Bespoke Versus Off-The-Shelf Furniture: Which Is Best For You?

The term ‘bespoke’ is on the lips and filling the social media feeds of many interior designers across the UK. Often it comes alongside other words like commissioned, craftsmanship, emphasising its uniqueness as a one-of-a-kind product.  Bespoke might also conjure up words such as high-end, handmade and quality, while bringing to mind less positive words, like expensive. But what do we actually mean when we say a cabinet, wardrobe, bookshelf or other piece of furniture is bespoke?

Where does the word bespoke come from?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary definition, if goods are bespoke, they are “ordered to be made”. The word dates back several centuries in written form and was originally from the Old English word bespeak, meaning to arrange for something in advance.  Bespoke can also mean custom-made or tailor-made and was originally used for clothing and shoemaking that was made to order. The term has since made its way beyond the sector and into other areas, including software, services and, of course, furniture design. These are items designed and built for a specific person or organisation and for a specific purpose, which means they are unique. 

How is bespoke furniture different from mass-produced furniture?

The core features and functions of furniture remain regardless of how they are produced. After all, a wardrobe will still have a hanging rail, a door and a frame, whether it is made by hand in a workshop or on a factory line.  However, there are many differences between the two types of production: 

Bespoke furniture

• Made to order in the exact design, colour, finish and fit you want
• Unique to the buyer and can reflect your personality and tastes precisely
• Handcrafted by experienced cabinetmakers and artisans in a workshop
• Bespoke fitted furniture maximises space efficiently and can be used in awkward-shaped spaces
• Installed by expert carpenters and fitters
• Built to last from high-quality materials 
• Usually more eco-friendly than mass-produced counterparts
• Can take time to produce - although Day & Knight furniture can be installed in only four weeks
• More costly than mass-produced equivalents, but also lasts much longer so replacements are not needed

Mass-produced furniture

• Made with cheaper materials and fixings
• Less durable due to materials and build quality
• Sizes will not be an exact fit for out-of-the-box furniture, leaving gaps and wasting space
• May have to be built from flatpacks and installed by yourself
• Easier on the budget
• Looks like everyone else’s furniture

A note on fitted furniture

Sometimes the language used to describe fitted furniture is confused with bespoke furniture. However, the words are not interchangeable.  Furniture can be fitted or made-to-measure without being bespoke. Many larger fitted furniture companies use factory-made cabinets to create their fitted furniture designs.  For fitted furniture to be truly bespoke, it must be created especially for you, to order. 

Is bespoke fitted furniture more economical than off-the-shelf furniture?

Longevity is a key factor when investing in furniture; the higher quality the cabinetry is, the better it will stand the test of time, both in durability and in style.  While estate agents might tell you that additional and innovative storage is a key selling point for homes, installing bespoke wardrobes and cabinets is about more than the value of your home.  In fact, most buyers purchase bespoke fitted furniture to make the most of their space and make their rooms both beautiful and functional.  One of the ways to calculate how much value you will get from an investment is via Total Cost of Ownership. It estimates the total upfront cost of the purchase and adds in any maintenance, repairs, refurbishments and replacements it may need over its lifetime.  The total cost is then divided by the years, or decades, of expected use to get the cost per year.  This is a similar idea to buying a good but expensive coat and then using it every cold season for a decade, where a cheap one may only last one winter. For fashion items, this type of thinking is rightly named an investment wardrobe.  For perfectly crafted and fitted furniture, the lifetime of use can stretch beyond 25 years. So the cost of purchase and installation, with the minimal maintenance needed, is divided over a quarter of a century.  For mass-produced, flatpack furniture or factory-made items, the lifetime is much shorter. Depending on materials, how often it is disassembled and moved, and how well it is built, it often lasts less than ten years.  The cost of replacing the furniture needs to be taken into account when calculating the total cost of ownership, and therefore, the cost per year will rise dramatically. 

What rooms are best suited for bespoke fitted furniture?

Often when thinking of bespoke fitted furniture we think of wardrobes first, probably with mirrored sliding doors. However, craftsman-made fitted furnishings go far beyond their now outdated 80s wardrobes. Furniture that maximises space and uses high-quality, beautiful cabinetry can enhance almost every room in the home. 

Bedrooms

Yes, there are wardrobes, but there are also carefully considered drawers, shelves and dressing tables with matching stools. 

Kitchens

An efficient and stylish kitchen can be yours by design, with custom-made cabinets, hidden white goods, contemporary fittings and stunning worktops.

Lounges

Imagine floor-to-ceiling libraries, built-in sideboards with display cabinets for your treasures and trinkets; measured-to-the-millimetre furniture that cleverly uses every nook and corner to its advantage.

Offices

Make working from home more comfortable with an office that is designed around how you want to work. Desks, lighting, shelving and cupboards all made exactly to your specification and aesthetic desires. 

Utility rooms and pantries

Not forgetting the rooms that are the workhorses of the home, get utility rooms and pantries organised, making chores go quicker and food preparation smoother. These are the rooms where everything has its place, and everything is at your fingertips, ready for work. With a far more economical cost per year than factory-made options and the full creative control that bespoke fitted furniture can offer, it seems the obvious choice for investing in home improvements.  Day & Knight’s designers and craftspeople can take you through every step of the journey, from first consultation to final installation.  Even if you have no idea how to start designing your dream interior, we are here to help advise on every detail so you get the most from your fitted furniture.