Investing in made-to-measure furniture will allow you to have your living space tailor-made to your exact specification. Well designed storage can make a big impact on your interior design and a piece of bespoke furniture instantly individualises a room scheme. So, why not design your living space to suit your lifestyle?
From maximising space under a staircase, designing a specific piece of fitted furniture or fitting out a dedicated room such as a study, bedroom, bathroom or kitchen, an experienced furniture designer and manufacturer can create something that is designed to your individual specification to fit a particular space and fulfil a specific purpose. Made-to-measure is useful in awkwardly shaped rooms which are particularly prevalent in period homes where space may be at a premium. This can be the first step towards designing the home of your dreams where every aspect fulfils your own personal desires………………..
The Collins dictionary definition of ‘bespoke’ is ‘made to customers’ specification’. This term has been most widely used to describe tailor-made garments but, more recently, has been used for other custom-made products such as furniture and cars. There are many companies who claim to offer a bespoke service but beware of those who provide a range of standardised furniture that they attempt to fit within your specification. This is, obviously, not truly a bespoke design and does not offer the customer all the available options.
Something to be prepared for is that bespoke furniture tends to be more expensive than mass produced which is designed to fit within a broad range of requirements/priorities and benefits from the economies of scale. If your budget will not stretch to a whole room of bespoke furniture, an individually designed piece can elevate an off-the-peg solution. In a kitchen, for example, a bespoke pantry unit or dresser can provide storage for specialist items whilst providing display space for cherished decorative pieces and books. Often the alcoves either side of a chimney breast can, likewise, provide valuable storage for audio visual equipment with cables neatly concealed within the units, whilst providing display storage for books and ornaments.
A bespoke service requires time for the designer to listen to your brief in detail, getting a rough idea of the budget allocation and then advising on how best to achieve your aspirations within that budget. It is highly recommended that, prior to the initial visit, you make some rough sketches of your ideas and make a collection of pictures from magazine and newspaper articles of the styles that you like and also those that you do not. Decide whether contemporary, sleek lines or more traditional furniture fit within the design of your room.
Careful measurements may need to be taken of items that you wish to store to ensure that these can be accommodated within the unit and decisions need to be made about the percentage of storage space to display space that you require. Consideration will need to be given to the type of finish, painted or natural wood, and, if the finish needs to match something in the room.
At the initial consultation, the designer should spend time listening to your specific requirements, sharing ideas and advising on finishes, style, storage options, accessories, functionality and content. It is important to take a detailed brief in order to maximise comfort and optimise storage. Advice should be given on the ideal materials to fit into the existing decorating scheme and fit the budget, layout, content and many other aspects of design that you may not have initially considered.
Once you have received the quotation, it is generally a good idea to visit the showroom or workshop where the unit will be made in order to assess the quality of the workmanship and to collect samples to match with your room. When you are ready to place an order, the designer should return to take accurate measurements, if these have not been taken at the initial visit, and to discuss the finer detail and make any necessary changes and alterations to ensure your complete satisfaction with the final design.
