Many architectural projects have been giving special attention to cabinetry and built-in furniture. These custom-made wood pieces are designed for specific purposes and can be used to organize the space, which can be living rooms, bedrooms, studies, kitchens, and bathrooms. Besides functionality, these elements also introduce different materials, textures, and colors into the environments. This article will explore some examples of how colorful cabinets and furniture can make architectural projects more vibrant.
There are many types of wood with many different textures and colors, but hardwood is often very expensive and hard to obtain. Therefore, there are two types of materials that are most commonly used when designing custom-made furniture: MDF, which is a type of engineered fiberboard, or plywood, which is manufactured from thin layers of wood veneer glued together on top of each other.
Both MDF and plywood can be used unfinished, or they can also be veneered with a thin sheet of wood, resulting in a finished surface that mimics the appearance of hardwood. Alternatively, composite materials, such as melamine laminates, popularly known as Formica, the leading manufacturer's brand name, or even different types of lacquer and high gloss finishes can be used. Depending on the result you are looking for and also on the budget, these techniques can be combined, or you can use yet other solutions, such as colored MDF, in which pigments are blended with the wood fiber.
Some of the advantages of these synthetic finishes are that they are easy to clean and resistant to scratches and other impacts. In addition, they can enrich the space by adding different textures and colors to the design. The following examples show how colorful cabinets and furniture can make a difference in a room.
Most custom-made built-in furniture is designed for storage, such as wardrobes, shelves, TV cabinets, and dressers, often combined to serve many purposes in one piece. Color can be used to define spaces, as a background to separate different environments, like in the Madaloft Apartment, or as accent furniture, like in the AB Apartment. The Pinheiros VF AN Apartment, on the other hand, features a dark-colored cabinet that adds texture to the room, while the Blue Apartment mixes metal structure with colored wood, creating colorful accents throughout the space. The Cazo Apartment uses a light color in the living room TV cabinet, which also appears in the sliding door in the background. A bench with natural wood finish contrasts with the light color.
Madaloft Apartment / GOAA - Gusmão Otero Arquitetos Associados (in Portuguese)
Cazo Apartment / Estúdio BRA
AB Apartment / Traama Arquitetura (in Portuguese)
Blue Apartment / ENTRE Arquitetos (in Portuguese)
Pinheiros VF AN Apartment / DT Estúdio (in Portuguese)
Bedrooms don't typically feature unusual furniture, but colors can be a great touch, as seen in the Conte Apartment, with a dark-colored wardrobe and headboard, and in the Cosmo Apartment, which combines a more neutral and a brighter color in a simple design.
Conte Apartment / Núcleo de Arquitetura Experimental (in Portuguese)
Cosmo Apartment / COMMO NÚCLEO (in Portuguese)
Wet areas such as kitchens, laundries, and bathrooms normally use cabinetry for organization purposes, which are traditionally cabinets under the countertops, sometimes integrating other appliances. The Canário Apartment, for example, features a light color that blends into the space, while the JMR Apartment and the Arouche Apartment use stronger tones. The Nido Apartment mixes different finishes, colors, and wood. The Pinheiros VF AN Apartment uses the same dark-colored textured surfaces as in the living room, also in the bathroom.
Canário Apartment / RAWI Arquitetura + Design (in Portuguese)
Arouche Apartment / guará arquitetura + Vão (in Portuguese)
Pinheiros VF AN Apartment / DT Estúdio (in Portuguese)
JMR Apartment / Prototype (in Portuguese)
Nido Apartment / Sala2 Arquitetura (in Portuguese)
Built-in furniture can also be used as a tool to organize spaces. In the Cores Apartment, for example, the carpentry is used to define the volume of the bathroom, with a bright color that stands out in the interior. The Brigadeiro Apartment, the Reserva Saúde Apartment Renovation, and the 33 Apartment all feature built-in furniture that helps arrange the environment around them. Finally, the Twin Apartments use bookshelves and sliding doors to organize the interior spaces, based on the symmetry created with two contrasting bright colors.
Cores Apartment / Camila Fleck Arquitetura
Brigadeiro Apartment / Nommo Arquitetos
Twin Apartments / Estúdio Lava
Reserva Saúde Apartment Renovation / Stuchi & Leite Projetos (in Portuguese)
33 Apartment / Soek Arquitetura
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on July 21, 2021.
