Custom Made Furniture - The Process

Are you looking to have a custom piece of furniture made? Whether it be a coffee table, dinning table, shelving, a fireplace screen or desk for your home or business, proper preparation will help with the process immensely.  

In an effort to save stress and potentially money, the more research you can do up-front, the better off you’ll be. 

Having a custom piece made can be very rewarding. It’s a great way to make sure you get exactly what you’re looking for. If you want something that’s personal, typically very well made, fits just right and is conversational with friends and family, it’s definitely the way to go.  

Coming from someone who’s been in the business since my early 20’s, I’ve been involved in hundreds of custom projects over the years. It’s definitely not difficult, but it darn sure helps to be prepared.

In my opinion, you could follow these steps for a smooth process

1. Research photos on Pinterest, Houzz, online magazines etc… for inspiration and direction. 
2. Have the dimensions ready to provide to the furniture maker. 
3. Take pictures of the area where your piece is to go. This helps to communicate where it’ll reside, in case you have anything that should be considered. 
4. Have an idea of what finish or finishes you’re interested in. 
5. Try to narrow down your design choices, the more broad you are, the longer it’ll take for the designer to understand what you’re looking for. 
6. Always mention the type of style you’re looking to capture. Mid-century modern, industrial, transitional, old world etc… 
7. If you’re needing a dining table made, make sure you communicate level of wear it’ll receive. There are certain types of clear coats that are more suitable for high-traffic pieces. 
8. If you’re purchasing from a company out of town, make sure and provide your full shipping address for a shipping quote. If you live in a multi-story complex, make sure and mention that and also include the building's receiving times. In some cases white glove delivery will be the only option.
9. If you don’t mind grabbing the piece at the curb and discarding of the packaging and pallet, mention that curbside delivery is fine. If you don’t want to lift a finger, mention that you’ll be looking for a white glove quote. 
10. Have expectations that it could take a little longer than first quoted. It's hard for smaller companies to know exactly how long it'll take to complete certain projects, especially if you're having them build something they've never made before.
11. Follow-up for an ETA within a week of your expected ship date. 
12. Make sure that when your piece ships, you inspect it while the driver is still present. If there’s damage, it must be noted on the bill of lading. If it’s beyond a quick touchup, you’ll probably need to refuse it so that it can go back to the company for repairs.

Elaborating on things to consider during the process...

• Remember that what you'll be having made is not mass produced. You can not compare mass produced furniture with "in most cases", a one-time build for the furniture maker. Everything about the process, typically the quality, the price and the care will be different. If you're dealing with a small business, you're typically dealing with either the owner, or one other employee in the office. There's a good chance they'll see the piece all the way through to the end and out the door.
• Be very specific in what you're looking for. The more vague you are, the longer it will take and possibly frustrating it can be for you. If you can sketch a decent pic of what you're wanting, definitely do so. If you're looking to take a piece that they already produce and just have it made in a certain size, you're in luck, this should be very easy to communicate.
• Drawings... Unless what you're having made is very easy to understand and is something the company makes on a regular basis, you need to make sure that the company will provide a drawing of what's to be built before you commit and pay. This will ensure that you understand exactly what you'll be receiving.
• Larger companies may have many finishes to choose from, therefore making it easier to choose from. Smaller companies may have plenty of options, but may not do a very good job of showing them on their site. Show some examples of what you're wanting and they'll typically get right back with how they can either get close to that look or can't at all.
• Shipping custom furniture is a pain for both the maker and the customer. The maker has to go to great lengths in packaging to ensure that it won't get damaged during transit. The customer has to receive it, get it uncrated, into the house or business, then discard of the pallet and packaging. If it's a heavy piece, you may need some help. If you don't have the ability to get this piece into your home or business on your own, then you should consider the white glove option. You won't have to lift a finger and they'll discard of the pallet, crate, packaging etc... when finished. Expect to pay more for this, but it my very well be worth it to you.

Good luck, and don't be afraid to pull the trigger. There are tons of great furniture makers out there that are extremely passionate about what they do and the products they produce.