Getting A Custom Sofa Built
Since moving from Australia to the US this year, the apartment that Trevor and I live in has been completely empty, and we've been on the hunt trying to find the perfect sofa for several months now.
I've spent countless hours on Pinterest and IG trying to determine which styles I like, and thankfully with my background in interior design and my full-time job at The Interior Design Institute, knowing where to look and what to look for has been rather easy.
Until it came time to actually finding the perfect sofa that works for our apartment and doesn't cost a bomb...
Every sofa that we have come across has either been way too expensive, not the right dimensions or just not what we have been looking for, and then one day I stumbled across Total Design Furniture and saw that they made custom furniture.
I never considered going custom but after doing a bit of research, and learning that the guy who printed my new Fuel The Passion T-shirts recently had a couch made by Total Design Furniture (which turned out amazing), we knew we had to get our hands on one.
TOTAL DESIGN FURNITURE SHOWROOM
Located South El Monte, California
And since they're located on the outskirts of LA, Trevor and I decided to go visit their showroom.
As soon as we arrived to the showroom, we took a quick glance at all the furniture pieces they had on display.
We then met with Marc, the owner and founder of TDF, who gave us a tour of the showroom where we also got to meet the entire team.
Here you can see Tino, the master framer putting together a custom sofa. It was cool to be able to see how they make each item.
We also met their in-house sewer and took a peak at their studio set up which they use to take photos once an item is complete.
After a few laps around the showroom, I then looked at all the different fabric swatches to decide what colour to go with for our sofa.
I usually like to recommend people to choose a neutral, plain fabric such as an oatmeal or charcoal grey when the piece is intended for the main living space because you won’t get sick of it. This is why I went for a dark grey as opposed to a vibrant colour.
Choosing a neutral colour allows you to then furnish the room with colourful accessories such as pillows, wall art or even an accent chair or an ottoman. You can also add in warmth to the living space by adding in different textures and materials such as wood, copper, and my personal favourite - marble.
After I chose all my finishes, it was then a waiting game.
I stopped by the showroom a few weeks later and watched the team put it all together.
Once everything was built, it was then time to have the sofa delivered. I was so excited for it to arrive, as I was still yet to see what the finished product looked like, and I had no idea how it would look like once it was in our apartment.
Thankfully it turned out perfect!
Getting a custom sofa built was the best decision I have ever made, and I'm surprised at how fast the turn-around time was! From choosing the fabric, the hardwood, and the firmness of the sofa - to being able to visit the warehouse and see the team at TDF put it all together, was an experience I'll never forget and I can't thank Marc enough for allowing my visions come to life!
Now it's time to finally sit back and enjoy it!
