Amateur question here. I’m building a set of built-in bookcases along a daylight wall in my finished basement. The bottom 30″ of the wall is a half wall, so I was planning to put wainscoting along that. Above that is a large window (~7ft long). My problem is that the window is not quite centered on the wall. It’s offset to the right by 3 1/2″.
Any suggestions how I could hide the difference, and yet keep the bookcases centered above the wainscot panels? Each panel will be about 18 3/16″ wide. (Wall is 203″. Subtract 3″ for extra stile. 200″/11 panels = 18 3/16″ and change) I could build the left-hand bookcase an extra 3 1/2″ wide, but then it wouldn’t line up above the panel below. I could offset the panels themselves 1 3/4″ to the right to center below the window, but then I would have an extra-large panel (and bookcase) on one end, and a narrower one on the other. Would that amount be noticable, or would it “feel” wrong?
Here’s a quick sketch of what I’m looking at:
Ideas? Thanks,
-Sean
Replies
Sean
I would use the window for my guide. You will notice the panels not in line with the window casing much easier than you will notice a panel 3 1/2" wider way across the room from the narrower one.
Doug
I would be tempted to add a little to each panel as they head left so that the panels on the left are slightly larger and in the same relationship to the book case as the smaller panels are to their bookcase on the right. If you have a blank wall right now that you are going to cover with the paneled wainscotting any way I would either try to draw it full size on the wall or use the stiles and stand them up with the incremental spacing to see if you can fool the eye into thinking it is the same.
Worst case you just build it with the same margins from the windows and they don't line up and it is what it is. But, I would play a little with creative spacing before I settled.
Good Luck!
Brian
My suggestion would be to keep the lower paneling seperate fromn the cabinetry.
This being that I might build the upper cabinets on each side with two openings, not three. I would then try to divide the lower paneling into some other ratio, maybe similar to what you have in your drawing. Such as 2 1/2" outside stiles, and 2 3/16"+/- inside/centered stiles. This would leave you with 16" or so panels.
Another suggestion would to maybe throw in som flutting on the uppers and then carry it down below to line up top to bottom. This would then treat the lower paneling as three completely different sections, enabling them to be divided into their own panel sizes
Anyway, just an idea with not much thought put into actual sizes/details
I would not integrate the wainscoting and the shelving above, it won't work out very well mathematically. I'd use three panel sizes, one group balanced under the window and two groups to either side. The balance under the window will center the eye. The variation between the left and right sides isn't too much when divided out over several panels. You can cheat the window space a little either way to make the spacing pretty close for the rest of the panels. Your three areas are very close in size, as long as there is balance under the window, I don't think you'll see the difference.
I had a wainscot job where the window and side panels had to be different sizes. A bit different than your situation but I'll post a picture. The side panels vary by 1/2" but I don't think anyone notices.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled