How to Choose Between Flat Pack and Bespoke Furniture
Since its birth more than 50 years ago, flat-pack furniture, also known as ready-to-assemble (RTA) furniture has grown in popularity and fast become the norm when it comes to furnishing interiors.
1962 marked a landmark invention, the birth of the flatpack, pieces that could be ready-made and assembled by hand. A revolutionary invention which saw Swedish draughtsman, Gillis Lundgren, shoot to fame as well as make headlines.
But when it comes to the mighty flat-pack, it is all too easy to become focussed on the positives associated with this type of purchase, and not fully consider what you are buying into.
Let’s take a look at two very different scenarios when it comes to furniture purchasing.
Step One: Select Your Furniture
Whilst flat-packs are convenient in that you save time selecting them, you run the risk of losing out where the overall aesthetic and originality are concerned.
It could be argued that a mass-produced self-assemble piece takes the form of the simplified design and limits style due to the fact that it is produced for the mass market.
Bespoke pieces guarantee you will not have the exact same furniture as the person next door, and you can be safe in the knowledge that you are adorning your home with unique furnishings, personal to your own taste and choice of décor.
Have an input into the style, colour and size of your piece of furniture by discussing your piece with a furniture designer.
Step Two: Payment
A common deciding factor when it comes to selecting flat-pack furniture is affordability. Often, the price of ready-to-assemble furniture makes it an attractive option, and means more of an individual’s home can be furnished for less.
However, a cheaper alternative may not always offer the finish you want permanently in your home. The longevity of a piece and overall quality should also be considered, and this often means choosing to invest in a bespoke piece.
Step Three: Transportation
An attractive reason for people to select the flat-pack furniture route is ease of transportation.
This type of furniture is easy to dismantle, making it an obvious choice if you want to quickly pop to a shop, pick up what you need and get it home quickly.
With a bespoke unit, after having an input into the design of your piece, delivery will be arranged at a time that’s convenient for you so you don’t have to wrestle with trolleys, car parks and boxes. Simply sit back, relax and wait for your handcrafted piece to be delivered.
Step Four: Endure an Argument
Once you have battled your way through your front door and scratched the paintwork wrestling with your flat-pack boxes, it is time to endure the ultimate test of patience: assembling your furniture.
The agony of putting flat-pack furniture together is one of its notable disadvantages, and enough to try even the most laid-back of personalities.
Bespoke pieces are designed with your unique space in mind, require no frustrating instructions and require less time to fit perfectly into your home.
Step Five: Tear Your Hair Out
Being surrounded by tedious and unclear instructions and an abundance of leftover screws is a situation that can end in tears!
Assembling flat-pack pieces is commonly known to be a stressful and difficult job, as well as eating into precious time which could be better spent on something more enjoyable.
Step Six: Contemplate Giving Up
A common deciding factor when it comes to selecting flat-pack furniture is affordability.
Often, the price of ready-to-assemble furniture makes it an attractive option, and means more of an individual’s home can be furnished for less.
Once you have completed the treasure hunt of locating all the bits and pieces needed and found homes for all the screws and dowels in the pack, it is now time for the ultimate trial…the drawer test.
Step Seven: Take a Breather
After spending countless hours battling with unclear instructions, and ending up with more screws left than you had at the start, it is now time to take a much-needed breather.
Slowly move away from the furniture, put down your tools and go and put the kettle on.
You can now spend time pondering whether you have put your new furniture in the right place in your home. Perhaps even start accessorising your piece.
Step Eight: Damage Your Furniture
All that trouble assembling furniture and attempting to bang the sections into place can often lead to damage.
As a general rule, flat-packed furniture will not last as long as high-quality handcrafted piece. Dismantling furniture several times and putting it together again also increases the chances that it will become damaged, and it may not last as long as furniture made out of other, stronger materials. Furthermore, assembling furniture yourself all too often involves having to invest in tools to help get the job done, which adds to the tedious nature of the flat-pack craze.
Investing more in a unique piece of furniture eliminates any need to spend hours tapping at joints, trying to line up cupboards or shelves and testing whether drawers shut properly. This reduces the likelihood of causing any unwanted damage to your piece, and gives you more time to relax and enjoy your purchase.
Step Nine: Question Your Choice
If you have got as far as getting your furniture assembled without filing for divorce, well done! As well as hearing the birds tweeting with the arrival of dawn, it is now time to take a step back and contemplate your choice. Take images of your new piece and rave about it to your friends.
Step Ten: Hope Your Furniture Lasts
You may feel that your new occupation should be professional furniture assembler, and the feelgood factor you experience after assembling your masterpiece will be immense, but the fact that your piece hasn’t been assembled by an expert means you run the risk that your furniture will not last.
Be safe in the knowledge that your high-quality handcrafted piece will be long-lasting and ooze quality.
Flat-Pack vs Bespoke
When it comes to choosing a flat-pack piece over a bespoke piece of furniture, there is certainly a lot to consider.
The hassle of ‘easy-to-follow’ instructions, the stress of trying to assemble your flat-pack pieces and the quality of the end product are all factors that should be considered when choosing between flat-pack and bespoke pieces. Would you rather be baffled by quality and choice than by flat-pack assembly instructions?
We offers a range of high-quality, handcrafted bespoke furniture solutions to cater for your every need. With a focus on providing unique space-saving solutions, you are sure to find a unique piece to enrich your home which will be long-lasting and centred on quality. Our made-to-measure bespoke furniture pieces guarantees you benefit from more than 25 years’ experience and passion for design and creativity, without forgetting a focus on affordability.
Inject fun into your project by booking a free design visit or contact C&S on 0207 381 3163 to see your unique piece take shape.
You can also get a full PDF of this guide so you’ve always got it to hand.
C&S_User Guide_Flatpack vs Bespoke
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