From Design to Installation: The Process Behind Made-to-Measure Carpentry Furniture

Every house has its own story, and furniture and décor can often convey it without saying a word. In London, where spaces are very compact and every inch counts, more and more people are turning to bespoke carpentry. And it’s not just for the sake of a pretty picture, but to create truly unique pieces that reflect the character of the home and its owners.

Unlike mass-produced furniture, made to measure carpentry begins long before the first piece of wood arrives on the craftsman’s table. It all starts with a conversation and a sketch, as well as precise measurements of the space and walls. And we know that walls in old houses are usually far from perfect geometry. This whole process brings the customer and contractor together to work on unique pieces — from the initial idea to the final point.

The main value of such work lies in its individuality, precision, attention to detail, and the opportunity to participate directly in the creation process. The client and designer choose the materials, colours, and shapes, and the craftsman brings their ideas to life. That is the essence of craftsmanship.

In the Urban Wardrobes carpentry ranges, you can see how this philosophy is put into real life practice. Each of our projects is an interesting journey from idea to installation, carefully planned step by step. In this article, we will show you the full value of such a “route”.

It All Starts With a Consultation and an Idea.

Any craft production begins not with a drawing, but with a conversation. At this stage, the craftsman understands what the customer wants: how much storage space is needed, how the space will be used, and what is important to the person in their everyday life. This is how the entire project grows, brick by brick.

For craft producers, personal consultations are a normal part of the process. In fact, 80% of the future result is already formed at the discussion and measurement stage. 

For manual production, measurement accuracy is more than critical. In classic London houses, even walls can have errors of up to 25 mm per metre in length, which is a lot! This is especially true for houses over 50 years old. That is why experienced bespoke carpenters always start their work with accurate measurements and the creation of a basic plan of the room.

And the main question: “What is important to discuss at the first meeting with the contractor?” For illustration purposes, we have created a simple table:

What to discuss	What’s included	What it’s for
Room measurements	Basic measurements, determining ceiling heights, wall irregularities and corners.	Eliminate gaps and misalignments during installation.
Budget	Budget ranges and limits are set.	Select materials and fittings without any surprises.
Style and materials	Samples of wood and colours, examples of textures, shades and finishes.	For visualisation and determination of taste preferences in design.
Deadlines	Setting time frames and explaining the timing of each stage.	Helps the client understand the stages of work and plan the time.

The designers at Urban Wardrobes take 60-90 minutes for such a meeting with a client, after which a detailed sketch and estimate are developed. By the fact of consultation, the person understands what exactly will be done, how much it will cost and how long it will take. Transparency in such matters is the basis of a trusting relationship between the customer and the bespoke carpentry company.

From Idea to Form

This is where the most creative part of the process begins, combining imagination and engineering: designers draw a sketch and transfer it into a digital model. It’s really interesting to watch. 

The approximate time frame for developing one such project is 3 to 7 days. During this time, 3D visualisations are created, all dimensions are specified, and materials and colour schemes are selected. Good craftsmen strive not only to show the customer a picture, but to give them a real feel for the furniture in the space: how the light falls, where the doors open, how spacious the drawers are, how it fits into the room.

Each stage of this process can be described as:

• Rough plan and sketch. A basic drawing is created, setting out the proportions and overall style.
• 3D visualisation. At this stage, the client can see the future furniture in real scale, accurate to the millimetre.
• Approval details. Colours, shapes, fittings, the location of doors, drawers and handles are discussed; adjustments are made.
• Final approval. After confirmation by the customer, technical specifications are drawn up for the workshop and a cost estimate is calculated.

Special attention is paid to materials. The type of wood is selected or MDF boards are chosen. Interestingly, in statistics for 2024 from the British Woodworking Federation, almost 42% of carpentry in London is done with MDF. This is all thanks to its durability and smooth surface, which is ideal for any type of paint, especially when applied by hand. Urban Wardrobes’ projects clearly show how different types of finishes and shades can change the feel of a space: matte surfaces make a room feel calmer, light colours visually expand the space, and glossy finishes add a play of light.

When an Idea Becomes Reality

The entire process moves to the workshop, where the most interesting part begins — transforming the drawn design into real furniture. Carpentry furniture production combines technology and craftsmanship to bring the most awesome ideas to life. 

Modern workshops in London use CNC machines. These machines are capable of achieving accuracy of up to 0.1 mm when working with wood. This is certainly impressive, but most of the work is still done by hand. Why? It’s simple: a machine just can’t adjust to all the irregularities in the geometry of a room. That’s why manual labour is so highly valued. Thus, the manufacture of even the simplest modular cabinet can take around 15-20 working hours. And that’s just for assembling and fitting the parts!

It’s also very interesting to know exactly how all the processes take place in the workshop. Look:

1. The work begins with preparing the materials. Boards without defects are selected, and the moisture content of the wood is checked, which should be between 8-10%.
2. Next comes sawing and processing. The blanks are cut to size, sanded and milled, and then adjusted by hand.
3. The next step is to assemble the structure. The craftsman joins the elements using dowels, waterproof glue and hidden fasteners so that the joints are not visible.
4. Next, the product is finished. All surfaces are sanded again and then coated in the following sequence: primer, paint and varnish. The coating process can take up to 12 hours of pure working time. And that’s without interlayer drying and polishing. In the case of hand painted carpentry, several layers must be applied in succession, and the process can take up to 2-3 days.
5. The process is completed with drying and stabilisation. The finished product is left to stand at a constant temperature of 20-22° so that the coating gains strength.

Behind every handmade product lies the incredible work and experience of master craftsmen, as well as countless hours of painstaking labour to perfect every detail.

Quality Control as a Final Check Before Installation

Before the furniture leaves the workshop, each element undergoes a final inspection. Everything is checked: geometry, colour, coating density, joint quality and even how smoothly and quietly the doors open. In fact, the inspection includes more than 20 parameters to ensure that the product complies with the technical plan.

Urban Wardrobes has an internal inspection system in place, whereby furniture undergoes a 3-stage inspection process: after cutting, after painting, and before packaging. This meticulous approach reduces the risk of errors by almost 40%. Only after all checks have been completed is the furniture packed and ready for delivery.

The Moment When Everything Falls Into Place

Even the most perfectly crafted furniture remains just a set of parts until it arrives at the house where it will be assembled. And this stage is no less essential than the entire production process that precedes it. This is when the carpentry furniture takes its final shape and becomes part of a new space.

Transporting furniture requires special care. All large items are transported disassembled in sturdy packaging with soft padding inside. This is necessary to avoid damage during transport, as 70% of damage to finished furniture occurs precisely because of improper packaging.

Installing carpentry in London has its own specific challenges. Old houses, uneven walls, narrow stairwells — all of this requires precise fitting on site. Even a couple millimetres of error on the part of the fitters can result in doors not closing properly or facades being warped. The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) website even has statistics showing that 65% of furniture problems occur not during production, but due to incorrect assembly. Now imagine how important the work of a fitter is!

So, what should the result look like clearly:

Stage	Before installation	After installation
Construction	Separate panels, fronts and drawers, without doors and fittings.	A seamless integrated system with all fittings.
Quality control	Visual inspection of parts for damage.	Complete assembly and checks: opening doors and drawers, fitting to the wall, fastening fittings.
Accuracy control	Measurements according to drawings.	Fitting during assembly, perfect joints without visible seams.
Overall impression	Raw blank.	Ready-made furniture in the interior.

Installation is the process by which bespoke carpentry solutions come to life. It’s here that the precision of the design and the quality of the craftsmanship become clear. The installers at Urban Wardrobe call this stage the “quiet finale” — when the furniture is in place, everything fits perfectly, and you can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy the beauty of the finished work.

Summarising all the stages, it’s obvious that bespoke carpentry isn’t just a pretty picture in your interior, but a well-thought-out solution where every line has meaning and its place in the space. It’s a long process with a gorgeous result that’s worth all the effort.

How to Extend the Life of Your Furniture

Furniture is an integral part of your home and requires maintenance. Wood is a living material that reacts to moisture, sunlight, and temperature. And yes, it can also age. That is why it needs to be cared for. After all, furniture that is cared for will last 3 times longer than furniture that isn’t looked after at all. This is especially true for hand painted carpentry — its protective layer requires attention.

It’s not necessary to polish and wash your furniture every day. But following a few simple care rules isn’t hard and won’t take much time, and it’ll really extend the life of your stuff.

So, what you need to do:

• When cleaning dust, use a regular soft cloth. Aggressive cleaning agents and abrasives can damage the varnish and paint, and you don’t want that. 
• If there are serious stains and marks (spilled coffee or drips), use special cleaning products for wooden furniture. Their composition won’t damage the finish.
• Periodically check hinges, guides and handles. Fastenings can become loose, especially with constant use. They should be tightened from time to time.
• If the furniture is used actively, the finish may need to be renewed over time. Light sanding and a fresh coat of varnish will restore everything to its original condition.
• Wood doesn’t like moisture and sudden temperature changes, so it’s a good idea to maintain a comfortable temperature in the room and not wash the cabinets with wet sponges.

Proper furniture care is, so to speak, part of the philosophy of handcrafted carpentry, and it pays off in the long service life of the products. At Urban Wardrobes, we always provide care advice and stay in touch with our customers even after the work is completed. We are responsible for the quality of our products and are ready to service them in the future.

When Craftsmanship Speaks for Itself

Good furniture isn’t just about precise calculations, but, first and foremost, it shows how much the craftsman cares about their work. Real bespoke carpentry services aren’t built on promises, but on a clear and carefully planned sequence of steps: from the first measurements to the final screw on installation day. 

For professionals, it’s not how a product looks on the day it’s installed that matters, but how it will look after years of use. And that’s the deciding factor. Every Urban Wardrobes project is a fine dialogue between idea and craftsmanship. The website features examples of all our work, where you can see the quality without needing any further explanation.

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