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From Too Big to Looking Built In: A Clever “Make-it-Work” Solution

Written by

Taryn Williford
Taryn Williford
Taryn is a writer, editor, content strategist, and homebody from Atlanta. I might have helped you declutter your apartment through the magic of a well-paced email newsletter. Or maybe you know me from The Pickle Factory Loft on Instagram.
published May 8, 2016
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(Image credit: Rebecca Bond)

Faced with a problem moving your old things into a new place, you have two options: Make it do, or do without. Charlotte thankfully chose the former when an heirloom piece of furniture didn’t quite fit in the English home her family fell in love with.

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Charlotte & Boris’ Quintessentially English Rectory

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(Image credit: Rebecca Bond)

The dresser and hutch in the right side of the photos above were handed down through Charlotte’s family and were nearly a perfect match, dimension-wise, for an alcove in the dining room, save for 3 or 4 inches. Instead of finding another spot for the piece, Charlotte made it work.

The dresser in the dining room belonged to my father and I had always admired it. It was slightly too large for the alcove, so I cut out the back corner to make it fit.

It might be tough to spot at first, but that corner structure that cuts into the left side of each shelf of the hutch (just behind the pink glassware) is part of the wall (where the fireplace and clock are currently sitting) showing through.

It’s a brilliantly simple solution to a problem. The dresser now fits like a glove to the space (it almost gives off a built-in vibe, doesn’t it?), and they didn’t have to sacrifice anything except a few square inches of shelf space.