BUILT-IN VS STAND-ALONE FURNITURE: WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU?
When it comes to furniture and design, we love an eclectic aesthetic where a good creative eye can juxtapose modern and vintage styles, layer a room with texture, color, and pattern, while maintaining a minimal, clean look.
Most recently, I decided it was time to update my dining room buffet. The question was to either buy an already-made piece of furniture, or have one custom-made to fit the space. I already had other fun pieces I had previously purchased and were scattered throughout the great room, so I decided I needed a custom-made piece to ground the dining room.
The space was just like a white canvas, and so I set out with a wood master I have worked with before to design my custom piece. It took roughly 3 weeks to complete the project, and I could not be happier!
When thinking about buying furniture or commissioning a custom-made piece, there are a few things to consider: flexibility of use, cost & ROI (return of your investment when you sell your home), design.
First of all, you need to think about how you are using the space now, and how you may be using it a few years from now. Is your lifestyle changing? are your family dynamics changing? if so, designing a piece that can have flexibility of use is key, or simply forgoing a built-in and buying something you can move later. For instance, I was getting a bit built-in gaga around my own home, wanting to get a cozy piece installed in my daughter's room, with shelves for books and pictures, cubbies for toys, a banquette for reading/storage, as well as a murphy desk. However, her needs are ever changing and we opted to continue with movable furniture in her room.
When it comes to cost, built-ins can be more costly than store-bought furniture generally speaking. However, these custom pieces do many things for your home. They ground and elevate your space making it feel more luxurious while reflecting your style, they can maximize the functional space (who doesn't love stylish storage!), and in real estate transactions, custom built-ins can increase a home's desirability and price point. For the most part, buyers appreciate these design choices that give rooms a purpose and a focal point.
Not to mention just how fun it is to see it come together!
The best part of a custom made piece is exactly that! You can customize it with all the nooks and crannies you desire! You don't always need to hire a designer if your budget is tight. What you need is to have a very good idea of what you want and work with a reliable and talented contractor to bring your design to fruition.
When designing, you can choose to match what you already have and give it a seamless look, or create a conversation starter unique to your home!
Finding the right contractor is key. If it wasn't for mine, I wouldn't have known that you can actually buy what they call "stone remnants" in a lot of stone shops. These remnants have been fragmented/broken, but you can still get a fabulous-looking counter top after it's been manufactured. They may look broken and dirty, but once manufactured, your counter top on a custom-made table or buffet will look amazing!
I happened to find a marble remnant, and it was the perfect top for my cream-colored buffet with brass hardware, channeling an older Parisian piece of furniture you would find in a Haussmannian building (you can see the remnant piece I chose in pic above.. it was the shape of a map and it's sticking out from the rest!)
In the end, I fell back in love with my dining room! So excited to showcase my favorite and special plates, platters, and espresso cups (which I use regularly!). The space looks so good, I had to go out the same day to find a new dining room table!
Happy dinner parties coming soon to this dining room!
#BeachHouse #DiningRoom #CustomFurniture #BeachHouseliving #BeachHouseDesign
