TIANLICHUJU — PERSONAL VERIFICATION WORKSHEET
Choosing a walnut cabinet without making the living room heavy
https://tianlichuju.com/journal/choosing-a-walnut-cabinet-without-making-the-living-room-heavy/

PROPOSED CHECKS — NO MEASURED RESULTS SUPPLIED
Date: __________________  Units: __________________
Room / product reference: __________________

1. Full walnut front area
Where: On the intended wall, viewed from the entrance and the main occupied seat.
Record: Use paper representing the cabinet's complete width and height in centimeters; note daylight, evening light, and surrounding dark furniture.
Your observation: ______________________________________________
Interpretation: The mockup compares visual mass, not actual timber color, craftsmanship, or a measurable improvement in room size.
Alternative: Choose a shorter or lower piece, lighten supporting furniture, or leave more wall clear rather than adding matching dark cabinets.

2. Interior and connector fit
Where: Inside the actual cabinet opening or a dimensioned representation, including hinges and the back panel.
Record: Measure stored objects and connectors in centimeters; list equipment access, cable passage, and product ventilation requirements separately.
Your observation: ______________________________________________
Interpretation: A box fitting inside does not prove that an electronic device can operate in the closed compartment.
Alternative: Give devices another appropriate location or specify a documented removable back and access arrangement before modifying timber.

3. Material and finish condition
Where: At door edges, top corners, veneer joints, hardware, and areas exposed to the window.
Record: Photograph lifting, water marks, repairs, and gloss differences; ask which parts are solid timber, veneer, or another construction.
Your observation: ______________________________________________
Interpretation: Visible clues can frame restoration questions but cannot establish veneer thickness, hidden damage, or a safe sanding method.
Alternative: Obtain a condition-based restoration scope or choose a different piece when the intended work cannot be reliably described.

PRACTICAL TRIAL
1. Place large sofa samples beside the cabinet rather than matching from a phone image.
2. Open the loaded doors with the seating and walking route in use.
3. Ask how a runner, hinge, and damaged front could be renewed independently.

COMPARE THE SAME SCOPE
- Exact timber construction and restored condition
- Clear storage dimensions and equipment access
- Delivery, finish care, hardware, and repair scope
Cost drivers: Veneer repair or uncertain prior coatings; Transport of a long assembled cabinet; Custom cable and removable-back work
Choose another route when: A cabinet is unsuitable for enclosed equipment when its construction cannot provide the relevant product access and ventilation without unacceptable alteration.

EVIDENCE BOUNDARY
No furniture authenticity, condition, or equipment performance has been verified here. The proposed checks do not establish provenance or authorize irreversible restoration.

PHOTO REFERENCE
A dark sofa and small table sit on a clear floor area, with curtains and vertical decorative wall panels nearby.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Livingroom.jpg

DECISION CONDITIONS
choose: Choose the cabinet after confirming its internal job, exact construction, and full front-area effect beside actual seating and flooring; let surrounding pieces provide a deliberate lighter or quieter counterpoint.
alternative: Keep a smaller retained cabinet, reduce another dark element, or use different supporting finishes when several near-matching timber pieces compete.
stop: Stop restoration or equipment adaptation when the finish, veneer condition, access, or intended loading is uncertain and the proposed work cannot be reliably specified.

PUBLISHED REFERENCES
CCI Note7/2: Care of Furniture Finishes
https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/care-furniture-finishes.html
CCI notes that old natural-resin coatings can be difficult to identify and that original and repaired areas may respond differently to cleaning. A cabinet's color and sheen therefore cannot supply a safe restoration method or establish that all apparently similar walnut surfaces need identical treatment.
Scope: Conservation guidance concerns actual coating condition; it does not authenticate walnut, estimate veneer thickness, or rate a modern manufacturer's finish.
Photographer: IFERREIRO
Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0

Notes: ________________________________________________________