Let’s start with a definition – bespoke furniture is custom-made furniture that is specifically made to your requirements, in order to fit your needs and your home perfectly. It is particularly useful when space considerations are tricky or there are specific dimensions to work to, or when a client is looking for a truly unique, individual piece.
At Otta Design, our general rule when it comes to designing schemes is to source 1/3 new, 1/3 antique or vintage and 1/3 bespoke. We have many trusted, skilled suppliers and makers with whom we work closely with – they really are magicians and such skilled craftsmen, turning our designs into quality pieces.
Below we explore some favourite pieces we have commissioned, which we hope provides inspiration if you are considering investing in bespoke furniture.
Banquette seating
A banquette refers to bench style seating which is specially designed to fit into a space. You will typically find them running along a wall. Whilst commonly found in restaurants and cafes, they are particularly useful in home kitchen/dining areas where space is at a premium.
At our Wandsworth Common project we designed this banquette with practicality top of mind. Drawers either side of the bench and beneath provide acres of storage for tableware through to toys. The button back bench is upholstered in a faux tan leather which is pleasing to the eye yet perfectly for sticky fingers and spills due to its wipeability.
At our Clapham Common project, this corner banquette makes the most of every inch of space. We upholstered the bench in a performance, patterned fabric which is highly practical when it comes to cleaning and hiding stains. The base is painted in Farrow & Ball Bancha. Scatter cushions can be used to add a layer of comfort and tie the scheme together.
Headboards
Upholstered headboards are one of our most common pieces of bespoke furniture to design and implement. An upholstered headboard can become a focal point in the room; either due to its patterned fabric, choice of colour, shape, or all of the above! It’s an opportunity to have fun, be inventive and create something truly individual which can tie a decorative scheme together cohesively.
Master bedrooms
In the traditional master bedroom of this country home (below left), the shaped headboard by Isabelle Baldwin is designed for optimum comfort, with the lowest curve sitting at the perfect height to provide cushioning when sitting up in bed. We chose to upholster it in a classic jacquard weave by Colefax & Fowler, the proportion of small scale design working in harmony with the larger patterned curtains.
At our Richmond project (below centre), we used this stunning Pierre Frey patterned weave as it ties in all the colours used within the decorative scheme. The headboard is contrast piped for an added layer of detail and definition.
Don’t feel that you must use a patterned fabric when commissioning a bespoke headboard – a plain fabric with detailing is equally as striking and elevated. In this restful Balham master bedroom (below right), subtle pattern was added through the wallpaper, so we kept the headboard plain but comfortable in a super soft moss green velvet. Antique brass studs around the edge elevate the overall look and complement the finish of the wall lights.
Guest bedrooms
Due to the frequency of their use, guest bedrooms allow additional opportunity for freedom and expression.
In this bright and bold Balham guest room, the dramatic, double curved headboard is a striking focal point. We used wool in a fuchsia tone, and applied a fabric protector to ensure longevity as wool is less resilient than other materials. The contrast piping on the headboard mirrors that used on the bed cushions – it’s the little touches that make a big difference.
The headboard is the star performer in this Battersea townhouse. This was a truly bespoke creation as it had to fit around the existing joinery. It is upholstered in an earthy, large scale pattern from Christopher Farr.
In this London loft guest suite, a low headboard was chosen to work proportionally with the restricted head height. This is a great example of how to use pattern on pattern. The swirly fern wallpaper is a perfect foil for the horizontal striped Ian Sanderson fabric, with its geometric elements not competing. Plain cushions and bed blanket were chosen so as to not the overwhelm the space, but to ensure that the colour scheme felt complete.
Children’s bedrooms
This delightful twin room in a Hampshire country home is full of pattern and detail at every turn. Again, it is all about using the right balance of pattern. Often stripes can be used in the same way as a plain, so if you’re unsure on how to mix patterns always throw in a stripe. This ticking stripe from Robert Kime is a real favourite of ours.
In this compact girl’s bedroom in the home counties (below left), a single headboard can still stand out. The curved profile is echoed by the pattern of the fabric, a stunning Moorish inspired print by Claremont.
If opting to go bespoke, don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. In this teenage den found in South West London (below right), we designed the bed to have a wraparound headboard so that it became an area to hang out with friends as well as to sleep. Corduroy is an excellent material to use for upholstery due to its high rub count and lovely texture.
Tables
Bespoke joinery can be the perfect solution for small or awkward spaces.
In terraced Victorian houses, hallway and landings are often very narrow yet surface space and storage is particularly useful in these areas. In this Battersea house (below left and centre) we worked hand in hand with our joiner to design two tables which elevate the space on both a practical and aesthetic level. In the entrance hall this sleek reeded walnut console table is wall mounted to take up minimal space and it also houses a hidden drawer – perfect for keys, post and sunglasses. On the first floor landing we designed this beautiful bespoke walnut radiator table, which really makes a statement in an otherwise ‘dead’ space within the home.
At our Barbican project (below right) we couldn’t find the right ‘off the shelf’ pieces for the dining area, which was relatively restricted yet needed to be able to sit 10 people on occasion. As such, we commissioned a solid wood extendable dining table with pedestal legs that worked with the bench. The bench was made to a bespoke length and depth and upholstered in our choice of deep red cortina leather, with the frame stained to match the table and Julian Chichester dining chairs.
Upholstered pieces
Bespoke furniture doesn’t always refer to size or shape, and these pieces aren’t necessarily commissioned solely for practical reasons. There can be purely creative motives and purposes too.
A popular and often more cost effective way to bespoke furniture pieces is to upholster them in COM (customers own material) – essentially a way to pick your own fabric to perfectly fit a given scheme. You can use COM to upholster new pieces or existing ones.
In this London townhouse (below left) our clients fell head over heels for this divine technicolour patterned velvet from Lewis and Wood. To get it within budget, we chose a reasonably priced high street sofa from sofa.com, who can upholster in COM. A bespoke footstool from our friends and talented craftsmen at David Seyfried was upholstered in a Fermoie stripe, with the bobbin legs painted in Little Greene ‘Bronze Red’ to tie in with the scheme.
At our Hampshire project (below centre), the informal TV room required seriously comfy armchairs. We settled on this pair from Claremont, upholstering them in a linen by Namay Samay, the colours and pattern scale of which complement the curtain fabric behind. The footstool at the forefront of the shot was an existing piece which we re-upholstered in a multi coloured zig zag weave by Colefax and Fowler, perfect for resting feet, books or a tray of drinks.
Back in South West London (below right), we re-upholstered the seat pad and cushion of our clients much loved family armchair, leaving the original leather frame as was. This is a cost effective, nifty trick to breathe life into old, cherished pieces.
