Re: How to do a custom piece
You wonder why people don't do more custom made stuff ? Because of examples like the person who did his own sidelights.
We are looking for 2 tables (dining room, large kitchen). I don't know exactly what I want, so I can't commission it (or don't know where to ), but I haven't stumbled across that perfect piece yet. I find one I like, but the size is wrong, or the size is right and the legs wrong. So I still have my 10 yr. old one that is the wrong size with kids paint on it and horrid chairs.
So where do I go ? (I refuse to buy PB or RH or CB or EA even though they have something that I could 'make work')
I am looking at getting built-in cabinets in our familiy room. I would like a distressed painted black wood... so the type of wood is somewhat immaterial. I don't want my regular contractor to do it, because I want some cool looking distressed wood. When I talked to the cabinet guy, who will get the finish right, he took over a month to email me a quote. I guess I question how much he really wants the business right now for him to take that long.
Honestly, I'd rather give the business to a small cabinet-maker, but they don't exist around me. Or I don't know of any. So... if anyone knows of any in the SE PA region or Duane, you want to come for a day trip and do:
1) built in tv cabinet
2) built in shelves
3) built in computer cabinet
4) morning room table and chairs (large room!)
5) dining room table and chairs
email me. please.
Re: How to do a custom piece
Problems with getting a local cabinetmaker to build custom cabinets and built-ins include,
- A lot of independent cabinetmakers have poor business management skills, and thus you can run into problems contacting them, scheduling work, and with completion.
- You can't tell the quality of their work and finish from pictures alone, but you may not have access to prior jobs they have performed so you can assess the quality of their workmanship and the durability of their cabinets and finishes.
- Selection of materials can turn on the contractor's choice or preference, and you either need to be savvy enough to address the details in your contract or lucky enough to have a contractor who builds to the quality standards you desire.
- Prices don't necessarily correlate to quality (but what else is new).
We have a "built in" desk with cabinets over it that approximate a hutch in our kitchen. Honestly, we probably would be better off had the builder left that space open and had we purchased or customized a desk and hutch to fit the space. (On the other hand, the former owners would have left us with an empty space instead of the built-ins; on the other "other hand" we wouldn't have built-ins that rely heavily on MDF, 1/2" plywood and a faux-wood grain end panel instead of a genuine veneer.) These built-ins are stock cabinets, not custom. You can get mediocrity from any number of sources - the hard part truly is finding quality.
