By the MJC design team, Orlando. Updated November 2026.
Short answer: Built-in cabinets add storage by using wall space that freestanding furniture wastes: the full height of a wall, the gap beside a window, the area under the stairs. The most useful built-ins are TV walls with closed storage, home office walls, mudroom benches, niches and laundry cabinets, each planned around wiring, ventilation and light.
Where do built-in cabinets add the most storage?
Built-in cabinets add the most storage in rooms where freestanding furniture leaves gaps: next to windows, around a TV, under stairs and in narrow entries. Because a built-in is made for one wall, it can use the full height and width that a bookcase or console from a store cannot.
| Room | Built-in idea | What to plan first |
|---|---|---|
| Living room | TV wall with closed lower cabinets and open shelves | TV size, devices, speakers and the cable path |
| Home office | Desk wall with shelves above and file drawers below | Desk height, outlets, cable openings and task lighting |
| Entry or mudroom | Bench with cubbies, hooks and shoe storage | Who uses it, wet shoes and umbrellas, durable finish |
| Bedroom | Wardrobe wall or window seat with drawers | Window position, door swing and lighting |
| Laundry room | Cabinets above the machines and a folding counter | Machine sizes, venting, water lines and a hanging rod |
| Hallway or stairs | Shallow cabinets or a niche | Wall depth and clear walking width |
What makes a good TV wall?
A good TV wall hides what you do not want to see and shows what you do. The usual layout combines a panel behind the TV, closed cabinets below for devices and open or lit shelves to the sides. A few decisions make the difference between a TV wall that looks finished and one that ends up with cables hanging down:
- Know the TV size first: the panel, the mounting point and the shelves are drawn around the screen, so decide the size before the design, and leave room for a larger screen later.
- Plan the cable path: a channel or conduit behind the panel takes power and signal cables from the TV down to the cabinet below, with an outlet placed behind the screen.
- Ventilate the equipment: receivers, game consoles and streaming boxes produce heat. Closed cabinets that hold them need openings, a ventilated back or space around each device so the heat can escape.
- Think about the remote: remotes that use infrared need a line of sight to the device. Behind a solid door, an infrared repeater or devices with Bluetooth or radio remotes avoid the problem.
- Light without glare: LED strips on shelves or behind the panel add depth to the wall, but a light that reflects on the screen becomes annoying fast. Place it during the design, not after.
What should a home office built-in include?
A home office built-in works when it is designed around the work, not around the look. Start with the desk height and the chair, then add what you use every day within reach and what you store out of sight. Cable openings in the desk top keep chargers and monitors tidy. A closed cabinet can hold a printer with an outlet inside it. Shelves above the desk carry books and files, and a light under the upper cabinets keeps the work surface bright without a desk lamp. In a guest room that doubles as an office, a built-in can also hide the work at the end of the day behind doors.
How do you design a mudroom or entry built-in?
A mudroom built-in handles the things that come in through the door: shoes, bags, keys, umbrellas and, in Central Florida, wet gear after summer storms. A bench at sitting height makes it easy to put on shoes, with cubbies or drawers underneath. Hooks or open lockers above hold bags and jackets for each person in the house. Shoes that come in wet dry better on open, ventilated shelves than in closed boxes, and a durable finish holds up to daily use better than a delicate one.
What about niches, window seats and the space under the stairs?
Some of the most useful built-ins are the small ones. A niche between studs adds shelves to a hallway without taking any floor. A window seat with drawers below turns an unused corner into storage and seating. The space under a staircase can hold pull-out cabinets for shoes, cleaning supplies or pet items. Each of these depends on the real depth available, which is measured during the design visit.
How can built-ins make a laundry room work better?
A laundry room gains the most from cabinets above the washer and dryer, a counter for folding and a rod for hanging clothes straight from the dryer. A sink base cabinet adds a place for hand washing, and a tall cabinet holds the ironing board and cleaning supplies. The machines decide the layout, so measure them, check the dryer vent position and keep the water valves reachable.
What should you decide before a built-in is designed?
- What it will store: list the items, the same way you would for a closet. Our guide to custom closet ideas shows how to take that inventory.
- Power and data: outlets, cable paths and any lighting need to be placed before the cabinets are built.
- Ventilation: any cabinet holding electronics, a dryer vent or wet items needs airflow.
- Finish: match the trim and doors in the room, or use the built-in as the accent wall.
- Attachment: built-ins are fastened to the wall framing, so the wall’s condition and what runs inside it matter.
How does MJC design and build built-ins?
MJC designs TV walls, home office walls, mudroom benches, laundry cabinets and other built-ins in 3D, so you see the full wall, the shelves and the finish before anything is made. The cabinets are built to measure in the MJC shop in Orlando, and finish carpentry such as baseboards, crown molding and wall panels can be done with the same project so the built-in looks like part of the house. The mobile showroom van brings door, finish and hardware samples to your home for the design visit, which our article on the free 3D design visit describes step by step.
To see what MJC builds, visit the built-ins and TV walls in Orlando page.
Frequently asked questions
Can a TV wall hide all the cables?
Yes, if the cable path is planned before the wall is built. A channel or conduit behind the panel carries the cables from the TV to the cabinet below, and an outlet behind the screen removes the visible power cord.
Do built-in cabinets need ventilation?
Cabinets that hold electronics, a dryer vent or wet items do. Devices such as receivers and game consoles produce heat, so a closed cabinet needs openings, a ventilated back or space around them.
Can built-ins match my kitchen cabinets?
Yes. Custom built-ins can use the same door style and finish as the kitchen, so the house reads as one design, or a different finish if the built-in is meant to stand out.
Are built-in cabinets attached to the wall?
Yes. Built-ins are fastened to the wall framing, which is why the wall’s condition and anything running inside it, such as wiring or plumbing, are checked during the design.
Plan your project with MJC
Get a free 3D design and see door, finish and granite samples at your home. Cabinets are built to measure in our Orlando shop at 5014 Forsyth Commerce Rd. Complete custom kitchens start at $15,000.