Custom cabinets made by hand from scratch. Sounds expensive, right? And yet many homeowners are surprised by the value proposition of custom work, says Designer Randall Snyder, J. Miller Cabinet Co., Columbia City, Ind.
“Every inch of space is well used when you build custom cabinets,” he says. “Stock cabinets and even ‘semi-custom’ cabinets are often ordered in 3-inch increments, which means if you don’t have exactly the right space, fillers are used and space is wasted. We don’t fill the space, we fit the space.”
Second, custom cabinets are made to fit the customer – literally.
“We can build any height, depth and width that makes sense for you,” says Snyder.
Third, custom work allows for “any door style in any wood with any finish,” unlike stock cabinets. “Maybe you like this door style but you can’t get it in that color. We can do any style in any color on the color wheel.”
Fourth, custom work allows your new kitchen to stand out from the ordinary, which can improve home resale value. Kitchens are the most important room of the home for prospective buyers.
“Custom work can give your kitchen personality,” says Snyder. “As long as things are symmetrical, proportional and functionally efficient, your kitchen doesn’t have to look like every other kitchen in the world.”
Fifth, there’s no shipping hassle. J. Miller typically delivers a kitchen within three weeks of placing an order, although this year is extra busy and turn-arounds are longer.
Perhaps the top reason to choose custom cabinetry over stock cabinets is quality. J. Miller customers deal with accessible local folks, not far-away corporations.
“We use only hardwood for doors and frames, and plywood with veneer – never particle board, which absorbs moisture – for shelving and side pieces,” Snyder notes. “We tell people, ‘If you can dream it up, we can build it.’”
J. Miller also sells quartz, granite, laminate and marble countertops.
Learn more by calling (260) 691-2032 or stop into the shop, 5874 North 350 East, Columbia City, at the east end of Round Lake. ❚