When to Choose a Small Workroom Over a Commercial Workroom
Who you partner with for the fabrication of your custom window treatments and soft home furnishings can make or break a project. You can get semi-custom drapery and basic pillows from a lot of commercial workrooms, and it can be appealing because their turn around times can be faster than a truly custom experience. However, there are definitely times when partnering with a fully custom workroom is worth its weight in gold.
Assembly-Line Production, Made to Order, or True Customization
Commercial workrooms typically work on an assembly-line process. The person who measured for the job is not the person who cuts the fabric and rarely is the same person who presses in the hems, tables the drapery, and packages the finished product. That leaves a lot of reliance on a perfect work order and no human error.
When you use a small workroom, the same person following the job from start to finish. You also are not on your own filling out the work order. Forget measuring, figuring out how many widths you want, yards you need, or hardware details. I can do that for you.
When it comes to customizing your end product, you also have artistic license. If you dream it up, I can help figure out how it can be done and make a mock up of a sample if needed. In pillows, you can specify what part of a print you want to highlight. You can place trims anywhere you see fit and make adjustments on basic things like drapery for a truly custom result.
On this project, the size of the lead edge was not a predetermined numerical measurement. Instead it was determined based on the trim placement and accentuating the pattern.
As a small workroom, I not only do the measuring, calculating yardage and allowances, ordering hardware, and fabricating. I am also on-site at install to ensure it goes up smoothly, is dressed out correctly, and looks the way it was intended to look and correct any issues that arise.
I am deeply familiar with all the steps involved from start to finish. That means that I know how what I do in one step affects the next steps and ultimately the finished product.
Commercial workrooms don’t always involve you directly once they receive the work order, and if there are questions, often the fabricator is not the person contacting you if something isn’t clear. Here at Cozy Giraffe, designers have a direct line of communication with the person who is involved in every step of the project, which means That just simply can’t happen at larger workrooms.
Flexibility and Creative Problem Solving
Commercial workrooms do inspect fabric and contact you if there are issues. Creative problem solving can go much beyond that though. When you work with a small full service workroom, we not only identify any fabric issues, we also handle any issues, tricky measurements and installation challenges.
I know that your name on a project reflects you and I am here to make you look good. It pays to choose a workroom that makes every piece a signature piece and never treats you like a number. Cozy Giraffe treats all of its clients as individuals, and give each piece the attention it deserves.
FAQ:
Should I ever use a commercial workroom?
Yes. There may be times when it is smart to use them. If you don’t mind their limited fabric selections, high COM fees, and their (sometimes) limited custom options they can provide a quick turn around. You’ll likely take your own measurements, hope you have filled out the work order properly, and pray installation goes without any snafus. You also have to be sure you choose a commercial workroom that will produce an end-product that meets your quality standards too.Why are turn around times shorter in a commercial workroom?
Obviously commercial workrooms will have huge specialized machinery, so that can mean it takes a small workroom longer to do the same task. However, rarely is the project in a small workroom the same as another client’s project. The fabric is always different, the specs are always just a little different, and sometimes fabrication techniques vary based on the challenges a specific project brings. While it can slow down production, the end result is worth the wait.
What is the benefit of using a small workroom?
The bottom line comes to taking away the worry about your project. You don’t need to measure, calculate anything, stress about hardware being capable of holding up the drapery or function well. With an open line of communication between the designer and the fabricator, you can rest assured that the end product will be something you’re proud to put your name on.