Commissioning your own bespoke furniture can be a creative, fulfilling and rewarding process in itself. This is your opportunity to put your own personal stamp on a piece that may be in your family for generations to come. The whole process of turning a

need into an idea, an idea into a design and a design into a finished piece of craftsmanship is a fascinating one. For the client, it’s a rare opportunity to glimpse a snapshot into this ancient traditional craft. For the craftsman, it’s an opportunity to test his skills in a new theatre. The whole process will add value and character to the piece you’re so desperately keen to get.

The concept is born. The client has an idea in their head. In most cases this concept will differ in terms of final look and design. Perhaps you need something to match the existing period furniture, or it might be a piece of furniture that has a contemporary function but within a period setting. When the furniture maker visits this is your opportunity to establish that concept. Produce sketches, pictures or anything that will support your vision, or leave it to the professional to produce a look befitting of your home.

The furniture maker will carefully listen, probe and discover where you are going with the piece before going back to the workshop and drawing up a 3D interactive image detailing every dovetail, cornice and joint.

Discuss the commission

In broad terms, how long is a piece of string? The commission is probably most difficult to quantify when your ideas are at a very early stage. But it’s right that both parties discuss this issue very early on in the process. This can save a lot of time and potential embarrassment. Once designs have been drawn the maker will be able to quantify more accurately commission rates.

The 3D interactive concept

The furniture maker will work in close partnership with the client to ensure the concept design is absolutely correct to their liking. The 3D interactive design is so real like that this process should almost certainly eliminate any area of fault.

How long will it take?

In most cases furniture can be produced within six/eight weeks, but this does depend hugely on the piece being commissioned, the client and the current workload at the workshop.