First of all- holy cow. We just had a crazy earthquake a few minutes ago. Very strong! It was completely unexpected for our area (we’ve never had a strong one before). The epicenter was right outside of Richmond (only about 35 miles from our house) and it registered about a 5.9! We’ve even heard from friends up in NY who felt it. Miraculously nothing fell off the walls or broke, but the whole house shook violently and it was insanely loud (we all gathered under a steel-enforced doorway and stared at each other). So yes, we were all shaken up by it but very thankful that we’re ok and hope that everyone else who experienced it is too.
Now for the cabinets. We promised to share all of the other places we hunted/solutions we considered when it came to the office built-ins (mentioned here) – because our thrift store cabinets definitely weren’t the first things we found. And we figure since not everyone can stumble upon six cabs for six bucks (uh, we never even thought that was possible until this recent discovery) we hoped that detailing a few other options that we considered might help anyone else who can’t find secondhand cabinets that work for them. So here we go, on a virtual cabinet-hunting whirlwind of sorts…
Our first stop was actually the Richmond Habitat for Humanity ReStore, but we didn’t find much in the way of cabinets. We did find that Clara loves the breeze from a big industrial fan.
And that they had this crazy big leather / zebra-print lounger thing if anyone’s interested. Tres practical for storytime, no?
The cabinet situation though was almost enough to make us give up on the ReStore entirely (everything was too tall or too wide and we couldn’t find six identical cabinets (or three identical double-wide-ones) that would work to make our wall of built-ins look related enough (and not like a mismatched secondhand cabinet sale). They did put us on a notification list in case anything that matched our needs came in, which was nice (never knew they did that).
So next we dragged the kiddos (yes, Burger included) to Lowe’s and Home Depot to see if their stock cabinets could do the trick. They had a lot of affordable-ish options for unfinished cabinets in a slew of shapes and sizes. Our rough math put us at about a $300 investment for three double-wide cabinets (to create left, middle, and right cabinets with two open spaces for our chairs along the built-in wall like this). Then we could have just painted them and topped them with a wood counter, which wouldn’t have been too bad for a wall of built-ins and a nice long two-person desk (around $400 for two desks or something custom built-in along an entire wall sounded about right I guess).
The only hitch in our plan were the cabinet sizes. Base cabinets were the perfect depth for a standard counter (24″) but their toe-kick made them too high (35″) for our chairs (27″). We contemplated adding casters to our chairs to make them higher, but weren’t sold on the idea (especially because 2″ casters might be cool, but 4″ casters would be a bit much for our chairs). So we looked at 30″ upper cabinets instead, but at only 12″ deep it’d make for either a super narrow desk or cabinets that floated a foot away from the wall. Definitely something we could remedy by buying additional lumber, but again, not ideal.
Then it was time to do some Craigslist surfing, but nothing turned up in the way of cabinets that would be the right depth or height off the bat (and we worried about sacrificing stability and making things look a little – uh, shady- by trying to cut something down or build it out). If we had found something super cheap or almost perfect (like our much-shorter-than-average $6 ReStore cabinets) we would definitely have pounced on them. Even for around $100 for the set. But nothing with the right dimensions came up after a few consecutive weeks of checking back.
Then we turned to Ana-White.com to see if we could find any awesome plans to build something ourselves (like the plans that inspired our giant console table build). There were definitely a few workable options, but we realized that a lot of the plans would cost more than $30 per cabinet (thanks to lumber, hardware, hinges, and interior fittings) – and because we noticed that many secondhand cabinets on craigslist and in thrift stores were under $30 (and some were priced waaaay under that), it made us wonder if we’d actually spend more building something than retrofitting something existing.
Next we checked out Ikea. From their website, it looked like we could build their cabinets without a toe-kick, making them the perfect height (around 28-30″ instead of 35″+, which would be too tall for our existing chairs (even if we added casters to them). Score! And we all know Ikea has tons of customization options, so it was starting to feel like a perfect solution… even if it was a bit pricier – roughly about $500 if I did my math right, since we definitely wanted doored cabinets over open shelving (for Clara reasons along with the general desire to very roughly mimic the look of the base cabinets from our built-ins – though not exactly). We were actually pretty invested in this being a good solution, so I started mapping it out using their online planner tool (technically for kitchens) since we were planning a stop there after our visit with Cat, Travis, Elsa and their new son Edison.
But that trip to Ikea never happened, thanks to our decision to give the Alexandria Habitat For Humanity ReStore a chance while out of town. Though even that trip started off somewhat discouraging. They certainly had more cabinets than our ReStore in Richmond…
…but the prices weren’t necessarily screaming “take me home” at first. Yowsa.
Of course, that was until we came across the ones in the very back with $1 stickers on them that screamed “You’d be an idiot not to take us home. We’re six friggin dollars!” And the rest, as they say, is history.
Well, not totally history – there’s still lots to do to these puppies. But that’s a story (and a project) for another day. Someday soon hopefully. You know Sherry and her propensity to paint anything that doesn’t move…
So in summary, it was harder than we thought to find cabinets that were deep enough (24″) and not too tall (over 30″) and we ended up checking two thrift stores, two home improvement stores, an online build-it-yourself website, a Swedish warehouse, and the list of a man named Craig. The cost of the project ranged from around $300-$500 at most places that actually had things that might work (not including a countertop), which was definitely making us sweat a little. Custom built-ins can obviously add function and value to a house, but unlike adding a patio to a monkey-grass-riddled side yard, it somehow felt a bit more like a rushed gamble to spend half of 1K on a desk, at least for cheap-os like us (who built our current desk from an old bathroom door). So we’re glad we took our time and eventually came across something around 95% cheaper. The lesson: hold out if you can, and leave no stone (or store) unturned (unvisited?). Whenever we dive in too soon we get all nervous and twitchy and sometimes even lay awake wondering if we rushed into something that might not be the best thing for our house/lifestyle in the long run. So there you go.
What have you hunted down after visiting a bunch of stores or googling a ton of options? Is there some sort of magic number (like five places) that usually results in a major score? Have you been searching for something for months or even years that continues to allude you? Isn’t it funny how the perfect thing is always in the last place you look? Probably because once you find it you finally stop looking.
Psst- The lady wife did a fun little interview about how our blog has grown and revealed a lot of behind the scenes blogging and book-writing info for anyone interested right here (it’s long, but full of tons of juicy stuff, at least in my humble husband opinion). We’re also over on BabyCenter talking about a sweet little boy’s nursery that we crashed (coolest light fixture we’ve seen in a long time).
Laura J says
Glad you all are okay! We felt it here in Virginia Beach, of course. When I heard it was centered outside of Richmond, you guys actually were the first “worry” that crossed my mind. lol
For future reference, experts say it is best to get in the space between a couch and an interior wall. That way, if anything falls, the couch creates a triangle-shaped crawl space for escape. Stay safe!!! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip! We didn’t know what the heck to do since they’re so rare in Richmond!
xo,
s
Robin @ Our Semi Organic Life says
Two books?! Now that I’m local I can’t wait for that book signing next year! Good luck.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw you’re so sweet! We can’t wait either!
xo,
s
Michele Daggar says
Sherry,
You did a fantastic job on your radio interview. I was listening to it as I paid my bills and folded the laundry (I know, I lead an exciting life!) You have such a natural way about you (geez I sound like my old aunt!)
I’m anxious to get my hands on your book, but I guess I have to wait a year! Apparently there will eventually be two books!!! Go Young House Love!!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw you’re so sweet! I felt like such a geek!
xo,
s
Jamie says
unrelated, but im about to repaint some old wood panneling that has previously been painted over in a high gloss paint. A few areas of the paint are peeling. Any tipe for how to paint over that? Sand just the peeling areas? Can I just paint over glossy paint with more glossy paint?
YoungHouseLove says
I would sand the peeling areas smooth and sand the rest of it just to rough up the gloss so you get better adhesion. Then I’d prime and paint. Good luck!
xo,
s
Steph says
Of all places, I was in the Philadelphia Ikea when it happened! I was signing up for a the Ikea Family Card (after telling my mom how ‘oh, they just posted about this on Young House Love!’) and I yelled to my mom that the ground was moving! Then she tried to tell me it was the kiosk, until I looked up and saw that the lights were all swaying and furniture boxes were moving! We left our stuff at the registers (it was kind of funny how many people ran with their carts outside though, hah!) and RAN outta there! I have to say, Ikea handled it really well, evacuated everyone safely and wouldn’t let anyone back in the store until they did a thorough safety check. Just another reason to love that store :)
My sisters live in VA so it was seriously scary waiting in the parking lot with no cell phone service trying to find out if they were okay! My poor dog is still a nut case, I hope Burger isn’t too shaken up!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man that sounds crazy! So glad they handled it so well! Burger was definitely scared but now he’s ok. Whew.
xo,
s
Emily says
wow! i just wrote a comment about also being in an ikea and i have to agree – they were SO organized with the whole thing. they had a loud speaker to communicate to everyone outside, organized their employees and did head counts. we saw them carrying toddlers out of the nursery. it was very efficient. definitely the weirdest ikea trip ever!
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds so surreal! So glad they were so smart about everything!
xo,
s
Felicity @ Our Little Beehive says
Just signed on to send you a message. Glad you’re ok (and that you don’t have another broken ceramic dog story to tell).
Stefanie A says
We felt the earthquake up here in Boston, MA!
Was wondering how you guys were, glad you’re okay!
Stefanie A says
P.S. I listened to the whole interview, too. I’m so excited for your book(s)!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks so much! You guys are too sweet!
xo,
s
Kate says
So glad that you are all okay! You are the only Richmond ppl I know and I was inordinately worried.
Pamela says
John & Sherry, I’m so very happy to hear that your sweet family’s all okay & I’m so sorry that you experienced the earthquake with all its shaking & uncertainty.
Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21 all warn of earthquakes in “divers” places as a definite, prophesied “sign” to watch (along with the other stated, specific signs to occur *simultaneously* – which is the key to the nearness of the “hour”). Take heart & don’t fear…this world is not our home. Look up!
http://www.biblegateway.com/
Em Rohrer says
We felt it out here in the Eastern Shore of Maryland – it was too weird, I was driving and thought something was wrong with my car’s alignment…wasn’t til I got home and checked Facebook that I saw it was tremors from the quake!
Lisa Meyer says
Was at work in Innsbrook… definitely felt the earth move under my feet. :) Glad everyone’s okay, at least we got a 3:00 “early release”!
Couple A Saving says
Im very close to DC and it was crazy here. Im in the basement of my office building and it started by sounding like 20 teenagers were running right above us then started to shake the whole building. Very scary.
Jess @ Little House. Big Heart. says
We take our puppy to Home Depot too! She loves to lay on the cold concrete floors. Of course, she lays right in the middle of the aisle, spread eagle, so everyone has to step over her. Also, 4x Burger’s size. And only 13 weeks old.
I’ve seen that Ikea design software before but haven’t ever been able to figure out where to get it… wink wink.
Glad to hear you’re all ok!
carla says
I am on the same mission for cabinets for my craft room. Really looking at Ikea but its so expensive no matter where you go…u guys scored on those cabinets. Someone said online that it was cheaper to have theirs custom made rather than buying new cabinets…hmmmm. We’ll see!
Lauren | Myers Maison says
So glad that you all are okay. How scary :(
Robyn @ Imperfect Nest says
OMG! If the chaise is from Old Hickory Tannery, it retails in the $4,000-6,000.00. If it works for anyone in the area, I’d grab it. Here’s a link from the mfg’s website:
http://www.ohtfurniture.com/product_info.php?product_id=1508&srid=1
BTW, glad y’all are okay.
Petra says
Glad to hear you all are ok. Earthquakes are exciting yet scary things to experience (I live in San Fran). Now you have a great story to tell Clara when she gets old enough to remember.
mp says
I live a little further from the epicenter, but felt it strongly and knew immediately what it was (from descriptions — big roar, big shaking). The posse (my five chihuahuas, the oldest of whom looks like Burger’s mom) freaked out and generally lost their tiny collective mind for about ten minutes.
My daughter, now 30, LOVED fans when she was Clara’s age.
Amanda L says
We definitely felt it up here in DC – my whole office was shaking!
You know it’s funny, when I see that picture of Clara in the shopping cart at Home Depot, it makes me think what I would do if I saw you guys in person. Probably freak out as if I just my favorite celeb!
Christi Davis says
So sorry to hear about the earthquake! In our remodel we’ve found that if we hold off on a project until we find just the right piece at the right price, we end up so much happier with the project. ReStore has been a God-send for us as we’ve found a good amount of materials there that we would never have been able to afford elsewhere: soaker bathtub for $40, 3 frosted glass doors for $75, glass exterior door for $50 and a huge skylight for $30!! But we have to be patient make sure that we go about every other week to check out what they have. Plus, we love supporting Habitat for Humanity rather than a retail store! So glad to see you guys are big supporters of them as well.
Janet S says
I know the earthquake is big news and I’m glad you are ok. Your interview was great! Enjoyed hearing about some of the inside scoop on your success! You sounded very natural but professional during the chat. Congrats on the book deal! Excited for your family!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks for saying that! I was so nervous!
xo,
s
CATHY says
so happy boutr ur cabinets, we felt the aftershocks here in toronto, ontario canada! love ur blog!
Laura says
So glad you guys are okay! My sister is in D.C. and she said it was pretty scary there.
Monica says
Just heard about the earthquake on CBCRadio and went to check your twitter feed. So glad you’re ok. :)
cristiana says
hi!
my name is cristiana and i’m an avid yhl reader, although i guess this is my first time commenting.
just to share a bit of internet influence: i live in portugal, near lisbon. i don’t know either of you beside of what you let us know here. tonight, when i saw the news about the earthquake my first thought went to you – as i heard the epicenter was in virginia.
the world is a little pea, that’s what i have to say.
glad to hear everything is well with you :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Cristiana! So glad we’re all ok.
xo,
s
Sandi Rodriguez says
Hope y’all are okay from the earthquake! I had no clue you could bring your dog into Lowe’s and Home Depot our puppy would have been shopping with us a long time ago! I love the cabinets y’all choose and can’t wait to see what comes out of it! I wish we had stores like that around us!
Dani says
I felt the earthquake in Baltimore, too. I was in a teacher meeting at school, and it is surprising how quickly adults can turn into a screaming, running, panic-stricken mob. I think it’s a bit ironic I grew up in Utah waiting for “the big one” that is supposed to come sometime, and the biggest earthquake I’ve ever felt was here in MD. It was scarier being here, though, because people don’t know how to handle it. I was worried about being trampled, not the earthquake, ha ha. When we found out the epicenter was in VA I thought about you guys, though. I’m glad everything is okay with you and your home.
LindseyR says
“earthquake in richmond??” holy moly…have to check on YHL — then it dawns on me, oh yeah and my brothers familoy in DC (they felt it there too but all ok!) but you trumped my flesh and blood — wink (and dont tell my brother!) glad you all are ok!
Jill says
haha Lindsey, how funny, I just wrote a nearly indentical comment! Feeling *sheepish* but glad I’m not the only one!LOL
Adriane Wacker says
I have been hearing about that Earthquake…scary, hope it doesn’t happen hear in Nevada ( we’ve are very close to a fault line!) Glad everything is OK!
Sarah says
LOVE that photo of Clara in front of the fan at ReStore!!!
P.S. For the record, I live in Minneapolis, MN and did not feel any earthquake – thought I should at least acknowledge the bulk of the conversation ;-)
Ann says
We felt it way up in north/slightly western CT. My husband thought he was imagining it.
Krystle @ ColorTransformedFamily says
First, I am glad to hear you survived the earthquake ok and that it wasn’t a scare for Clara or Burger. Second, Clara is absolutely adorable in all her pictures. I love her facial expressions… I can only imagine what her personality must be like.
Kayla says
Glad to hear you guys are ok after the earthquake! I felt it in NYC and ran out to Central Park for an hour before going back up to my scary skyscraper building. But what really calmed me down was listening to Sherry’s phone interview and I absolutely loved it! Sherry you are always very candid and humble and it is always nice to hear about your beginnings with blog as well as where it has taken you with writing a book! Best of luck and I’ll certainly be keeping my eye out for the finished product!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks so much Kayla! I worried so much that I sounded like a big loser on that call- I was so nervous!
xo,
s
Jackie says
Wow! Six bucks for all that! I’m still speechless! That’s gotta be the best buy everrr! Congrats on finding them. It’s a great feeling when you find something that you know is meant to be for you. Can’t wait to see the progress and the final outcome! Yay! :-)
Amanda says
Thank goodness you guys are okay too! It was quite scary for me. Thankfully, my (very old) grandma and I made it through.
heathyr says
Just went on CNN and read about the quake in Richmond, my first thought was YHL so I had to come on and make sure the 4 of ya were safe and sound :) glad to hear it!
jess hogue says
Hey guys…
So glad the earthquake didn’t affect you much (well, except for the scariness of the whole experience.) I, like many others on here, wondered immediately how you fared once I heard about the Virginia tremble. (Kinda sounds like a dance move, huh?)
ANYway, on a cabinet-related note. I have to share a fantabulous deal I scored on the tile for our new backspash.
So I have been plotting…errr, planning, our kitchen re-do for what seems like a millennium.
Anyway, I’ve had my eye on these subway-shaped, mosiac-sized carrera-marble-look-alike-in-porcelain-sheets available at Lowe’s priced at over $5/sheet. Which is not bad, considering the price of actual carrera marble.
So I finally decide to make the purchasing leap and… [cue the wanh wanh music] they were sold out and the product was discontinued. (argh.)
Luckily the store manager called a Lowe’s 30 minutes from my house & they had just enough in stock with a couple of spare sheets. YAY!
So I raced over there, bought all that they had, and lowes (ha!) & behold, they were clearance priced for under $1.50/sheet.
So instead of paying the $300+ I had budgeted for tile, I am getting away with a new backspash for just at $100, including the grout & sealer!!!
Score ;-)
YoungHouseLove says
Congrats!!
xo,
s
Emily says
glad burger is okay! my friend’s dog ran and hid in the bathtub and she couldn’t find him for the longest time! meanwhile, we had the CRAZIEST trip to the woodbridge ikea. it was insane – people were yelling and running (the wrong way! back towards the showroom!). after it stopped shaking (we were in lighting, near the big-box warehouse) we just kind of looked at each other and said, ‘uh, i guess we go check out now?’ but then the blue emergency lights came on and all the yellow shirts started ushering everyone out of the building. we had to wait forever before they would let us go back and get our car from the garage. definitely made for an exciting day!
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds so crazy! What a random place to be in the middle of all the chaos!
xo,
s
allison says
I admit, when i heard about the earthquake I was in the gym and I thought “YHL, they are from that area. I hope they are okay, oh and their adorable house – they’ve put so much work into and it looks so good!” heh :) Glad to hear it!
Shelley says
Glad to hear you guys are ok. Supposedly it was felt here in NJ but I think I was driving to the store at that time so I missed it. After I heard about it, I was kind of disappointed that I missed it!
Anyway, I just listened to your interview Sherry, and you sounded great! Can’t wait for the book. My kids were in the kitchen when I had it on and my 7 year old says, “This sounds like that talk radio station Daddy listens to in the car. When are they going to start talking about sports?” So I guess he is not a fan…I will have to work on him!
YoungHouseLove says
Hah- that’s too funny! Thanks for the sweet words- I felt like I majorly stunk but John said I did good. Whew.
xo,
s
Stephanie says
Goodness, so many people recommending the “triangle of life” method! This method is NOT recommended by safety professionals, since most injuries and fatalities from and earthquake are caused by falling objects, not falling buildings. The triangle theory was started by a chain email and has somehow gained massive popularity. Goes to show how easily you can prey on peoples’ fears!
Taking cover under a sturdy object and holding on remains the advice favored by professionals.
Glad you guys are okay! Living in SF I often wonder when the “big one” will be. Oddly, I’m more concerned about my doggy who stays home alone during the day than myself. :\
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for all the info! We honestly had no idea what to do since we’ve never had an earthquake like this before!
xo,
s
Queen Penny says
Wow! I just heard about the earthquake and it’s location and you guys were the first I thought of! Glad you are all ok! Hubs always said the bathtub was the safe place to be…I have no clue myself!
Kelly says
Glad you guys are ok from the quake. We’re used to it in CA, but if you’re not, it can be scary.
Meg says
That must have startled you! So glad you came through unscathed. Whenever I see design ideas that involve things on open shelves (e.g. the shelves next to the dining room table in your first house), I think how nice it must be to live in a place without earthquakes. So much for that! No where is safe. There will be no converting my kitchen cabinets to open shelves no matter how much I like the look. We’re still rocking on a regular basis here in Japan. Oh, and we’re told to try to open a door to allow for escape if necessary. The first thing I did when the March earthquake began was open the front door.
Amanda says
I’m so glad you posted the link to the radio show you were on. I had listened to it this morning and you did a great job Sherry! You didn’t sound nervous (I remember reading a comment saying you were worried if you did) and answered the questions very well and was yourself, which is the best thing to be.
Laura says
That was the juiciest of juicy interviews, if I do say so myself! ;)
In all honesty, it was great to hear so many exciting things going on for YHL!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks so much Laura! When John said it was juicy I got nervous that people would think it was a snoozefest. Haha.
xo,
s
Laura says
I don’t drink, but I think it would be a fun drinking game to take a shot every time the host of the show called you “pure” hahaha.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- I thought every time I said “legit” or “legitimate” could be a drinking game!
xo,
s
Cassie says
After listening to your radio interview I am SO excited about your book! Will it be out in time for Christmas?
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for sharing in our excitement, Cassie! The book is scheduled to be released Fall of 2012, so it won’t be out in time for this Christmas by a long shot… but you should have plenty of time to snag it before Xmas 2012! Wish it weren’t so long, but it turns out books are a lot more work than a blog post!
-John
Kel says
That earthquake even made the news here in Australia. Glad to hear everyone is safe!
Jen says
So glad you all survived the shaker – being from California we are used to that sort of thing – have you considered an earthquake kit? Just kidding – I’m sure you have what is called an “emergency kit” back there! Stay safe!