The Art of Custom Furniture: Why Made-to-Order is Worth It

What was the inspiration behind Adelaide Hills Outdoor Furniture?

Where we live the market for outdoor furniture is incredibly lacking. In Mount Barker we have two furniture retailers and three major hardware retailers that all stock outdoor furniture. The problems we noticed when researching and shopping around for an outdoor dining set of our own?

• Price
  The products on offer are either expensive beyond what most people can afford or so cheap that it will only last one summer.

• Variety
  Ready made outdoor furniture is often generic and has no personality. Dining tables/sets often come in one size, which limits a lot of people because the product is either too small or too big. Dining sets are sold as a package and there isn’t an option to mix and match or even buy pieces separately.

• Durability

  Cheap mass produced often means questionable materials and longevity. Unless it is specified there is no way of knowing what the product is actually made from, where the materials are sourced from and if its ethically sourced.

These reasons are what inspired us to start our business and it started with the set below, which is exactly what we wanted for ourselves and would become the sample for the launch of Adelaide Hills Outdoor Furniture.

All of our products are affordable, made with care and will last a lifetime. We only use local suppliers and support other small businesses.

When we say that we offer custom made furniture we really mean it. Check out this one of a kind set we made last year. This customer wanting something that would match her personality and the existing shed in her backyard. The customer provided the paint and the rest was left up to us. Brief nailed!

With custom made furniture you get exactly what you want and we are with you through every aspect of the design process. Needing your furniture colour matched to existing chairs or even the fence or verandah? Too easy. Our Powder coater has an extensive range of colours to match just about anything. We have worked with a couple of customers that already had outdoor chairs and wanted their table frame to match. For other customers, its important to match the timber table top with their deck, which is also easily achieved with an extensive range of timber stains.

We always get excited when a new request for a custom made piece hits our inbox so what are you waiting for? We’re ready to help bring your vision to life.

Spring Styling Inspiration:

3m Merbau table with steel frame powder coated in Monument Grey. Perfectly matched with customers own chairs. Photo courtesy of our customer.

With the days getting longer and a touch of spring in the air, its time to start thinking about your dream outdoor space. Maybe it just needs a little refresh or perhaps a complete overhaul. Already have that statement piece dining set? How about a matching coffee table or end tables? An outdoor bar table would be a great addition for entertaining. Or maybe, you’re a green thumb like me and need to inject some life into your growing plant collection?

All of our outdoor products are made to withstand the elements and changing conditions so you don’t even need to have a covered outdoor space. Our Merbau table and bench set has held up exceptionally well for 3+ years of harsh summers and wet winters. We put in the protective measures during the production process so you don’t have you, ensuring quality and peace of mind for many years to come.

We have you covered from a new outdoor dining set, accessory pieces, plant stands and everything in between. The only limit is your imagination. Check out our new gallery for that spring inspiration and if you can’t find what your looking for, get in touch to bring your vision to life.

Not only does Spring mark the change in weather, it also brings us our busy season and August was the start of that. We shipped off a bulk order of Merbau table and bench sets to Wolf Blass Winery in Nurioopta and sent a couple of signature benches to a customer interstate, which is always a bonus for us. We must be doing something right if people are wanting to buy our product going by photos alone.

Our crowning achievement this month was designing something completely different from scratch and seeing happy faces from the customers on delivery day. This set is comprised of a gorgeous slatted Blackbutt timber top with a slim hidden skeleton frame. This allows for the timber top to be a standout feature and gives the whole piece extra support.

To finish off the month we created a pair of the cutest benches I have ever seen. This job came about after seeing someone post on a local Facebook group so we reached out. They were after something pretty specific and had a tight budget to work with. After a bit of back and forth we came up with the final design. Made from recycled pine (minimal waste here) and finished with a stain to enhance the rustic vibe, this project was completed in a weekend. Pretty impressive if I do say so myself!

That’s it for me for the moment. I’ll be back next month but in the meantime you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram to keep updated xo