So I wanted to talk to you today about storage and more. About how to really make the most of your home. About how thinking creatively can really reap rewards for you. About how you can make your home work that bit harder for you.
Now it may come from living in lots of Victorian flats and houses over the years, or even my obsession with tidying things away (out of sight is out of mind) but storage (and I mean really well-designed storage) is one of my favourite things in a home. And that's where bespoke joinery comes in...
So, unless you are blessed with a perfect new build we will all come across a wonky wall or awkward space in our time and that’s were bespoke joinery and furniture comes in to its own. By designing well you can build something that is both unique and hard working for the space you have.
The word bespoke gets thrown around a lot these days, and its meaning can easily be confused. Many people refer to handmade furniture as bespoke, but this is not always the case. So what does bespoke really mean?
bespoke /bɪˈspəʊk/ adjective BRITISH
made for a particular customer or user.
For furniture to be bespoke, it must be custom made for you only. It should be designed specifically to meet your needs and should look exactly how you want it to. And that’s where the fun starts!
But furniture made bespoke – that’ll be so expensive won’t it? Not necessarily in the long term. There are some key things to think about when debating whether to find a freestanding piece or go down the bespoke carpentry route, so here we go…
The perfect fit
Bespoke joinery can make any awkward space super functional. Even if you’re working with a completely square room, it can be tough to find flat-pack furniture that fits perfectly. You will be able to make awkward angles or unused niches work for you and ensure every inch of space is able to be used in your home.
By incorporating intelligent design thinking you can look at adding in space saving and clever design features such as drop down desks or room dividers to really improve the function of the space. That's where a designer comes in. They can consider how you will be using the space and what is needed to make the joinery improve how you live your lives in the space. Or focus on how you socialise at home with multi-functional seating and storage or hidden bars for those cocktail making nights.
Make it unique
There are so many options out there these days for furniture in an ever-growing range of styles; and it’s easy to find cheap, inexpensive items of furniture which is fantastic.
But take it from someone who has been there, they don’t always last, and you can end up buying twice which is pretty frustrating!
By getting something designed for you, you have the advantage of ensuring it perfectly fits your needs, whether this is down to maximising storage space or complementing existing furniture or giving a nod to the period of the property. It's all about working with the space available whilst making your life easier. And with more and more of us living and working at home we need to find ways of zoning off spaces, so we don't go to bed still feeling like we are in the office.
When commissioning bespoke furniture, you should also be able to decide what materials it’s made from. Perhaps you want a chair that’s upholstered in a fabric with the same print as your curtains, or you might be interested in having a cabinet made from a particular type and shade of wood.
You may not always find exactly what you’re looking for in a shop or online, but a designer will be able to help you achieve the specific look you’re going for. This way you can ensure you make the space flow well and feel like a unified plan rather than a mismatch of furniture styles. They will also have a little black book of fabulous joiners who they know will produce the perfect piece from your designs.
An investment
When you invest in bespoke joinery, you can guarantee that the fit, finish and craftsmanship are far superior to off-the-shelf-solutions. I hear you shout 'expensive' again right?
With modern machinery and an extensive range of modern materials, bespoke pricing is now very competitive so it is definitely worth considering. You are in control of what materials to use and how to make tweaks to the design to fit within your own budget. And it will always add value to your home when done well.
As this process is bespoke to you then it means you get to set your budget from the start. Working with a designer/joiner means you can find ways to make that perfect piece of furniture at the cost you can afford that is functional and creative too.
Clever storage solutions, a unique table, a stunning staircase…these features will all add a wow factor to your home that also enhances the living space and adds value to your property in the long term.
Customised joinery looks professional and expensive too, it will be an investment that lasts a lifetime. Not only that it will improve the way you live in your home with a perfect place for everything whilst maximising every nook and cranny! What's not to love?
Refreshing existing pieces can have distinct cost advantages as well. So rather than ripping out some alcove shelving why not re-purpose them with doors to create cupboards.
After all, why go to unnecessary expense when, with some judicious joinery, it may be possible to preserve what’s already in place. So by adding new doors to those existing carcasses or re-purposing a loved but worn heirloom, you can give furniture a new life too.
Made to measure furniture also never goes out of style. The classic designs and custom fit means you’ll never want to replace it, making it the perfect long-term investment.
Sustainability forever more
I’m a huge advocate for buying bespoke British furniture because there are a whole host of benefits to doing so from boosting the local economy, keeping traditional crafts alive to reducing the size of your carbon footprint.
So buying bespoke furniture fits the bill perfectly if you want sustainably produced, environmentally friendly furniture.
Your custom furniture can be made with any materials you choose, so you can opt for local, sustainably sourced materials which benefit the environment, unlike their mass-produced counterparts.
And as climate change is becoming an increasingly pressing issue, we all need to be doing everything we can to look after the environment.
So if you have an awkward space that you don’t know what to do with or a home lacking in storage, drop me a line today.
Photo Credits: DEN LIFE interiors, Studio Wok, Seasons in Colour.
If you are looking for someone to support you through your next interior update then get in touch for a chat at tor@denlife.co.uk
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