It is the sentence that can attract several homeowners who want to keep the theme of their house consistent. Without needing to leave the house to talk with manufacturers who can get you a sofa in a design you want, they can now enjoy configuring furniture from an online furniture shop in Singapore. While some may think that this trend only gets to be appreciated by young people who are adept at technology, all homeowners must know they can learn the process within a day!
If there is one word to describe mass-produced furniture, it would be the word convenient. While there is nothing negative about the word, the chances of you getting the same sofa, wardrobe, and dining table as half of the people in the country are high. Several homeowners know about online furniture shops where they can easily acquire stylish furniture. Instead of mixing in with the crowd, why should you remove made-to-order furniture from your list of choices? There is a range of benefits that make made-to-order furniture pieces far better than convenient mass-produced furniture.
In this article, you will find a whole discussion about made-to-order furniture. It starts with identifying the mistakes that buyers made when they tried to get made-to-order furniture. These will help you learn what you can avoid when it is your time to buy one. The next part of the article will be on the things you must remember when you are about to make your order. What you will find there is a guide that you can get back into when you are about to talk to a prospective manufacturer online. However, you might be wondering how you can find a good furniture shop that can also offer made-to-order furniture purchases in Singapore. Let this article give you some tips to find the right one for you!
To get started with your journey to buying furniture for your home, keep reading!
Mistakes People Make When Buying Made-to-Order Furniture
What makes people human is their mistakes. In buying furniture, people make many of them, especially when they order online. There may be small things that they have overlooked but impact how they would enjoy their newly purchased furniture.
Considering that buying made-to-order furniture is costly, you would not want to make the same mistakes as some buyers did. Here are some common mistakes that you should avoid:
Only looking at the colour selection on one screen
Some people forget that monitor screen displays are not the same as their phone screen display. When a buyer has an old PC monitor, the display of colours might have degraded over the years. As a result, they think they chose the right colour, but it is a different shade.
Making mistakes in choosing the colour of the furniture also happens in showrooms. How so? Products in showrooms can look different based on their positions and the amounts of light and shadows surrounding them. People often forget that furniture’s exposure to light has a huge impact on how they will look.
Natural materials fade
Several buyers think having a leather sofa is a classic, so they might prioritise getting one instead of a wardrobe. There is no denying that leather accents in homes add a warm touch, but homeowners also forget that it fades over time. Natural products, such as wood, fabrics, types of leather, fade when exposed to light, giving them a different look that no longer matches the overall look of their homes.
Getting furniture because it said it is free shipping
Buyers are cautious of shipping costs when buying furniture online because a large product requires a truck, and a truck is expensive to use. However, when a store says they offer free shipping on all their furniture, they go all out. Not only have they spent their money on things that are not planned, but they paid for the shipping as well. Several buyers are clueless about different types of deliveries, and furniture retailers take advantage of this. When they said free shipping, they must have meant standard delivery only. Standard delivery does not apply to all furniture because some of them require in-home delivery with assembly—another type of delivery. Here, the furniture will be disassembled in the shop before it gets delivered. Then, it will be shipped, and get assembled again in their house. Hence, they will pay more than they expect because the free shipping does not apply to large furniture.
Purchased the wrong size
Similar to when you are buying clothes, getting the wrong size also happens in purchasing furniture. Buyers might have only estimated a wardrobe, for instance, using their eyes. It is something you want to avoid doing. A product’s size is always indicated on the page, specifically in its description box. It might be because they are attracted to the product immediately, or it might be on sale that they rush into purchasing the furniture without checking.
All buyers make mistakes, but you must know that you have a lot to lose when you dismiss the idea of made-to-order furniture pieces. Made-to-order allows you to be in control of your furniture design. It includes choosing the size, colour, material used, shape, among others! If this idea has been brewing in your mind, but you are too afraid to make mistakes, you can always consult people on the internet who have done it before.
What Should You Remember When Ordering?
Society is always in a constant state of changing and transitioning. Technology is one of the things that are transforming every day. Of course, the furniture industry is no exception to this change in technology. For many young people, this is a good thing since they are computer literate. You might be one of them, but how much do you know about getting made-to-order furniture?
It would take meticulous planning and creativity to process what it takes to make furniture to meet the needs of clients. It does not simply mean you can choose few characteristic elements, such as colour or wood to call furniture made-to-order furniture. A manufacturer would put their heart in the making of furniture you have requested.
Aside from knowing these, there are things you must remember before you request a made-to-order sliding wardrobe in Singapore or other furniture that you would want to have in your home. Take note of these pointers:
Take planning seriously
Buying furniture should not be an impulse decision, especially if it is made-to-order. You must plan it carefully. What will it take to complete a plan? Here are some factors to consider:
- The space in your home – ensure that you know the exact measurements of your space to know how big is the sofa you want specially made for you. Consider reducing an inch of the size of the cushion if you plan to push it in a corner, so it would not overlap with any furniture.
- Colour and material – homeowners have different preferences when it comes to the design of their furniture. Some want them to match with the colour theme of their interior, while others want the furniture to stand out among the rest. Whichever type of homeowner you are, you should know what colour and material you want in a piece of furniture.
Send a drawing
Even if you think that you are not born as an artist, a visual representation of the made-to-order furniture that you want will help the manufacturer in many ways. Add the important details in your drawings, such as the measurements, desired trim, or the type of treatments you would want for the wood. These details would be extremely helpful for both parties.
Request for samples
When ordering online furniture in Singapore, it would be difficult to tell from the screen whether a piece of fabric is right for you. What you can do is ask for samples. It would not only give you peace of mind knowing that your manufacturers got the right material that you requested, but it would also assure you that you are getting the best quality for your money.
Important note: this tip does not only apply to fabrics but asking for wood samples would be helpful, too. Wood tones may vary from brand to brand and, of course, it may look different on a low-resolution computer screen.
Understand the return policy
When you requested made-to-order furniture, some shops would exempt you from their return policies. It gives them that right because you have deliberately planned the furniture yourself, and they made it happen. However, some shops in Singapore would not strip you from your rights in their return policy. The best way to know if the shop you approached is one of these, you should talk to them directly.
Important note: take this chance to ask the questions that you want to ask them. It may be related to their return policy or not. A reliable furniture shop would provide you with the answers you need for your convenience and theirs.
Double-check everything
As mentioned, requesting made-to-order furniture is a process. The last step would be for you to double-check everything in your order. You should start from the beginning. Did they get the right colour and material right? Is the price indicated in the order form the same as what was agreed during the consultation? These are some of the questions you must ask yourself as you are scanning the order document they sent you. Double-checking would ensure that they had met everything that you have requested. Hence, you can expect a correct order knocking at your door after three to four weeks!
How to Find a Good Furniture Shop?
Now that you have an understanding of the made-to-order furniture process, you start your search for a furniture shop in Singapore that can offer what you need! Even with the internet, you cannot guarantee that you would find a trustworthy shop as soon as you hit enter on the search bar. If you want to work with a reliable shop, you should try these tips for your search:
Ask friends and families
Several homeowners have taken the opportunity of this worldwide pandemic to redecorate their homes. One of them might be your relatives or your friends. If so, you do not have to go far! Reach out to them because they might have worked with reliable furniture makers in Singapore.
Post a question in an online forum
There are plenty of people who are passionate about furniture. They might take some hours of their day to help out people, like you, who are new to the made-to-order furniture industry. Hence, let them help you out by finding you on a forum website to answer your questions and give you shop suggestions!
Patiently explore your options on the internet
One search can give you countless shops that can fulfil your made-to-order furniture request. While you might not be as assured as that one shop that your friend suggested, you can make the process of checking a shop’s reliability on your own. Here are some factors that you should check into:
- Their years in the industry
- What past clients think of their products and services
- Their awards and recognition
Why Get Them from Novena Furniture?
The home plays a significant role in keeping you and your family safe from harm. It is naturally a place of comfort, but it is also a means of expressing your personality and, now, a place of work. Not every homeowner gets the opportunity to design their furniture, because it would take hard work to have the budget to afford it. However, with you, all you would need is a furniture shop in Singapore! Well, you can trust Novena Furniture for your made-to-orders.
The people at Novena Furniture have been in the furniture business for many years since 1984, to be exact. They are proud of the home solutions that they provide to their customers, especially to people who are interested in the world of customisation. Allow them to be the ones you work with to get your modern furniture.
You can send them a message on their website to get started with your made-to-order sofa or reclining chair! Get their contact details today!
