Gone are the days of homes designed with small individual rooms. These days, open floor plans are more popular. And the change is driving a new trend in cabinetry design as well.

“Large, open living areas give homeowners more room to be creative with cabinetry as accent furniture,” says Merillat's New Product Design Manager. With room to play, cabinets don’t have to be pushed to the room’s perimeter, but instead become part of furniture groupings that are integral to the overall design, flow, and decor of the living space.

The result is a popular “unfitted” or “furniture” look. By combining cabinetry and shelving units with structural details such as feet, box fillers, posts, moldings, and other decorative elements, you can create a piece of furniture that looks like a family heirloom but still blends with the rest of a room’s cabinetry. Or use the details to create a piece that’s more distinct. It doesn’t necessarily have to match the rest of the cabinetry, but can still be harmonious within a room’s style and atmosphere.

Either way, the best place to start is right here. Keep reading to learn about the details that might make the difference in the room you’re working on now!