Category Archives: Custom Concepts

everything you need to know about buying custom

Not Just for the Cement Pond: Custom Concrete Can Bring Oceans, Glaciers, and Colors into Your Home

"Bottle Art Series" Concrete Cafe Table by Bohemian Stoneworks at CustomMade.com

Looking for a versatile, durable, sustainable, cost effective material for a custom furniture or remodeling project? Something trendy that can fit into a traditional style home, too?  Concrete, yes, concrete can fit the bill.  As Amy Burger observes in her … Continue reading

Feng Shui and TV … in the Bedroom?

Master Bed by Pagomo Designs at CustomMade.com

Take a look at this beautiful, custom master bed by Pagomo Designs.  Attractive and soothing curved shelves and drawers are built into a firm yet inviting headboard.  The footboard contains a lift for a flat screen TV.  The bed is … Continue reading

“Clean Lines with Curvilinear Shapes:” Custom Furniture that Appeals to Women (and Men)

Chocolate Sofa by Cosmo Barbaro Furniture at CustomMade.com

How do you create a space that will appeal to female buyers without alienating male buyers? Interior designer Marlene Makowka’s model condominium suite for Tridel’s Argento in Toronto was designed to meet this challenge.  She shares some aspects of her … Continue reading

Steampunk Chic and Custom Designs

Antique Laptop Desk by Orwa Designs at CustomMade.com

In a previous blog on custom jewelry that re-imagines tools and technology, we showcased some pieces that reflected the subcultural phenomenon of “steampunk”, which began as a science fiction genre that explored the idea of a world in which 19th … Continue reading

Let’s Talk Treen

Turned and Hand-Carved Walnut Bowl by K. M. Davis Woodcarving at CustomMade.com

No, it’s not a child developmental stage that comes before tween, but its boundaries, too, can be a little nebulous. Treen is an archaic word used mostly, appropriately enough, in the world of antiques to describe objects made from a … Continue reading

Cleanse Your Color Palette, Find Your Higher Design Truth

The Shapson Tall Case Clock by ClearLake Furniture at CustomMade.com

Ready to settle tough color design calls with the flip of a coin? Writer and design consultant Sara Ruffin Costello has found that decorators are creating “pale rooms, sucked free of distracting reds, blues, and yellows” and embracing a palette … Continue reading

What is Modern Style?

Cubist Cabinets and Modern Kitchen by Ron Corl Design, Ltd., at CustomMade.com

To take a shot at defining modernism and modern style, I’ll start by referring to an old joke and an old quote. The joke: “I love looking at fashion magazines.  I can see what I’ll be wearing in 20 years.” … Continue reading

The Art of Displaying Art: Some Custom Approaches

Art Catalog as Art Object, Iron and Stainless Steel Picture Frame by Brian Hughes Artist Blacksmith at CustomMade.com

If you’re collecting art for your home, you should be as mindful of displaying your pieces as you are about selecting them.  Nicholas H.J. Hall, international director of Old Master paintings and British Art at Christie’s, offers some advice for … Continue reading

“The Cutting of a Sapphire” – A Gem Cutting Tutorial

CutRock

Exquisitely cut gemstones are so often centerpieces in custom jewelry design.  Have you ever wondered how artisan jewelers are able to work their magic so precisely on these challenging materials? Daniel Stair of Custom Gemstones has graciously allowed CustomMade to … Continue reading

What is Casework?

Cabinet by NePalo at CustomMade.com

If you’re doing your homework before you invest in custom furniture or custom made cabinetry, you may have encountered descriptions of sample pieces that specify who did the casework for the project, particularly if you’re looking at a home remodel … Continue reading