Custom cabinets in Manhattan Beach

Small lots, tall houses

Manhattan Beach is usually read in sections. The Sand Section runs along the coast with the smallest, deepest lots, many of them on walk streets with garage access from the alley behind. The Tree Section, named for streets like Walnut, Pine and Elm, has larger family lots east of Valley Drive. The Hill Section sits higher with ocean views, and East Manhattan Beach lies past Sepulveda.

Near the beach, a lot often runs about 30 feet wide, so new houses stack living space over two or three floors. Kitchens move upstairs for the view, bedrooms drop to the ground floor, and a roof deck caps the stair. A house built that way has square footage, but it rarely has spare walls.

Storage that works harder

When the footprint is fixed, cabinetry is where storage comes from. We look for the spots vertical plans create:

• The stair. Drawers and pull-outs under the run, a bookcase or bench on the landing, a coat and shoe wall at the base.
• Laundry where the bedrooms are. A stacked washer and dryer in a closet with folding counter, hampers and a drying rod. No hauling baskets two floors.
• A pantry wall instead of a pantry. Full-height cabinets along one side of an upper-floor kitchen hold more than a walk-in would, without the floor area.
• The garage. Often the only storage on the lot. Wall cabinets and tall lockers keep surfboards, wetsuits, bikes and coolers off the floor so the cars still fit.

Coastal finishes

A few blocks from the Strand, the marine layer can sit over the city most mornings in early summer, and salt air reaches everything. That shapes how we build:

Sealed on all six sides. Backs, edges and the insides of doors are finished, so damp air doesn’t swell raw wood.

Hardware chosen for salt. Hinges, slides and pulls with finishes that stand up near the ocean, because the cheap ones pit and stain quickly here.

Wet zones built for water. Outdoor shower entries, beach-gear mudrooms and laundry closets get moisture-resistant boxes and sealed toe kicks.

Light materials for low light. On a narrow lot, side windows face the neighbor. White oak and painted finishes keep a deep kitchen from going dark on gray mornings.

Working with your builder

New Manhattan Beach houses tend to be built tight to the setbacks, so there’s little room for changes once framing is up. Cabinetry decisions affect where the stair, plumbing walls and laundry land. Bringing us in at the plan stage means the storage gets drawn in rather than squeezed in later.

Have plans for a new build or a remodel in Manhattan Beach? Send them over or book a free design visit. We’ll measure, sketch the storage your floor plan can hold and price it straight from our factory.