Curved oak reception desk
Element Decor / Design, build & install
Element Decor is a family-owned architectural woodwork shop in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, founded in 2014. Built-in cabinets, wardrobes and reception desks, made to fit your room and installed by our own crew across Los Angeles and Ventura County.
A room photo or a rough sketch is a good place to start.
Prefer a conversation? 323-431-3818
Inside completed projects
Our installed work, photographed on site. Open a project to see the furniture and the surrounding millwork.
View all projects
A floating TV cabinet sits below a wood slat wall, keeping the floor clear and storage close to the screen. The cabinet fronts and wall finish are coordinated as one composition.
A walnut shelf runs through the slat wall without visible brackets. The horizontal surface provides a place for everyday items while the vertical wood grain continues above and below it.
Vertical wood slats wrap the reception counter, with a dark worktop defining its edge. The desk and adjacent wall treatment use the same rhythm to connect the front desk to the lobby.
The screen sits inside the slat surface instead of on top of it. The mount position, cable route and power were fixed before the slats went on, so nothing shows on the finished wall.
Slats run the length of the treatment area with the lighting set into the voids between them, so the light is soft and the fixtures disappear. Wall panels in the same material carry the finish down from the ceiling.
Straight slats cannot follow a radius, so every slat was cut to its own length and the backing was kerfed to bend around the curve. The same approach carries into curved desks, bars and banquettes.
Why custom
Sloping ceilings, uneven walls and awkward corners are included in the layout before fabrication.
Proportion, layout, grain direction and finish are resolved in drawings and a 3D preview.
Speak to the team handling your design, fabrication and installation, with one contact through the project.
Storage, outlets, wiring, lighting, ventilation and hardware are planned before cutting begins.
What we build
Start with the function. We develop the form, construction and finish around the actual space.
TV cabinets, bookcases and home office built-ins sized for the wall, with storage and work surfaces where you need them.
Storage divided around the clothes, shoes and everyday items you actually keep, then fitted to the room.
A front desk needs to work for both the visitor and the team behind it. We plan the counter, storage, equipment and finish as part of the lobby.
Bring a sketch for a curved desk, bench, vanity or table. We review the shape, construction and finish against its intended use.
Built-in bookcases, floating shelves and desk walls sized to the room, with the supporting structure hidden in the wall before the finish goes on.
Doors and storage that read as part of the wall: sliding doors in the same veneer as the panels, a concealed door cut into a slat run, closed storage behind flush fronts.
A place to start
Tell us what the room needs to do, what you want to store and which finishes you like. You do not need a designer or finished drawings to begin.
Tell us about your roomSend elevations, dimensions and a finish schedule. We review construction details, grain direction and hardware, then develop shop drawings and samples for approval.
Explore trade collaborationInclude the scope, site location and target installation window. We discuss access, delivery sequence and coordination with the other trades before production.
Commercial millwork servicesMaterials & construction
The finish is only one decision. The internal layout, supporting structure and hardware determine how the furniture works every day.
Discuss your furniture projectPlan the complete room
Built-in or freestanding
Both are made to order in the same workshop. The right choice depends on the room, on whether you intend to stay and on what the piece has to hold.
| What matters | Built-in | Freestanding custom | Store-bought |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fit to the room | Scribed to the wall, floor and ceiling, with no gaps and no fillers | Made to your dimensions, stands clear of the wall | Fixed sizes; gaps are filled or left |
| Storage in the same footprint | Uses the full height and every corner | Sized to the space, limited by access and delivery | Set by the range |
| Wiring, lighting and equipment | Planned into the structure before fabrication | Possible inside the piece; wall connections stay visible | Rarely; cables run outside |
| Matching the walls and ceiling | Same veneer batch and finish as the panels or slats | The same, when built in the same shop | Close at best |
| When you move | Stays with the property as part of the building | Goes with you | Goes with you |
| How it starts | Site measurement and drawings | Drawings and a finish sample | In stock |
Most projects combine the two: a built-in media wall or wardrobe, with a freestanding table, bench or vanity in the same finish. Tell us about the room and we will suggest what should be fixed and what should move.
What affects the price
There is no standard price per foot for custom furniture, because two cabinets of the same width can be built very differently. These are the decisions that move the quote most, and each is discussed with you before we price the project.
Overall size, the number of bays, doors and drawers, and whether the piece runs floor to ceiling.
Veneer over a panel core, solid wood details or a mix; the number of moving parts; curved or angled elements.
White oak, walnut or another species; stain, sheen and whether the finish has to match existing panels or flooring.
Drawer runners, hinges, push-to-open or handles, interior lighting, inserts and accessories.
Integrated LED, outlets inside cabinetry, ventilation for equipment and coordination with your electrician.
Access, stairs and elevators, wall condition, floor levels and how much has to be scribed on site.
Send a photo and rough dimensions and we will tell you which of these apply and what the quote will be based on. Get a project quote
From our workshop to your home
A drawer needs room to open. Equipment needs ventilation. A long shelf needs the right support. We work through these decisions with you before the furniture is made.
From idea to installation
You always know what is being decided, what comes next and who is responsible for it.
Send photos, rough dimensions, inspiration or an architect's drawing. We can start at any level of detail.
We develop the layout and show the scale, materials and major details before you approve fabrication.
We template the real space and approve veneer and finish samples in the actual room light.
Your project is built and assembled in our Chatsworth shop so site time is controlled and predictable.
Our own crew installs, aligns and adjusts the work. You keep one number to call after completion.
Your project starts here
Tell us about the room or send a link to your plans. We will review the scope with you and explain the next step toward a design and quote.
Have photos ready? Email your photos or drawings.
Before you start
The quote depends on dimensions, construction, materials, finish, hardware and installation. Send a photo or drawing and rough measurements. We review those details with you before preparing a project-specific quote.
Timing depends on design approvals, material availability, the size of the project and the workshop schedule. Include your target installation date when you contact us. We confirm the production and installation schedule for your scope before work begins.
We specify the construction for each piece. Natural white oak and walnut veneer can be used over a suitable core, with solid wood details where appropriate. Veneer, MDF, plywood and solid wood are not interchangeable descriptions. Your proposal identifies the materials and finish selected for your project.
No. We can begin with a photo, rough measurements and examples you like. If you already have architectural drawings, we can work directly from them and issue shop drawings for approval.
Yes. One advantage of fabricating both is that veneer, grain direction, stain and sheen can continue from the architecture into the furniture.
Yes. We provide drawings and a 3D preview so you can review the proportion, layout and finish direction before production begins. Physical finish samples are approved separately.
Our team handles site measurement and installation in Los Angeles and Orange County. Include your project location so we can confirm access, delivery and installation arrangements. For work farther away, we discuss fabrication and coordination with your local installer.
Yes. We build reception desks, banquettes, bars, display pieces, conference tables and related architectural millwork for offices, restaurants, clinics and hospitality spaces.
Yes. Built-in bookcases, floating shelves, desk walls and closed storage are built to the wall, with the supporting structure fixed before the finish goes on. Tell us what the shelves have to carry and where the outlets are.
Yes. Sliding doors, flush doors and concealed doors can be made in the same veneer as the panels or cabinetry, with the grain carried across the joint. Door size, direction and hardware are agreed in the drawings.
A built-in uses the full height and every corner of the wall and stays with the property. A freestanding piece is made to your dimensions and moves with you. Most rooms combine both, and we advise on which is which after seeing the room.
Our workshop is in Chatsworth. We measure and install across Los Angeles County and Orange County, including Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Malibu, Pasadena, Sherman Oaks, Calabasas, Huntington Beach and Newport Beach. For other locations we discuss fabrication and shipping with your local installer.
From our Chatsworth workshop
Our workshop is at 20371 Prairie St, Chatsworth, CA 91311. We work with homeowners, interior designers and project teams across Los Angeles and Orange County.
Include your project ZIP code and any site-access restrictions. We confirm measurement, delivery and installation arrangements for each address.
Chatsworth, Porter Ranch, Calabasas, Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank and the South Bay.
Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach and Irvine.
These are service areas, not showrooms. Completed work nearby includes a slat wall and TV stand in Huntington Beach, white oak beams in Sherman Oaks, beams and panels in Porter Ranch and walnut slat panels in a Pasadena mid-century home.
For work outside our installation area, we can discuss fabrication and shipping with your local installer.
Made to fit
Start with an idea, a photograph or a set of plans. We will help you work out the next step.
Discuss your project