When a customer contacts me for custom made furniture I arrange to meet with them. It can be at my shop, their home, one of the locations I have handcrafted furniture on display, or some where else. I want it to be some where the customer is comfortable. If it is some where besides my shop I bring a bag with close to 20 different kinds of wood samples and a book with pictures of some custom made furniture I have created.

I have the customer talk about the item(s) they are looking for and where it will be used. I am trying to get an idea of what their expectations are for the custom made furniture, what it will be used, how it will fit in the room it will be placed, and the style they have in mind. Sometimes they have a picture of a piece they like but they want some thing different. The differences can be something as simple as they need different dimensions, or different woods. Many times they want something that is similar in size or how it will be used but want a different style. Once they expressed their initial ideas, I will ask questions that help me understand the picture of the custom made furniture in their mind. Most of the time the customers want me to express what I think about their ideas to them. At this point I will draw a quick sketch of what I think they are looking for and make suggestions on the woods that might be used.

Many of the suggestions I make will be because I like to use woods that have different colors or textures instead of a stain or paint to create a certain look or feel. An example of this is I like to use Bubinga and Ribbon African Mahogany together. When a clear varnished is used as the finish they have a similar color but the grain patterns are very different creating a unique look. I also like to use clear finishes that highlight the beauty of the grain and natural color of the wood. What I mean by this is I will use boiled linseed oil on Cherry because it gives it a nice warm burgundy red color then a clear topcoat of varnish or lacquer. The boiled linseed oil gives the cherry a warm feeling while the varnish or lacquer protects it.

I also think there are several things about wood furniture that makes people want to reach out and touch it. They are the color, grain pattern, and texture of the wood. These things can vary in boards from the same tree and from specie to specie. This is an area that custom or handcrafted furniture can be much nicer than the furniture made in factories. In factories for mass production and cost reasons boards are cut up by a compute operated machine to widths of one to three inches then glued back together in random order for table tops, drawer faces, side panels, etc. This destroys the natural beauty of the grain. Then they hide the texture of the wood behind a stain. You end up with only a pretty color that in not the natural color of the wood. Now if you have custom made furniture created by Emmett Fine Furniture, we will hand pick the boards so that they will emphasis the natural color, grain pattern, and textures in the woods you choose. You end up with a piece of furniture that has the beauty of an antique yet has the advantages of something new, built to your needs and desires.

Now that I have told the customer my thoughts and done a quick sketch we make adjustments to the sketch so that it matches their needs and desires. I take the sketch back to the shop with me and work up a bid. When I have completed the bid I present it to the customer.

I normally request one third down to cover the cost of the materials. Once I have the down payment I schedule the piece in with the other work I have. I encourage the customer to come to the shop and see the piece as it is being made. This allows them to make changes if they may want before it is complete and the changes are not possible. It also gives me a chance to get to know them which I find vary enjoyable as it allows me to anticipate their reaction to the piece once it is completed and delivered. I have many new friends through this process.