Custom made to order Furniture is different than mass produced imported Furniture. There are a number of reasons as to why the cost is significantly more. It comes down to the quality. Custom Bench made furniture is constructed in a different method, the quality of the Construction, the Quality of the materials that comprise the piece, the number of steps the piece must go through to complete the construction of the item. The variables and differences are numerous, the quality of the stitching on an upholstered piece, the matching of the pattern and details that make a quality investment piece just takes more time than a typical mass produced item. The extensive labor involved in the process also has effect of the item. If the fabric is a in-graded fabric or a COM (Customers Own Material).
Casegood Production also has multiple steps involved in the construction and finishing of the piece. If the item for example is a "Lacquered" item with exotic veneers there are countless hours involved in the completion of the finishing of the item, often multiple stages of Hand Finishing to achieve a High Gloss flawless appearance. If it is a piece made with a distressed or antique finish the same holds true as well. The quality of the core item also takes precedence as well. It starts with quality wood, often sourced from specific suppliers, harvested from protected Forest. Kiln-dried to assure that the piece doesn't split or become a problem in the future. If the item is hand carved also this step requires the skillful hands of artisans that work on a item for weeks before it leaves that department. All of these steps effect the price of the Item. Many manufacturers supplement their product lines in an effort to control cost by importing some items offered in their collection with pieces that are premade and upon the factory it is finished in the US factory according to the finish selection made. This offering helps control the cost of the item in order to make available a more moderately priced item.
Often when making a higher priced selection, depending upon the Client, I offer the ability to implement a Antique piece or vintage sourced element into the Design. What this offers is the ability of shop for a important piece in the Design which enables a item that has major influence into the Design and find something that has been meticulously maintained on the secondary market. These items offer value and don't compromise the integrity of the overall Design. To reproduce a item in this classification it would be often triple the cost of the same or similar item in todays economy. Knowing the integrity of the item is key in finding a well preserved Antique or Vintage piece but it has gained a lot of possibilities due to a changing market where the demand on high quality furniture is not as robust as in prior periods.
Often where the Interior Designer gets unnecessarily caught up with Price "Comparison Shopping" is the customer not understanding how the process occurs. The submission of the order is just one aspect. The tracking of the item takes multiple steps to follow the process from order entry through production into final preparation for shipping. The coordination and number of emails and phone calls to assure the item is moving through the multiple phases of completion are endless. Where the Sale of a specific item has a singular Price the amount of time that is also expended is often not recognized. The arrangement for Transportation also is another area that requires multiple steps, it must be shipped via a Common Carrier in most cases, then it goes to a Local Receiver, where the item is inspected for any inbound freight damage. If the item is received in flawless condition then it is coordinated with the Local receiver for delivery to the residence. Upon the arrival of the item, in most cases the Designer meets the delivery, inspects the item and makes sure the placement of the item is in accordance with the final Plan. Often depending upon your arrangement contractually with your Designer this time is either billable or it is covered by the cost of the item. The difference between Cost in most cases vs the Selling price of the item.
The importance of a strong working relationship with your Client or Designer is key to the project success. The Designers multiple level's of expertise in the marketplace is limitless. Knowing the resources that they have to complete a comprehensive executed project requires experience, pulling from a variety of resources, shopping for quality, value and timing is critical to complete the process. Designers are not only gifted problem solvers spatially but also in execution, often saving the Clients thousands of dollars in making the right selections or sourcing from the right vendors after having all the market research at their disposal.
image provided by Francisco Molon - Giemme.
