Verdano Atelier

How a piece is made — start to settled.

Six weeks, twelve weeks, sometimes longer. The rhythm of a commission rarely changes, even when the brief is unusual. Here is how it usually unfolds.

  1. The Brief

    A phone call or workshop visit. We ask about the room, the people, the way the piece will be used. No deposit, no obligation — about an hour, usually.

  2. Drawings

    Inside a week, we send technical drawings — front, side, plan and a 3D render where it helps. Adjustments are free at this stage and encouraged.

  3. Sample Box

    A curated set of fabrics, leathers, timbers and hardware in a fitted timber box, posted to your door. Hold them up to the actual wall, the actual rug, the actual light.

  4. Quotation & Deposit

    Once specifications are settled, we issue a fixed-price quotation in writing. A 50% deposit confirms the slot in the workshop schedule.

  5. Frame & Joinery

    Solid timber is cut and jointed. Mortise-and-tenon, dovetail, doweled — never staples-on-pine. Frames cure for at least 48 hours before the next stage.

  6. Springs & Padding

    Where there is a seat, there is hand-tied webbing, eight-way coil springs, layered foam and a wool wadding wrap. Each layer is shaped, not just stacked.

  7. Upholstery & Finishing

    Fabric is cut from a single roll for grain consistency. Slipcovers are tailored with hidden zips so they can be removed and dry-cleaned. Timber is hand-finished in oil or matte lacquer.

  8. Delivery & Settle-In

    Two of our team deliver, carry, position and adjust. We don't leave until the piece sits where it belongs. The remaining 50% is invoiced after delivery, never before.

Sample swatches and timber pieces on a workbench
Materials

What you can specify, what we recommend.

Upholstery

Belgian and Italian linen (15+ shades), heavyweight wool from Yorkshire mills, performance velvet, full-grain saddle leather, Kvadrat boucle in 24 colourways. We will lean you toward whatever wears best for the way you use the piece.

Timber

English and European oak, American black walnut, smoked ash, fumed cherry. All FSC-certified, kiln-dried in the UK before joinery. Wax-oil, matte lacquer, or fumed-and-soaped finishes.

Hardware

Solid brass legs in three profiles. Steel feet in matte black, blackened bronze, or brushed nickel. Hand-shaped timber legs in the matching frame timber.

Common Questions About Customisation

Practical things, answered honestly.

Can I change my mind after drawings are signed off?

Up to the point joinery starts — yes, freely. After that, structural changes require a new quotation. Fabric and finish changes can usually be accommodated up to four weeks before delivery.

Do you supply customer's own material (COM)?

Yes. If you have a fabric you love that we don't stock, post it to us with the metreage. We will inspect it for upholstery suitability and confirm before cutting.

How is delivery handled in tight London flats?

We measure access at the brief stage — doorways, lift dimensions, staircase turns. If a piece won't fit assembled, we build it as a knockdown frame and re-stitch the upholstery on-site.

What happens if I don't like it on delivery?

It's never happened in eleven years — but we would rebuild any element that materially fails the agreed brief, free of charge. Bespoke commissions are not returnable for a refund, which is why the brief stage is so thorough.

Do you offer payment in stages?

Standard terms are 50% deposit, 50% on delivery. For larger commissions (above £15,000) we are happy to split into thirds.

Ready to commission a piece?

Send a brief — a sketch, a photograph, dimensions, a Pinterest board — and we'll come back with first thoughts within two working days.

Send a Brief