Before getting into all of the details of off-the-shelf furniture vs. bespoke furniture, first, it may be helpful to answer the following two questions:
What is bespoke furniture?
It is furniture that is commissioned, designed, and made on a one-off, individual basis for specific use for the individual that commissioned the piece. For example, if the customer wanted their product the be ‘stone pale cool little greene‘ then the product would be designed in this colour.
What is off-the-shelf furniture?
This is furniture that is manufactured in high quantities and is purchased and used without any customisation at an online furniture store or high street retailer.
So why should bespoke furniture be selected from a furnituremaker instead of an off-the-shelf option that can be purchased on high street? Whether you happen to be an individual purchasing furniture for your home or a design professional, why should bespoke furniture be considered?
Experience and ease
Although you will need to wait for custom-made furniture to be made for you, furniture makes will often have lead times that are much short than you might think. Since they will have certain raw materials on hand to use on upcoming commissions, furniture makers are often able to turn things over fairly soon and often faster than high street retailers whose lead times can be as much as 12 weeks since they typically import furniture from abroad. When you purchase from a local British furniture maker, the delivery times are kept shorter and they are also easier to arrange. The immediacy and convenience offered by high street also can be easily overcome by an experienced and professional furniture maker who will immediately and easily understand what you want and how to design your piece of furniture and make it.
A typical process is followed when you work with a furniture maker:
- Receive design brief, discuss budget and lead times
- Estimate and design concept presentations
- 3D model and firm estimate are provided
- Deposit is paid
- Furniture is made
- Delivery and installation
This is all done for you and you will be consulted throughout the entire process. You can also draw on the extensive and valuable experience that your furniture maker has to ensure the quality of your piece.
Superior product
A piece of furniture that is custom-made is produced according to your exact instructions and will be made very well. In contrast to off-the-shelf products with their built-in obsolescence, your bespoke furniture piece will be made to last.
The craftspeople making your furniture might not use the easiest techniques for making your cabinet storage, or chair, but they will create a piece of furniture that will last longer and hold its value. Although bespoke furniture may be more expensive, this can be easily offset by its long lifespan in contrast to high street options. There are also numerous benefits to having something that is made for your home specifically or your client’s house. Also, bespoke furniture is sometimes less expensive than you might expect. We do not have expensive shop fronts or retail stores that have to be maintained so we can keep our margins down.
Truly made-to-measure
Bespoke furniture is made according to your exact instructions and also made to fit in with your lifestyle and style preferences.
There are nearly limitless options that are available and although that might like there are too many choices, you will be advised by your bespoke furniture maker and they can help you with style, materials, finishes, colours, size, shape, and any other personal touches that you might want that reflects your personality or your client’s personality in the piece of furniture.