BEST WAY TO SELL UNIQUE FURNITURE?

Do you have a web site? If I could see what you do, I might be able to give some adivse. Where are you from? That could be a good selling point. What kind of stuff do you build? Gimme more info, please.

-- christopheralan http://www.projectwoodworks.com

dont have a website yet but im working on it.im irish & just moved here three months ago to do work on an irish themed cottage in ct for my cousin.but when im not doing work on the house i like to build furniture for customers.didint think to take pictures of my work until i saw this site.i plan on spending a couple of weeks making hutches and then selling them somewhere thats why id appreciate some advise as to where to sell them?i like to make dressers,tables,beds,kitchens ect…there is a photo of the hutch i built last week on my profile if you wanna take a look.il try get more photos up this week.

Nice hutch. Very well done, and the pic is fine. Lemme do some research and see what I can figure out. Welcome to the US by the way. Feel free to look at my site for ideas, or to contact me directly.

-- christopheralan http://www.projectwoodworks.com

One of the simpler ways to get custom work is by talking to
furniture stores and filling their immediate needs. You’ll make
less money than by dealing with customers, but it’s a way to get
some exchange of dollars for labor.

There are a lot of strategies for selling work on consignment
and to bargain shoppers. Of course you’ll want to start getting
commissions from people who can pay what a good craftsman
is worth—- but by and large those people are affluent so you’ll
have to work at penetrating that market through targeting
contractors, architects, and designers who serve the affluent.

-- http://amherstcabinets.com - also a marketing consultant with expertise in direct response marketing for woodworking and online businesses - http://COPYMATCH.COM

Chances are in todays market and economy the odds of making a living in custom furniture are slim. There’s way to much competition and to many imported products. Maybe if you stayed in Ireland you could have imported a ton of furniture here since that seems to be americas “thing”. (I’m just saying Americans tend to be buying imported crap ((I’m not saying what you would import would be crap)) for cheaper then to buy from their friends and neighbors to help their communities)
My thoughts for you would be to make custom cabinetry and try to design them towards furniture. In other words add columns, base moulding instead of kicks, onlays, etc. I’ve been trying to sell custom furniture since I started my shop 4 years ago and have sold several pieces on commission. They sold through designers. Had I not known the designers I wouldn’t have sold them. As you grow your woodworking business you will see more and more orders for furniture pieces.
Bottom line. Start off in custom cabinetry and millwork, gain the clientel, then market your furniture to those people. Don’t expect to jump in selling furniture. In my opinion it won’t happen. Best of luck to ya

-- ~ Inspiring those who inspire me ~

“Chances are in todays market and economy the odds of making a living in custom furniture are slim. There’s way to much competition and to many imported products.”

Some of this is regional.

What custom work is imported?

Few fine furniture clients in my area are interested in cabinetry and millwork. I live on the other side of the US as KW, near New England furniture making schools, and while we’re in a downturn, lots of folks still have money. My side of the US is far less trendy and fashion conscious, more stodgy. In some cases, classic reproductions, with proper explanations, may sell better than trendy or edgy “studio” furniture.

Look into galleries, fine furniture shows, etc… for opportunities to show your work.

-- - Real men read directions

Hey man, I found some stuff that might be helpful, if you play your cards right. Look at your messages…

-- christopheralan http://www.projectwoodworks.com

The problem here is that if you intend on competing with established furniture makers you better have a product you can’t just buy anywhere. That’s what I’m saying. Most people don’t buy custom furniture. People aren’t throwing money around anymore and the people that are are going to business’s that have been established for years. My point is why would anyone rich or not buy a piece of custom furniture from you when they can get it from someone who has been published, seen in magazines, recognized, etc. Otherwise they would just go to furniture row and buy a piece for a price you couldn’t build it for. So what I’m saying is to get into another line of woodworking, and I don’t care if you’re making custom cabinetry and millwork or making dog houses. The point is to establish yourself as a woodworker, and market your pictures and products AS you grow your business. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. If you jump in to the market and can profitably sell your custom furniture especially in this market PLEASE e-mail me the how to. I really want to know.

-- ~ Inspiring those who inspire me ~