Frequently Asked Questions

How does the buying process work?

You can contact us by email (emily.customcottage@gmail.com), call us at (414) 301-1682, OR use the online inquiry form to discuss a custom piece of furniture you do not see on our website. When you contact us, include the dimensions you would like and a picture or sketch that would help us visualize your idea. We will respond to you with a quote! You can place an order by making a 50% deposit. The second payment would be due upon completion at the time of pick up or delivery.

Do you have a warranty?

Yes. We stand behind every piece of furniture that we make. If there is a problem, we will fix it for the first year. Upon delivery or pick up of our furniture, we ask our customers to inspect their pieces to ensure they are just right. If any problems are found at that point, we are happy to take the order back to our shop for free and re-deliver it back out, as soon as possible, at no additional cost. All repairs are subject to our cosmetic standards.

During the first year, in the event a repair is needed and after you have received the furniture, and if you have already APPROVED the piece of furniture, then we can pick up your furniture at a discounted pick-up/delivery rate. If you prefer to pass on the delivery fee, you are welcome to bring your furniture in to us yourself, and we will promptly perform whatever repair is needed at no cost.

Solid wood expands and contracts based upon humidity and  temperature. If you do not maintain a humidity level between 35% and 65% relative humidity, then this warranty is invalidated with relation to cracks that can form from expansions and contractions. Changes in humidity will occur with the changes of the seasons.

If you place hot or cold items, or allow standing water, on finished surfaces, during the first two months of owning the furniture, then any damage is not covered by this warranty.

Do you offer delivery for the furniture or do I need to pick it up?

We offer delivery within 100 miles of our shop. Our delivery rate is $150 plus $1/mile from our shop. That price is subject to change due to size or complexity of the order.

If you decide to pick up, we will be ready to help you load and pack up your vehicle. You are responsible for bringing all packing material (blankets, padding, etc.). You must schedule a pick up within one week of receiving the call that your order is complete. After the first week, we are not responsible for any damage that occurs to the piece and after one month, a storage fee of 1% per week will be assessed to the final payment.

How long will it take before my furniture is ready?

Handcrafted furniture takes some time! Our normal timeline is in the 8-10 week timeframe. During certain times of the year this can be a little quicker or a little longer. You are always welcome to contact us to get a status update.

What can you customize?

Everything we make is by hand, so almost anything can be customized! The dimensions, the species of wood, the stain or paint color, the drawer pulls or door knobs, the design, the orientation of doors and drawers, and much more.

Can you visit without an appointment?

You are welcome to stop into the shop (3033 N 30th Street, Milwaukee) anytime during our business hours (Monday through Thursday from 9:00am to 5:00pm) to watch the action. It is important that you schedule an appointment if you want one of our team members to be available to discuss or quote a project idea for you! We do have a handful of beds, tables, desks and dressers in our showroom to give you an opportunity to see our products in person.

What kind of wood species do we use? 

We use all hardwoods. Ambrosia Maple is our default wood, so that’s the most cost-effective option. We like working with this species because it is durable, light weight, easy to sand, and has a lot of character! We also regularly build with Oak, Cherry, Ash, and Walnut.

Are you able to change your mind after placing an order?

We do not start building your project right away after the order is placed. With a normal order you can get a full refund if you contact us within two weeks of placing your order. If you contact us after two weeks and we have not started building your order, we can offer a 75% refund. If we have started building your order, the deposit is not refundable. We are not responsible for letting you know when we begin construction.

What should you know before placing an order for furniture made of hardwoods? 

We take pride in every piece of furniture that we build. Given the handmade and hand finished nature of the products we craft, variations and imperfections in the wood should be expected and celebrated! Just as every tree is unique, so too is every piece of furniture that is handcrafted and hand finished just for you. Every piece of furniture will have a unique grain pattern and slight color variation as a result of the grain pattern.

Other characteristics of handcrafted, solid wood furniture include open knots, micro-imperfections, textural variations, unique distress marks, wood filler coloration, joint lines, distinctive nicks, splits, cracks, and other imperfections. We allow up to approx. 1/2" of variation across all measurements due to the custom nature of the handcrafted furniture we build. Those who do not appreciate variations and imperfections should not purchase handcrafted furniture.

Solid wood may expand and contract due to changes in temperature and humidity. This natural movement enhance the one of a kind beauty of solid wood, handcrafted furniture. It does not affect structural integrity and is not considered defective. Small cracks and splits in the wood may widen and shrink with the changing of the seasons. We do not offer machine manufactured perfection - no two pieces are exactly alike since our furniture is crafted to your order specifications. We celebrate the true uniqueness of every piece of solid wood furniture that is built and finished by hand in our woodshop. You can limit the expansion and contraction of the wood by keeping the room your furniture is in to at least 35% humidity during the winter.

What type of finish do we use?

After lots of sanding and preparation, we spray on a water based stain, (click here to check them out!) followed by a durable water-based top coat product. Unlike some oil based topcoats, our product does not yellow over time. We have residential and commercial topcoat options. All our furniture can be cleaned with soap and water or standard furniture cleaners. Because our finishes are not baked on, they will need some final curing time while in your possession. For the first two months you must not allow water to stand on the finishes, and you must not place hot or cold containers directly on the finished surface.