Custom Furniture in San Miguel: What to Specify

When does custom furniture make sense?

A commission is worth considering when the room, intended use or design direction calls for a specification that an available piece does not meet.

That might mean a particular proportion, a coordinated group of pieces, a material requirement or a finish that needs to relate to existing elements. First check whether a ready-made piece already serves the need. A full custom process is not necessary for every room.

For a whole home, the decision should follow the overall interior direction. For a focused commission, establish how the new piece will work with the furniture you are keeping.

What should the specification include?

Dimensions and use

Confirm the intended location and the measurements that affect the piece. Consider circulation, seating or table use, nearby doors and the delivery route, not only its outline on a drawing.

Where fit is critical, identify who verifies the site measurements before approval. A reference image does not provide that information.

Materials and construction

Record the proposed material, upholstery or surface treatment, together with the construction information relevant to the commission. Terms such as “wood,” “linen look” or “luxury finish” can leave important details unresolved.

If a performance, maintenance or safety requirement matters, ask for the appropriate product information rather than inferring it from appearance. Specialist or regulated requirements need the relevant professional advice.

Finishes and samples

Agree which sample, finish reference or drawing is being approved and how that approval is recorded. Photographs and screens can represent colour and texture differently from the physical material.

Clarify acceptable variation where relevant, and how proposed substitutions will be reviewed. Do not assume that an available sample means the full order can be produced immediately.

What must be clear before production?

The written scope should identify the supplier or maker, the approved specification, who places the order, payment terms, proposed timing and what happens if a change is requested.

Approval should connect to the actual order documents. If you revise dimensions, upholstery or finish after an order has been committed, review the implications with the responsible parties before proceeding.

A commission’s lead time depends on the specification, material availability, production commitments and approvals. There is no universal workshop timetable published here.

How are delivery and inspection handled?

Establish who receives the piece, which checks happen at delivery and how concerns are documented under the supplier’s terms.

Access needs its own review: entrances, stairs, turns and the final room can affect delivery. Storage, specialist handling, fitting or installation are included only when agreed.

Keep the approved specification, available care information and relevant supplier records with the order. This supports follow-up, but does not guarantee that an identical replacement will remain available.

What about rental use or an arrival deadline?

For a rental, assess the actual piece for its intended use, upkeep and replacement options. Custom furniture is not categorically unsuitable for rentals, and a ready-made item is not automatically durable. The brief should define the practical need.

If timing is critical, discuss available pieces and the dependencies of any commission before committing. A preferred arrival date should not be treated as a maker’s confirmed completion date.

How is a commission quoted?

Centinela reviews the pieces, dimensions, materials, design work and logistics before preparing an individual quotation. Design and coordination, purchases, delivery, installation, applicable taxes and exclusions are identified as relevant to the scope. There is no public price list or blanket promise that custom costs less.

For focused work, explore Custom Furniture Design & Sourcing. When furniture, textiles, lighting and installation need one direction, consider Turnkey Home. The Collector is the more individually curated interior service for commissioned pieces and art.

What should you share first?

Send the rooms or pieces involved, reference images, existing pieces to retain, any available measurements and preferred timing. If you are abroad, identify who can provide property access.

Read the project process and private proposal guide, then discuss your furniture project. A project review comes before the quotation and any production commitment.