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lindanewc

What should I do about this end? Showplace Cabinets

lindanewc
10 years ago

I ordered Showplace cabinets and have had them recently installed. I'm pretty happy except that when I ordered cabinets for this wall, I was unaware that the wine rack was separate from the cabinet and it looks horrible. My installer tried to help it by putting paneling on the side to somewhat flush it out, but I'm really not happy at all. As you can see, it's in a very visible place and sticks out like a sore thumb. I feel that I should have been made aware that this would look like this and frankly, I wish I had just ordered a regular cabinet and bought a wine rack that sits on the counter. Showplace & my KD should have made me aware that this wouldn't be a completely finished end.

It's been a month and I've tried to "get over it" but its so disheartening. This is the only kitchen I'll probably ever do and I'm heartsick that I would have to look at this for the next 20 years..

What should I do?

Comments (20)

  • live_wire_oak
    10 years ago

    Any time you order two cabinets there will be a line where they meet. You can always order a separate door panel to apply over the end of both the wall and the base cabinet, but you will also need to order another stick of crown as well because the crown will need to be redone as that changes the width of the cabinet by 3/4". That would probably be under $500 in most mid grade lines.

    I'm not familiar with Showplace's custom options, so you'd need to ask the KD, but some lines will "combine" cabinets into a single piece by using single side walls, but usually the cabinet has to be under a certain height, say 54" overall. Its usually a hefty up charge and is usually available only in lines that have a true custom division as opposed to semi-custom only. That would be the most expensive choice if its offered because you'd be buying the two cabinets again plus the up charge to combine.

  • jakuvall
    10 years ago

    Showplace offers combined cabinets up to 120" at a pretty reasonable charge. That wine rack not having a face frame may not suitable for a standard combine BUT SWP will also accept drawings for a custom cabinet. Other options would have been to extend the sides of the wall cabinets down. They also offer a cabinet with an integrated wine rack pictured below. Looks like the size you have is larger but they will do oversize. All of those are pricier options than what you have.

    Since you did not get flush sides it would be possible to get a skin for the side so long as you trim out the front since there is no stile on the wine rack.

    This post was edited by jakuvall on Sun, Jan 19, 14 at 18:53

  • lindanewc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Jakuvall,
    I feel cheated because when I went over the design, we discussed the end of the bottom cabinets and of other exposed areas and this should have been brought to my attention. I thought I was getting one cabinet with a wine rack and was surprised when the cabinets came and it was separate. It wasn't until they started installation, that I saw the big problem with doing it that way. I would never have done this wine rack if I'd known the sides wouldn't match up considering it's right at the entrance of my cabinet and such a prominent spot.

    I think I'll have to have a skin for the sides as you suggest. How would I trim out the front?

  • sjhockeyfan325
    10 years ago

    Could you just remove it and add a light rail instead?

  • jakuvall
    10 years ago

    Likely would use either a piece of scribe molding (flat.96 is the code) or an "MFM" molding with the thickness trimmed to fit. A bit hard to tell from the pic and harder to describe how to use the MFM but think that is what will be the answer.
    Make it the KD's problem and go over it with your installer. Showplace's tech support and customer service is as good as it gets and can likely help the KD solve it.

  • lindanewc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Well, I got a response from my KD regarding this. She talked to her Showplace Rep and was told that it wasn't considered a defect and that it was considered "nature" so they couldn't help us. So much for Showplace Customer Service being as good as it gets. I also emailed them and haven't gotten any response so it sounds like Showplace has no interest in helping me.

    We are talking to the installer to see if he can do something about it.

    I feel like my KD should have pointed this out when going through the design, but I also don't know how Showplace could actually sell this and say it's nature. There should be some way to fix this short of buying a new cabinet in a different style. The wine rack isn't even flush with the cabinet!!!

    This looks like sh*(t

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    10 years ago

    LindaNew:

    Maybe you should try to contrast the difference instead of trying to integrate it.

    When I was in the store fixture manufacturing business we did this quite a bit.

    Say you remove the wine rack, mount a 3/4" thick MDF spacer and inset it 3/4", remount the wine rack, then paint the bottom of the top cabinet, the edge of the spacer and the top of the wine rack flat black. Play with those suggested dimensions.The deliberate separation might look great. It will look a hell of a lot better than what you have now, that's for sure.

  • jakuvall
    10 years ago

    Linda- I was NOT suggesting that it was a defect or that Showplace would or should provide a replacement. It is the KD's job to know the details of manufacture and convey those to the client. This is a "gotcha" a standard detail that is correct and or needed for construction that some clients don't like. All brands have "gotchas"- I keep a list. I'm on the phone with tech from a company several times a week and I stand by my statement on Showplaces support and service. You have a failure in communication from the KD who either did not plan or did not inform- it is NOT SWP's fault.

    There are several ways that COULD have been ordered that you would not object to, all would have cost more. It was not ordered using any of those options.

    The wall cabinet was ordered with standard finished sides which on a face frame cabinet will be slightly recessed from the width of the front. The cubby was ordered at a width to match the face frames. The catalog clearly states that there is no face frame on the cubby so it protrudes past the side. Even if the cubby had a face frame you would have an obvious (and ugly) seam on the side ordering it as an add on piece.

    I would expect the KD to work possible solutions and Showplace's tech support to talk with him about them about which is most effective. I am certain they would do that. Then they need to go over those with you and the installer. I already offered a solution with two variations.

    The response you got is what I would expect called and asked for a replacement.
    Your entitled to a solution from the KD, NOT a free replacement from Showplace. A simple replacement won't look any better.

  • lindanewc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Jakuvall,

    I never suggested it was a "defect" in cabinetry. I know it was a lack of communication because had I been informed by the KD this would look this way, I would never have gone for it. I contacted my KD and she contacted SP who said since it was not a defect, there was nothing they could/would do. Basically, I ordered it and it's buyer beware so I'm SOL I was not expecting them to replace it because obviously the problem would not go away as it's a "defect" in design. What I was hoping for was a solution and got "it's not my fault so we are under no obligation to help"

    I don't know where anyone would find this cabinet end acceptable and I don't know why they offer this as an option. I never read the catalog so I never was able to read where it clearly states anything and for that matter would I have understood the relevance of that anyway? SP and KD are the experts not me.

    I'm a reasonable person and I know things happen, but it's still disappointing that SP responded in this way. They did not even offer a solution. Technically, they are correct and there's nothing I can do about it, but I certainly don't see this as great customer service. It's a typical washing their hands of it.

  • Lisa
    10 years ago

    This would bother me A LOT! If it were me, I would probably push the issue with the KD. But in the meantime I would try and figure out an option on my own that I could live with(tweaking by your installer). I know absolutely nothing about carpentry or cabinet installation, but could you put a piece of your light rail between the cabinet and wine rack so that you have a molding separating the two grains of wood of the cabinet and wine rack? Obviously the wine rack would have to be removed and put back on after the light rail is installed so that it would look right.

    This post was edited by lcskaisgir on Thu, Jan 23, 14 at 9:55

  • Gracie
    10 years ago

    The KD is putting the blame on Showplace instead of taking responsibility for not knowing the specs, and you're allowing her to get away with it by not demanding she reorder the cabinet. Don't accept this from the KD. She should want to make sure your cabinets are perfect.

  • robo (z6a)
    10 years ago

    Personally I don't think the front being a bit recessed looks bad. The side ... I wouldn't be happy either. So my impulse would be to cover the sides with a longer cover panel, retrim top and bottom, slight trim on the non-flush parts and leave the front be, giving a slightly recessed look:

    If that wasn't satisfactory I'd order the cab with integrated rack.

    To me the way the sides look wouldn't be satisfactory for any customer and I'm surprised the KD let it go through knowing the sides of the cab would be exposed like that. I would not be happy were it me, by a long shot.

    This post was edited by robotropolis on Thu, Jan 23, 14 at 10:25

  • debrak2008
    10 years ago

    I agree may_flowers the KD is responsible and she should be the one to fix it even if it comes out of her own pocket.

  • jakuvall
    10 years ago

    It is up to the KD- Showplace is obligated to provide specs and answer questions ahead of time. The specs are very clear. IF I were dealing with and did not know what was used to construct the cubby I'd call tech and have an answer in 10 minutes. It certainly sounds like the KD called and asked for a replacement rather than a solution. As I said he should be calling with a possible solution and asking for advice. Faulting Showplace is simply wrong.

    Attached is a jpeg with a likely solution to your existing problem 1/4" panle trimmed on the front with a "Flat.96"
    An alternate is decorative end panels but that would involve changing the molding as LWO noted AND you would really want to also have them on the bottom then.

    I also included one way the cabinet could have been ordered BUT that has other issues.
    First -dimensions of the wine cubby cannot be altered at all (which is not unusual for that item in most brands. I could order it altered, attached and specify what it was made from and the thickness in a hi end custom brand- at 3 times the cost)
    So for that solution- extending the sides down the wall cabinets need to be ordered 3" wider than the cubby AND the stile at the sides of the cubby becomes 1-1/2" plus 3/4" or 2-1/4".
    An alternative is to order the wall cabinet deeper and only 1-1/2" wider- that would hide the outside edge of the cubby.
    The only other options would have been to do something different (would have been my suggestion); build it completely on site out of parts, or add the panel and the flat as shown in the solution.

    Note that the solutions to the existing problem OR the alternatives would have cost the OP more money in the first place. The KD is responsible for some accommodation but not the whole ticket.

    Note that I don't like it either but I can tell you that there will be people who would go "ooh, solid wood, that's great"...one man's ceiling...

    This post was edited by jakuvall on Thu, Jan 23, 14 at 10:48

  • live_wire_oak
    10 years ago

    This is one of those KD "learning moments" that will cost the KD. I personally wouldn't have designed it that way, as I never put an organizer or a wine cubby underneath a cabinet unless it has longer cabinets flanking it to conceal the seam. I also don't care for that type of wine cube, as they are difficult to clean. I prefer the large cross hatch style or the lattice style. They are much easier to clean.

    If you insisted on that configuration, I would have explained that it was necessary to order a panel to conceal the seam, and it would look best if it were a decorative panel that mimicked the door style, (or V-groove, if that were appropriate for the look) and that it would look unmatched without also doing the base cabinet that way. But, I would try to talk you out of it first. :-)

    The X cubby uses V-groove (beadbord) on the sides to conceal the seam, and the lattice one has the two cabinets to each side to hide the seam of both the wine cubby and the stemware holder.

  • lindanewc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you all for your responses. I really understand that things happen and was only trying to find a solution and true to this forum, I have gotten many helpful tips. My DH is going to meet with the installer and see what they can do fix it.

    SP responded to my email today and offered to help me find a solution with the KD which makes me feel better. I will see what our installer and my husband come up with and hopefully that will resolve all issues. DH insisted on using this installer because he has worked with him on jobs and really believes he's top notch. His motto is "no problems, only solutions".

    Jakuval's suggestions look like they will work and I showed my DH. I suspect that the final outcome will be very close to that. I also liked the post about recessing and the picture is a good illustration.

    I'll post pictures once it's fixed to my satisfaction.

    Jakuval and Live Oak, I especially appreciate your input on this. You two are extremely beneficial to this site with your knowledge and expertise.

  • lindanewc
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Here is the finished end. Our cabinet company came out and agreed that it wasn't acceptable. They ordered paneling and when it came in, they took off the wine cabinet and routered out the wood so it was flush with the cabinet. They then put paneling over it and here is the result.

    You can still see on the top corner of the wine rack a small line but unless you look for it, you can't really see it. I am so thankful for this forum and the support that we get. I tried to like it but just couldn't. I gained confidence to ask for it to be fixed and now I'm happy!

    It looks so much more finished.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    9 years ago

    That is 1000 times better! Congratulations for getting it done right.

  • Lisa
    9 years ago

    Looks great! Glad they made it right.

  • romy718
    9 years ago

    It looks great. Jacuvall & LWO, many thanks for your time & knowledge on this forum.