Custom Furniture – Birth of a Bench

If you’ve spent any time with me – by now you know that I’ve said that civilians see what’s there; designers see what’s possible. Like this bench. I saw it in my head but could not find it anywhere. The answer – build it ourselves.

THE PROJECT:  A master bedroom sanctuary for a downsizing client. Window drapery budget was swapped for a custom bedding budget and a great bench at the foot of the bed.

THE NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK BENCH:  Because the drapery budget disappeared, we instead opted for less costly but beautifully classic plantation shutters. Because of this, I felt strongly that the bedroom needed more fabric and soft fullness in it so the upholstered bench made sense functionally as well as aesthetically.  (strategy!). I wanted a curved bench to echo an arch that appeared throughout this home’s architecture, (strategy again). I wanted a fabric that would marry the open floor plan color palette of vanilla, butter and celery for this first floor master bedroom (more strategy); I wanted a single button tufted bench (signature flourish – ok, a kind of strategy), with an exposed tapered wood leg so we could catch a little air around the piece since all of the other furniture in the room had so much mass.  Now…find that bench. But as they say in Paris….Fah-get-about-it. It didn’t exist.

We began here – with my rough sketch.

And here with the fabric:

Client loved the concept and fabric choice.

Our custom workroom began with a pattern. (yes…just like a dress…)

The framer got to framing and the upholsterer – when ready – got to upholstering.

The result is here…at the foot of this marvelous 4 poster bed that my client already owned.

The tips to great Custom Furniture Design?

1)Great Planning (strategy, strategy, strategy)
2)Great Design (more strategy – ok, mixed with skill and talent)
3)Great Team (I love my team!)

Great clients don’t hurt either…the ones that let a designer…design…on their behalf of course. We love our clients…and I must say…this bench isn’t bad either. An IDH original…