**To skip all my typed jibber jabber, check out our custom order page here.
Where did the time go? It’s been 2 months since I last posted. Things got busy here folks. Good busy. This post is truly about how the custom order process goes with us, but first, here’s what we’ve been up to in the last few months.
We’ve worked with a number of clients on custom pieces. We recently released our fall collection. Most of our summer collection has sold, one dresser remains, and the pieces have gone to tremendously great people. Thank you Seattle area for that support! Our first 4 months have been wonderful.
Greg and I are also working on a few of our own pieces. There’s an antique daybed we’re re-caning, a vintage library table that is going to be an island, a few old wood chairs are getting reupholstered, another buffet, and we have a few dressers we’re simply going to clean up and leave natural. I’ve obviously been ecstatic about our recent finds if you keep an eye on our Instagram account. I can’t tell you when these projects will be finished as we are about to start remodeling our basement. Have I mentioned we also design and remodel houses? We like to keep busy.
The holiday season is fast approaching. Apparently the entire month of October is now just considered Halloween. And I’m ok with that. We plan to still work on custom client pieces up to nearly Thanksgiving (November 23rd-27th is our anniversary/vacation time. Then we’re off again for Christmas December 23rd-27th.) Our shop will still be open by appointment (minus those days).We are still taking orders if you’d like us to refinish something for you. Painted, oiled, stained, just repaired, reupholstery-we got you covered. (Get it…upholstery joke. A bad one.) Anyway, below you will find more info on how the process actually works when you desire a custom piece of furniture from us.
I find myself sharing the same information when we receive emails. So I thought I’d tell you about the typical process for a custom order. This first, we do not work with laminate. I should say we no longer work with laminate-just solid wood and wood veneer. We also no longer do a high gloss finish because, to do a proper job of it, we believe you need a spray booth and our current studio does not have such an area. I am also a perfectionist and gloss can be tricky. There are refurbishers who specialize in this finish I can recommend. Everything else usually goes here at Em & Wit Design.
So yes, custom order info. Let’s say you don’t own the piece you’d like refinished. You just have an idea of what you’re looking for. You tell us your budget. I get a feel for what it is your heart desires through email (I want a matte gray antique dresser with gold hardware etc.etc.etc.) then begin to scour Craigslist, Marketplace, shops and other resources. We do charge a finder’s fee depending on the size of the piece and location. Once the piece is found, we arrange its transportation to our workshop (you can grab it and bring it to us) but we usually do the hauling. We charge a fee for pick up and delivery. (You can also pick the piece up yourself and bring it to us to avoid this fee and then pick it up from our shop once it’s finished to avoid the fee again.)
We ask for a deposit to cover the initial cost of that piece. Custom pieces, say a dresser, credenza or buffet, tend to range from$250-$800.
At this point, I ask that you send me inspiration photos (a Pinterest account comes in handy here but not necessary), perhaps links to hardware you like too. At this point you don’t have to have your ideal hardware picked out. I can also find it if you give me some guidance. I have an addiction to hardware. The cost of new hardware is not included in the quote. New hardware will add time to the process due to shipping.
Once we have the exact piece in our hands, we further assess the repairs and communicate our finds with you by email or whatever you prefer. I review what you want (and don’t want). We go over the costs and make sure you’re good to go with said costs. We start on the repairs and sand the piece in prep for whatever look you want.
Prep work differs depending on what you want done and the previous condition of the piece. For example, if a piece has a shiny previous finish, stripper might be needed which tacks on more time and will tack on a bit to the cost. If it merely needs sanding with our orbital/by hand it won’t cost as much as stripper + orbital sanding. You get it. Yours truly sends updates about the progress.
When it’s finished, we write or call you to schedule our delivery to you or your pick up from our workshop. You can pay ahead or pay at our workshop the remaining amount. Tax is included in the price. We then hope you send us photos of your beloved piece of furniture. We smile then go on to help someone else with their custom order.
~Annie