Expedit Owners: Question about Colors

[new_mom_mry]

I am trying to figure out the best color for a 4 x 4 Expedit that will be used in our living room for toy storage. Our kitchen cabinets are maple, and so will be our dining table. Although the kitchen cabinets can't be seen from the living room, the dining table is in fact visible. Is the birch effect color anything like maple?? Our other furniture in the living room includes a terra cotta (orange) sofa and two terra cotta armchairs. Here is the tricky part--the legs on the sofa and armchairs are espresso (http://www.scandinaviandesigns.com/home_living_accentchairs/item/2354)
On this picture you can see our exact arm chairs but just in a different color--displaying the picture so that you could see the legs).

Would it be better to get a birch color Expedit (assuming it's similar to maple) and not worry that it will clash with the legs of the arm chairs OR should I just get a black/brown Expedit to match the said legs and not worry that it will clash with the maple table and kitchen decor? Thanks in advance for any advice you could provide!!

[MommytoEliana]

I'd go with the brown-black. I think it looks more polished than the birch, personally, and it sounds like it would relate better to the things closer to it. You can always put some of the lighter baskets in it to help it relate to your dining table if that is important to you. Good luck! I love our Expedit (brown-black) and am thinking about getting another for a different space.

[new_mom_mry]

I'd go with the brown-black. I think it looks more polished than the birch, personally, and it sounds like it would relate better to the things closer to it. You can always put some of the lighter baskets in it to help it relate to your dining table if that is important to you. Good luck! I love our Expedit (brown-black) and am thinking about getting another for a different space.

thanks for the suggestion! any idea of whether it's possible during the assembly phase to merge two of the cubby spaces into one, i.e. for objects longer than 13 inches that won't fit into a single cubby space??

[MommytoEliana]

Hmmm...I suppose you could always try cutting out one of the interior pieces...but given that the Expedit is not solid wood, I personally would be reluctant to try it for fear of compromising the needed structural integrity. It isn't made to be adjustable.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Can you just put the big item on top? I think with the legs on the chairs, I'd go with the b/br also. We got one a couple months ago and I could not decide for the life of me. Finally went with the white, which has been great because our living room is turquoise. It looks great in here, I think.