens (manufacture), SCLK (assembly & painting), and Virgona Home Improvements (installation) –  team work – all to promote Geelong’s cabinetmaking industry.

#emmaswardrobe Suppliers Summary:

 

White interior – Cabinet Makers Choice

Drawer Hardware and Hinges – Lincoln Sentry

Led lighting – Lincoln Sentry

18mm double sided white MDF for doors- Laminex Australia

Hand painting and jewellery inserts  – SCLK

Paint Colour – Dulux White on White satin finish

Manufacture of robe and doors – Windsor Kitchens

Assembly of robe – SCLK & Windsor Kitchens

Kethy handles, walnut with brass feet – Windsor Kitchens