Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about commissioning bespoke fitted furniture — from your first enquiry through to installation day, and everything in between.

Get a free design visit
Get a free design visit

The Process

The process has five stages. First, a free home visit where we take precise measurements and discuss your requirements. Second, a detailed design drawing and fixed written quote for you to approve. Third, we manufacture your furniture in our Oxfordshire workshop. Fourth, we install everything in your home — most installations take a single day. Fifth, all our work is fully guaranteed.

From initial enquiry to installation typically takes six to eight weeks. This covers the home visit, design drawing, any revisions, workshop manufacture, and installation scheduling. We will always give you a realistic timeline at the start and keep you updated throughout.

We recommend getting in touch as early as possible if you have a specific date in mind. Six to eight weeks is the typical lead time, but during busy periods it can be longer.

We visit your home, take precise measurements of the space, discuss your requirements in detail — style, storage needs, technology integration, finishes — and take photographs. There is no charge for the home visit and no obligation to proceed. We bring samples of materials and finishes so you can see and feel the quality before committing.

Yes — always. We produce a detailed design drawing showing exactly how your furniture will look — shelf heights, door configurations, internal layout, dimensions — before a single panel is cut. You approve every detail before we begin manufacturing.

Minor changes can usually be accommodated early in the manufacturing process. Significant changes after manufacturing has begun may affect the cost and timeline. We take time at the design stage to get everything right before a single panel is cut.

Construction and Quality

Yes. Every piece is built from scratch for the exact dimensions of your room. We do not stack standard-sized cabinets together to fill a space and disguise the gaps with filler panels — every measurement is taken from your room and every panel is cut specifically for it.

Full carcass construction means every unit is built as a complete structural box — back panel, base, top, and sides — before the doors are fitted. This is fundamentally different from face-frame construction, where doors are attached to a lightweight framework fixed to the wall. Full carcass is stronger, more durable, and lasts significantly longer. All our furniture is full carcass as standard.

Made-to-measure furniture adjusts standard designs to fit your dimensions. Bespoke furniture is designed from scratch for your specific space, requirements, and taste — with no starting template. All the furniture we produce is bespoke: every design begins with your room, not a catalogue.

We manufacture everything in our fully equipped workshop in Long Hanborough, Oxfordshire. All cutting to size, carcass assembly, and spray finishing is done in the workshop before we arrive. On installation day, our team scribe each panel to the existing walls, floors, and ceilings. Compare that to on-site construction, which involves manufacturing in your home — a process that typically takes over a week and leaves significant disruption throughout.

Yes. Our full carcass construction method means furniture is secured at specific fixing points rather than bonded to the plaster. Removal — when moving house — leaves the walls intact.

Scribing is the process of cutting the edge of a furniture panel to match the exact profile of the surface it will sit against. We manufacture every panel slightly oversized, then cut it on site to follow the exact contour of your wall, floor, or ceiling. The result is furniture that sits flush with no visible gap — even against the most irregular period plasterwork or stone. See our dedicated page on scribing fitted furniture to uneven walls.

Yes. Full carcass construction, engineered board, and a hard-wearing workshop lacquer finish means our furniture is built to the same structural standard as high-end kitchen furniture. Our painted furniture can also be repainted years down the line if you want to refresh the colour.

Finishes and Materials

We finish all our furniture in a hard-wearing workshop lacquer applied by spray in a controlled environment. We can match any shade from Farrow & Ball, Little Greene, Dulux, Fired Earth, or any other paint brand. For clients who prefer it, we can also apply those manufacturers’ own paints directly.

Yes — any colour from any paint brand. Popular choices include Elephant’s Breath, Purbeck Stone, Ammonite, Pigeon, Mizzle, and Suffield Green from Farrow & Ball, and Bone, Slaked Lime, and French Grey from Little Greene. If you have a paint reference from any brand, we can match it precisely.

Our standard material for painted furniture is a high performance engineered board — dimensionally stable, takes a sprayed lacquer finish better than solid timber, and does not shrink or expand with temperature changes. For shelving spans exceeding 800mm, we increase shelf thickness, use solid wood or birch ply, or add a solid hardwood lipping to prevent deflection under load. We also work in solid oak, birch plywood, and oak veneer for clients who want a natural timber finish.

Yes. Solid oak desk surfaces, birch plywood shelving with visible ply edges, and full oak carcasses are all available. Many clients choose a combination — a painted carcass with a solid oak worktop — which gives the warmth of natural timber with the finish quality of a lacquered surface.

Yes. For fitted furniture near an active fireplace or electric fire, we specify moisture-resistant board. The thermal cycling near a working fire causes standard board to expand and contract in ways that affect fit and finish over time. Moisture-resistant board is our standard for any furniture within a metre of a heat source.

Costs and Pricing

Every project is different, but here are typical starting prices as a guide: fitted alcove cupboards from £1,800 for a single unit; a pair of matching alcove units from £3,000 to £5,500; full-width living room wall units from £4,000; floor-to-ceiling bookcases from £3,500; fitted wardrobes from £2,500; a full wall-to-wall wardrobe from £4,500; fitted home office from £2,500; TV unit with built-in electric fire from £3,500; false chimney breast with units either side from £5,000; window seat with storage from £1,800. We always provide a fixed quote before work begins.

Yes — always. We provide a detailed written quote before any work begins. The quoted price is the price you pay. We do not add extras after the fact.

No. The home visit, the measurements, and the design drawing are all provided free of charge with no obligation to proceed. We only charge once you have approved the design and confirmed the project.

Yes. We require a deposit when the order is confirmed to cover materials and workshop time. The balance is due on the day of installation. We will confirm the payment schedule in the written quote.

Styles and Design

We work in five main styles: Shaker (inset flat panel door, simple frame, the most versatile option), Victorian period style (inset panel with applied moulding, suits Victorian and Edwardian homes), Edwardian style (raised panel, slightly more ornate), Contemporary (flat panel, handleless, suits modern and recently renovated homes), and Transitional (Shaker doors with more detailed cornicing or period hardware — the fastest-growing style we work in). We advise on the right style for your property at the design stage.

A Shaker door has a recessed flat panel set within a simple frame. It is clean and understated — neither too traditional nor too contemporary — which makes it the most versatile door style and our most popular choice. It suits Victorian terraces, 1930s semis, new builds, and recently renovated properties equally well.

A breakfront is a design where a central section of a cabinet projects forward from the sections either side, creating a sense of depth and a natural focal point. It works particularly well in living rooms where a long run of units would otherwise look flat and uniform.

Yes. For period properties, we frequently match existing skirting board profiles, cornicing details, and architrave mouldings so the new furniture feels as though it has always been part of the room. We scribe all furniture to the existing surfaces so there are no visible gaps.

Traditional or period style furniture is designed to feel as though it belongs to the original architecture of the house. For Victorian properties this typically means inset panel doors with an applied moulding on the face, detailed cornicing, an ogee or ovolo plinth, and period hardware such as ceramic knobs or brass cup handles. For Edwardian properties, raised panel doors are also used. The two styles are closely related and highly interchangeable in practice.

Specific Furniture Types

We make fitted alcove cupboards, fitted wardrobes, fitted home offices, media walls and TV units, TV units with built-in electric fires, fitted bookcases and home libraries, fitted living room furniture, fitted dining room furniture, window seats with storage, and glazed display cabinets.

Yes. We work primarily with Gazco’s eReflex series for electric fire installations. We design all furniture around the specific fire model — correct clearances, cable management, ventilation — and build the surrounding furniture to present the fire as an integral part of the design.

Yes — small, awkward spaces are where bespoke joinery adds the most value. Box rooms, understairs voids, bedroom alcoves, and landing corners can all be turned into functional workspaces. A fitted desk can be as shallow as 400mm for a very compact space.

Yes. We design storage that uses the low sections under the slope for cupboards and the full-height sections for hanging rails, shelving, or desk space. Every inch of the irregular space is made useful.

Yes. We design fitted window seats built to the exact angles of your bay, with lift-up storage beneath or hinged cupboard doors at the front. Bay window seats require precise templating to match the specific angles of the bay.

Shelf deflection is entirely preventable at the design stage. For spans exceeding 800mm with significant book loads, we increase shelf thickness, use solid oak or birch ply, or add a solid hardwood lipping to the front edge. Correctly specified shelving will not deflect.

Location and Coverage

We are based in Long Hanborough, West Oxfordshire — on a former working farm that was part of the Blenheim Palace estate, between Eynsham and Woodstock, just outside Oxford.

We work primarily across Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire. Our main service areas include Oxford and the surrounding villages, High Wycombe, Marlow, Amersham, Beaconsfield, Maidenhead, and the wider Home Counties.

Yes. We have extensive experience working in listed properties, conservation areas, and period homes of all types. Our full carcass construction method means we can install furniture without damaging original walls, fireplaces, or period features.

After Installation

All our fitted furniture is fully guaranteed. Any issues with construction, fitting, or finish will be put right at no charge. The lacquer finish is designed to last many years with normal use and requires only a damp cloth to clean.

Yes. The lacquer finish can be refreshed or changed colour years down the line. Contact us and we will advise on the best approach for your specific furniture.

Yes. Our full carcass construction means furniture is fixed at specific points rather than bonded to the walls. Careful removal leaves the walls intact. In most cases the furniture adds enough value to the property that it makes more sense to leave it.

A damp cloth is all that is needed for the lacquer finish. Avoid abrasive cleaners or anything solvent-based. The hard-wearing workshop lacquer is designed to withstand normal daily use without marking or dulling.

Still Have a Question?

Call us on 01865 570029 or use the button below to get in touch. There is no charge for an initial conversation and no obligation to proceed.

Get in touch