PART 2: The Timeless Value of Bespoke, with Greg Penn

Well-Made Furniture in Your Home

The significance of well-made, bespoke furniture made expressly for your home and how you live cannot be overstated. For many of us, our homes are our sanctuaries — a space to unwind, entertain, and create lasting memories with our loved ones. Choosing bespoke or made-to-order furniture allows you to craft a home that truly reflects your personality while elevating the comfort and aesthetic of each room. In this follow-up blog, we will explore how two of our custom-made pieces of furniture have enhanced both the functionality and beauty of Greg Penn’s luxurious new holiday let bedroom located on the lower ground of his home – Admirals House.

Bespoke Furniture: A Reflection of Your Personality

One of the most important benefits of our bespoke furniture is the ability to create something that reflects your unique personal style. Unlike mass-produced items, which may not fit perfectly into your vision for your home, choosing a more custom-made approach for your furniture allows you to get creative with the materials and fabrics, explore dimensions and scale, and work with a wider colour palette. In Greg Penn’s home, every element of the design—down to the smallest details—feels tailored to his taste.  

When you invest in bespoke furniture, you are investing in pieces that align with your preferences and the unique requirements of your home. Whether you need a sofa that fits into an unusually shaped alcove or chairs made to suit a particular aesthetic, bespoke furniture offers unparalleled flexibility and the opportunity to truly customise your living spaces. 

Enhancing Comfort and Usability

One of the major considerations when it comes to furniture is comfort. This is why we have dedicated ourselves to designing and creating pieces that cater to your specific needs without any compromise on the levels of comfort you should enjoy in your home every day. In our video tour and second visit to Admirals House, Greg highlights the importance of bespoke furniture in his kitchen, where standard worktops were impractical due to his height. By having counters and cupboards built at a higher level, Greg created a more comfortable cooking space that is tailored to his daily habits, ensuring he doesn’t have to suffer from a bad back every time he prepares a meal. Small details can make a big difference and just one example of how well-made bespoke furniture can elevate the usability of your home.  

In living rooms, bedrooms, and beyond, our custom pieces allow you to craft a home that supports your lifestyle, whatever that may look like. Greg’s Song Super King-Size Bed in Hawk’s Eye 100% Italian Linen illustrates this point further. Its sumptuous, rich hue anchors the space, while its design provides both aesthetic pleasure and practical comfort (with fully removable and washable loose covers), inviting relaxation at the end of the day. Available in a wide range of our in-house Velvet and Linen fabrics, our beds can also be finished using a fabric of your choice and have three pillow style options as standard. If you have something slightly different in mind – we love a challenge and can work with you on bespoke sizes, shapes and styles. Why not team it with our new Luxurious Mattresses and Mattress Toppers for the ultimate sleep – all made using natural materials for a healthier and more comfortable night’s rest.

Aesthetic Harmony and Space Optimisation

For the pair of bespoke armchairs that we made for Greg to accompany his Maker&Son bed, he selected Schumacher Blue Scarset Stripe fabric which we think complements the colour palette and botanical wallpaper perfectly, while the smaller dimensions ensure they don’t overwhelm this cosy seating area. Our perfectly proportioned design “hugs” the user in total comfort and provides the perfect place to read a book with a little glass of something. The attention to detail is what gives this room its harmonious feel, with every element chosen to complement the other. Even the restored built-in cupboard, with the inside painted blue, ties together the entire room in a way that pre-made pieces often cannot achieve. 

This level of personalisation is only possible with made-to-order or bespoke furniture, as mass-produced items often come in standard sizes and designs that may not suit the nuances of your space. By working with skilled craftspeople, we ensure that your furniture is designed specifically for your home’s unique dimensions and architecture, maximising both style and function. 

Longevity and Sustainability

With our increasing concerns over sustainability, our bespoke, natural and well-made furniture offers a solution that is not only stylish but also environmentally friendly. Greg Penn echoes this sentiment, mentioning that he doesn’t ever intend to replace the items in his home; and opts for items that are built to last. Well-crafted furniture is an investment in the future, designed to withstand wear and tear and even be passed down through generations. Our frames are guaranteed for 30 years and come with complimentary* accidental stain and damage cover to ensure your furniture lasts as long as possible, avoiding landfill. 

Mass-produced furniture, while often cheaper in the short term, is usually made with less durable, synthetic (and sometime toxic!) materials and lower craftsmanship, resulting in a shorter lifespan. In contrast, our made-to-order and bespoke furniture is created with longevity in mind and made from the highest-quality natural materials, ensuring that it remains a functional, beautiful, and – most importantly – comfortable part of your home. 

Of course, by choosing well-made and bespoke furniture, you are also contributing to a more sustainable future. Our custom pieces are made with natural, sustainably sourced materials, and the reduced need for replacements means fewer resources are used in the long run. In Greg’s home, for example, the bespoke items serve a dual purpose: they enhance the aesthetic appeal of the rooms while also promoting sustainability by avoiding wasteful consumption. 

The Emotional and Practical Value of Bespoke Furniture 

Ultimately, made-to-order or bespoke, well-made furniture brings more than just beauty to your home; it enhances your comfort, reflects your personality, and optimises your space. As seen in the transformation of the Admirals House Holiday Let, custom pieces can help breathe new life into your room, blending historical elements with contemporary design to create spaces that feel both inviting and timeless. 

The emotional connection you form with your home is unique — and each piece you include in it should tell a new story. Whether it’s the way your dining table has been designed to host family dinners or how your bed is crafted to offer the ultimate in relaxation. It’s these personal touches that make a house a home, and why investing in bespoke furniture is an investment in your lifestyle and well-being. 

So, as you consider the next step in your home’s evolution, think beyond the standard options. Let bespoke furniture elevate your space, creating a sanctuary that reflects your individuality, supports your daily life, and stands the test of time. 

Read Part 1 of our feature with Greg Penn where we visited him in one of our Mobile Showrooms ahead of his Holiday Let renovation.

If you are working on your own renovation, would like any more information about the items featured in Greg’s Holiday Let, or would like to explore our bespoke options, please get in touch – we’d love to hear from you. 

newenquiries.uk@makerandson.com

0800 8080 5408 

Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 16:00 (excluding Bank Holidays)