This project was built and designed by Mark from Gunflint Designs.
After a full bathroom remodel left Mark short on storage, he set out to build a freestanding linen closet designed to match the cherry vanity already in the space. The goal was simple: recover the storage lost during the renovation while keeping the new piece visually consistent with the existing cabinetry.
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Planning Around a Small Bathroom Footprint
The linen closet needed to fit into a tight upstairs bathroom that had already lost some built-in storage during an earlier remodel. Rather than trying to squeeze cabinets back into the wall, Mark opted for a freestanding cabinet that could stand on its own while still complementing the existing vanity.
Matching the cherry vanity meant paying close attention to wood selection and grain, since cherry changes color significantly as it ages and reacts to sunlight. Mark knew going in that the new piece would look noticeably lighter than the vanity at first, but would eventually darken over time to blend in more naturally.
Assembling the Cabinet Box
Construction started with the main side panels, along with the top, bottom, and center fixed shelves that make up the internal structure of the cabinet. These parts were glued and clamped together to form a solid case before any face frame or doors were added.
A roller was used to spread glue evenly across the panel edges before clamping, which helps create strong, consistent bonds across wide panels. This is a simple technique that any woodworker can borrow when assembling large plywood or solid wood boxes, since even glue coverage reduces the chance of weak spots or gaps opening up later.
A Height Problem and a Simple Fix
Once the case was glued up, Mark ran into an issue that many woodworkers can relate to: after adding a tape measure to the finished box, he discovered the cabinet was slightly too tall to fit under the ceiling once the face frame was factored in. It was a small miscalculation, but one that could have derailed the entire build if left unaddressed.
Rather than scrapping the shelf and pulling out pocket screws to rebuild from scratch, Mark chose a simpler fix. He trimmed a small section off the base of the cabinet, effectively raising the interior shelf and creating a slightly deeper recessed area at the bottom of the piece.
This adjustment kept the door swing higher off the floor, which was important since the design already accounted for someone standing close to the cabinet while the door was open. The fix did shift the balance between the upper and lower doors slightly, but it solved the height issue without requiring a full rebuild, a good reminder that small design compromises can save a lot of extra work.
Face Frame, Doors, and Practical Layout Decisions
With the case sized correctly, Mark moved on to the face frame and the frame-and-panel doors, using the same glue-up approach for those joints. The doors were built to swing in a way that keeps the storage accessible without becoming a nuisance in tight quarters.
One layout decision came down to which direction the doors should swing. Mark initially planned one way, but a practical suggestion from his wife led to reversing the swing so that low, easily reachable storage, like toilet paper, wouldn’t be blocked by an open door while someone is seated nearby. It is a small detail, but one that shows how real-world usability should guide design choices as much as aesthetics.
Finished Cabinet and Final Thoughts
Once installed, the cabinet slotted neatly into the bathroom and was quickly put to use, with towels and sheets already being loaded onto the shelves. Mark left trim work for a future project, planning to add it once more matching lumber is milled.
Comparing the new piece to the vanity showed the expected color difference between the fresh cherry and the sun-aged vanity, but that gap is expected to narrow naturally over time as the new cabinet ages in the same light-filled space. This project is a good example of how a simple storage problem can be solved with a piece that not only fits functionally but also grows to match its surroundings.
See Mark’s plans here: https://www.gunflintdesigns.com/project-plans
Matt’s Take
These are my personal thoughts and tips based on my own experience in the shop. This section is not written, reviewed, or endorsed by the original creator of this project.
Cherry is one of those woods that rewards patience. Mark’s right that it’ll darken and even out with UV exposure, but if you ever want to speed that process along a bit, some woodworkers will set new cherry pieces near a sunny window for a few weeks before final placement just to jumpstart the color shift. It won’t get you all the way there, but it can shrink that initial contrast a little faster.
That glue-roller trick for panel assembly is worth stealing for any large glue-up, not just cabinet cases. Wide panels are notorious for glue starvation at the edges if you’re just running a bead and spreading it with a brush or finger, so a small foam roller gives you even, thin coverage across the whole joint. It also speeds things up when you’re racing open time on a big glue-up with multiple clamps to manage.
The height fix is a good reminder that built-in and freestanding furniture both benefit from a final dry-fit measurement before you commit to permanent joinery. Even careful planning on paper can run into small variances once actual lumber thickness, plywood, and hardware clearances stack up. Trimming the base to buy back clearance is a smart move rather than tearing into pocket screws, and it’s a technique worth keeping in your back pocket for future builds.
Door swing direction seems minor until you’re actually living with the piece day to day. It’s a good example of why mocking up door clearances in the room, or even just holding a piece of cardboard up as a stand-in, can save you from a layout regret down the road.