Living room builds are the furniture and built-ins that make the room feel permanent. A built-in bookcase is a 10-year improvement. A built-in entertainment center is a defining feature of the room.
01Built-in bookcase
Build the carcass from 3/4-inch plywood — sides, top, bottom, and a back panel. Size the unit to floor-to-ceiling height for a built-in look, or to a standard height for a furniture piece. Face-frame the opening with solid wood. Add shelves on adjustable shelf pins drilled in two rows on each side panel. Build multiple units and connect them side-by-side for a wall of built-ins.
02Entertainment center built-in
An entertainment center is a bookcase with a wider center section for the TV and components. Build the outer units as bookcases, then build the center cabinet deeper to accommodate media equipment. Add ventilation holes in the back panel for heat dissipation. Run cable management from the back of the center cabinet down to the outlet location.
03Window trim upgrade — craftsman style
Replace builder-grade window casing with a craftsman-style surround: a 1x6 head casing that extends 1/2 inch past the side casings on each side, with 1x4 side casings and a 3/4-inch sill and apron at the bottom. The pieces are cut, fitted, nailed in place, and filled at the nail holes and joints before painting. This is a material upgrade that transforms the visual character of every window in the room.
04Fireplace surround and mantel
A built-up fireplace surround uses layered MDF profiles to create the visual depth of a traditional mantel without carving. Build the pilasters (side columns), the entablature (horizontal band above), and the mantel shelf from MDF profiles layered and glued. Prime, caulk all joints, and paint. The result looks like a traditional built-in.
Marcus Webb is a general contractor and home maintenance writer based in Columbus, Ohio. He writes about the repairs and installs that come up every year in every house — the practical, repeating work that keeps a home livable.