How Bespoke Furniture Can Solve Your Design Problems
Some of our Houzz pros share their custom-made furniture, fittings and features that solved design problems
Rebecca Gross
26 November 2016
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design, and I study cultural history through the lens of architecture, design and visual culture. I have a Masters in the History of Decorative Arts and Design from Parsons The New School for Design, New York. My latest book is called "Ornament is not a crime: Contemporary Interiors with a postmodern twist."
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design,... More
When it comes to designing or furnishing a home, you’ll often have a vision of what you want your furniture and fittings to be. But what happens when you just can’t find what you’re looking for? One of the best solutions is to go bespoke and commission furniture with custom-made features. Whether it’s to suit size, colour, scale, function or aesthetic, a custom-built, one-of-a-kind fitting or furnishing can combine both the functionality and wow factor you’re looking for. Here’s how some Houzz professionals solved their clients’ design challenges.
1. Built-in shelving
What was made: This wall of joinery houses shelves, drawers and cupboards, all handcrafted from reclaimed or ethically sourced Australian timber and veneer.
Why it was needed: The client wanted to maximise storage space, but the mono-pitched ceiling made it difficult to find standardised storage units to fit the wall. “They had a very clear vision of what they wanted,” says Jack Auld of Auld Design who designed and made the joinery unit. “They liked a mid-century feel but wanted to modernise it, and they like gadgets.”
How it was achieved: Auld and his client settled on a two-tone colour palette with white and ash wood, used a combination of triangle and rectangular cupboards, and added different mechanisms to the doors. “The bottom ones are push-to-open drawers, the doors in the middle section slide upwards, and top doors are push-to-flip,” Auld explains.
What was made: This wall of joinery houses shelves, drawers and cupboards, all handcrafted from reclaimed or ethically sourced Australian timber and veneer.
Why it was needed: The client wanted to maximise storage space, but the mono-pitched ceiling made it difficult to find standardised storage units to fit the wall. “They had a very clear vision of what they wanted,” says Jack Auld of Auld Design who designed and made the joinery unit. “They liked a mid-century feel but wanted to modernise it, and they like gadgets.”
How it was achieved: Auld and his client settled on a two-tone colour palette with white and ash wood, used a combination of triangle and rectangular cupboards, and added different mechanisms to the doors. “The bottom ones are push-to-open drawers, the doors in the middle section slide upwards, and top doors are push-to-flip,” Auld explains.
2. Built-in sofa
What was made: A timber and velvet sofa is built into the space under the stairs in this award-winning New Zealand home.
Why it was needed: “We tossed up between a firebox or a built-in sofa, and the sofa won,” says Julian Mitchell of Mitchell & Stout Architects. “The sofa is built into an area under the stairs that would otherwise be unused.”
The solution: The comfortable and quite luxurious piece is sculpted around the plasterboard-lined stair and a discreet shelf wraps from one arm of the sofa, around the back, and then around the wall to the other side.
What to build under the stairs
What was made: A timber and velvet sofa is built into the space under the stairs in this award-winning New Zealand home.
Why it was needed: “We tossed up between a firebox or a built-in sofa, and the sofa won,” says Julian Mitchell of Mitchell & Stout Architects. “The sofa is built into an area under the stairs that would otherwise be unused.”
The solution: The comfortable and quite luxurious piece is sculpted around the plasterboard-lined stair and a discreet shelf wraps from one arm of the sofa, around the back, and then around the wall to the other side.
What to build under the stairs
3. Dining table
What was made: This custom-designed dining table not only extends, but it uses an infrared remote control system to do so.
Why it was needed: “The table was designed to give our clients more space and to extend to accommodate guests when needed, or to become a buffet area for serving food,” says Darren Genner of Minosa Design.
What was made: This custom-designed dining table not only extends, but it uses an infrared remote control system to do so.
Why it was needed: “The table was designed to give our clients more space and to extend to accommodate guests when needed, or to become a buffet area for serving food,” says Darren Genner of Minosa Design.
How it was achieved: The Carrara marble table is integrated into the kitchen island unit. It seats eight when closed, and up to 12 when extended another 800 millimetres. “The client wanted an automated table so we used an infrared remote control system normally used for pop-up plasma televisions in entertainment units,” Genner explains. “The stainless steel frame was engineered to take the load of the marble top and to house the mechanics of this system.”
4. Bathroom mirror
What was made: This circular mirror was designed specifically for this bathroom.
Why it was needed: “The mirror had to be part of a larger design language that focused on a Japanese style, with its round shape relating to that of the stone basin beneath it,” says Andrea D’Cruz of D’Cruz Design Group.
How it was achieved: The mirror itself is split down the middle with two doors opening to storage behind.
Mirrors that are worth a second look
What was made: This circular mirror was designed specifically for this bathroom.
Why it was needed: “The mirror had to be part of a larger design language that focused on a Japanese style, with its round shape relating to that of the stone basin beneath it,” says Andrea D’Cruz of D’Cruz Design Group.
How it was achieved: The mirror itself is split down the middle with two doors opening to storage behind.
Mirrors that are worth a second look
5. Wall light
What was made: Antony Martin of MRTN Architects designed this stunning brass wall light specifically for this dining space.
Why it was needed: “The main consideration for the light was that the room has no downlights,” says Martin. “All other lighting is derived from a perimeter LED that up-lights the cedar ceiling. We thought, however, that a specific light was required to provide some atmosphere and additional lighting to the dining table.”
How it was achieved: It has a pivoting arm that illuminates the timber dining table, while also adding interest to the otherwise unadorned wall.
What was made: Antony Martin of MRTN Architects designed this stunning brass wall light specifically for this dining space.
Why it was needed: “The main consideration for the light was that the room has no downlights,” says Martin. “All other lighting is derived from a perimeter LED that up-lights the cedar ceiling. We thought, however, that a specific light was required to provide some atmosphere and additional lighting to the dining table.”
How it was achieved: It has a pivoting arm that illuminates the timber dining table, while also adding interest to the otherwise unadorned wall.
Not wanting to disrupt the cedar ceiling with a pendant, and not finding anything suitable on the market, Martin proposed to design a fixture specifically for the space. “The arm of the light references the triangular forms in the roof and ceiling, and we fabricated the light out of plate brass as the warm golden colour worked well to soften the concrete block and to complement the cedar,” Martin says.
6. Joinery unit
What was made: Clever joinery disguises the client’s tools, instruments and machines while providing a visually interesting and harmonious unit.
Why it was needed: “The brief was to design a joinery unit within an existing living room that accommodates the clients’ hobbies: his drum kit, her sewing machine and their art and books,” says Fiona Dunin of FMD Architects.
How it was achieved: The unit was made from fine-grained blonde timber and features bi-folding doors. And when closed and not in use, the timber unit adds character and warmth to the neutral space.
What was made: Clever joinery disguises the client’s tools, instruments and machines while providing a visually interesting and harmonious unit.
Why it was needed: “The brief was to design a joinery unit within an existing living room that accommodates the clients’ hobbies: his drum kit, her sewing machine and their art and books,” says Fiona Dunin of FMD Architects.
How it was achieved: The unit was made from fine-grained blonde timber and features bi-folding doors. And when closed and not in use, the timber unit adds character and warmth to the neutral space.
7. Pendant light
What was made: This handblown glass lighting fixture is custom designed and made. It’s design was inspired by contemporary Venetian glass chandeliers the homeowners saw and fell in love with on a trip to Italy.
Why it was needed: The double-height space of this living room presented something of a challenge when it came to finding lighting to suit the scale of the space. Tasked with a brief to “find something elegant and contemporary and appropriate to the size,” architect Daniel Marshall proposed a concept of a cascade of glass and light.
“Conceptually we liked the idea of a series of handblown glass balls that spiralled down into the space, with the treatment of the glass reflecting the materiality of the house itself,” Marshall says. “I have always loved the purity of spheres and we played around a lot with various grey tints and mirroring the inside of some of the balls.”
What was made: This handblown glass lighting fixture is custom designed and made. It’s design was inspired by contemporary Venetian glass chandeliers the homeowners saw and fell in love with on a trip to Italy.
Why it was needed: The double-height space of this living room presented something of a challenge when it came to finding lighting to suit the scale of the space. Tasked with a brief to “find something elegant and contemporary and appropriate to the size,” architect Daniel Marshall proposed a concept of a cascade of glass and light.
“Conceptually we liked the idea of a series of handblown glass balls that spiralled down into the space, with the treatment of the glass reflecting the materiality of the house itself,” Marshall says. “I have always loved the purity of spheres and we played around a lot with various grey tints and mirroring the inside of some of the balls.”
How it was achieved: Using parametric design, Marshall developed the arrangement and scales of the balls and went with the option they best liked the look of. Based in New Zealand, Marshall used local materials and craftspeople, such as Katie Brown, a glass artisan in Taranaki on the north island. “As you can imagine, all those blown glass balls weigh a lot, so we then worked with a stainless steel fabricator and an engineer to work through the stainless plate that is attached to the ceiling,” Marshall explains.
The beauty of the lighting is not only the arrangement of the mirrored balls, but also seeing the curved reflection of the house and sea views beyond. Marshall is a big proponent of custom-made features and fittings. “It’s an enjoyable part of the project where you get to collaborate directly with skilled artisans and have more of a tactile relationship with the object,” he adds.
Browse more striking NZ living rooms
The beauty of the lighting is not only the arrangement of the mirrored balls, but also seeing the curved reflection of the house and sea views beyond. Marshall is a big proponent of custom-made features and fittings. “It’s an enjoyable part of the project where you get to collaborate directly with skilled artisans and have more of a tactile relationship with the object,” he adds.
Browse more striking NZ living rooms
8. Bedside table
What was made: Project 12 Architecture custom-designed this bed with adjoining bedside tables.
Why it was needed: “With a hectic work schedule and three young children, the clients wanted a house that made their lives as easy as possible,” says principle architect Aimee Goodwin, who created the purpose-built bedside storage.
How it was achieved: The client wanted to make the most of any storage space they could, so Goodwin and team designed the spotted gum bed with storage drawers underneath and to the side. “Anything that maximises the functionality of the house without taking up extra room gets a bit tick from me,” says resident Holly Hughes.
Tour this house, owned by comedian Dave Hughes
What was made: Project 12 Architecture custom-designed this bed with adjoining bedside tables.
Why it was needed: “With a hectic work schedule and three young children, the clients wanted a house that made their lives as easy as possible,” says principle architect Aimee Goodwin, who created the purpose-built bedside storage.
How it was achieved: The client wanted to make the most of any storage space they could, so Goodwin and team designed the spotted gum bed with storage drawers underneath and to the side. “Anything that maximises the functionality of the house without taking up extra room gets a bit tick from me,” says resident Holly Hughes.
Tour this house, owned by comedian Dave Hughes
9. Operable screens and roof
What was made: Justin Long of Justin Long Design, with Amanda Pike of Pike Withers, installed custom-designed sliding screens and an operable roof to open or close this home to the sun and the view.
Why it was needed: As the home was overlooking NSW’s iconic Palm Beach, the owners and their designers wanted to achieve a resort feel fitting of the home’s hilltop location, and also to improve the ventilation and light penetration. “The use of custom-made sliding timber and glass louvered screens meant that these elements could be controlled and flexible, and therefore prevented a drain on artificial heating/cooling and lighting,” Pike explains.
What was made: Justin Long of Justin Long Design, with Amanda Pike of Pike Withers, installed custom-designed sliding screens and an operable roof to open or close this home to the sun and the view.
Why it was needed: As the home was overlooking NSW’s iconic Palm Beach, the owners and their designers wanted to achieve a resort feel fitting of the home’s hilltop location, and also to improve the ventilation and light penetration. “The use of custom-made sliding timber and glass louvered screens meant that these elements could be controlled and flexible, and therefore prevented a drain on artificial heating/cooling and lighting,” Pike explains.
How it was achieved: The lounge room has a large 4 x 3-metre operable roof that can open up to the sky. While it was the biggest challenge of the project, it is the feature Long is most proud of. Having contacted various specialist suppliers, it was actually a chance meeting that helped him turn his vision into a reality. “In the end, I met a friend of a friend at a party who specialised in motorised front gates and he designed the whole system for me. I couldn’t have done it without his technical know-how,” Long says.
Tour this house
Tour this house
10. Kitchen island
What was made: This wood slab benchtop is a standout feature in this minimalist white kitchen.
Why it was needed: “The owners wanted a very modern, clean and minimalist kitchen in keeping with their lifestyle and personal aesthetic,” says Carl Scheidenhelm of SF Architecture.
How it was achieved: “We wanted to balance this (or contrast it) with a very warm and natural element – the hand-selected live-edge walnut slab.” Scheidenhelm used a steel-bracing system embedded in the wood so that it appears to float above the cooking island behind.
TELL US
Have you custom designed and made furniture, fittings or features in your home? Upload your pictures to the Comments section below.
MORE
Find custom joinery and cabinetry professionals
What was made: This wood slab benchtop is a standout feature in this minimalist white kitchen.
Why it was needed: “The owners wanted a very modern, clean and minimalist kitchen in keeping with their lifestyle and personal aesthetic,” says Carl Scheidenhelm of SF Architecture.
How it was achieved: “We wanted to balance this (or contrast it) with a very warm and natural element – the hand-selected live-edge walnut slab.” Scheidenhelm used a steel-bracing system embedded in the wood so that it appears to float above the cooking island behind.
TELL US
Have you custom designed and made furniture, fittings or features in your home? Upload your pictures to the Comments section below.
MORE
Find custom joinery and cabinetry professionals
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Great illustrations of the power of bespoke design in furniture and fittings to deliver elegant solutions. That extending Carrara marble table would have taken some engineering! We take a bespoke approach to creating artwork and features that our clients envisage.
I designed a bespoke coastal study desk wall unit which I had built by a company just recently. The cupboards hide all our admin paraphernalia, under the bench top we have two pull-out tables that accommodate our keyboards for each computer and the top under bench middle pull-out cupboard also accommodates our hidden scanner and printer.
After searching for more than a year for a large and unusual bookcase I designed one for myself which a local carpenter then made for me