The True Cost of Custom Furniture

The initial thought when people think of custom furniture is that it would be out of their price range. Because of this, the first choice for many is mass produced furniture that can be found at many of the big box stores thinking those products are more economical. Custom furniture may have a slightly higher price tag up initially, but it's not necessarily expensive for what you are getting. You just need to find the right source that can provide high quality, reasonably priced furniture. 

At Nighthawk Design Company, we base our furniture costs on the cost of quality materials, and the amount of craftsmanship that will need to go into each piece.

Let's break each of these down a little further:

Quality Materials:

Many mass produced pieces are made with either a soft wood (pine or similar) or MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) topped with an extremely thin veneer which is usually less than 1/16" thick. This gives the furniture a wood like appearance, but does not provide a durable, long lasting surface. When it comes to our custom furniture, we only use high quality solid hardwood boards and slabs from local sources that will stand up to the test of time. For any epoxy work we do, we only use art grade, non toxic EcoPoxy, for a safe and long lasting finish. We offer several finishes, depending on what the piece is meant for, but our favorites are Rubio Monocoat 2C Oil, and Walrus Oil’s line of furniture finishes. Both are non-toxic, food safe, and easy to maintain while leaving a spectacular natural look.

High quality materials do come a price, but are completely worth it when you look at the longevity of your furniture. We want your furniture to last for generations, not just years.

Quick cost breakdown of different wood species, ranked low to high:

Maple
Hickory
Red Oak
Cherry
White Oak
Walnut

Craftsmanship:

Mass produced pieces are just that, mass produced. The focus is on quantity of pieces made, not necessarily the quality of the piece. Visible finger joints are used to splice smaller pieces of wood together, and fasteners are used that don't allow the furniture to move properly over time. We will meticulously design your custom piece to your exact specifications, and build it using only the finest techniques and high precision joinery. Having skilled craftsman in place also factors into the price of the piece. We stand behind our work as well. If a piece ever fails due to our craftsmanship, we'll make it right.

Getting exactly what you want:

The biggest benefit of ordering a custom piece of furniture is ultimately that you get exactly what you want for your space without compromises. We'll make your piece to the exact size, shape, and color you are looking for, whether its a bed, dining table, hutch, or living room furniture. No need to search around furniture stores for something you don't completely love.