If you’ve ever tried to squeeze flat‑pack into a Victorian alcove or a new‑build nook, you already know the punchline: it rarely fits. Made to measure furniture London solves that. It’s designed around your home’s exact dimensions, your storage needs, and your style, so every millimetre works hard. From fitted wardrobes that swallow the clutter to handsome media walls that hide cables, bespoke joinery brings order, value, and a clean, cohesive look to London homes of every era.
Why Made To Measure Suits London Homes
London architecture is wonderfully varied, which is also a polite way of saying “awkward” when you’re buying off‑the‑shelf. Terraces with chimney breasts, lofty warehouse conversions, low eaves in lofts, old skirting and out‑of‑square walls, standard sizes simply don’t play nicely. Made to measure furniture London lets you claim back those odd corners, alcoves and dead zones.
Beyond space‑efficiency, you gain visual calm. Built‑in pieces sit tight to walls and ceilings, hiding gaps that attract dust and clutter. You can continue cornices and skirting across cabinetry so it looks original to the house. In smaller flats this is transformative: floor‑to‑ceiling storage draws the eye up and reduces the number of freestanding pieces you need.
It’s also about performance. You get internal layouts that match your life, pull‑out shoe trays, deep drawers for jumpers, ventilated cupboards for routers, integrated lighting that turns on as doors open. And unlike mass‑market units, bespoke joinery is engineered for your loads, your tech, your habits. The result: a home that feels calm, considered and made for living.
As a bonus, well‑executed bespoke work often adds perceived value. Buyers in London recognise practical, elegant storage and the craftsmanship that comes with it.
Popular Bespoke Pieces
Fitted Wardrobes And Alcove Storage
The classics, and for good reason. Fitted wardrobes make the most of ceiling height, finishing with scribes that hug the plaster so there’s no dust gap. Internals are where the magic is: double hanging for shirts and jackets, full‑length for dresses, adjustable shelves, velvet‑lined jewellery trays, even integrated laundry hoppers. In period bedrooms, Shaker doors with beading keep things sympathetic: in contemporary spaces, flat spray‑finished doors with discreet edge pulls look crisp.
Alcove units (either side of a chimney breast) turn a tricky wall into a workhorse. Typical layouts use cupboards below for hidden storage and open shelves above for books and art. You can float the shelves, add LED strips at the rear, or continue the room’s skirting across the plinth so everything reads as one piece. Cable grommets and ventilated backs keep set‑top boxes or speakers happy without visual noise.
Home Offices And Media Walls
Hybrid working isn’t going anywhere, and the dining table isn’t a long‑term solution. A tailored home office gives you the right desk height, a file drawer that actually fits lever‑arch folders, a hidden printer pull‑out, and a charging drawer that tames wires. If you’re tight on space, a wall‑bed with a fold‑down desk or a slim study nook on a landing can be game‑changing. Acoustic panels and soft‑close hardware earn their keep on video calls.
Media walls are today’s living‑room anchor. Done well, they balance screen, sound and storage. Typical builds include a centred TV recess, soundbar housing, speaker fabric panels, soft‑lit display niches and deep base drawers for games and controllers. If you’re considering an electric fire insert, bespoke cabinetry lets you manage clearances and ventilation properly, while keeping service access neat. The best designs plan cable routes, power points and ventilation from day one so you never see a wire.
Materials And Finishes
Your material choices shape both look and longevity. For painted furniture, moisture‑resistant MDF (MR MDF) gives a smooth, stable substrate, typically spray‑finished in durable lacquer, colour‑matched to Farrow & Ball, Little Greene or RAL. If you prefer a visible grain, veneered boards (oak, walnut, ash) over high‑grade birch ply or MDF deliver warmth without the movement risks of solid timber.
Solid woods still have their place, oiled oak desktops, walnut edging, or solid lipped shelves, but good makers will advise where stability matters (long doors, large panels) and where solid is a joy. Interiors benefit from melamine or laminate for wipe‑clean durability, especially in utility rooms.
Hardware is the quiet hero: Blum or Hettich soft‑close hinges and runners, quality push‑to‑open latches, and proper hanging rails rated for real‑world loads. Ask about FSC‑certified timber, low‑VOC finishes and formaldehyde‑reduced boards if sustainability is on your brief. Small details, shadow gaps, brass edge pulls, hand‑applied patinas, elevate the whole piece.
How The Process Works
- Brief and survey: You’ll start with a conversation about how you live and what needs to be stored. A site survey follows, measuring every quirk, noting sockets, skirting, coving, radiators and access stairs for delivery.
- Design and proposals: Expect sketches or 3D visuals, elevations with dimensions, and an outline of materials and finishes. This is where you iterate. Don’t be shy about shelf heights or door style: the point is to tailor.
- Quotation and deposit: A clear, itemised quote should define scope, hardware, paint system, electrical allowances and timelines. A 40–50% deposit is common to book the workshop slot.
- Production: Components are CNC‑cut and hand‑finished in the workshop. Good makers pre‑assemble to test fit, then dismantle for finishing. Meanwhile, you confirm paint colours, handles and any special electrics.
- Installation: Typically 1–5 days depending on scale. Expect on‑site scribing to out‑of‑square walls, dust control, and a tidy finish. Any decorators’ caulking or touch‑ups are usually included.
- Snagging and aftercare: A walkthrough catches tweaks, door reveals, touch‑ups, alignment. You’ll get care instructions and, ideally, a warranty.
Lead times vary with season and complexity. In London, 6–12 weeks from sign‑off is typical: allow extra if you’re coordinating with other trades.
Costs And Budgeting
Budgets for made to measure furniture London vary with size, specification and finish, but some ballparks help:
- Alcove units: £1,800–£5,000+ per pair, depending on depth, shelves, lighting and paint.
- Fitted wardrobes: £2,500–£8,000+ per run: premium veneers, internal lighting and bespoke handles push higher.
- Home office: £4,000–£15,000+ based on footprint, drawers, worktop material and integrated tech.
- Media walls: £3,500–£12,000+ depending on niches, speaker fabric panels, fire inserts and LED lighting.
What drives cost? Materials (veneers and solid timber cost more than painted MDF), complexity (curves, pocket doors, bifolds), hardware quality, hand finishing, and site conditions (access, plaster quirks). Spray finishing, colour‑matching and on‑site decorating add time and money, but also longevity.
Allow for VAT at 20%, delivery and installation, and any electrics (sockets, LED drivers) which are often priced separately. A design fee (sometimes deductible on order) covers drawings and revisions. It’s sensible to keep a 10–15% contingency for scope tweaks once you see the design in 3D.
Choosing A London Furniture Maker
Shortlist specialists whose portfolio looks like what you want, Shaker wardrobes are a different craft language to ultra‑minimal handleless sets. Look for detailed case studies with in‑progress photos, not just glossy afters.
Due diligence helps:
- Reviews and references: Recent clients will tell you how communication and snagging were handled.
- Workshop and finish: Ask where the work is made and finished: a controlled spray environment beats on‑site hand‑painting for durability.
- Technical clarity: Good drawings, hardware specs (Blum/Hettich), board grades (MR MDF, birch ply), and a clear installation method.
- Professional standards: Memberships like the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) and evidence of insurance and waste licences inspire confidence.
- Warranty and aftercare: 12–24 months is common: hinges and runners often carry longer manufacturer guarantees.
Finally, chemistry matters. You’ll collaborate through design decisions, so choose a maker who listens, questions your brief thoughtfully, and sets realistic timelines. The cheapest quote that’s vague on detail is rarely the best value.