RTA (Ready-to-Install) Cabinets:

DIY Pantry Storage and Dining Room Buffet Transformation

How RTA Cabinets Solved My Pantry Storage Problem and Created a Beautiful Dining Room Buffet

Location: Dining Room
Project Type: Pantry Storage and Buffet Installation
Cabinet Style: Flush Inset RTA Cabinets
Cabinet Color: Tuscan Gray
DIY Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Key Materials: RTA cabinets, butcher block countertop, floating shelves, mini refrigerator

Before

After

My pantry storage situation simply was not working. I had one small pantry cabinet in the kitchen and food was overflowing into my laundry room, so I needed a better storage solution. I decided to install Ready-to-Assemble cabinets in my dining room to create a full pantry storage wall and buffet area that would dramatically improve the function of the space.

I was honestly shocked at the quality of these RTA cabinets. They are flush-inset cabinets, which is typically considered a high-end cabinet style. The boxes are plywood, the construction was excellent, and the finish quality is beautiful and durable. Even better, they were incredibly easy to assemble. I wish I had known about RTA cabinets years ago because the ability to customize the layout allowed me to design exactly the storage I needed.

The transformation completely changed how this area of our home functions. I installed a butcher block countertop, added floating shelves, and incorporated a small refrigerator, turning the space into a highly functional pantry and buffet.

The cabinet color, Tuscan Gray, is very close to Sherwin Williams Worldly Gray, which is just slightly lighter.

Design Strategy

• Solved an overflow pantry problem by creating a full storage wall in the dining room
• Used flush inset RTA cabinets to achieve a high end cabinet look at a much lower cost
• Designed the layout to combine pantry storage, buffet function, and beverage space
• Added butcher block countertops to create a durable and warm work surface
• Installed floating shelves above to provide additional storage and display space
• Repeated the cabinet style near the fireplace to begin building future built in storage

DIY Lessons Learned

• RTA cabinets can be surprisingly high quality when you choose well constructed plywood boxes
• Flush inset cabinets provide a custom cabinet look without the custom cabinet price
• These cabinets assemble very easily and can dramatically speed up a renovation project
• Designing the cabinet layout first is the key to maximizing storage and function
• Shallower wall cabinets can work well in tight spaces like living rooms or hallways
• Building a simple base allows wall cabinets to function as beautiful built in storage

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DIY Fireplace Built In Cabinets

Turning 14 Inch Wall Cabinets Into Fireplace Built In Storage

After seeing how well these cabinets worked, I used them again in another part of the house. I installed 14-inch deep wall cabinets on either side of our fireplace to create storage and the beginning of future built-ins.

Because my living room space is tight, the shallower cabinets worked perfectly. I built bases to raise them to the proper height and installed them as bookcase-style storage.

Eventually, I plan to expand this area into a full fireplace surround with built-in shelving, but for now, it adds both storage and a beautiful architectural feature to the room.

Design Strategy

• Used 14-inch deep wall cabinets to work within a tighter living room footprint
• Built custom bases so the cabinets could function like built-in bookcases
• Positioned cabinets on both sides of the fireplace to begin creating a future built-in wall
• Selected Tuscan Gray to coordinate with the dining room buffet cabinetry for a cohesive look
• Added floating shelves above to create vertical storage and display space
• Designed the project so it can easily evolve into a full fireplace surround later

DIY Lessons Learned

• Wall cabinets can work beautifully as built-ins when placed on a properly sized base
• Always measure the depth of your room before choosing cabinet depth so the space does not feel crowded
• Shallower cabinets like, 14-inch depth, work very well for bookshelves and display storage
• Building a base first allows you to control the final height and align cabinets with surrounding trim

• Simply add base molding to cover the framing, then color-match and paint the same color as the cabinets
• Planning future projects during the initial install makes it much easier to expand into full built-ins later