When you find the perfect sofa, it feels just like that first time you saw your favorite actor’s face on the screen…you fall in love.
Maybe the shape of your perfect sofa is totally timeless…or the fabric is the softest you’ve ever touched…when you sit down, you sink in and wonder if you’ll ever be able to get up!!
Then, you’re about to order it, and that’s when you realize…the dimensions are OFF. Not by lot, but it’s just enough that the sofa will throw your whole room off. If it’s too big, it ends up blocking a doorway…If it’s too small, it leaves an awkward gap…
Now your perfect sofa isn’t so perfect.
Cue: custom furniture.
The Real Reasons Why Homeowners Go Custom
Some homeowners settle for that sofa even after they realize it’s less-than-perfect. They really did fall in love…but when they commit, they accept the problems it brings into their homes.
Most people think “luxury” when we talk about custom furniture. And, yes, it is a luxury option. BUT it’s also a practical one.
If there isn’t a ready-made furniture piece that fits your space, or your look, or your perfect combination of performance fabric and style, here are the top reasons why homeowners really go custom. It isn’t just about luxury!!
- Finding the perfect fit – If you have a room with a tricky corner or an awkwardly placed window, or don’t know how to furnish that too-narrow hallway, custom furniture is designed to fit your space, not the other way around.
- Truly unmatched quality – Custom pieces are built to last, too, using better materials and superior craftsmanship. Mass-produced options will never compare. Some homeowners go custom just to make their investment last longer…
- Unique style – Why settle for something that thousands of other people have in their homes?! Custom furniture ensures your space reflects YOU…and that’s something no one can imitate.
- Functionality – Want added hidden storage? A specific seat depth?! Custom means you get everything you’re willing to dream up.
- Heirloom potential – Custom furniture isn’t just built for you…it’s built as a legacy that will be handed down to your kids or grandkids someday.
An Added Reason: Some Brands Only Do Custom
There’s a whole WORLD of manufacturers who only do make-to-order furniture, too. This is true of some of the best cabinet makers as well. These are the manufacturers that don’t have warehouses filled with inventory…they invest instead in design talent and top-of-line craftsmanship, which ultimately set their products WAY apart.
Custom Bench designed by Robin Burrill for Charleston Forge
Brands like Charleston Forge and Woodbridge don’t just sell furniture, they sell what amounts to lifestyle art for your home. And yours only.
There are also brands like H2 Seating that offer DOZENS of unique materials, heights, and features of furniture that you can mix and match, which is an even simpler form of customizing.
When you build custom furniture pieces, you get to choose your combinations of the exact wood types, finishes, fabrics, and dimensions…every detail is tailored. Imagine a dining room table that not only fits your space, for example, but complements your flooring…and offers a stunning silhouette that speaks to your personal style. THAT’S the kind of Loving Your HomeTM that, once you’ve experienced it, becomes hard to live without!!
Upholstery: The Custom Advantage
If you’ve ever loved a pair of pants but wished it came in a different color or fabric, you should know that the same thing could happen with a piece of furniture!!
When it comes to custom upholstery, by the way, the possibilities go way beyond unique colors and patterns.
Custom upholstery also lets you embrace more exciting textiles today…and you have performance fabrics to thank! You can go with performance fabric versions of lush velvets, silky jewel tones, and YOUR pick of the bold, maximalist, and botanical prints trending now.
It’s important to know what’s out there in performance fabrics, because now they’re redefining your options in custom furniture. You have, among others:
- Olefin – one of the highest-performing performance fabrics. It’s used to imitate many fabrics and textures.
- Polyester – another easy-to-clean performance fabric option. It resists moisture and stretching, making it great for fabrics people sit on!!
- Nylon – it isn’t just for stockings. This is also woven into a stretch-resistant performance fabric that fights abrasion.
- Suede – performance suede brings a touch of elegance, especially as it ages and acquires more character.
What It Feels Like to Go Custom
If you work with a professional interior designer (like me), that designer explores your needs and studies your space to create the perfect specifications for your custom furniture. Then we coordinate the work with the manufacturer for you.
Imagine sitting down with me over coffee, flipping through fabric swatches, running your fingers over wood samples…you visualize how each choice might look in yourhome. I talk to you about the maintenance of each option, and how long each material will look and act a certain way. Together, we create something uniquely yours.
Beyond the look, of course, I also guide you on the crucial details—height, width, cushion firmness, seat depth—so everything is “just right.”
Once you experience this level of personalization, it’s hard to go back! You’re not buying furniture. You’re creating a legacy. Something made for you. Something that feels WORTH having.
Key Lifestyle Benefits of Custom Furniture
Maybe I’ve said enough…but I really want to drive home that custom furniture is NOT just about aesthetics.
It changes how you live in your home.
Custom furniture is about living better, feeling more at home, and surrounding yourself with selections that aren’t just “things.” They bring you Return on EnjoymentTM. They become part of your story. And then…you’ll never look at showroom furniture the same way again.
It’s about living better and feeling more at home. And once you’ve experienced that? You’ll never look at showroom furniture the same way again.
See some of my favorite customizations in furniture, cabinetry, lighting, and more on my Instagram profile!!
About the author:
Robin Burrill, RID, NCIDQ, ASID, IDS, CAPS, is an award-winning professional kitchen, bath, and interior designer. Robin and her husband, Robert Mathews, have owned Signature Home Services, Inc. for nearly three decades, establishing a superior in-house team with a widespread reputation for delivering meticulous design to their many repeat clients.
In 2022, the national publication, Kitchen and Bath Design News magazine, named Robin to their Top Innovator list in recognition of her achievements in the field of kitchen and bath design. In 2024, she was named one of the Fall 2024 Market Pros and “tastemakers” by ANDMORE at High Point Market. Also in 2024, Fixr identified her as one of the Top Professional Interior Designers for their nationwide audience. At the start of 2025, she then acted as one of Dallas Market’s “Style Eyes” at Lightovation and Total Home & Gift Market.
Over her extensive career, Robin has been quoted in Architectural Digest and Forbes multiple times; her design work has been featured in top national trade publications; and she has been interviewed for Designers Today magazine’s “Profiles in Design” video series, among others. Widely respected for the depth of her knowledge, Robin is a sought after speaker and judge for many design industry events.
In 2023, Robin designed a bench for Charleston Forge, making her foray into product design. Robin currently serves as a volunteer on the board of the Dallas/Ft. Worth chapter of the Interior Design Society.
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