How to Incorporate Custom Furniture Into Your Home

Because store-bought furniture doesn’t always perfectly match space, style and storage needs, homeowners often purchase new pieces of furniture only a few years after they bought their original items. As a result, furniture accounted for 12.1 million tons of household waste in 2018 in the United States, much higher than the 2.2 million tons it was in 1960.

To prevent such a quick turnaround and the waste it creates, custom furniture can be an effective long-term investment. Designing a piece to fit your personal space, style and lifestyle can ensure longevity, as it’ll tick all of those boxes. While designing custom furniture may seem complicated on the surface, it’s worth it in the long run. This article will offer strategies for how to incorporate custom furniture in your home, ideas on how to arrange furniture for space efficiency and how to determine what pieces are best for you.

5 Ways to Use Custom Furniture in Your Home

How can you use custom furniture in your house? The options are nearly limitless. From storage to decor to endless other applications, custom furniture can improve your home’s accessibility and aesthetics. Here are five ideas on how to use custom furniture at home:

1. Extra storage: One of the best ways to incorporate custom furniture is for the added storage space. A store-bought bookshelf, for example, will only be so tall and wide, but a custom option can be as large as the wall of the room or as small as the open space in the corner. Additional storage spaces can also be built into almost any custom piece, whether it’s a living room sectional or bed frame.
2. Decor or accents: Even if you aren’t looking for a large furniture piece to add to your home, custom furniture could still be for you. Creating small pieces that match the style of a room will elevate the space. Take a cedar chest as an example. This small item will add depth to the space while also creating a spot to store extra items like blankets and an area to sit.
3. Space efficiency: Both small and oddly shaped spaces are perfect for pieces designed for space efficiency. If you want to create a study space in your kids’ rooms, but there’s not enough room for a desk, you could custom design a lofted bed so they have that extra studying space. Making the most out of each square foot helps create the most efficient home possible.
4. Hobbies: Do you have a hobby or passion you want to do at home? If so, custom furniture is the best way to ensure you have the space and tools to do so. For example, creating a custom table for sewing ensures you have the perfect area to create gorgeous designs.
5. Cohesion: When shopping for matching pieces, it’s often hard to find ones that are the same rather than simply similar. But when customizing, you know what you’re getting will be exactly the same because you can design it that way. If you have a set of throw pillows you want to incorporate into your breakfast nook, you could design a matching seat cushion for your bench.

These ideas are only a few that demonstrate how you can add custom furniture to your home.

Custom Furniture Arrangement Ideas for Your Home

Maybe you want a custom piece, but you’re unsure how to place it in your home. Sometimes, arranging furniture can be as difficult as finding the perfect piece. Fortunately, there are a few basic arrangements that work in any space.

Choosing a focal point of the room to work around is a common layout. Maybe there’s a fireplace, gallery wall or even the custom piece you’ve just designed. No matter what you choose as your focal point, you’ll be able to arrange your furniture towards and around it, creating a well-designed look. Using a focal point is one of the best ways to use custom furniture in a living room.

A symmetrical arrangement is also a smart option. Ensuring one side of the room has the same visual weight of pieces prevents any part of the room from feeling bulky or out of place. To achieve this appearance, balance your furniture. For one of the best ways to use custom furniture in a bedroom or office, place the largest pieces of furniture across from each other on opposite sides of the room. This arrangement will even out the space.

Check out the following section for specific layout examples to consider for your new custom piece.

How to Arrange Custom Furniture in a Living Room, Dining Room and Bedroom

Below are ideas on how to arrange your living room, dining room and bedroom with your new custom furniture piece.

Ideas for Custom Furniture in the Living Room

Often, the living room or family room is the space where the most activity takes place in a home. Therefore, it’s important to achieve the right arrangement so you and your family are comfortable whenever you gather there. Here are some ideas for how to arrange custom furniture in the living room:

• Arrangement with storage: Since you likely use your living room every day, you need adequate storage. Consider wall-to-wall built-ins to maximize your storage space. If you have a TV, keep storage near it for media items with a custom wood entertainment console or similar furniture.
• Symmetrical arrangement: Pick a focal point to arrange your furniture around. For example, place seating near the point and face them towards each other. Add end tables on either side of a sofa to section off the area and create more storage. Another idea is to place two chairs opposite a couch to balance the visual weight and maximize seating.
• Floating furniture arrangement: If you have no free walls or a central focal point, float seating in the center of the room, facing each other. Anchor the floating pieces with a rug and coffee table in between. Frame them with additional seating and storage around the perimeter of the room.
• Arrangement for conversation: Ensure that seating is facing one another and place pieces no further than 8 feet apart. Added seating on the sides of the room can create separate conversation areas away from the center point.
• Arranging around lighting: Place furniture near light sources for reading, conversation and other activities. While windows offer natural light during the day, it’s important to have seating near lamps to ensure light for night activities.
• TV arrangement: If you have windows in the room, place the TV facing away from sunlight to prevent glares. Place the TV and seating 8 to 12 feet apart at no more than a 30-degree angle for viewing purposes. Flow traffic behind potential viewers, rather than between the screen and seating.

No matter how you choose to incorporate custom furniture in your living room, you should ensure it’s easy to move around. The most important dimensions for this are leaving about 30 inches between pieces that you need to walk around and keeping 14 to 18 inches between a coffee table and sofa. These numbers work for both small and large spaces.

Ideas for Custom Furniture in the Dining Room

A dining room can be challenging to arrange since the dining table is often large. However, you can get creative with these ideas on how to arrange custom furniture in your dining room:

• Arranging dining tables: A circular table allows diners to see everyone at the table. These are also perfect for tight spaces or square rooms. Alternatively, rectangular options limit seating but work well in a rectangular space, and have more options for lengths and widths than circular tables. Similarly, oval tables work well in rectangular spaces. That said, tables with removable leaves offer added flexibility. Choose a table that works well within the given space.
• Rectangular dining room arrangement: Matching the table shape with the room shape will maximize seating. Place storage around the perimeter of the room, leaving space for walking around the table. Adding a rug will contrast the flooring and ground the dining area. Mix pieces like chairs and benches for one of the best ways to use custom furniture in a dining room.
• Large dining room arrangement: Choose a table that doesn’t overfill the space. Only buy a table large enough for the seating you’ll need — don’t buy a larger table just to fill the room. Adding storage into the extra space can close in the area, giving a cozier feel. Consider adding extra seating areas anchored with lamps and smaller tables. Feel free to leave room for entertainment and activities, too.
• Arranging with light fixtures: Place your lighting so that it can adapt to the room’s functions. Options like dimmer switches, lamps and scones allow you to set the mood for the occasion. The extra cord length that chandeliers offer allow room for adjustment between differing activities.

The first thing to always consider when determining how to arrange a dining room is your personal lifestyle. Not everyone uses their dining rooms to eat dinner each night — use your family’s habits to create a room that works just for you. The way you incorporate custom furniture in your dining room depends completely on how you and everyone else in your home uses the space.

Ideas for Custom Furniture in the Bedroom

The bedroom is where people spend several hours each day. It’s a place of comfort, and when coming home, you want to be able to relax and unwind in your space. Here are ideas on how to arrange custom furniture in your bedroom:

• Arrangement for beds: Consider the visual weight of your headboard when arranging your bed. If the bed is large for the space, using a lighter headboard will open up the room better, as a solid headboard takes up visual space.
• Cozy arrangement: For a smaller space, place a bench or small chair at the foot of the bed for a seating area. Otherwise, consider placing a chair next to a nightstand to use by both the bed and chair. Another option is to place a small stool next to a chair that can function as a table.
• Window arrangement: Facing the bed towards a window makes the most of the view. Place your desk or dresser, a chair and a mirror opposite the door to open up the area.
• Square room arrangement: Use the bed as your focal point to ground the space. Add vertical storage rather than horizontal to save open floor space — small matching dressers can double as nightstands. Place the bed on a rug that hangs at least 2 feet out on all edges of the bed. For ideas on how to incorporate custom furniture in your bedroom office, pick a small desk with verticle storage.
• Arrangement for small bedrooms: Aim to use fewer, larger pieces instead of a lot of smaller ones that would bulk up the room. Utilize tall storage to save floor space. Plan for your essentials first, then add in extras like decor or seating.

When planning to incorporate custom furniture in your bedroom, consider the size of your bed, as it’ll most likely be the largest item in the room. Give at least 2 feet on either side to allow for space to get up in the morning and avoid placing it within 3 feet of the door to ensure room for walking. Don’t be afraid to give your bed an uncommon placement if it maximizes your space.

Furniture Customization Options at Amish Outlet Store

Maybe you’re convinced that you want a custom piece, but you aren’t sure you have the time or desire to create it completely from scratch. That’s where AmishOutletStore.com can help — we offer easy online furniture customization.

The Arbor Hills swivel barstool, for example, offers choices on wood type, seat height, oak stain and fabric selection. For each of the options, coloration previews are displayed so you can see them closely. There are five wood options, 25 oak stains, the option to send in your own samples and more than plenty of fabric choices. These are just some of the ways you can customize the furniture options on our website.

There are limitless choices with these furniture pieces without the added stress of designing things from scratch. With our selection, you can narrow your options while still having the freedom to create the perfect piece. Whether you’re interested in baby furniture or wine cabinets, you can get custom-made furniture designed by highly skilled Amish crafters.

Order Custom Furniture From Amish Outlet Store Today

When looking for a specific piece, designing and customizing your own is the way to go. It ensures cohesion and allows you to get the perfect match, rather than a piece that’s not quite what you wanted. Get started by browsing our selection of furniture and adding your own custom preferences to the pieces you find. Our easy-to-use furniture customization service will help you make what’s right for you!