Custom furniture made to drawings for a Melbourne student accommodation development
Sofa modules, lounge seating, chairs, tables and room furniture produced from the architect’s drawings, sampled and adjusted first, checked once after bulk production and consolidated into six 40HQ containers in 2018.
Drawings in, six containers out
The starting point for this Melbourne student accommodation development was a set of architectural drawings, not a catalogue. Every piece, from the bedrooms and study corners to the lounges and common areas, had to be made to those drawings, so we split the list by product type, placed each type with a workshop that makes it, and ran samples before anything went into bulk. The finished package left China in six 40HQ containers in 2018.
Student housing furniture takes daily use from many residents, gets moved and cleaned constantly, and has to look the same in every room. That shaped where the effort went: durable fabrics and frames on the seating, hard-wearing surfaces on the tables, and a sample for each item that everyone could point to later.
Project type
Containers
Destination
Year
The package, by product type
Each type went to a workshop that specialises in it.
01
01 · Lounge and soft seating
- Upholstered sofa modules
- Bean-bag lounge seats
- Velvet chairs on steel frames
Materials and finish. Fabric and velvet upholstery over timber and steel frames. Samples confirmed size, comfort, fabric and build; at the inspection the modules and seats were measured and the upholstery checked.
Quantity. Our record gives no per-item count; soft seating shipped within the six containers.
02
02 · Chairs and tables
- Steel wire chairs
- Round tables on steel bases
- Round tabletops
Materials and finish. Coated steel frames and wood or laminate tops. Heights, widths and top diameters were measured, and frames were checked for stability and finish.
Quantity. No per-line count in our record.
03
03 · Room furniture
- Bedside cabinets on steel frames
- Table components and fittings
Materials and finish. Dark-finished cabinets and table parts were checked for dimensions, surface and packing before loading.
Quantity. Consolidated with the other goods from several workshops.
From drawings to loaded containers
01
Read the drawings, split the list
We went through the architect’s drawings and divided the furniture by product type, so each type could be matched to the right workshop and given its own check points.
02
Samples, adjusted before approval
The selected workshops made samples from the drawings. We checked each one and passed the client’s feedback back; where a sample was off, it was corrected before approval. The approved sample became the benchmark for bulk production and for the inspection.
03
One inspection after bulk production
When bulk production was finished, our own team inspected the goods once before shipment, comparing them with the approved samples and order details: dimensions, appearance, structure, workmanship and packing. Clients are welcome to join this inspection.
04
Consolidated into six 40HQ
Goods from several workshops were brought together and loaded. We checked container condition and carton arrangement and kept loading records for the client.
Records that outlast the shipment
Because the furniture is spread across many rooms and shared areas, we kept the order records together: purchase files, the approved samples, inspection photos, packing details and the loading record. If something came up after delivery or during installation, those records showed which workshop made the item and what had been agreed.
What we source for student housing and apartments is on our apartment and student accommodation furniture page. Another Melbourne student accommodation package is described in our student accommodation FF&E case study.
Questions about this project
What did this Melbourne student accommodation order include?
Custom furniture made to the architect’s drawings for the bedrooms, study corners, lounges and common areas: upholstered sofa modules, lounge seating, chairs, tables and room furniture. It shipped in six 40HQ containers in 2018.
How were custom pieces confirmed before bulk production?
Each workshop made samples from the drawings. We checked them, passed on the client’s comments and had them corrected where needed; the approved sample was then the reference for production and for the inspection.
When was the furniture inspected?
Once, after bulk production was complete and before shipment, by our own team, against the approved samples. Clients are welcome to join this inspection.
Can FBM Furniture make furniture from our project drawings?
Yes. Send the drawings and the furniture schedule with quantities and the project location. We split it by product type, arrange samples for the custom items and consolidate the finished goods into full containers.
Have custom furniture drawings to quote?
Send the drawings and schedule and our team will review them item by item.