Creating a custom furniture layout with a limited budget

We are currently working in a home where both the second story and the main floor are getting some love. Part of the love that this home is getting involves creating a custom furniture layout, with a limited budget.

Setting the Stage

When I first met with this lovely couple, they were looking to refresh their home and make some minor and major changes to their home. They had already looked at potentially moving however, investing in a renovation was going to be better for their situation.

Although we are working on two stories of this home, for this blog, I’m going to specifically focus on the main living area that includes the kitchen.

Pain Points

For this young family, there were a number of ‘pain points’ their home.

• The shape of the island made the kitchen feel cramped.
• Not enough storage.
• The refrigerator space was small which made for purchasing a larger refrigerator was impossible.
• The distance between the island and the range was less than 36″.
• The main floor family area was being over run by toys and kids things.
• The furniture was dated.
• The layout was no longer working.

The Plan

We discussed many options for the kitchen, and this is the plan we are proceeding with.

The Kitchen

You can see more about the kitchen here on IGTV.

The Family Room

Part of creating a more functional space for my clients was to also create an area just off the kitchen. Here was the plan I came up with.

How do we proceed?

As we discussed a budget for furniture, we also discussed different places to shop. One place that I wanted to introduce my clients to was Whittaker Designs. Whittaker Designs is for the Trade Only which means that ‘Joe Blow’ can not shop on their own – you have to be working with a designer. Whittaker Designs is also local. That means furniture it built right here.

The main reason I wanted to show furniture that Whittaker Designs has to offer is that I really wanted my clients to invest in the larger pieces, and then fill the gaps from various other resources. Investing in the main pieces, in my opinion, is the way to go. There’s no point in investing in a cheap sofa that will end up in the landfill in 5-10 years.

As you can see from above, my clients are investing in their main sofa and the chair. The rest of the space is coming from various retail areas as well as my sources, to create the finished space.

Custom Furniture

Next week, I’m going to take you on a tour of Whittaker Designs. You will get to see the making of furniture, what ‘custom’ means, and of we’ll be talking numbers as well. Everyone cringes when they hear the word ‘Custom Furniture’. They equate that with expensive. Next week, I’ll take you on a journey to educate you with facts. I can hardly wait!

Shop the Look

While I believe in custom furniture, filling the gaps with pieces from local stores, box stores, and other resources can be a smart way to manipulate a custom furniture layout. Here are a few selections that I could see in my clients’ space. Perhaps you can see them in yours?