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A pop of color can change the vibe of any room. An intentionally vibrant wall, painted builtins or contrast-inducing millwork are all attainable ways to let your personality shine through design. More often than not, we don’t finish (paint/stain) our builds. That’s primarily because we work on luxury new-build homes, where builders or interior designers hire specialty crews. So, seeing how a pop of color can change our builds—and tie a room together—is always fun! Here are a few transformations that wowed us! Blue Blue is a common color scheme in homes, from front doors, to shutter accents and wall colors. Blue is associated with calmness, relaxation and serenity. That’s why you see it, and other cooler shades, selected as the color of the year frequently. Blue can also be versatile, too. Beyond its calming demeanor, it also can feel inviting and portray elegance. It is a timeless color often used to create contrast — like with this custom library. The result: There’s no feeling blue with these dramatic built-in bookshelves. They certainly tell a story, just like the books they will hold. Dreamy Greens We see plenty of greens that pop a room, but nothing makes a wow statement like a bold emerald or forest green. It’s amazing when you can take a traditional color to make a room feel anything but! Dreamy greens are also the perfect way to bring outdoor vibes inside. If you love to gift, then you likely have bounds of wrapping paper, bows and ribbons organized (or stored in complete chaos) somewhere in your home. No matter how you stash it, this gift-wrapping station is one to drool over and the emerald green brings nothing but cheer. In the South, outdoor living spaces are common. Tennessee’s favorable climate and scenic beauty are reasons homebuyers seek outdoor space. Plus, when designed correctly, they serve as an extension of your home and can add value. We’ve seen covered patios, wrap-around porches, decks, screened-in rooms, outdoor kitchens and pergolas. One of our recent builds took place in this beautiful covered patio — an entertainment space meant to pull the indoor design and outdoor vibe together. We used weather-protected material to create an entertainment bar, and the designer chose a vibrant green to make the cabinet feature stand out. Charcoal Who says an office needs to be bright? Be bold. Be a boss. Paint your builtins black, charcoal or any dark color! Using a dark gray or black may sound scary, but remember it’s a neutral tone that works with many color palettes and can stand the test of time. If you’re scared to commit to something this bold, remember dark colors pair nicely with bright and light accents. Sage Sage and other light greens are the perfect chameleon color. They are soothing, sophisticated and just subtle enough to work with myriad design schemes. Sage can feel fresh and welcoming, so why not have an entry mud bench feature the color? Adding color is a great way to accentuate the space in a calming way — the perfect vibe for family and friends as they enter your home. In recent years, we’ve seen many greens, grays, blues and blacks in design. No matter the hue, shade, tint, stain or paint — your choice can make your style stand out. So if painting a wall or a room feels daunting, remember, you don’t need to skip color altogether. Try a furniture piece or a custom built-in with a pop of color. The result might surprise you! Have a vision but don’t know where to start? Contact us , and be sure to check out our Portfolio for more finished designs.

The shiplap craze is real. And before you roll your eyes and state that you’re sick of seeing farmhouse design, there’s more to do with shiplap than plain horizontal white walls. So. Much. More. Here at MT Trim Co, we’ve seen and applied shiplap in myriad ways, including the: tried and true horizontal white stripe, black or dark navy niche accents, eye-catching mud bench backdrops and over-zealous crazy patterns. We’ve been known to take on a few challenging builds—after all, we love them—and shiplap is not excused from that category. Sure, it’s one of the easiest applications to install, but it can also be complicated. Let us introduce you to a couple of projects that challenged our brains. The Herringbone Shiplap Wall Watch these reels to reveal the full wall! The Tetris Shiplap Mud Bench Scroll to see the wall's progress! The Friend Zone: Featuring Vertical Shiplap This one turned out beautiful! The vertical application made this guest-entrance mud bench feel grand. The Single Chevron Point Bench Accent Chevron is easier than herringbone to install (in our opinion), but the end result is just as satisfying. Watch the reel! So, next time you hear the word shiplap, don’t hate. Be inspired, get creative and snap out of the basic daze, because you now know there are carpenters who thrive on challenging the status quo. And for fun, here are some basic shiplap applications, too. Note: The three photos shown are from a Keller Homes project (now Toll Brothers) that was featured in the Colorado Springs Parade of Homes. Have you seen shiplap applied in a creative way? Let us know! And of course, if you have an idea for a future post or a question, please contact us.

Custom wine bars are fun to build! Why? Because no two are alike and, let’s face it, everybody loves them! Here are three wine bar projects that will fill your glass! 1. The Primary Bedroom Statement Wine Bar Yes, you read that correctly. This beauty is located in the primary bedroom of an amazing Stonegate Home. It serves as a divider space between sleeping and relaxing and hosts everything from wine to coffee. 2. The Mini Wine Room Wine rooms do not need to be excessive. A small closet or under-the-stairs space can easily be converted into a room displaying your collection. Plus, these spaces make it easy to access when you’re hosting guests. 3. The Full-Wall Feature Wine bars are a great statement piece! They are often a wow factor and a conversation starter. This two-tone (white oak and grey-painted) piece does both. If you’re located in Middle Tennessee and need a wine feature in your home, contact us! In the meantime, be sure to check out our Instagram account to see projects in action and our Amazon Storefront to access our favorite finds.

5 Meanings Behind the MT in MT Trim Co We’ve been asked a time or two, so what does MT stand for in MT Trim Co? Well, the truth is that it has multiple meanings. 1. Matthew Taylor Our Owner and Lead Carpenter Matthew Taylor Whiteis is also a musician. On stage, he drops his surname and uses Matthew Taylor. So MT naturally comes into play here, too! 2. Matt and Traci Traci is Matt’s wife and the “T” in MT Trim Co. She has her master’s degree in marketing and public relations and has worked as a marketing director for the past decade. She is primarily behind the scenes, but you’ll occasionally see her in content. 3. Middle Tennessee MT Trim Co is proud to serve the Middle Tennessee housing market solely. We fell in love with this area in 2013, and moved here from Colorado shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. 4. Mountains We miss our Colorado Mountains, but we take solace in the fact Mt. is also an abbreviation for the word mountain. Plus our new home is in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, elevation 683'. Of course, there isn’t actually a mountain in the town. 5. Music and Tools Music and tools. These two passions are at the core of what we do and what we love. And, if you want to support our passions, please follow MT’s music Instagram and check out our favorite tools via our Amazon Storefront. Want to work with us? Have an upcoming project or idea? Contact us today.

Today, March 29 is World Piano Day. So why does that matter for a custom woodworking company? For those who don’t know, our Founder and Lead Carpenter Matthew Whiteis is fond of pianos. That’s because, you see, he doesn’t solely identify as a tradesman — he is also a musician. Music is at the heart of what he does — and we mean everything. You may see projects that wow and builds that transform a space, but what you don’t see is how music motivates, inspires and is his true passion. And the piano isn’t just some hobby. But restoring the baby grand in his home — that was a hobby. We rescued this beauty—a 1908 Bradbury—from a friend whose late father had a wood shop in Denver, Colorado. It was his goal to restore her, and we felt compelled to finish the project, as it tied his two passions together. Before After As a woodworker, Matthew knew he couldn’t hide the beauty he found upon removing old stain, moldings and veneer. He collaborated with his soon-to-be bride (okay that’s me), on a design that would show the creativity in them both. Wanting a one-of-a-kind result, we decided to burn the sides with a hand torch to expose the eye-catching contrast of the wood grain. By hand-painting the legs and top black, it was the perfect finish. One that earned her the name Belle. For Fun + More About the Music Here are some old progress photos of this passion project and here’s baby Matt. And it’s not shocking that he’s sitting in front of a piano. Want to know more about Matthew’s love for music? Here are a few fast facts, and we encourage you to visit MatthewTaylorMusic.com and listen on Spotify . The first record he owned was Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” His piano teachers growing up were well-known authors, Dave and Beverly Lewis. He is a multi-instrumentalist. He’s performed from California to Florida and even Japan. He’s released music as a solo act, session musician and bandmate ( Matthew Taylor , Abandonato, The Taylor Project, Justus League and the Robby Wicks Band — to name a few). He won an American Idol Competition (original series) in Colorado which gave him a golden ticket to further audition in San Francisco. He released his first solo album “Audio Journal” through JMD Records and Ingrooves, a partner of Universal Music Group. He’s shared the stage with and performed at private events for several celebrities. He’s in the process of seeking management to release his next round of new music. Last, and not least, his son Sebastian is also a talented singer, pianist and guitarist. As always, thanks for reading! Have an idea for a future post? Contact us !

In case you didn’t know, floating shelves are popular on Instagram . We certainly didn’t know that when first posting the following three videos. Yes, our top three most-watched videos on Instagram all feature floating shelves, and have all received millions of views. Videos 1 and 2: Walnut Floating Shelves These walnut floating shelves are the perfect final touch to this entertainment area. This was actually our top video of 2022, and when we reposted it for a second time , it got just as much attention. This gorgeous room was part of a home addition project, where we also built a matching walnut waterfall bar and bottle riser. It’s always fun to see results, so check out the finished product ! Video 3: L Brackets We commonly use L brackets for floating shelves for extra support. You can easily find them at the hardware retailer or online site of your choice. Visit Amazon.com/Shop/MTTrimCo to access our favorite hardware, including these L brackets *. Other Top Contenders Check out these additional floating shelf videos to see even more ways this simple storage solution can help pull together wall space. U-Shaped Floating Shelves in a Pantry Floating Shelves Over Tile in the Kitchen Floating Shelves Above Living Room Builtins Floating shelves are here to stay. They are not for everyone and aren't solely made to display items in super-organized kitchens. If it's a design concept that the homeowner desires, then it's on-trend in our book! Do you have or would you have floating shelves in your home? Let us know your here-to-stay design trends, post ideas or ask a question by contacting us . *As a participant in the Amazon Influencer Program, MT Trim Co earns commissions on qualifying purchases.

It was a quiet day on Instagram when out of nowhere we got an idea. We asked a simple question to our followers, "Would you like to see how we build our cabinets?" Then, a plethora of answers flooded our inbox with the consensus being an overwhelming yes. So, here you have it, a 3 Part Series: How-To Build a Cabinet Box. Part 1 Here, and in Part 2 , our Founder and Lead Carpenter Matthew Whiteis shows you the basics of a cabinet box that he pre-built. Know this process will work for the size you build, and we'll share a few of the tools he uses and talk about why he uses them. Featured Tools The Kreg Foreman Pocket Hole Machine is what we use to make all our pocket holes before we assemble - as you will see in Part 3 of this series. We use the Rockler Pro Shelf Drilling Jig for adjustable shelf pin holes. When using this jig, you'll simply find the center on each leg and divider (between the top and bottom of the face frame) and pre-drill every other hole. We do this before we assemble the box. For lower cabinets, we typically only drill 3 holes for three different height options. Part 2 Here Matt's continuing the enthralling basics of a pre-built box. As you learned in Part 1 , we use TruPan Ultralight MDF for the core of the boxes in this tutorial. These are paint-grade cabinets but we also use this process for plywood applications. Pockets work just fine on MDF as long as the depth is set properly and you’re not drilling them too close to the edges of the pieces. Tip: The closer you get to the edge, the more they’ll want to split. Don’t over-torque and use plenty of glue. Featured Tools We like using the Stanley Fat Max tape measure. And, if it’s not attached to Matt's side it’s usually lost in another dimension. That’s why we own at least five of them. True story. Part 3 And for the finale, here's Matt assembling a cabinet box. Simply watch and see how all the previously mentioned parts and tools are used to piece it together. Featured Tools: We use Ryobi drills and absolutely love them. As you can tell, our tool arsenal consists of many brands of reliable and effective tools. We recommend finding the best-fit tools for you, and for each application and build. It all comes down to what gets the job done in an efficient, yet high-quality manner. Check out our favorites * and snag them for yourselves via our Amazon Storefront ! We hope you enjoyed this series! At MT Trim Co, we strongly believe in fostering relationships and supporting everyone in the trade, so that the craft of woodworking continues for generations to come. If you have an idea or request for a future tutorial or post, feel free to contact us ! *As an Amazon Influencer, MT Trim Co earns commissions on qualifying purchases.