Choosing between a bespoke armchair and one off the shelf comes down to how much the fabric, the fit and the finish matter to you, and how soon you need the chair.
What “bespoke” means here
At Occasional Chairs, bespoke means made to order. You choose a chair from our range of designs and the fabric you want it in, and we build it for you, by hand. You are not designing a chair from scratch, and we do not upholster fabric you supply yourself. Read more about what bespoke means.
When an off-the-shelf armchair makes sense
- You need a chair now, not in a few months.
- You are working to a tight budget and are happy with the fabrics available.
- You are furnishing somewhere short-term.
When a bespoke armchair is worth it
- You want a specific fabric, colour or pattern, and cannot find it on a ready-made chair.
- You want a chair built by hand, to last.
- You are happy to wait around 10–12 weeks for a chair made for you.
The trade-offs, honestly
A bespoke chair costs more to start with and takes longer to arrive. Prices at Occasional Chairs run from £980 to around £3,200, depending on the chair and the fabric. See how much a bespoke armchair costs and how long one takes to make.
Next steps
Browse the chair gallery, order free fabric samples, or talk to us. Our chairs are British-made, designed in York and handcrafted in Nottingham.