How a bespoke hotel furniture order works, from drawing to delivery

What do you need to send for a bespoke furniture quote?

A drawing or a reference, the measurements that matter, the quantities and the date you need the pieces on site. With those, a manufacturer can quote. Without the date and quantities, it cannot give you a real lead time.

The drawing does not have to be an architect's plan. A hand sketch with dimensions, a PDF or DWG from the project, or a photo of a similar piece with the changes marked up will all do. What it must include:

• Overall size: width, depth and height, plus the seat height for a chair, armchair or stool.
• The table or counter it will be used with, and its height. A chair is always drawn in relation to its table.
• Where it will go: indoors or outdoors, in full sun, near the sea or beside a pool.
• Timber and finish: the tone you want, with a photo or a reference sample if you have one.
• Upholstery: fabric or leather, colour, and which fire test the project requires, if any.
• Quantities of each piece and the delivery date on site.

Fire requirements depend on the use and the country. Before choosing a fabric, read the guide to fire-retardant upholstery, which covers UNE-EN 1021, M1 and Crib 5.

What is the technical drawing, and what should you check before approving it?

It is the manufacturer's drawing, made from yours: views of the piece with every dimension, the timber, the finish and the upholstery. What you approve on that drawing is what gets made, so this is the moment to correct things, not at delivery.

Check it with the floor plan in front of you. Make sure each piece fits, that the heights work together and that the finish matches what was agreed. These are the measurements worth checking twice:

The bar figures come from Jocafri and the dining figures from Demarques. Other sources give anything from 71 to 85 cm for a bar stool. The disagreement goes away if you measure from the counter: what counts is the 25 to 30 cm gap, not the stool's own number.

If the piece is going into a hotel or restaurant, also ask which standard the design has been tested to. For non-domestic seating, the European reference is EN 16139. For outdoor furniture, it is EN 581. If you change the dimensions of a piece that has been tested, ask whether the test still covers the modified version.

Is there a sample before the full run is made?

There should be. A sample of the piece or the finish, approved before production, is the only way to see the real tone of the timber, the fabric and the comfort before a hundred identical chairs exist.

What to look at on the sample:

• The timber tone under the light of the actual space, not just the office. Teak is a natural material and varies from board to board. The sample sets the acceptable range.
• How the finish and sanding feel, especially on arms and edges, where hands rest.
• Seat height and angle: sit at the real table, or one of the same height, for a few minutes.
• The fabric colour next to the other materials in the scheme.
• For outdoor pieces, remember that teak weathers to a silver grey in sun and rain. The sample shows the starting tone, not the tone a year on.

Keep the approved sample, or dated photos of it. It is the reference for production and for any repeat order.

This is how Kadek works: before production it sends a technical drawing with measurements and finishes for approval, and a sample of the piece or the finish. To compare finishes in person, the Madrid showroom is open by appointment on weekdays, free of charge.

What can be changed on a catalogue piece, and when is it a new piece?

On a catalogue piece you can adjust the dimensions, timber finish, upholstery and colour without redesigning it. Once the structure changes, say a different back or a new base, it becomes a new piece and is developed from the drawing.

• Dimensions: width, depth, height and seat height. A small change in height is simple. A large one alters the proportions and may call for a different structure.
• Timber finish: the tone and finish of the teak, approved on a sample.
• Upholstery and colour: fabric or leather, and its colour, chosen for the project.
• A new piece: a bar counter, a banquette or a chair drawn for the project. It goes through drawing and sample just like an adjusted piece, and usually needs more development time.

Starting from a catalogue piece has one advantage: the structure already exists and can be seen and tried. A new piece has another: it fits the plan exactly. One project can mix both, with catalogue chairs adjusted to size and a bar or bench made to measure. The options are set out on the custom furniture page.

How long does bespoke furniture take?

It depends on the pieces, the quantities and how quickly the drawing and sample are approved. A reliable lead time can only be given with the drawing and quantities in hand.

The total is the sum of several stages, and it helps to look at them separately:

1. Quote, with prices, lead times and finishes.
2. Technical drawing and revisions, until you approve it.
3. Sample and approval.
4. Production of the full run.
5. Packing, shipping and delivery to site.

At Kadek, the first reply comes within one working day and the quote, with prices, lead times and finishes, within two. Lead times are confirmed with each quote: pieces in stock can ship quickly, and a bespoke piece goes into production once the drawing and sample are approved. One person in Madrid follows each order until delivery to site.

The stages that depend on you are the approvals. Decide in advance who signs off the drawing and the sample, so they are not left waiting.

How does an order made in Java get to site?

It is packed at origin, shipped internationally and, once in Europe, taken to site. What matters is knowing, in writing, who pays and who is responsible at each stage.

Before you confirm the order, be clear on these points:

• Delivery terms. The Incoterm in the quote sets where the seller's costs and risk end and yours begin.
• Who handles customs, and who pays import duty and VAT.
• How each piece is packed and how the boxes are labelled, so they can be placed on site without a search.
• The timber paperwork. From 30 December 2026, the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) applies to large and medium-sized companies, and wooden furniture is among the products it covers.

The guide to EUDR, SVLK and FSC explains which documents to ask the supplier for. Before you accept the quote, check that it states the shipping terms and the Incoterm, with the place it refers to.

For the import side in more depth, from agents versus factories to the risks of buying so far away, read the guide on buying furniture from Indonesia factory-direct.