Three Custom Items For Your Home That Are Worth Considering

What comes to your mind when you hear the word custom? Should you consider custom items for your home? I often see clients eliminating anything custom as a viable option because they assume it will be cost prohibitive or too complicated.  But this is not necessarily the case. Even though we live in a click, buy, get-it-tomorrow retail culture, custom decor can be well worth the investment and can even save you some time and frustration when decorating your own home. 

In this blog post you’ll learn:

• What is custom decor, anyway?!
• Which custom items are definitely worth considering
• How choosing custom options can save you time when designing your own space

What Is Custom Decor, Anyway?!

Here’s my definition:

Significantly expanded control over structure, size, fabric and finish of a particular piece that produces a unique combination that can’t be found anywhere else.

Examples are:

• Decorative pillows designed to your fabric, trim, size and style specifications
• Upholstery pieces (sofas, lounge chairs, dining chairs, benches, etc) designed to your fabric, trim and finish specifications
• Cabinetry designed to your finish, style, size, and storage options specifications.

One of the reasons you see such a difference in the spaces in interior design magazines compared to what you are able to create yourself, is that most of the details in a designer’s space are custom…. This is one reason why we are able to create looks that you don’t see in the homes of others.  They are unique, one of a kind because the rooms in these photos aren’t limited by what is available in ready-made form. 

Think about it this way… What would an artist be able to create with just blue and yellow paint?  And what would he/she be able to create with blue, yellow, red, black and white paint?  In interior design, choosing custom options opens of the possibilities of what you can create.

Custom Items For Your Home to Consider Investing In:

1. Custom Pillows

You can create custom pillows by purchasing fabric and trim and having a local sewer make your pillow in the exact size and style you want.

Why It’s Worth Considering:

• I almost always use 22” – 24” pillows.  Retail pillows typically are on the small end (17-18”). Larger pillows look so much better, and I usually size them around 22”-24” 
• On the other hand, if you need a small pillow for a small scale chair, you can get exactly the size you need.
• You can choose the exact pattern and color that works best with your design. 
• Want a solid flange, fringe or tape trim accent?  You can choose any you want to give your pillow a one-of-a-kind look. 

2. Custom Upholstery

I often see social media posts about designs that have been found online, and the poster is asking if anyone knows where to buy a particular chair or sofa.  In almost all cases, these items are custom…you can’t find them via a standard Google search. With custom upholstery, the style/frame of the piece is selected and then the upholstery fabric and finish are chosen.  

Why It’s Worth Considering:

• Retail sites such as Pottery Barn, Ballard Designs, and Williams Sonoma Home offer a very limited fabric selection.  But higher end furniture manufacturers offer much better quality and the option of adding any fabric you want to their pieces.  (i.e. the fabric can come from absolutely anywhere!)
• The option to add your own fabric selection is called C.O.M. and stands for “Customer’s Own Material.” 
• The price point may not be as different as you might think and the quality will be significantly better, so it’s totally worth exploring custom upholstery.  

3. Custom Bath Vanities 

While most people consider custom (or semi-custom) cabinetry for their kitchens, I’ve found that many look for retail/ready-made options when it comes to bath vanities.  But opting for a custom vanity save a ton of time when designing a bathroom

Why It’s Worth Considering:

• You have complete control over your cabinet finish, which is important when you’re trying to coordinate multiple shower tile and flooring finishes.
• You have complete control over your cabinet storage features. This can be especially important when designing a bathroom used by more than one person.

Why Choosing Custom Items For Your Home Can End Up Saving You Time

It can be extremely challenging and time consuming to find exactly what you want when you’re selecting from limited options. You might spend hours searching for just the right pillow color and pattern, only to realize when find it that it’s not the right size or quality. Or maybe you find the exact style chair you want, but the fabric color it’s available in is just a little off. Choosing to go custom gives you much more control and ability to get exactly what you want without spending tons of extra time searching for it.

     If you need help creating a custom piece of any type, I can help you design and source it.  Book a discovery call here to discuss your project and determine which of my design services will be a perfect fit for you.