Built in Cabinet and unlevel ceiling

[Kent Belasco]

I built a cabinet (built-in) in an open closet (approximately 6'x4') that is used as a mud room. The base of the cabinet is a bench with cubbies underneath for shoes, etc. The back is wainscot with hooks for coat and above this ares shelves for miscellaneous. It is a wall to wall built in, BUT it does not go all the way to the ceiling. In fact, as per my design, I left approximately 1 foot at the top as sort of a last shelf. When I finished, I checked the level on the shelves and built in unit and it is perfectly level. However, when standing back it looked off. So I put a level to the ceiling and found the ceiling to be off. My question is, does anyone know of any "tricks of the trade" that can make this look level to the eye? I though about painting the back wall at the top with a bit of an angle and an off color from the cabinet to give the elusion of being level. But I am at a loss. Can anyone help me?

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

you could have split the difference and made the cabinet a tad off.
Or you can build-down an angled faux ceiling just over the cabinet that slants down at a 30 or so angle for about 3 inches and split the difference (or fully compensate) the error.
The angled lead edge may trick the eye into not seeing the inaccuracy

Or you can talk the missus into installing a curtain.

[Brent Dowell]

I find there is a phenomena that many woodworkers suffer from. I think it's called something like SelfProjectOverCriticalItis.

I find that a lot of the things I make, I'm very intimately aware of some of the most minor errors. Other folks, not so aware of my errors, think things just look fine.

Unless the ceiling is really, really off, I'm going to bet that most folks won't ever notice, and that over time, you may be able to train your own eye's to accept it and appreciate how fine things look from the ceiling down!

:rolleyes:

[Andy Hoyt]

Use it as intended and clutter it up with stuff. My guess is that the difference will either vanish or be minimized. Only bad part about this suggestion is that it neither includes a new tool nor the manufacture of fresh saw dust. Sorry.

[Paul Libby]

Brent is right, quit looking at it. No one else will notice, especially once you have something stored on the shlef.

[glenn bradley]

If you check some of the interior design sites you'll find some suggestions on "fixing" these kinds of things with visual distractors like you're talking about. Generally though I agree with Andy. This sort of thing, unless extreme, seems to vanish over time as we become accustomed to it.

[Kent Belasco]

Glenn,
Thanks for your comments. Do you know which interior design sites to go to that could give me suggestions on fixing this non-level ceiling?
Kent

[Alain Tellier]

Another suggestion...

Since the top space was left open for storage, either put some storage up there or better yet just put up a nice plant which would fill up the space between the ceiling and the built in. No one will notice if you don't tell them.

[glenn bradley]

I'm not ignoring you Kent, I'm looking for a site I happened across that had info about tricking the eye to hide such things through the use of color and accessories. Still looking. . . .

[jud dinsmore]

kent,

the only tricks-of-the-trade i can suggest that haven't already been mentioned (unlevel the cabinet to mirror the sloping ceiling - really the best idea) would be to add a built-up cornice to hide the sloping ceiling. since you stated that it is about a foot down from the ceiling, i would suggest something like a 1x10 attached to the top of the face frame of the cabinet. follow that with a piece of crown to fill the space and a piece of picture rail, or base cap, or bead molding, to cover the seam of the 1x10 and cabinet. you can push the crown tight to the ceiling and no one will be able to tell that the 1x10 reveal is larger on one side or the other. you can also hold it off 1/8" off the high side and fill that gap with caulk (this would make the 1x10 exposed more equal from side to side). i've had cheat the reveal when putting kitchen cabinets to the ceiling many times before and it really is the most practical solution. good luck.

jud

[Jim Becker]

I think that Andy's idea is the most expedient, inexpensive, and useful...fill the space up with objects that take your eye away from the lines that don't line up. Outside of that, crafting a cornice as others have mentioned or adding a little material to mimic the ceiling line are the options that come to mind.

[Bob Swenson]

Kent
If it's only 4 x 6 level the ceiling:rolleyes:

Bob

[Ken Belisle]

Since the 12" between the top of the cabinet and the ceiling is to be used as a "shelf", can you place different height items there so that the space between the tops of the items and the ceiling is fairly constant? If the space between the ceiling and the tops of those objects is roughly the same, the cabinet will appear parallel to the ceiling.

Ken