DIY Built-Ins Using RTA Cabinets

In our new English Tudor construction home, I’ve been pushing myself out of my comfort zone and trying projects I haven’t tackled before. One of the first big ones? Built-ins for our living room.

This is the first time I have ever built cabinets and I chose to go through a company called Cabinet Joint.

Custom RTA Cabinets

The product I used is what they call RTA cabinets—Ready to Assemble. BUT the amazing thing is that you can design completely custom cabinetry online with the help of one of their coaches.

You pick the type of cabinet, the measurements you need, the door design and detail, and even the paint color. To have RTA cabinets that can be fully custom is amazing!!!

As you’re designing, your coach sends you drawings and renderings of what the final product will look like. This was so helpful to visualize everything and make changes before anything shipped out.

My Custom Cabinet Design Specs

These new built-ins are right off the kitchen, so I wanted the cabinetry to match. I selected my own custom color: Stonehearth Gray by Benjamin Moore

Here are the exact specs for my cabinet design if you want to recreate this look:

• Paint grade Stonehearth Gray
• Door Design: CRP-10751 (Mortise & Tenon)
• Door Edge (Lip): LC – inset
• Framing Bead: Regular
• Panel Raise: Slant
• Door Thickness: ¾”
• Countertop Thickness: 1”

Assembly + Installation Tips

Chris and I assembled the cabinets together—it’s a two-man job because of the size of the two cabinets. The instructions were clear, and that part actually went pretty smoothly. Cabinet Joint also has a whole library of video tutorials, which made it easy to follow along. And if something comes up, your cabinet coach is there to help.

The trickiest part was definitely scribing in the cabinets to fit perfectly into each niche. This is where you trim each side to match the angles and curves of your wall for a custom, built-in look. No filler pieces needed!

I used a laser level to match the angles of my wall—it wasn’t level, but it gave me a perfect line to trace onto the front of the cabinet. Then I used my skill saw to rip down the traced line.

👉 WATCH MY REEL FOR MORE ON THIS PART

One Thing I’d Change

In retrospect, I would have attached the doors before installing the cabinet. They’re much harder to install vertically than when the cabinet is on its back. Gravity, lol.

The Hardware

I found these beautiful large burnished brass Asteroid backplates with the Porter solid brass ring pull from Modern Matter. They were the perfect finishing touch to elevate this custom cabinetry just a bit more.

This project pushed me creatively and physically, but I loved learning something new. If you’re thinking about building your own DIY built-ins, I truly recommend Cabinet Joint. The RTA cabinets look completely custom, and the process is really doable—even for a first-timer like me. More to come on these beautiful niches- I’M NOT DONE YET!

This is not sponsored—just wanted to share a product and experience I truly loved!

Here’s the link again if you want to start designing your own:

👉 Cabinet Joint

And don’t forget to check out my reels for all the behind-the-scenes action!

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