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Custom Made Furniture

landbeforetimelover

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Years ago I never would have thought about custom making my furniture.  I always thought it was waaaaaay too expensive.  You know, something that only rich snobs did.  But actually, you might be surprised (I know I was!).  I spent about 10 months looking for a new bed for my room.  Technically I haven't owned a bed for the last 7 years or so (I've been using the free bed frame thing they give away with mattresses).  Honestly I didn't care.  But I've been changing a lot of things in my life lately, so I thought what the heck, right?  

Anyway, so I set out to look for the perfect bed.  My requirements were BEYOND simple, but it was just impossible to find!  All I wanted was a full sized platform bed with a FLAT headboard.  No frilly crap.  No holes, no weird textures, and NO LEATHER!  I want my head to feel a flat surface behind me when I sit up in bed.  But alas, I searched for 10 months and I just couldn't find it.  The headboard was either super weird or way too short.  So I decided to have my bed custom made.

I had the job done at a local furniture store.  All their pieces are real wood.  I mean, real wood.  Not ugly looking Amish wood.  Just real wood.  And stained.  The furniture is so well built, you can actually STAND INSIDE the dresser drawers when they're pulled out!  I didn't buy a dresser, but the bed is made of the same stuff.

Anyway, I was looking at regular beds (that were NOT custom built) from $1,100 to $2,000.  So I figured a custom job with real wood like this would be something ridiculous like $5,000.  When it was all done it was only about $2,500 including delivery!

Now I know what you're thinking.  What a rich snob I am, spending $2,500 on a bed and thinking it's cheap!  But look at it long term and it makes a lot of sense.  Barring a house fire, this bed should last at least 200 years.  All their custom made furniture comes with a 100 year warranty.....and they've been in business since 1812 so I think they'll make good on that warranty!  

I'm pretty excited.  I think I'll have them build a custom dresser and some tables now.  If I'm going to use this stuff until I'm dead, I think I can afford it!  This is soooooo much better than buying some cheapo painted pressed board crap from Becker furniture for $1,500.  It comes with a 1 year warranty, but you can buy a 5 year warranty for an ADDITIONAL $500.  NO THANKS!  I'll go 100% solid wood custom built for a few hundred more.

EDIT:  I'll post pictures of my room in the "show us your room" thread later.  Then you can actually see the bed.


Kor

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Sounds expensive, but if well made I can see how one could save up to buy those one at a time then never need to buy a 2nd bed, ect again.  One drawback is moving would be a huge hassle.


landbeforetimelover

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Yes, moving will be difficult.  The bed comes in three pieces that are at least 350 pounds each for the base and at least 150 pounds for the headboard.  It took 4 guys to carry just one of the pieces up the stairs.  Thankfully hired movers aren't so expensive if you do it all yourself and just pay them to come move the heavy furniture.  It only cost $500 for 2 guys for 14 hours the last time we moved.  Quite a bargain if I do say so myself.  Though next time we'll be doing most of the moving ourselves.  That way it'll probably only be $100 or so the next time we move.

Speaking of which, it's not just furniture I've been experimenting with.  I've decided that I only want to buy most things once or twice in my life.  The savings are incredible over time if you only have to buy something once - even if it is a bit more with the initial purchase.


Kor

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True, you will likely save over the long run.  Though moving will not be easy, even if you become a power lifter or weight lifter.