This is going to be an odd answer. I’m not a carpenter or contractor, but I worked as an electricians assistant for a bit where I learned right off the bat that violating code, statute, etc., violating manufacturers instructions, or modifying a listed item, generally leaves you with unmitigated liability for all time and, most likely, you will not have protection from your insurance. I came to view the electric code as a list of all the ways humans have killed themselves with electricity, often when they least expected it and thought they were doing things properly.

So, if this cabinet will persist through a sale, and probably even if not, my inclination is to say to just do it like everyone else and just like other standard cabinets. So, I wonder if this ought to be more than one cabinet and wonder if the French cleat is really needed. Why can’t standard methods be used? What’s the advantage and is it worth the risk?

If a cabinet comes off the wall, especially with china or glass in it, the danger is considerable. I was in the room when a single shelf failed in a cabinet, all the china showered down onto the Corian countertop, shattered, and then rained down onto the floor. I dropped a single plate once and had to go to the hospital, so I can’t imagine what might have happened if a person had been standing at the counter. Anyway, I don’t think this is a time to be inventive. Sorry to be a wet blanket.