The Cutlery Will Please Come to Order

If clouds have silver linings, why couldn’t something less ethereal? Say . . . drawers? That’s what paper company sales manager Fred Scheneman thought, anyway, when he designed linings for all of the drawers and shelves in his own townhouse 14 years ago. He liked the results--and the work--so much that he began doing it on the side. Today, his Northridge-based company, Silver Lining, keeps him busy full time, customizing drawer and shelf lining for homes.

“I find that successful people are really organized,” he said.

Scheneman and his adult sons, Rodney and Jeff, will customize any drawer, and have worked in homes all over Southern California. Once, they lined the drawers of a Marina del Rey yacht and didn’t find out until they boarded that they were expected to work while cruising to San Diego and back.

Given the nature of the work, Scheneman has to be methodical: He measures the drawers, then makes chip-board frames to fit inside. Then, he glues linings to the frames, which fit into the drawers. Lining materials, which come in a wide range of colors, include vinyl, leather, moire and sueded velvet, which is popular for jewelry.

Drawer interiors may include built-in compartments for cosmetics, medication, eyeglasses, kitchen utensils and even spices. Scheneman said that since some cooks prefer to have their knives stored away rather than take up counter space, he builds drawer-size slatted maple wood blocks. For silver drawers, he uses an anti-tarnish material for lining and fits them with a lid, which further reduces tarnish.

Generally, lining a single drawer costs at least $8. Prices rise as sizes go up. Scheneman said he has had jobs that range from a total of $50 to several thousand dollars.

Silver Lining, (818) 716-9833.