You’ve moved house and you’re just about to finish the renovation that's taken months. You're excited to have your space just the way you've imagined it but only now have you got around to looking into furniture options. The sofa in that amazing fabric you’ve been dreaming of is not going to be ready for months... oh the frustration!
In a world where we can order something and get it delivered to our door on the same day it is easy to forget that some things still take time. This is very much the case for furniture, particularly though not exclusively when it comes to upholstered items such as sofas and armchairs. It is not unusual to have to wait three months for a sofa - especially in the current Covid circumstances.
So why are lead times as long as they are?
Lead times vary from supplier to supplier. Some will keep stock of items in a limited amount of finishes, some may keep base components (chair frames for instance) before finishing them and others will make all items from scratch once the item is ordered.
There are also factors that are outside of a suppliers control including:
Demand. 2020 has been a tumultuous year which has seen most of us spending a lot more time at home. This has prompted a surge in home improvements; essentially the queue has gotten longer.
Material supply. Sometimes the basic materials used to make a piece of furniture can be in limited supply. This year, for instance, there has been a real problem with the supply of foam (the padding used when making chairs ,sofa etc). The limited supply causes lead times to increase. This doesn’t just impact new products; it can also slow times for the reupholstery of existing items.
Time of the year: It may seem obvious but demand for certain items increases at different times of the year. Outdoor furniture in the summer and sofas before Christmas. I mean who doesn’t want to watch Home Alone on a comfy new couch!
How to avoid disappointment?
Plan ahead. If possible start thinking about furniture well before you need it. Find out current lead times and place orders with these in mind.
Focus on the important pieces. Often you can live without a lounge chair for a while but not having a sofa might be a little tricker. Have a design plan in mind, order the key items and build around them.
Order and store. If you want to have everything ready and delivered in one go it might be worth getting items delivered and collated off site. This is ideal for renovations where it would be undesirable to deliver to a building site. It also ensures the furniture will be ready when you are!
How can I help?
I can work with your specific requirements. If you need furniture quickly I can help sift through the many suppliers and products to find items with a quick turnaround. If you have time to plan I can find the best items for your needs. I can also arrange storage and then delivery and installation once your construction work is finished - so that all the furniture arrives at once. I work with specialist interior installation teams that can handle everything from straightforward projects to the most complicated. So don’t hesitate to get in touch if you think I may be able to help.
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