How to Create Custom DIY Built Ins With Stock Cabinets

August 28, 2020

How to make your own built in cabinets using inexpensive unfinished options from the hardware store.

You can create a gorgeous, custom wall of DIY built in bookcases by using these easy tricks with basic kitchen cabinets! 

If you've read TDC for awhile, you know how much I love a good wall of built ins. I think they create so much character without spending a ton of money, and you get all that glorious added storage.

Thing is, there's no need to build the whole thing from scratch. You can create a really custom look with unfinished stock cabinets as your base for the project. 

This means when you get an idea to add some storage, you can do it immediately with in stock cabinets from the hardware store. 

There's a little trick to it though! 

I have a go-to for almost all of the built ins and bookcases I've built over the years. Read on for all of the info!

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Why I use wall cabinets as my built in bases. 

Instead of bottom cabinets that you'd find in a kitchen or bathroom, I use the uppers only. 

I use upper/wall cabinets for a few reasons: 
  • Upper cabinets don't have the top drawer that most lowers have (which makes it look more kitchen-like). If you want a deeper base, drawer units would work great instead of door options. 
  • Wall cabinets are generally cheaper than lowers.
  • They don't take up nearly the space regular base cabinets do because they are half the depth.
Upper cabinets are only 12 inches deep, vs. the 24 inch depth of most base cabinets. 

You can walk into almost any large hardware store and pick up what you need right there. These are the unfinished cabinets I usually use
built in storage from stock cabinets

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. 
See my policies and disclosure page for more information.

The other bonus is they come in a few different widths -- so for most walls you can find a configuration that works and just line them up to create the base for bookcases. 

Where can I find prefab or stock cabinets? 


I have found the most inexpensive unfinished cabinets at Lowe's, Home Depot and Menards. 

The design at all three locations is pretty much the same, but sometimes they vary just enough that you would notice if placed right next to each other. 

I recommend purchasing all of your prefab cabinets from one location for a consistent look.
Ikea has great options that come in various colors -- you'll just have to match the color to the rest of your built in bookcases.

You can also find great cabinet options at Habitat Restore locations! They sometimes want the whole set to be sold together though, so if you're working on a smaller wall it may not work well.

I had great success with the unassembled cabinets from Home Depot for our basement kitchenette. You can compare all of the different kinds of store bought cabinets here


What tools will I need to build my own custom cabinet bookcases? 


The must haves for this project are a quality drill, level, stud finder and nail gun. 


You can get away with not having a circular saw, as many hardware stores will cut the wood for you. 

You'll need to have a detailed plan of your measurements and cut list if you have someone else cut your lumber. 

If you take your time and build in sections, the cutting is not unreasonable. I've built many DIY cabinet units without a saw at home!


How to prep unfinished cabinets to make them look custom. 


The first step to making kitchen uppers look like built ins is raising them up a bit. If you just install them on the ground they won't look as built in. 

I use 1x4s or 2x4s and nail them into the sides around the bottom of the cabinets: 
how to build storage cabinet built in

Actually, the size of the wood will depend on the height of your current baseboards (or the height of new ones you may be installing): 
Make base for cabinets for bookcases

The center piece is for added support. 

To make these look custom, I cover the bottom with baseboards and this DIY base pulls them up off the ground so that's possible. 

How to install base cabinets. 

I find base cabinets much easier to install than uppers. It takes patience but all you'll need are a powerful drill, shims and good cabinet screws:
unfinished base cabinet installation

You can read more about the steps for base cabinet installation for built ins here and a few more cabinet install tips here. Those posts explain everything in more detail.

What should I use for a countertop on the DIY built ins? 

You can pick any traditional countertop -- granite or laminate counters look great on bookcases!

I prefer to go a more inexpensive route and either use butcher block wood counters cut down, or create the look of wood counters myself. :
how to DIY wood counters

I like that a wood countertop adds some warmth to the bookcases. Someday I'd love to use a honed marble or soapstone though. 

How to build the bookshelves in your DIY built ins.

This part isn't as hard as it looks! You can use standard 1x12 boards for your upper shelving, or have a sheet of plywood cut down to the sizes you need. 

I shared how to build the shelves in your bookcases in three steps here. That tutorial includes all the steps to finish the upper shelves of your bookcase built in.

Adding the details to get a custom look.

When you add the base and then some simple trim on the sides of the cabinets, you're finished product will have the look of custom cabinetry:
Using kitchen cabinets to build a bookcase

Of course the wood butcher block counter offers some nice contrast and makes it feel even more custom: 
Kitchen cabinets as base to bookcases

Adding crown molding to the top of the cabinets is another way to create a higher end bookcase:
adding uppers above cabinets with crown

Adding the "jewelry" to your built ins is the perfect finishing touch! 

Installing pretty knobs or pulls to your cabinet doors adds some nice contrast and beautiful detail: 
round brass knobs on gray cabinets

Examples of how I've incorporated these DIY built ins in our homes over the years!


A wall of stock cabinets in our old loft gave us SO much storage space for craft and office supplies: 
Loft office/craft room

family office space with built in storage

You can see more of that craft room/office/loft space here! 

This built in was in our dining room turned library and I've shared it a million times. I easily saved a couple grand by doing this project myself. 

The inexpensive cabinets make it a really affordable project!: 
DIY built ins with kitchen cabinets

It is truly the best combo of form and function -- those cabinets are only 12 inches deep but they hold a ton! (Think of how much they hold in your kitchen.)

I used the upper cabinets that go over a fridge for our mud room bench:
Pretty DIY mud room bench with cabinets

And my first project with these was another project I did with my Dad for my son's bedroom
Blue and red airplane room

I have Dad to thank for this idea -- he's the one who thought of it for this room and I've kind of taken off with it over the years. :) 

I used those same skinny, upper cabinets for the bases of my green office built ins
Dark green built ins with wallpaper

And the 18 foot wall of stock cabinets turned gorgeous media center in our basement!: 

Have you tried this trick to build custom built ins or bookcases? They work great as storage in offices or pantries, laundry rooms, or as built in entertainment centers around a TV. 

You'll save a significant amount of money doing it yourself compared to what a contractor will charge. 

I'm thrilled with how they look in our home and I'm sure I'll add more in the future! 

You can shop some of the items from these rooms here: 





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Comments

  1. Hi Sarah! Question- why did you decide to go with uppers instead of lowers? I'm in the process of building something similar for our laundry room and I bought the lowers to start my built-ins.

    http://www.thehappyhouseproject.com/2016/06/laundry-room-cabinets-and-storage/

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    1. because lower cabinets are super deep. uppers are a nice narrow depth- they take up less floor space but you still get lots of storage. If you have the room for lowers it's totally fine though!

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    2. Hey Maria! Good question -- two reasons. One, for these projects I didn't want the built ins to take up that much room (since lowers are deeper). Also, lowers are either drawers or cabinets with drawers -- which just look too much like a kitchen for me. At least for something decorative like bookcases. I almost did drawers for the loft though! I decided I didn't want it quite so deep. Yours look great and look perfect for laundry room storage! (Oh, and the third reason -- the uppers are cheaper.) ;)

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    3. Wow I never would have thought to use uppers! Thanks :)

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  2. Love this idea! The mud room is my favorite!

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  3. We did this in our first home as well (also with upper cabinets) and loved the results! TFS! http://www.lifeinyellow.com/2012/06/bookcase-bliss-the-final-reveal/

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  4. We used IKEA refrigerator cabinets as a very long built in bench in our playroom. I didn't put on the doors b/c I wanted it open for baskets. It worked perfectly.

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  5. I also used refrigerator cabinets (2 36" sets) to make a window bench in my kitchen. I made a plank top from 1x lumber. People think it's a 'custom' piece, which I guess it is, but a diy custom :-) It does add a lot of storage (perfect for my cookbooks and less used kitchen stuff), and is awesome as some extra seating for guests. I created the lifted base from 2x4's (for more support for sitting), and added 1x across the top to support the planks. I didn't want anyone to feel insecure sitting on the bench. Instead of baseboard, I painted the 2x4 base flat black, and made curvy 'feet' shapes to make it look like a free standing bench - the black base recedes and you don't see it. I did something similar on my island. It's amazing how useful those humble off the shelf cabinets are!

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  6. We have used upper kitchen cabinets in our garage and several other projects in our house too. My question for you is, have you ever put one of these built ins in a room with carpeting? If so, did you put it right over the carpet or did you pull the carpet back and have it re-installed. Also, did you remove the existing base molding?
    Thanks! I can't wait to see your finished project!

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    1. Yes! We put it right on top. If you ever have new floors installed they just cut around it -- you can't see the old carpet. And sometimes I remove the base, sometimes not. After you add the 1x4's to the bottom of the cabinet they're up higher so they will fit right over baseboards and then I coped my new base to fit to the old stuff. Hope that makes sense! (We had pretty small baseboards where I did this, if yours is taller that may not work.)

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    2. Thank you for asking this! We are hoping to do this in a room with carpet and have been pondering the same things about the carpet and the base boards.

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  7. Hi Sarah! I love this! Where do you purchase the uppers and how much do they usually cost? Are they portable or built in? Also, what paint do you use? I'm a very inexperienced DIYer!!!

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    Replies
    1. Sorry I missed this! You can find them at any big box hardware store. The price depends on the size -- the larger ones for our bookcases were about $100 each I think? I use semi gloss or satin for cabinets. I shared how I painted our kitchen cabinets here: http://www.thriftydecorchick.com/2015/11/the-epic-how-to-paintyour-kitchen.html

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  8. I really like this. Where do you go for butcher block tops?

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    Replies
    1. My favorite place to get them is IKEA! You can also find them at Lumber Liquidators and search for local lumber suppliers.

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  9. Hello Sarah! I am trying hard to make this a reality in my home. We also have a formal dining room that I want to do this to. I noticed in your last home, you added a bigger space for the bottom shelf and the rest of the shelves the same size but with your new ones, you made the shelf spaces all the same size. Do you have a preference and why?

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    Replies
    1. We had a thermostat and light switches I had to work around at the old house. It was either a larger bottom shelf or more, smaller shelves. (I wanted to make sure there was plenty of air circulation around the thermostat.)

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  10. I showed my husband and he still says NO! "I'm not a carpenter" he says. I swear, I'm just going to hire a carpenter to build me my bookcases it would look so much better in our family room. Thank you for great ideas!

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  11. I love the look of the lowers with the bookshelves on top. I was curious what you used for the bookshelves on top of the butcher block?

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  12. Hi, Did you build the shelves that are above the cabinets or were they pre-made bookcases that you just repurposed. I SO want to have this done in my livingroom! TY

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  13. I never thought of using the uppers. They look great. Getting ready to install in my daughters house. Thanks for informative article.

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  14. Hi - Thank you for sharing! What did you use for the upper trim pieces for the bookshelf? I love the look of the thicker trim.

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    1. You can use a 1x2 or 1x3 -- whatever really, just depends on how thick you want the fronts to be. :)

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  15. I love what you've done here and may run with these ideas in place of pricey built-ins. We're not carpenters, either, but... if you can do, I can do it. lol Thank you!

    How did you install the light fixtures to some of these?

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  16. How did you build the shelving above the cabinets? Did you use pre-made bookshelves or did you custom make them? I love this look and want to try it for a walk-in pantry

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  17. Hi Sarah! I love our creativity. Could you tell me the paint color of your basement cabinets? I think it's perfect.

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  18. Hi! How did you do the uppers of the bookcases. We’re you able to find a pre made unfinished product that worked for you.???? Thanks!

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  19. This is genius and I’m copying. I got the cabinets and the front is a bit bigger so when you place them next to each other there’s a gap. Did you do anything to cover or fill in the line between cabinet boxes? Is it just secured to the base with small gaps in the middle? Do you caulk the front edges where the 2 boxes meet? Thank you! Would mean so much to get your advice

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  20. Hi! Can you share the paint color used on your tv surround (w shelves and bench)?

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  21. The inside of the cabinets you use …..in the description, it says they are maple laminate, not wood. I want to paint the entire cabinet/bookcase. How does painting the laminate turn out?

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    1. You'll need to use a really good primer like Kilz first, but in my experience laminate doesn't hold paint well long term.

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  22. Hi! This is amazing! I couldn't find the link for the base cabinets with drawers you used. can you please link them here. Thanks in advance. :)

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    1. I would also like a link to 12 in. deep cabinets with drawers.

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  23. This is truely amazing, my husband and I put the built ins in 3 days . It was easy and looks great. Keep the easy tips coming. Thank you so much.

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  24. New to your site and was looking for the links but I may have missed it. Curious what depth of uppers you typically use? Thanks for showing images of the base!

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    1. Uppers are typically 12 inches deep, that's what I use!

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  25. Hi, looks beautiful. Was wondering what height upper cabinets you used?

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    1. Thank you! I believe most of mine are 30" tall, but you can use any height you'd like!

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  26. Hi! I really love you ideas. I was wondering. Did you removed the pre existing baseboard when you install the lower cabinet? I am about to build my cabinet but I don't want the hassle of removing my baseboard. Thank you!

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  27. If you are mounting the 2x4s inside the cabinet frame to lift them off the ground, there will be a gap equal to the width of the cabinet frame when you try to install the baseboard molding. How did you account for this? My cabinet frame is 3/4 inch thick, how can I install baseboard? Most baseboard molding is not 3/4 inch thick. Thank you so much for responding.

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    1. I usually use some scrap wood at a few spots along the base to bring the new baseboards flush with the front of the cabinets. I believe it's usually 1/4 or 1/2 inch of space to fill. (No need to do the whole length, just a few spots will do.)

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  28. Unfortunately the link to the prefab base cabinets is broken because the product doesn't exist anymore. I couldn't find any like them at HD or Lowes - they all have a riser at the top.

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    1. I fixed the link above! They are still available, but you don't want base cabinets, only uppers for this tutorial.

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  29. Hello.. awesome work and we are envious of your talent.. what did you use to add the bookshelves above the cabinets to complete the wall unit?

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    1. Hello and thank you! I shared a link to that tutorial under this subheading in this post: "How to build the bookshelves in your DIY built ins." That should answer all of your questions!

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If you have a specific question I will do my best to answer you back here!

You can find our paint colors and links to items at the "Our Home" tab at the top of my site.

THANKS so much for reading!