Bespoke interior millwork succeeds or fails at the drawing stage, not the fabrication stage. At MÉTODO, the architectural process for millwork begins with the room's section and plan, moves through documented design decisions, produces precise shop drawings, and ends with an installation sequence that prevents conflicts with other trades — before any wood is cut.
What the Process Looks Like From the Start
The first step in any millwork commission is not selecting a wood species. It is measuring the existing conditions precisely and drawing what exists before drawing what we intend.
Real spaces have non-square corners, varying ceiling heights, structural members in unexpected locations, and mechanical systems that must be accommodated. Millwork designed without understanding these conditions produces field changes during installation — which means compromises that were not in the design intent.
Our survey process includes:
- Laser-measured dimensions of all wall planes and ceiling heights
- Location of structural studs, headers, and any load-bearing elements
- Position of electrical, plumbing, and HVAC elements that affect millwork depth or placement
- Documentation of any existing conditions that the new millwork must respect or conceal
This survey produces the dimensioned background drawing from which all millwork is designed.
The Section as the Primary Design Instrument
The section — a vertical cut through the room — is where bespoke interior millwork is actually designed. The plan tells you where things are in the room. The section tells you how they relate vertically, and vertical relationships are what define whether millwork reads as composed or arbitrary.
In the section, we resolve:
- Whether built-in cabinetry extends to the ceiling or stops with a reveal
- How deep base cabinets can be without encroaching on circulation paths
- The height of countertops relative to window sill heights and floor materials
- How paneling transitions from vertical wall surfaces to horizontal ceiling planes
The section as relato — the section as the story of a room — is how we ensure that millwork is designed for the specific space, not adapted from a generic template.
Design Freeze and the Matrix of Options
Before any shop drawing is produced, we complete a design freeze process. This involves presenting a matrix of options to the client — typically three to four millwork strategies for a given space, each with different material, proportion, and joinery approaches.
The matrix is presented at scale against the actual room dimensions. Options are evaluated simultaneously rather than sequentially — this is how decisions are made comparing, not guessing. Once a direction is selected and any modifications are incorporated, we freeze the design.
Design changes after freeze require a formal revision process with documented scope and schedule implications. This is not bureaucracy — it is the only way to protect the client from cost overruns and the fabricator from wasted work.
Shop Drawings: The Fabrication Contract
Shop drawings are the bridge between architectural design intent and fabrication reality. At MÉTODO, our shop drawings include:
- Plan and elevation drawings at 1:10 scale showing all visible faces
- Section details at 1:5 scale showing joinery, edge profiles, and material transitions
- Hardware schedule referencing specific catalog items with installation dimensions
- Material callout schedule: wood species, grade, finish system, and fabricator notes
- Rough opening and blocking requirements for the general contractor
These documents are reviewed and signed by the client before fabrication begins. They are also the reference against which installation quality is verified — if the fabricated piece does not match the shop drawing, we identify it before it is installed.
Installation Sequencing
Millwork installation interacts with nearly every other trade. Poor sequencing creates conflicts that damage finished work or require removal and reinstallation. We produce an installation sequence matrix for every project that addresses:
- When millwork arrives on site relative to paint, flooring, and mechanical trim
- Which millwork elements are installed before vs. after adjacent finishes
- How stone countertops and millwork are coordinated in terms of template timing
- Protection requirements during subsequent trades' work
The sequence is designed to minimize re-handling and protect finished surfaces. It is reviewed with the general contractor before construction begins.
Próximos pasos
Bespoke interior millwork done well is invisible in the best sense — it reads as part of the room, not as an addition to it. That integration comes from process, not craft alone.
Conoce el método de MÉTODO and understand how we document design intent at every stage.