Custom or Bespoke Furniture – More for Your Money

Ever bought a sofa or chair only to have the cushions sag after six months, become uncomfortable, or is not really the right size for your room?

In all seriousness if you are going to sit on something day after day it should be comfortable to you, fit your body size and last longer than a few years.  Furniture is not one size fits all.  People aren’t cookie cutter.  But before you stop reading… custom or bespoke furniture does not always come with an extraordinary price tag.

As a designer I’ve consistently sold more custom upholstered furniture to clients (ordinary hard working people) over the last 10 years, often because it is easier on their wallet not the other way around.  My job is to help people spend their money wisely.  Plus they get what they want, not just what is readily available in some generic color and it lasts.

Lisa sofa via Cellura Designs

Yes cost matters and yes, the right sofa could be upwards of $4000.00.  Over the life of the sofa this adds up to pennies.  “Made in China” or assembly line furniture will not cut it.  But like with most hard goods, you get what you pay for.  Kiln dried hardwood frames only, glued, screwed & doweled, appropriate springs, padding, cushioning and of course good quality upholstery grade fabric – cutting corners is throwing away good money.

Benefits of custom upholstered furniture:

1. Made to fit your space
2. Made to fit your frame
3. Cushions made for your comfort
4. Made in fabric you choose

Everyday seating will last for years, if it is well made.  This is one of the first things I learned in my interior design career: people with lots and lots of money recover their furniture!   Why?  Because they bought it right the first time.

Here is a chair we made for a client who is 5′ tall.  At our very first meeting she told me, “I’ve never had a chair which fits.”  Now each time I talk to her, she mentions “her chair,” she loves it because we made it to fit her and it doesn’t work for the others in her family.

Made in the USA is another benefit of custom upholstery.  Plus the money saved in overseas shipping or some fancy designer name goes into the furniture as does the money a retail company sets aside for marketing and sales people.  For everyday seating, custom upholstery is simply a better value all the way around.