Introducing SEMIHandmade

The article introduces SEMIHandmade, a company founded by John McDonald, which specializes in offering custom cabinet and drawer fronts for standard cabinet boxes, particularly those from Ikea. John McDonald's journey began eight years prior without any woodworking experience. He transitioned from an aspiring screenwriter to a furniture maker, starting with refinishing antiques and selling 2x4 inspired furniture at flea markets. A significant turning point in his career involved a serious workshop accident where he lost part of his pinky and injured his ring finger on a band saw. Despite this, he persevered, continuing his training and woodworking. This determination led him to establish 'Handmade,' a company known for custom furniture, kitchens, and baths, and a regular presence at West Coast design shows like CABoom and Dwell on Design. His personal design aesthetic leans contemporary with influences from mid-century modern and arts-and-crafts. SEMIHandmade was created to make kitchen and bathroom remodels more accessible and affordable. It provides custom doors, panels, and drawer faces designed to fit store-bought cabinet boxes, especially those from Ikea. This approach offers a significant aesthetic upgrade at a price point approximately 30 percent higher than Ikea's standard fronts, making it a cost-effective alternative to fully custom cabinetry. The company emphasizes that while it is not affiliated with Ikea, it admires Ikea's modular and reasonably priced products, aiming to enhance them with personalized designs. A key aspect of SEMIHandmade's offering is its commitment to quality and sustainability. The materials available for cabinet fronts include a wide range of hardwoods such as Walnut, Teak, Bamboo, Mahogany, and White Oak. A significant portion of these materials are reclaimed, including Douglas Fir, basketball flooring, and redwood wine casks. The use of reclaimed lumber not only adds unique character with its inherent imperfections like nail holes and paint flecks but also aligns with environmental efforts by reducing waste in landfills. SEMIHandmade sources its reclaimed wood from various places in Los Angeles, including E and K Wood in Culver City. SEMIHandmade collaborates with designers, architects, and direct clients. They assess client needs, budget, and space constraints to provide tailored solutions. An example is the Soriano House in Silver Lake, which features a custom Mid-Century style kitchen, a testament to the full 'Handmade' service. For more budget-conscious projects, SEMIHandmade's approach of combining custom fronts with Ikea boxes allows for sophisticated designs, as seen in a Silverlake kitchen utilizing sequenced teak fronts over Ikea frames. The company highlights that replacing only doors on existing cabinets or using Ikea boxes keeps materials out of landfills. The installation time for a SEMIHandmade kitchen is also notably shorter, approximately four weeks, half the time required for a fully custom kitchen. The aesthetic preference of John McDonald for mid-century design resonates with many designers and architects. Examples include a custom built-in in a Los Feliz House using white laminate and walnut veneer. The article also points out the practical advantages of frameless cabinet boxes, like those from Ikea, for offering more storage and easier installation. SEMIHandmade also extends its offerings beyond kitchens and baths, creating pieces like credenzas and floating bookcases for other rooms, with plans to develop custom legs to transform kitchen pantries into media cabinets. #SEMIHandmade #CustomCabinetry #IkeaHacks #ReclaimedWood #SustainableDesign #HomeRenovation #KitchenDesign #FurnitureMaking #MidCenturyStyle #SEMIHandmade #CustomCabinetry #IkeaHacks #ReclaimedWood #SustainableDesign #HomeRenovation #KitchenDesign #FurnitureMaking #MidCenturyStyle

183 months ago

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