Built-ins reduce the need for furniture.

Alex enjoys a sun-filled breakfast at the built-in dining table and bench, one of many space-saving designs.

Paul finds a hiding place amongst the bedroom built-ins.

The unit can be configured to allow room for meal preparation around a built-in kitchen.

Elsewhere, the blocks accommodate other uses, like support for a built-in table and benches in the kitchen and a rooftop observatory (next slide) for watching the sun set over the Ilaló volcano.

On one side of the house, a white central staircase leads to a split-level landing the Robertsons call "the reading room." "We needed a place to hang out and for the kids to read," explains owner Vivi Nguyen-Robertson. Awaiting the birth of the couple's son, she relaxes in a built-in reading nook in the library.

During the renovation, Grimley and Smith added built-in storage to keep clutter in check.

The guesthouse has similar built-ins and is outfitted with a reproduction rotating sconce by Serge Mouille and rugs by Stephanie Odegard.

The dining room leads onto a terrace with a built-in concrete table and barbecue that are original to Raman and Schaffrath’s design. A pair of Hardoy butterfly chairs from Knoll are positioned by the pond.

Our kids are our future—teach them to be conscientious and kind to Mother Earth with these sweet, informative children’s books.

The custom island also features a cut-out shelf.

Concrete was chosen for both structural and finish material throughout much of the home, for its aesthetic, functional, and budgetary appeal. The polished concrete floors in the bedroom complement the birch bed and cabinetry. The home provides living space for the couple, two kids, one dog, and two cats.

They used a deep-black hue for the room’s cabinetry and built-in desk.

The opposite wall of the kitchen features built-in Siemens appliances and concealed storage. The custom INTERIOR-iD cabinets feature mitered doors, and brass trim, which passes fluidly around the edge of the doors, terminating at the back wall.

Rice surfs the net at the built-in desk.

The apartment's built-in closets are deep and have mirrors on one side. Spotlights set flush overhead provide light and also allow the maximum amount of storage, all the way to the ceiling. For more of Schönning's dark, cozy-meets-modern interiors, visit his website. Photo by Per Magnus Persson.

Throughout the cabin, custom built-ins, like a folding table by Bar Harbor woodworker Rick Bradbury, pack maximum utility into a streamlined package.

Of the Caesarstone counter, which extends to a built-in steel dining table with a detachable leaf, he says, “The total length is just over 16 feet, which gives it a really beautiful, sleek proportion.” Chairs are from IKEA.

A built-in desk by NOEM FabLab folds into the wall when not in use.

Brightened by light from the backyard, the built-in credenzas and kitchen cabinetry are by JKK Woodcraft. A Kartell FL/Y pendant lamp bridges the glass and wood details.

Gaps and openings between the handle-less, white oak shelves are functional and decorative, holding plants, books, and office supplies. Small touches, such as the matching color of the chair and the lower shelves, help accent the clean white surfaces.

Due to zoning restrictions, the house's footprint had to be relatively small, so Svensen devised a solution: split levels. The library occupies a landing on the staircase and features shelves built by Atlanta's Dark Horse Woodwork.

The room also features built-in bookcases fabricated by Earthbound Industries and a vintage Sesann sofa by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina.

Smith designed the custom cabinets, which were fashioned from medium-density fiberboard with a white lacquer finish. There are three drawer heights. "The faces are consistent but some, when you open them up, are triple-height," Smith says. "So that helps with things that are really large, like sleeping bags or camping stuff or whatever. They're three feet deep, so it goes into the knee wall, which is really handy. So you get lots and lots of storage."

Big Branch Woodworking and Lackey Construction fabricated the cabinetry throughout the home, including the birch built-ins in the mudroom, designed by Jessica Helgerson Interior Design. Each family member has his or her own cubby with storage for coats, shoes, hats and gloves, with built-in outlets for charging iPhones.

Hawkins created the built-in anigre bed and side tables in the master bedroom. Chenault designed the bedding; the sconces are from Artemide.

A matching desk also folds up and away.

Light filters through the apartment from both the east and west sides. The coffee tables are by Bruzkus Batek for komdo.co. Kim Layani designed the rugs.

The narrow entrance hall faces another door, which opens seaward. Built-in cabinets serve as both storage and display. The porthole mirror is by Jacques Adnet.

1974 - A new range of built-in ovens is launched to coincide with a new generation of fitted kitchens from the Warendorf plant.

The bamboo flooring is by Plyboo. The Moonrise Plus pendant lamps are by Eureka.

The box-shaped balcony of this renovated farmhouse near France’s Chinon region uses oak built-ins to complement the home’s original timber beams. Photo by Jonas Ingerstedt.

A custom blue-gray built-in storage unit, which includes shelving, cupboards, and drawers, runs throughout the home, connecting the rooms. “The tone is calm and creates a dark base,” Wåhlin says. “The apricot pink, together with the sandy colors, reflect light but give a warmth to the space and contrast with the blue tones. Together, they become dynamic.”

Detail

A wall of built-in shelving runs the length of the space, providing ample room for the residents' book collection.

Resident Ty Milford peruses a book by the George Nelson–inspired built-ins fabricated by Big Branch Woodworking