Any space can be made functional with furniture in it. It is essential for one to be coherent about the furniture pieces that they are either constructed or bought with consideration for a certain space. Narrowing it down to residential spaces, furniture brings in the warmth and comfort while defining the aesthetics of the house. Furniture makes a house feel like a home but at the same time, it's important that the furniture is built keeping the user in mind.
How the Right Furniture Can Transform Your Home
The first step to converting a flat into a home is to define the kind of furniture one intends to build in the space. In recent years, due to extensive migrations and “living out of the suitcase” culture, traditional furniture making has taken a backseat in a lot of the urban homes, bringing modular furniture in the light.
Furniture, in general, can be categorised into 2 kinds, custom made and modular furniture. Custom made furniture pieces follow the traditional methods that involve skilled labourers and raw materials that are made into functional pieces. On the other hand, modular furniture is a factory-made product that is made keeping the mass user in consideration.
Are you looking to get new furniture for your home? If yes, here are a few reasons why you should go for customised furniture over modular furniture.
1. User-specific vs Generic design
Custom made furniture gives users the flexibility to determine the functional aspect of the furniture peculiar to him. It is not generic in nature. In general practice, furniture design follows the ergonomic standards. Custom make gives one the freedom to redefine these standards as per their preferences. We at Hipcouch design the furniture pieces for the client along with them to ensure user satisfaction. In the case of modular make, the production happens on a larger extent.
Although the fineness is determined by machines, it is not a statement piece of a certain user. The design generally follows the standards in terms of the sizes which are generic to a larger extent of the society. In the case of custom made where the material and colours can be personally chosen, modular furniture has limitations in terms of theiir sizes and colours.
2. Quality check vs Mass production
Custom made furniture helps to keep a detailed eye on the quality of the product. Not only can the quality of the raw materials be certified but also the making process can be looked at with sheer attention. Customised pieces follow the traditional furniture making method which helps to determine the time invested by the craftsmen. There is a huge gap between a custom make and mass produce. Modular or mass productions consume less time as it involves the machines.
At the same time, the materials that go in the production end up going unchecked as they go in for production on a larger scale. We at Hipcouch not only take pride in building our own furniture pieces from scratch but also make sure the quality is checked by our highly skilled on-site team. We deliver furniture designed for the end-user with a personal touch.
3. Adaptivity to any space vs Rigid structure
The custom made furniture has the ability to be designed as per the space around it. For eg., the length of a wardrobe can be determined by the space available in the bedroom. At the same time, modular wardrobes come in standard sizes like 6’, 8’, etc. which may not be rightly suitable for the space available. These conditions are taken into consideration when a custom piece is built on the site.
Narrowing it down further, Hipcouch ensures that minor details are looked at. Like the internal configuration of saying a wardrobe is determined based on the specifications of the end-user. Modular wardrobes are produced in a set pattern which may or may not suit the requirements of every buyer.
4. Value for Money vs Pocket friendly
Custom made furniture is looked at from an investment point of view as it is heavier on the pocket than modular furniture. One of the reasons for the same is the effort and work that goes into making the furniture pieces tailored to one’s specifications. It also involves a huge amount of backhand services like transportation, raw materials, making from scratch, skilled labour. These factors affect the cost of production as multiple agencies are involved.
On the other hand, modular furniture is mass produced and consumed by a larger extent of the society who do not intend to invest in custom made. The factories producing modular furniture buy the raw materials in bulk at a much lower cost, thus the end product ends up being cheaper than a customised product.
5. Environmental Consciousness
As a user and a member of society, it is essential to prioritize the environment. When it comes to furniture production, it is important to be aware of the factors that can cause effects on the natural environment. In case of custom made furniture, one can directly control the making, use and source of raw materials- if they are hazardous to the environment or beings, place where the furniture was made, health and well being of the labourers that are working at it day in and out, disposal of waste created.
At the same time, these factors are controlled by private entities that are involved in mass production. It is hard to tell the sources of the factors that contribute to the production. Along with that, industrial waste is generated on a large scale which not only affects the atmosphere but also the well being of all living organisms.
6. Durability
Based on user experience, custom made furniture is said to last longer than modular furniture. The fact that minute factors like carpentry thumb rules, good quality raw material, skilled craftsmanship are looked into against the furniture pieces that are made out of machines, make the custom furniture much more durable and user friendly. We at Hipcouch ensure that the factors are taken care of while constructing custom made furniture pieces to ensure the product meets the requirements of the end-user.
Summing up the above points, both these kinds- custom make vs modular come with their own perks and cons. Keeping those in mind, it is essential that you as the end-user consider the factors suitable to your specifics. If you are building a long term home, it is advisable to go for custom made furniture or if you are a frequent traveller modular furniture can be monetarily more effective for you.
Still confused about the right furniture? Or are you looking for more tips and tricks to decorate your home? Get in touch with our team of designers to get customised ideas for your spaces. Simply book a design consultation with us over a video call.