Why bespoke furniture beats flatpack almost every time

Picking furniture might seem like an easy task, but making the right choice is far from it. Furniture that doesn’t suit your home or lifestyle can leave you feeling frustrated by its limitations and regretting the money you spent on it.

Not only is bespoke furniture tailored to your exact needs, but a cabinet maker or joiner can collaborate on the design of your furniture, advise you on the best finishes for your lifestyle, and bring your custom cabinetry dreams to life.

Create a sense of luxury with custom-built cabinetry. Image: GETTY

Now, you might be wondering: can’t I just go flatpack? Of course, you can. There are plenty of budget-friendly furniture and storage solutions on the market to choose from, but bespoke furniture has more than a few advantages. Let’s unpack the key differences between hiring a joiner, cabinet maker, or buying flatpack furniture.

What does a joiner do?

A joiner typically works with wood, and joinery is the method by which pieces of wood are connected. This can be with nails, glue, or screws, but a joiner can also create decorative joins that interlock without the use of an additional connection.

Hire a joiner to:

• Design and build beautiful shelves, furniture or cabinets
• Build door and window frames

What does a cabinet maker do?

Cabinet makers specialise in making (you guessed it) cabinets. Their bread and butter is building bespoke furniture pieces and installing cabinetry, bespoke or flatpack.

Hire a cabinet maker to:

• Repair or resurface existing cabinets
• Fit hardware like locks, shelves, drawers or hinges
• Build and install custom cabinets and furniture
• Assemble and install pre-prepared components

The pros (and cons) of flatpack furniture

Flatpack furniture certainly has its benefits, and if you’re short on time or on a tight budget, it could be the solution you need for your home.

Quality is by far the biggest difference between buying flatpack and commissioning bespoke furniture. A piece handmade by an experienced professional to your specific wishes will not only look amazing, it’ll become a treasured family heirloom you can pass down to your great-great grandkids.

With custom furniture, you control every aspect of the final product, so you can determine what to prioritise. So if you want a solid wood dining table made from 100-year-old timber, or you want to ensure your pieces are made with the smallest possible environmental footprint, custom is the way to go.

If you’re not ready to commit to bespoke furniture just yet, take a hybrid approach and semi-customise your space with the help of a cabinet maker and existing, modular furniture elements.

Go custom to build your laundry for function. Image: GETTY

Only you can answer this question, but a few common rooms that often benefit from custom storage are the laundry, kitchen, wardrobes, and living areas.

Smart laundry fitouts

If your laundry feels like it’s been tacked on to your home any which way, odds are good it’s got some awkward nooks and crannies. Nevertheless, the laundry is an excellent place for storage. A joiner or cabinet maker can help with:

• Custom solutions for hanging laundry to dry
• Ventilation options for small, damp spaces
• Maximising the room’s functionality with clever storage solutions

Custom kitchen storage & design ideas

Need a new kitchen island? Ready to gut the kitchen altogether and remodel? No matter your dreams for your kitchen, a joiner or cabinet maker can make them come true. They can:

• Develop custom pantry solutions, even for small and awkward spaces
• Design and build stationary or moveable kitchen islands
• Design clever ways to hide unused appliances
• Maximise the kitchen’s functionality
• Advise on how to work around existing plumbing and electrical outlets—but you should be aware that they can’t change or move anything wired

Why custom wardrobes beat off-the-shelf options

Whether you’re considering a built-in wardrobe or a walk-in robe, a cabinet maker is your go-to person for all things wardrobe. A custom-built wardrobe means you’ll always have enough space to store your clothing exactly the way you like. A cabinet maker or joiner can help:

• Minimise awkward corners and unusable space
• Find strategic ways to separate your clothing from your partners without losing floorspace
• Integrate lighting in the best way possible

Living areas built for your lifestyle

There are endless ways that custom furniture and cabinetry can improve your living space.

• Modern and functional entertainment unit – cover your TV with sliding panels or doors so it’s out of sight when not in use, have surround sound speakers built into the unit, or ensure there’s plenty of storage for gaming consoles. Whatever your family’s entertainment unit needs are, a joiner or cabinet maker can design and build a unit that makes life easier and tidier.
• Home library – built-in bookshelves are stylish and personal, and a cabinet maker or joiner can design a piece that’s just right for you. Want a sliding ladder to fulfil your fairytale bookshelf dreams? Just ask!
• Custom storage – if your home features irregular angles or a slanting roof, custom cabinetry and furniture can help you make the most of your space. Hidden storage, built-in, multi-functional furniture and more—it’s all possible when you hire a joiner or cabinet maker.

Designing a bespoke wine cellar for your collection

Your tipples deserve to be kept in top-notch condition, and if you have the space, there’s no better option than a custom-made wine cellar. A joiner or cabinet maker can create a wine cellar that’s perfect for your collection, and could include elements like:

• Custom racks for different bottle sizes
• Display options for your most prized bottles
• Temperature control and humidity protection, where necessary

Living areas can be built for your lifestyle. Image: SUPPLIED

Before you commit to hiring a joiner or cabinet maker, take a look at their portfolio of work. This should give you a good idea of whether they can produce the kind of bespoke piece you want. If you have your heart set on a specific type of wood or other material, check with your joiner or cabinet maker if they’re able to source it, and from where.

Also, discuss the scope of the project in detail and ask for their licenses and insurance, as well as any warranty they offer on the finished product.

Designing the perfect piece

If you’re considering hiring a joiner or cabinet maker, odds are you have a specific item in mind. Ideally, show your joiner or cabinet maker some rough sketches of the piece as you envision it, and provide any measurements you have. Your joiner or cabinet maker will be able to collaborate with you on the design, provide helpful feedback and make suggestions for improvements. They can also offer advice on appropriate materials and how to balance aesthetics with functionality.

Cost expectations and timelines

The cost of your project depends on several factors, including the materials you choose and the complexity of the installation.

Hiring a joiner will set you back about $65 an hour, while a cabinet maker will likely charge between $50 and $120 per hour. Make sure any quote you receive includes labour and materials, so you don’t get a nasty surprise when the final invoice comes.

Custom furniture is just that—custom. As such, it’s not readily available and you’ll need to factor in a lead time for production. Expect to wait anywhere from two to eight weeks for your custom piece, depending on the availability of materials and the complexity of the commissioned piece.