Why Fitted Furniture?

August 24, 2023

Space is precious and optimising your home can make every difference to how you live. From under stair storage to built-in wardrobes, boot rooms to pantries, how we design our functional space matters.

Our team have seen a real boost in the number of clients rethinking their space and turning to bespoke cabinetry to do that in style. Integrating intuitive, user friendly design with unique finishes and materials can add value to a home and change an underused nook into a luxury home addition.

We work with our clients to design bespoke cabinetry from the big picture interior architecture right down to the drawer internals, appliances and finishes. We partner with outstanding carpenters and use beautiful materials to deliver exactly what our clients need and precisely what the space deserves. Here are a few of our bespoke furniture footnotes to guide you on your path to built-in joy.

Pantry Popularity

Kitchens are both the heart of the home and also a key design space. Finding ways to maximise space, keep clutter to a minimum and combine function with form has led to a welcome renaissance of the ‘pantry’. Pantries are the perfect space to hide away your countertop appliances, vases, and oversized items and to tuck them inside a well thought-out area. Whether you want to hide the dishes at your dinner party or create the perfect spot to store all your baking accessories, a pantry is where it’s at. And using a bespoke design is the key.

The beauty of a bespoke pantry is that you can choose every aspect. Would you like to combine display shelves with some hidden shelving? Do you prefer solid doors or glazed doors to show off your beautifully curated internal shelves? It doesn’t matter whether your ‘pantry’ is a walk-in space or a cleverly designed larder, whatever your needs, using a bespoke design and build will offer you the functionality that works for you, with the style and aesthetics you love.

Off the shelf or bespoke?

You can find off-the-shelf storage from a myriad of suppliers. And then there’s upcycling antiques and second-hand purchases. So why invest in bespoke cabinetry? For us, bespoke wins because it works for you. It is literally designed to do exactly what you need. No more squeezing things into too small spaces or stuffing suitcases onto the tops of wardrobes, your shelving and storage will do all the heavy lifting. Then there is the value-added by maximising your home in a tailor-made way. Unlike off-the-shelf, it avoids unsightly dust traps by making the most of the invaluable upper storage space in any room. And there is the personality available with bespoke, from finish to colour, handles to insets, your bespoke furniture is completely unique.

One of our favourite areas to ‘bespoke’ is the dressing room. Tailor-made storage from hanging to shelving, drawers to seasonal storage means that your space can be shown off to its best advantage and your clothing is stored exactly how you want it to be. Plus you can make use of every inch, integrating seating, built-in lighting, and a dressing table area to add all the wow factor.

Making small spaces sing

Small spaces can be tricky but integrating bespoke built-in furniture allows you to rethink this. Consider the space you have against your practical needs and find a way to marry the two. Space is always valuable and with house swapping and home improvements on the rise, we’re all focused on making the most of any free area.

Could you convert a corner nook into a writing desk or a utility space into a home office? What about building in extra storage under the stairs or optimising an entry hall wall by adding cloakroom functionality? The options are plentiful and working with a designer to properly think through the capabilities of your space is invaluable. From the materials to use to making everything accessible, the bespoke process will inevitably allow you to get more out of your home.

What's trending in bespoke?

We’re seeing a lot of Crittall doors being used in bespoke cabinets and units. They work beautifully if you’re comfortable for people to see into the space but if you want to disguise the contents you can always go for a fluted finish. Rattan is another popular material having an interiors’ moment, and brushed brass continues to be a strong choice in bespoke finishes. When it comes to colour we’re seeing a preference for hand-painting rather than sprayed finish. Hand painting offers a hard-wearing finish along with the elegance of real brush strokes.

There’s so much choice for surfaces but in our eyes marble and Quartzite continue to lead the way. Whether you’re finding the perfect material for a tailored bathroom vanitv or the waterfall wrap on a kitchen island, both offer beautiful veining and colours that are timeless and luxurious. We’d suggest creating a wish list of everything you want to use your storage for and then consider what materials will work best from there. Perhaps you want to have an open section and a closed section, perhaps you want to line the back of your glass cabinets with tiles, or keep everything hidden from sight? Once you know what you need, the fun part is bringing that to life.

Think timeline

Bespoke ticks every box for us but it’s important to have in mind a realistic timeline. Engage your designer first so that you can have floor plans and designs drawn up and you can get an idea of your budget and pricing projections. From there, your designer will work on furniture designs and layout and then work on the internals to make sure everything is configured properly. Good cabinet makers can be extremely in demand so allow for around 3 months for your project to be added into their schedule. Don’t underestimate lead times, and be clear on your preferences and requirements when you go to your cabinet maker. Having professional drawings from your designer will minimise mistakes and speed the process up.