The whole-home custom furniture process, step by step
As more homeowners want a home that fits the way they live, more of them are choosing custom furniture for the whole home. The process generally runs in three stages: design, construction, and installation.
Stage one: design
The design stage covers settling on a style, measuring the rooms, and setting a budget. It pays to think everything through here. Changing your mind later means starting over, and that costs both time and money.
1. Choose a style
Settling on a style is the first step in the design.
If you want something simple and current, modern minimalist is a good fit. Clean lines and bright colors make a home feel relaxed and easy to live in.
If you prefer a quiet, understated kind of luxury, consider the light-luxury style that has become popular in recent years. It looks polished and upmarket without being loud, and its design language suits younger tastes.
If you like European styling but do not want anything too ornate, a simplified European look brings that character into the home in a lighter, more modern way, with a relaxed, romantic feel.
2. Measure and design
Next, a designer from the nearest showroom visits to measure the rooms, so the design is done one to one for your home. The designer then works from your preferred style, your family's habits, the size and layout of each room and the position of plumbing and electrical outlets to draw up a preliminary plan.
3. Set a budget
Renovation costs generally fall into four buckets: basic plumbing and electrical work, wall finishes and floor tile, furniture, and appliances. The plumbing and electrical work is usually handled by a professional crew and the price does not vary much. The other three should follow the designer's plan.
On materials, if the budget allows, you can go for sintered stone countertops and natural solid wood door panels. For a more economical build, solid wood particleboard, quartz countertops and similar materials do the job well. On functional hardware, corner pull-out baskets and pull-down baskets make cabinet space much more usable.
Stage two: construction
Construction covers plumbing, electrical, masonry and tile. The crew does the work, but you should know enough to avoid being taken for a ride. Confirm the positions of switches, the number of outlets and any rerouting of pipes and wiring before the walls are closed up. Once the concrete is poured and the ceiling is sealed, changes are very hard to make.
Anywhere water is used, such as bathrooms, the kitchen and balconies, needs a waterproofing layer. If it leaks, you are not the only one who suffers: the neighbors below do too, and you end up paying for repairs and dealing with a strained relationship.
Stage three: installation
Installation covers kitchen cabinets, wardrobes and other furniture, lighting and bathroom fixtures. Inspect everything when it is delivered and before it is installed. If something is wrong, send it back to the supplier right away rather than arguing about it later. During installation, lay newspaper or a dust sheet on the floor to make cleanup easier.
After installation, do a final walk-through. Check that furniture surfaces are flat, handles are firmly attached, and hardware such as hinges and slides moves smoothly without unusual noise. These checks are not fixed; adjust them to your own home.