Commissioning Custom Furniture: What to Expect from a Small Family Wood Studio
The short answer
Commissioning custom furniture means working directly with a maker to design and build a one-of-a-kind piece for a specific space, use, and timeline.
Custom furniture is for people who want something made for their space, are willing to wait for it, and care about how an object is made and how it will live with them over time. It is not for people who need something fast, inexpensive, or easily replaced.
Dovetails & Stitches is a small family wood studio that designs and builds custom furniture to order, one piece at a time. We work with people who value craftsmanship, honest materials, and furniture meant to be lived with for many years.
This page is here to explain what the process actually looks like so you can decide whether custom furniture is the right fit for you.
Who custom furniture is for (and who it isn’t)
Custom furniture tends to be a good fit if you:
- Have a specific space or problem that off-the-shelf furniture doesn’t quite solve, often because dimensions, layout, or use don’t match standard pieces
- Care about materials, proportion, and longevity, and notice the difference between something made to last and something made to sell quickly
- Enjoy collaborating and making thoughtful decisions up front, rather than choosing from fixed options
- Are comfortable waiting for something made well, knowing that time is part of what allows the work to hold up over years of use
- Plan to keep the piece, rather than replacing it as styles or needs change
Custom furniture is usually not a good fit if you:
- Need something immediately, or have a deadline that can’t move
- Are shopping primarily on price, rather than value over time
- Expect unlimited revisions late in the process, after materials and construction are already underway
- Want factory speed or perfect uniformity, rather than the variation that comes with real materials
- Prefer to hand off decisions without much discussion, rather than being part of the process
There’s nothing wrong with either set of needs. They’re simply different paths.
How the process actually works
Every project starts with a conversation. Most of the time, it begins with someone describing a space that almost works, and a piece of furniture they’ve looked for but haven’t quite been able to find.
We talk about how the piece will be used, where it will live, and what matters most to you. Size constraints, storage needs, materials, finishes, and general style direction all come into that first discussion.
From there, we clarify the design together. That may involve sketches, reference images, or written descriptions rather than formal drawings, depending on the project. We aim for clarity early so there are no surprises later.
Once the design and scope are set, the piece is scheduled and built in our studio. We don’t batch custom work. Each piece is built individually, with attention to the details that matter when something is made once instead of thousands of times.
Timeline realities
Custom furniture takes time, not because the work is slow, but because the steps that make a piece last are the same steps that can’t be rushed without showing later.
Most projects take several weeks to several months, depending on complexity, material availability, and what is already in progress in the studio. Finishes need time to cure. Wood needs time to settle. Rushing those steps usually shows later.
If you have a specific date in mind, it’s important to talk about that early so we can be honest about what’s possible.
Costs and tradeoffs
Cost realities
Custom furniture costs more than mass-produced furniture because it replaces repetition with decision-making. Each choice is made once, for one piece, instead of amortized across thousands.
Materials are higher quality. Labor is hands-on. Each piece involves problem-solving, fitting, and finishing that can’t be automated. You’re paying for time, experience, and care.
Once the scope is clear, we provide straightforward pricing ranges. There are no hidden fees, but costs can change if the design or materials change.
If budget is the primary concern, ready-made furniture is often the better choice.
Design collaboration, not dictation
The best custom work happens when the process feels collaborative. That usually means talking through how the piece will actually be used, not just how it should look in a photo.
You bring how you live, what you need, and what you’re drawn to. We bring experience with proportion, materials, and construction. Decisions are made together, early, so the build itself can be calm and focused.
We’re not a factory executing templates, and we’re not guessing in isolation. Clear communication on both sides leads to the best results.
Materials and tradeoffs
We primarily work with solid hardwoods and traditional joinery where it makes sense.
Every material choice comes with tradeoffs. Wood moves. Grain varies. Some species are more stable, others more expressive. Some finishes age quietly, others show wear more honestly.
Part of our role is helping you understand those tradeoffs so the choices feel intentional, not accidental.
Is custom furniture the right choice?
What makes a small studio different from a factory
Working with a small studio means:
- Direct communication with the people building your piece, not intermediaries
- Flexibility in sizing and design, especially for spaces that don’t follow standard dimensions
- Attention to details that don’t scale well, and matter in daily use
- Accountability from start to finish, because the same hands are involved throughout
It also means:
- Limited capacity, since only so much work can be done well at one time
- Longer lead times, because quality isn’t rushed
- Fewer shortcuts, even when they would be faster
Neither approach is better in every situation. They simply serve different goals.
When custom furniture is worth it
Custom furniture is often worth it when:
- A space has constraints standard furniture doesn’t address, such as size, layout, or use
- The piece will be used daily for many years, not treated as temporary
- Durability matters more than trends, and you want something that ages rather than expires
- The object has personal or functional significance, beyond filling a gap
When it probably isn’t
Custom furniture may not be the right choice when:
- The piece is temporary, or meant to solve a short-term need
- The timeline is tight, with little flexibility
- The budget is constrained, and value over time isn’t the priority
- A suitable option already exists off the shelf, without meaningful compromise
Choosing custom works best when it aligns with how you live and what you value. This page is part of our broader approach to custom furniture, which focuses on how pieces are designed, built, and lived with over time.
A final note
If you’ve read through this and feel aligned with how we work, you can learn more about our custom furniture or reach out to start a conversation. We’re always happy to talk through whether a project makes sense before anyone commits to anything.
Custom furniture should feel intentional, unhurried, and honest from the start.
Reach out to start a conversation → Contact page