6 Cost-Effective Ways to Go Custom Made

Words like “bespoke” and “custom made” may conjure up images of rare (and expensive) luxury items, but having a home with personalized pieces is more affordable than you may think, especially if you know where to focus your attention. For example, you might not be able to spring for that custom-designed armoire or dresser, but custom pillows or a built-in bench seat might be within your budget. The secret is that these smallish custom additions will give your home the appearance that it’s truly one-of-a-kind. And having a home that not only reflects who you are but functions the way you want it to is the biggest luxury of all.

1. Start with soft goods. When you’ve invested time and money to refresh your space, the last thing you want is for it to feel cookie cutter or entirely culled from a chain store. Soft goods add a great deal of personalization to a room, and although it may seem cliché, it’s totally true that a set of great pillows and a throw can transform a sofa or chair.

Cost: Having pillows custom made will vary in cost depending on the fabric, the insert, the number of pillows, the details and the maker. Assuming your fabric is $30 per yard (a low to medium price) and you have chosen down inserts, a standard 20-inch by 20-inch pillow could run you anywhere from $70 to $150 (including the cost of the fabric and the insert). The pillow covers can be dry-cleaned, and you can switch out the inserts if you decide you want something with less or more density, something you can’t typically do with your run-of-the-mill chain-store pillows.

The best part is that you can have them made to fit your needs. If you like big, cushy pillows that create a cocoon feeling, you can have multiple oversize pillows made with a down fill or down alternative — perfect for piling them together and taking a long nap. If you don’t like a lot of clutter on the couch, you may opt for tailored, smaller pillows or splurge on details like piping, welting and fringe.

Why it’s worth it: Think about it this way: You can spend $30 a pair for pillows that may wear out and become boring to you in a few months, or you can spend a bit more to get something you love, of much better quality, that no one else has and that will last much longer.


2. Bench seats. When it comes to bench seating, custom made is almost always the way to go. Not only do you get to choose the firmness of the foam and the softness of the batting surrounding it, but you can choose the fabric and details like button tufting, as well as the length and width of the cushion itself. The leather bench cushion seen here was made to fit the small bench seat, and the material was chosen because it’s both unexpected and can withstand the client’s three little boys.

Cost: A ready-made bench cushion generally comes in one density and a small variety of fabrics. Depending on the size, it can run as little as $60 or as much as $225 (strictly an estimate). Pricing for a custom-made cushion again varies depending on all the specifics and the cost of the material, but it can run as little as $150 including the fabric, foam, details and labor. Custom cushions are removable, cleanable and can be switched out during different seasons with different covers if you desire.

Why it’s worth it: Getting a great bench seat cushion that fits just right is reason alone. High-end foam can withstand years of use without flattening and bunching, and getting the fit right means no more sliding off the bench seat.


3. Floating desks. Finding a small desk that not only fit the niche here but provided ample surface space while leaving the bottom open would have been nearly impossible. Turning the bay window niche into a functional desk and including over-the door bookshelves turned the bright little room into a modern workspace with plenty of storage.

Cost: The materials for a desk like this can run as little as $2 per foot for pine to $200 for a leftover slab of marble from a discount bin. The cost for having the material finished — sanded, shaped, cut — also will vary based on whether you do it yourself, have it fabricated or hire someone to do it for you. You’ll need brackets to hold the desk on the underside and a good handyperson or builder to put it up for you if you don’t already have those skills. (I definitely don’t!) All in all, a custom corner desk like the one here may run you $300.

Why it’s worth it: Sometimes a room is just weird. The layout isn’t right; nothing you put in it feels like it’s working; and without your tearing down walls, there doesn’t seem to be a solution. This is where custom made can save the day.

See more on commissioning custom wood furnishings


4. Corner sectionals. Looking at the room here, you can see it would have been OK to put a small settee or a chair-and-a-half in the corner, but the petite made-to-order sectional offers more comfort and seating, and takes better advantage of the space.

Cost: The variants for a custom sofa make predicting the price extremely difficult, but many companies will provide you with cost calculators to determine what your dream seating might cost with all your measurements and personalized selections. I will divulge, though, that I had a client’s sectional custom made for $4,000 when ready-made sofas in the size, material, density and look she desired were running $6,000 to $8,000.

Why it’s worth it: When it comes to corners, going custom gives you more options than the basic formula of chair, table and lamp.

See more on commissioning custom upholstered furniture


5. Vanities. My clients gutted a 1970s bathroom to add a tub-shower combo. Changing the layout left a much smaller walking space between the tub and vanity. Finding something clean-lined with both open and closed storage that was no longer than 50 inches and no wider than 22 inches wasn’t happening.

Everything we looked at was the wrong color, style or material. The sizes were too big or too small. Pricing a custom-made vanity was the natural next step. I was able to have a vanity (shown here) built out of sealed, unstained walnut (my client’s favorite) with storage, a thicker-than-normal quartz top and an inset sink that measured exactly what it needed to.

Cost: Get this: It was $650 less than the $2,200 ready-made option that would have had to be customized (at an additional cost) to fit the room.

Why it’s worth it: There are many occasions in design where the need to customize a ready-made piece exceeds the cost of having something specific made from scratch.



6. Personal style. Custom made doesn’t need to mean hand carved or budget breaking to be stylish. Something created out of existing materials can be both functional and chic. The bedroom pictured here shows plumbing pipe used as a closet rack as well as shelf supports, for a customized, masculine, industrial look that fits the space perfectly.


When you want something room-changing, a superspecial creation that is both a conversation piece and a prize, having it custom made — or, as some would say, commissioned — is the only way to go. The chrome motorcycle engine table shown here was made for the homeowner and reflects an individual style that is unarguably one-of-a-kind.


The bright blue reclaimed-wood paneling in this kitchen was salvaged from the homeowner’s grandmother’s house. It was free and yet creates a showstopping effect as well as offers a sentimental nod to the past.

Have a great custom piece that made all the difference? We’d love to see it in the Comments!

More: Why It’s OK to Hate Your New Custom Sofa

URL: 6 Cost-Effective Ways to Go Custom Made http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-24573.html