To create an inset drawer front look in the PAC Mozaik Closet Library, Phill Anton Consulting does it through product parameters rather than Mozaik's built-in inset setting: bring in the frameless reveal parameters, tighten the reveals, adjust the top face piece, then push the drawer fronts back with the inset face formula door.th + door outset. Going inset costs about 3/4" of interior drawer depth, so plan section depth (for example 16") before you start.
Why not just click Mozaik's built-in "base style frameless inset"?
Because it breaks the PAC Closet Library. Phill is explicit: if you select base style frameless inset, "it's going to move your line boards back too. It is not going to work with the PAC closet library… that will totally throw you off. It'll be miserable." The closet library is panel-based, so the built-in inset behavior conflicts with it. Instead, you create the inset look manually through the drawer-front parameters and face formula, which leaves the line boring where it belongs.
What does inset cost you in drawer depth, and how do you plan for it?
Inset drawer fronts reduce the interior space available for drawers by about 3/4". Phill's advice is to account for this up front:
- You may need to make your sections 16" deep.
- If you're using a Blum undermount slide, you'll want enough depth back there for the slide.
- For 12" drawers, make sure the subfront is deleted and use a metal drawer (or similar) system that gives you at least 11-1/4" to 11-1/2" of clear interior depth.
Drawer management after the change is on you — when Phill pushed the fronts back in the video, the drawer body shrank, and he notes you adjust the drawer system to recover the space you need.
How do you create the inset drawer front look (step by step)?
This is done in the product, and Phill recommends saving the result back to the library (renamed "inset") when finished.
- Start from a section. In the video Phill works from Products → Floor Standing → Sections → 96, dropping in a five-drawer 7" unit and bringing in a panel.
- Open product parameters. Go to Parameters → select Product Parameters.
- Bring in the frameless reveal parameters. Add frameless reveal bottom for base and frameless reveal adjacent cabinet for tall. You can hold Ctrl to grab both at once.
- Set the reveals. Set frameless reveal bottom to about 7/8" in this case (this lifts the bottom of the drawer front). Set frameless reveal adjacent cabinet to about 1/8".
- Adjust the top face piece. Go to the Face tab, select all the drawer fronts, and adjust the top piece down (Phill uses a small negative value to bring it to about a 1/8" reveal).
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Push the drawer fronts back with the inset formula. Still on the drawer fronts, click into the formula for inset and enter
door.th + door outset. Copy it across the fronts; you'll see them move back into the inset position. - Fix drawer depth. The drawer body will shrink when the fronts move back — adjust your drawer system / box depth as described above.
How do you make it reusable in the library?
- Save it back to the library renamed to "inset" so it overrides/extends the unit. You can also add it to Favorites.
- Turn off depth stretching before you save (Phill forgot it the first time and re-saved). With depth stretching off and the section saved at a fixed depth (for example 16"), the unit comes out at the correct depth when you pull it from the library instead of stretching.
- For repeated work, a couple of these changes can be made in the Job Parameters if you'll do it every time — but most of the work happens in the product, and you should definitely save back to the library.
Bonus: adding full backs with inset drawers
Phill notes inset-drawer users often also want full backs in their closets. Click Full Backs to add them — they use the wedge-fix fastener at the back and aren't visible since they turn toward the back. Full backs make the section even shallower, eating more drawer depth.
To see and reclaim room: select the section, open the elevation, and you get a cross-section view showing how much room you have. To gain depth, go to Edit → Shape tab, click the back edge / adjust side, and subtract from it (Phill demos a rough negative value to shorten the back so the drawer boxes get more room). It won't help in every case, but it's a lever when you're tight on depth.
Inset vs half overlay — which look should you choose?
Inset gives a much cleaner look than the half overlay, and per this video it's easily achieved in the PAC Closet Library. The trade-off is depth: inset costs interior drawer depth (~3/4") and complicates drawer sizing. Choose inset when the cleaner aesthetic matters and you can plan deeper sections (for example 16") and a suitable drawer system. Stick with half overlay when you want maximum usable drawer depth and minimal setup.
Get it done-for-you
You can set this up by hand (above). If you build closets regularly, the PAC Mozaik Closet Library has this built in — drag-and-drop, ready in Mozaik. → Get the PAC Mozaik Closet Library
Full disclosure: Phill Anton Consulting makes this product.
FAQ
How much interior drawer depth do I lose with inset drawer fronts in the PAC Closet Library?
Going inset reduces the available interior depth for drawers by about 3/4". Phill Anton Consulting recommends planning for it — for example making sections 16" deep — so your drawer boxes still fit. If you need 12" drawers, delete the subfront and use a metal drawer system that gives you at least 11-1/4" to 11-1/2" of clear interior depth.
Should I use Mozaik's built-in "base style frameless inset" setting for the PAC Closet Library?
No. Phill Anton Consulting warns that clicking the built-in "base style frameless inset" moves your line boards back too, which does not work with the PAC Closet Library and will throw the whole cabinet off. Instead, set the inset by editing the drawer-front face formula directly (door.th + door outset).