Read below as we magically answer your most Frequently Asked Questions before they are even asked. Really we should call this Questions we Anticipate to be Frequently Asked, but QAFA just doesn't have that familiar comfort we get with FAQ.
This is affordable made-to-order furniture that we size to your needs from our standard designs. The result is an upgrade to the comfort of your everyday life, chock full of cabinet-style storage space.
We design you a kit that you assemble yourself, without needing anyone else to enter your own home. It's all freestanding so you don't have to modify your room at all. We have your kit cut at a wood shop near you, where you pick it up and bring it home. We ship your hardware and cushions separately from here in Bellingham.
The total cost of your project depends on its size, where you live, and which options you choose. Here are some example projects with representative pricing. If you like what you see, get in touch and we'll talk you through it. For Northerly Nooks, please let us know your approximate dimensions and where you live, and send a photo of your space.
You'll find our pricing to be much lower than hiring a contractor to build the equivalent... though we encourage you to shop around and support local labor whenever you can!
Custom cabinetry is expensive! Our mission is to make the comfort and convenience of custom-built furniture affordable for everyday citizens. The kit concept keeps the pricing down, not to mention it greatly reduces shipping costs! Though we reiterate: Please support local labor whenever you can!
Our kits are easy and intuitive. But you could hire a handyperson for 1-2 hours to set it up for you. If you are in Northwest Washington State, sure, we can send an engineer to assemble it for you for a small fee when we deliver it.
All you need are a dead blow, which is like a plastic mallet filled with sand, and a Phillips-head screwdriver. We can provide these with your kit at no extra cost.
No, that's it. Your parts are cut from plywood that already has a clear protective finish, so you don't need to paint or coat it. But if you want to really trick out your system, you could coat the exposed cut edges with wipe-on polyurethane. This will give it a more refined look, and will protect those high-contact faces for a lifetime of service.
We can also cut your kit from uncoated material, for you to stain/coat or paint yourself.
No! It's all cut from extremely durable 3/4" plywood. It will last as long as your home. Our hinges are high-quality European cabinet hinges.
A Northerly Nook project typically takes 8 to 12 weeks after the deposit is paid, depending on the complexity of the design, shop workload, and how many feedback cycles we have with you to dial in the design.
We can assemble a whole L-shaped booth in about half an hour. But, then, we designed the thing. You might want to budget 2-3 hours for unpacking all the parts and knocking them all together. Check out our assembly videos to get an idea for what is involved.
We certainly hope not! Craftsmanship is arguably our most uniquely human feature. In our community of makers and builders, the concept of the handmade object is near holy. If you can afford to hire a skilled carpenter or cabinetmaker to make custom furniture for you, please do so. You will be supporting a trade as old as spearmaking, and every corner of your finished product will be instilled with the mojo of loving human care.
Better yet, if you have the time and gumption to build your own furniture, please do so! You don't have to be an expert to build a bench, and you don't need to spend thousands on materials. You may even find just what you need second-hand.
If you don't have the tools to make your vision a reality, see if your community offers a tool library. If you are looking for a little confidence before firing up a chop saw, join a local woodworking club. Or a community boatbuilding organization?
Familiarize yourself with our Northerly Nook booth/bench ordering options, or browse our custom furnishing examples, or dream up your own vision and then get in touch! For Northerly Nooks, please let us know your approximate dimensions and where you live, and send a photo of your space!