Home: The Second Story ·Oct 6, 2026 ·24 min

Built-Ins: Design, Costs, and Fun Ideas

Evaluation and Summary

8.4/10

Home: The Second Story explores built-ins—custom cabinetry, shelving, storage, and architectural features that become permanent parts of a home. The episode, hosted by Marilyn (Runcible Studios) and Sheri (Springhouse Architects), covers the practical and creative applications of built-ins across different home types and spaces. The hosts discuss how built-ins solve multiple problems simultaneously: they can hide structural elements, maximize awkward spaces, and make homes function better for how people actually live. Examples include mudroom drop zones with mail sorting and shredders, shallow pantries in narrow walls, eaves converted to dressers, and hallway closets. A standout case study features a small apartment where a single custom wall incorporated a Murphy bed, dining storage, folding screens, a laptop station, printer, and hidden HVAC—allowing the space to function as guest room, office, dining area, and party space. The episode addresses cost considerations, noting that built-ins are frequently cut from budgets early in projects but rarely added later. The hosts distinguish between built-ins that must be planned during framing (pocket doors, hidden doors, fireplace walls) and those discovered during construction (converting leftover spaces into ski storage or kid forts). They emphasize that built-ins should support real life—whether for children, pets, work, entertaining, or daily routines—and can range from simple to elaborate, made by cabinet shops or finish carpenters. Key themes include using storage "in plain sight" to reduce visual clutter, replacing standalone furniture with built-in alternatives, custom dimensions tailored to actual storage needs (like sizing closets for storage tubs), and treating built-ins as creative design moments that add personality and functionality. The episode runs 24 minutes with clear segment markers covering functional applications, cost, planning strategies, and design philosophy. The hosts bring professional expertise from architecture and design studios, grounding discussion in real project experience rather than abstract theory.

Verdict: A smart, practical episode from credible professionals that delivers exactly what the title promises, packed with actionable ideas and real-world examples that make listeners want to rethink their own spaces.

Arts rubric

Insight into the work 4/5 20%

Reveals practical design thinking—how built-ins solve multiple problems, the distinction between planned vs. discovered built-ins, and how they support actual living patterns rather than just aesthetics.
Expertise and access 5/5 20%

Hosts are practicing architects and designers (Springhouse Architects, Runcible Studios) with direct project experience, not enthusiasts; they speak from professional authority.
Sparks curiosity 4/5 15%

Concrete examples (Murphy bed wall, eaves-as-dresser, hidden compartments) and the promise of making homes 'more personal, more useful, and more fun' motivate listeners to think about their own spaces.
Substance 4/5 15%

Dense with specific examples, cost considerations, planning strategies, and design philosophy; minimal filler evident from the detailed segment breakdown.
Delivers on its title 5/5 15%

Title promises design, costs, and fun ideas; episode delivers all three with functional examples, budget discussion, and creative applications like secret forts and hidden doors.
Value for time 4/5 15%

24 minutes is well-structured with 11 distinct segments covering breadth without apparent padding; pacing supports the topic without dragging.

How we score Arts

Worth it if you're planning a renovation, building a custom home, or simply want practical ideas for making your existing space more functional and personal.

#home design #architecture #storage solutions #renovation #interior design #custom homes

Based on the episode description. AI-generated; it can be wrong.

Show notes

Built-ins are one of the most loved parts of a custom home, and for good reason. They are furniture, cabinetry, shelving, storage, and architectural features that become part of the house itself. Kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities count, but when most people talk about built-ins, they mean the fun pieces: bookcases, mudroom storage, pantry systems, bars, room dividers, fireplace walls, hidden doors, and custom storage moments. A good built-in solves more than one problem. Sometimes it hides structure, a chase, or a mechanical need. Other times it turns an awkward space into something useful. In older homes, tight townhouses, and renovations where adding square footage is not possible, built-ins can make every inch work harder. Storage can be hidden in plain sight, so board games, extra blankets, shoes, bathroom supplies, and pantry items all have a place without cluttering the room. Custom built-ins are especially helpful when they are designed around the way people actually live. A mudroom drop zone can include a place for mail and a shredder. A narrow wall can become a shallow can pantry. Eaves can become dressers. A hallway can be lined with closets. A finished basement closet can be sized around storage tubs instead of default dimensions. These details are small, but they make the home easier to use every day. Built-ins can also add flexibility. One small apartment used a single custom wall to hold a Murphy bed, dining chair storage, folding screens, a laptop station, a printer, and hidden HVAC. That one built-in allowed the space to work as a guest room, office, dining room, and party space. It was not cheap, but it made the apartment live much larger than its square footage. The episode also looks at cost. Built-ins are often one of the first things cut from a project because they can be done later, but they often do not get added later. Some built-ins need to be planned early, especially pocket gates, hidden doors, fireplace walls, or anything built into framing. Others can be discovered during construction, especially in renovations, when an odd leftover space becomes ski storage, a cubby, or a secret kid fort. The main point is that built-ins should support real life. They can be simple or elaborate. They can be made by a cabinet shop or built on site by a finish carpenter. They can serve kids, pets, storage, work, entertaining, or daily routines. With thoughtful planning, built-ins make a house feel more personal, more useful, and more fun. (00:00) Intro (01:10) Built-ins as part of the architecture (02:22) Functional built-ins for pantries and mudrooms (03:45) Storage in plain sight (05:51) Built-ins that replace furniture (06:27) Cost and why built-ins get cut (09:51) Hallway closets and hidden storage (10:30) Custom dimensions for real storage needs (12:51) Kid forts, pet storage, and secret compartments (15:00) Simple built-ins versus custom cabinetry (16:47) Planning ahead for built-ins (18:04) Custom projects and discoveries during construction (19:48) Built-ins as creative design moments (20:30) Personal details that support daily life Have questions? Want to be on our show? Email us! admin@htsspodcast.com Learn about our hosts: Marilyn: Runcible Studios: https://runciblestudios.com SherI: Springhouse Architects: https://springhousearchitects.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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