The furniture we have in our houses is usually both practical and a reflection of our personal taste. It could be ultra modern with clean crisp lines and no visible handles or heavy traditional furniture made from English Oak or Mahogany and incorporating turnings and intricate mouldings.
Whatever your taste- if you just can’t find the ideal piece of furniture, incorporating the features that you want, the right timber or finish and often the most important pre- requisite- it actually fits- you either buy something and learn to live with it or have a custom piece made.
If you are having a bespoke piece made- consider carefully how you want the furniture to work for you. Does it need adjustable shelving, or glass doors, lighting, holes for cables or a special paint?(Remember any glass should be laminated or toughened) A drawing is always helpful or even some images from the internet. Give the company as much information as you can or the finished article may not live up to your expectations.
Here are some ideas.
1. For an ultra modern look- consider a unit which is attached to the wall and appears to “float” above the floor. Painted MDF is very popular as it is inexpensive and can be painted to blend in or stand out depending on the look required. Ironmongery can be chosen to complement existing and lighting in the form of LED strips can be utilised to provide interesting colour contrasts such as blue, pink or green.
2. If you have a more traditional property – some solid wood may be more in keeping. Oak has always been very popular, as is Mahogany and both Beech and Maple. American Black Walnut is also becoming fashionable and once you see the timber lacquered and sat in situ- there is no comparison. Shop around and ask for samples before choosing.Think also about the scale of the item- it doesn’t want to be top heavy or it might fall over and it will look out of balance. Will it need feet or legs or just be sat directly on the floor?
Also decide on the size of the unit and whether it needs to be made in separate pieces so that it will actually fit into the house. You don’t want to discover that the unit won’t fit upstairs or through a regular doorway on delivery day!
Above all- be sure exactly what you want and make sure the company understands your specific needs.
Thanks,
Gordon
