I've been a wee bit obsessed with this pattern. Even though it's trendy right now, it's a classic that looks right at home with our country chic decorating scheme. The only problem was, I couldn't find a buffalo check chair off the shelf anywhere in Canada. Shipping one in from the US was not an option so I looked into another solution: a custom chair.

Have you ever had a piece of custom furniture made? I haven't. I always sort of thought it was more an option for professional interior designers or for people with larger budgets - not me, regular DIYing homeowner. And to be honest, we weren't in that season of life where good, investment pieces of furniture were warranted. We're barely out of that spilling-food-on-the-dining-room-rug stage ;) But the time is right to get something long-lasting and durable for the cottage.

There's a few reasons you might go the custom route:

1. You get furniture sized perfectly for your space

2. You get a unique design. Fabric, finishes, comfort level, leg or cushion details - these are all variables you can define in your custom chair

3. You get a quality piece made using the best materials

4. You (typically) support a local craftsperson

5. You get a personalized, dream piece of furniture

When it came to finding that custom chair, I knew that Barrymore Furniture would offer just what I was looking for. Barrymore is a Canadian institution that has been making furniture by hand since 1919. There is a green sofa in my sister's house that she's had for well over a decade. She had the sofa and a matching ottoman made at Barrymore and it is the comfiest sofa in the world. My sister is the cook in the family so after big, heavy family meals at her place, you can always find someone claiming the sofa for a quick nap. True story. 

That sofa is in the background to some of my favourite family memories. I've always admired the comfort and quality of it because it honestly still looks and feels as good as the day she bought it. I can't say the same for my own tired yet newer sofas which are looking pretty saggy and dated. Having met the fine folks of Barrymore Furniture a few years ago at BlogPodium, I reached out to see if they wanted to partner on this custom piece. They said yes and I'm excited to share the custom furniture buying process with you. There's so much I learned about the construction and how much work really goes into a custom piece.

I've already picked out a spot for the chair. It will go there in the corner beside the brass lamp, grabbing all the attention as soon as you walk through the cottage door. So that's the plan for at least one chair. Only a few more rugs, dining table, coffee tables, and lighting to decide on, ha!

Tell me, do you have a big comfy sofa in your life? Is there a piece of furniture that just feels like home to you?