Built-In Garage Workshop Cabinets

My workshop cabinets are done!  For the most part…I say that a lot, don’t I? This has been an on-again-off-again project. I started it on my “down time” when I wasn’t building my custom master closet. Basically, I snuck away to work on these garage cabinets while my closet paint was drying, and I was waiting for hardware to arrive. So, it’s been in the works for months, and boy, oh boy, I can’t tell you how excited I am to finally be done!

Look at all that storage! I might just be dreaming, but I think I’m going to be very organized from now on.

A New Lease on Life

One of the most important additions I wanted was my pegboard backsplash. I’m sure you’re all familiar with the traditional workshop ‘look’, but I wanted to make sure I was still going to have an aesthetically pleasing area. Part of the key to keeping my spaces organized is, well, wanting to keep it clean. If my space is ugly, I have a harder time cleaning up because I feel like even when I get everything neat and tidy, I will still have a gross, ugly space. By making sure my workshop is pretty as well as functional, I’m giving myself an extra boost to be able to actually put away my tools and supplies after I use them.

So, back to the backsplash! I’ve got a 12′ foot pegboard backsplash that I painted white to give it a cleaner, neater look that I can now use to hang all my every day tools on.

I’m sure I’ll put everything away in it’s proper place after each use. I mean, how could I not after making these beautiful cabinets! You can see I really went all out–I don’t know if I was just excited to have a break from the closet and to be doing something different, but I really pulled out all the stops on this space! I added my signature fancy crown molding and siding to not only make it prettier, but also tie it in to the rest of the built-ins in this house.

I also went with a darker color for the inside just to give it a harder color pop. The darker paint will also make it feel a little less cluttered inside when I’ve got all of my tools in there, and it also will hide the dust/dents/inevitable dirt that my tools and supplies drag in. I use all of my tools in adverse environments, so all of the paint, mud, caulk, and other dirty little bits my tools and equipment pick up will likely end up on my cabinets, no matter how much I clean both them and my tools. This way I can have a little bit extra time of sanity before the dirt starts to get to me!

I’ve showed you guys how to make this kind of stained countertop before, and I have to say, I really enjoy this look! It adds a harder look to the space while still having that polished, sophisticated look. In addition, any scratches or scrapes it get will be relatively hidden, and cleaning this kind of countertop is fairly easy to do!

One of the other unique features I implemented in this build was the leather drawer pulls I added to the cabinets. I’ve never thought to use leather as a drawer pull, but I have to say, I really like how they turned out! I messed around with some other metal bars and pulls of various lengths and sizes, but for my workshop, I liked the balance the leather pulls brought in. They’re also so easy to use! (And all I have to do to clean them is just wipe them down!)

Ok, so, I know myself pretty well, and while I know it’s fairly likely that I’ll still not be any better at putting my tools away–it really feels like I’m constantly being sucked into a whirlwind of chaos with my projects–at least now I’ll have the option of being organized. I have a fighting chance at keeping it all neat and tidy. Or at least somewhat organized. There’s not really enough storage here for ALL my tools, but it’s a start. I have more plans to add onto my workshop storage, mainly with some more wall cork boards and a nice big workshop counter for cutting, assembling, finishing, etc.

While there is still a lot to do in here before I would consider my workshop done, I am really happy with the progress I’ve made. Plus, it was nice to take a little break from my closet remodel. Stay tuned as I continue to fix up my workshop while I move onto the next venture in my house remodel, but if you are looking to make your own version of the cabinet storage I made here, you can purchase my plans here! Until next time, guys!