ᐅ Interior Design: Carpenter vs. Kitchen Specialist vs. Furniture Store
Created on: 25 Sep 2021 21:28
M
majuhenemaM
majuhenema25 Sep 2021 21:28Dear forum,
Last week we had our first appointment with a kitchen specialist who made a very competent impression. Friends of ours also had their kitchen done there and were very satisfied. To my surprise, they also told me that the kitchen specialist made the bathroom base cabinets at a fair price, comparable to what a furniture store would charge. Even after several years, they remain very happy with them.
Today, we chose the interior doors from a local cabinetmaker. We also received good advice here. When we asked, he honestly told us which things he would personally spend money on and which he would not. It felt very genuine.
If money were no object, we would only source furniture this way.
I am now interested in how you approached your interior furnishings. Which furniture or items did you buy or have made where, and why? For which items is it worth going to a cabinetmaker, and for which did you prefer a furniture store?
Specifically, I am thinking about the dining table and chairs, dressing room, and sideboard.
Thank you, and in the meantime, I am reading through the "Which furniture store can you recommend?" thread.
Last week we had our first appointment with a kitchen specialist who made a very competent impression. Friends of ours also had their kitchen done there and were very satisfied. To my surprise, they also told me that the kitchen specialist made the bathroom base cabinets at a fair price, comparable to what a furniture store would charge. Even after several years, they remain very happy with them.
Today, we chose the interior doors from a local cabinetmaker. We also received good advice here. When we asked, he honestly told us which things he would personally spend money on and which he would not. It felt very genuine.
If money were no object, we would only source furniture this way.
I am now interested in how you approached your interior furnishings. Which furniture or items did you buy or have made where, and why? For which items is it worth going to a cabinetmaker, and for which did you prefer a furniture store?
Specifically, I am thinking about the dining table and chairs, dressing room, and sideboard.
Thank you, and in the meantime, I am reading through the "Which furniture store can you recommend?" thread.
We had quite a few pieces made by a carpenter and have been very satisfied with the results. The price was roughly comparable to what you would pay for higher-quality ready-made furniture. Custom-designed pieces, however, fall into a different price category.
The advantage of going with a carpenter is that the furniture is truly tailored to your needs. This applies to quality, dimensions, appearance, and so on. For example, I always wanted a solid wood kitchen (meaning the interior elements made of wood). The carpenter advised against it because wood expands and contracts, and with millimeter-precise fitting, problems could arise after a few years if the wood warps. That made sense to me. So now we have what some call "pressed wood products." Even here, there are significant quality differences! We chose a high-quality option with a thick veneer, painted inside and out. That works well for me!
We also had our wardrobes in the dressing room custom-made by the carpenter, allowing us to use every centimeter since we didn’t have to conform to any fixed grid. For example, our wardrobes are not 1 meter wide but 96.5cm (38 inches). You won’t find that ready-made! If we had bought off-the-shelf wardrobes, we'd have had almost half a meter we couldn’t use.
The same applies to the kitchen: some of our cabinets are up to 80cm (31.5 inches) deep, and their widths are adjusted precisely to the length of the kitchen run without needing a filler panel at the end. So instead of two standard 60cm (24 inches) cabinets, we have two at 67.5cm (27 inches).
Our entryway will eventually be furnished with a beautiful custom-made carpentry piece. For now, though, we need to allocate our budget elsewhere, so there’s an old Pax wardrobe (previously a bedroom wardrobe) and a bench (previously from the dining table) serving well and not looking too bad.
We also have quite a few items from Ikea (who doesn’t have a Billy???), and our approach was: anything that can be easily replaced can be inexpensive; anything permanently installed should be high-quality. That’s why we have a high-quality kitchen, and around the corner, there’s a Billy and a Kallax shelf. And they don’t clash at all!
By now, I would usually prefer custom carpentry over high-end furniture from a store, especially for things that need to “fit” perfectly—whether in terms of dimensions or style. That way, no compromises are necessary. But often, you find a piece of furniture on the spot that you like and that fits—then go for it!
So far, I haven’t had a sofa made by a carpenter 😉—that will likely have to come from a furniture store. And I would never buy that online because trying it out is essential.
The advantage of going with a carpenter is that the furniture is truly tailored to your needs. This applies to quality, dimensions, appearance, and so on. For example, I always wanted a solid wood kitchen (meaning the interior elements made of wood). The carpenter advised against it because wood expands and contracts, and with millimeter-precise fitting, problems could arise after a few years if the wood warps. That made sense to me. So now we have what some call "pressed wood products." Even here, there are significant quality differences! We chose a high-quality option with a thick veneer, painted inside and out. That works well for me!
We also had our wardrobes in the dressing room custom-made by the carpenter, allowing us to use every centimeter since we didn’t have to conform to any fixed grid. For example, our wardrobes are not 1 meter wide but 96.5cm (38 inches). You won’t find that ready-made! If we had bought off-the-shelf wardrobes, we'd have had almost half a meter we couldn’t use.
The same applies to the kitchen: some of our cabinets are up to 80cm (31.5 inches) deep, and their widths are adjusted precisely to the length of the kitchen run without needing a filler panel at the end. So instead of two standard 60cm (24 inches) cabinets, we have two at 67.5cm (27 inches).
Our entryway will eventually be furnished with a beautiful custom-made carpentry piece. For now, though, we need to allocate our budget elsewhere, so there’s an old Pax wardrobe (previously a bedroom wardrobe) and a bench (previously from the dining table) serving well and not looking too bad.
We also have quite a few items from Ikea (who doesn’t have a Billy???), and our approach was: anything that can be easily replaced can be inexpensive; anything permanently installed should be high-quality. That’s why we have a high-quality kitchen, and around the corner, there’s a Billy and a Kallax shelf. And they don’t clash at all!
By now, I would usually prefer custom carpentry over high-end furniture from a store, especially for things that need to “fit” perfectly—whether in terms of dimensions or style. That way, no compromises are necessary. But often, you find a piece of furniture on the spot that you like and that fits—then go for it!
So far, I haven’t had a sofa made by a carpenter 😉—that will likely have to come from a furniture store. And I would never buy that online because trying it out is essential.
G
GeradeSchräg28 Sep 2021 11:51When a perfect fit is required, you go to the carpenter. For example, floor-to-ceiling and built-in cabinets or for sloped ceilings.
With kitchens, there is probably a break-even point. Beyond a certain level, the price-performance ratio of a carpenter is better. That’s just my guess.
I can’t tell you exactly where that point is. But I think for a $10,000 kitchen, a carpenter may not be the right contact. It might make more sense for a $30,000 kitchen. (Of course, it depends on the size, materials, etc.)
And then only a carpenter with the necessary expertise in kitchen construction.
With kitchens, there is probably a break-even point. Beyond a certain level, the price-performance ratio of a carpenter is better. That’s just my guess.
I can’t tell you exactly where that point is. But I think for a $10,000 kitchen, a carpenter may not be the right contact. It might make more sense for a $30,000 kitchen. (Of course, it depends on the size, materials, etc.)
And then only a carpenter with the necessary expertise in kitchen construction.
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