Bespoke Fitted Furniture Throughout a New-Build Passivhaus in Exeter
Updated: Sep 3
Every so often, a project comes along that gives us the opportunity to work across an entire home rather than focusing on just one room. This recent new-build project in the heart of Exeter was exactly that.
We were commissioned to design, manufacture and install fitted furniture for the master bedroom, two family bedrooms, a guest bedroom and the cloakroom, with each space designed around the way the family wanted to use it.
Tom worked closely with the clients on the designs, considering everything from hanging space and drawer layouts to mirrors, lighting, shoe storage and those awkward architectural details that only really become apparent when you start designing furniture around a particular house.
Chris and the team then carried out the installation, working to some extremely tight timescales as the house approached completion. The project took 2 weeks to complete.
The finished result is one we're particularly proud of.
Floor-to-Ceiling Wardrobes for the Master Bedroom
The master bedroom features floor-to-ceiling fitted wardrobes with angled top boxes designed to follow the shape of the room.
One of the trickiest details was where the upper filler met one of the home's exposed Glulam beams. The filler had to be carefully scribed around the beam to produce a clean, fitted finish. The team did a fantastic job here, particularly given the complexity of the shape.
The wardrobe doors and surrounding fillers were hand-painted to match Farrow & Ball’s Shaded White, creating a calm and understated finish.
We used push-to-open doors and drawers throughout, keeping the cabinetry completely handleless and giving the wardrobes a clean, contemporary appearance.
Inside, the storage was designed specifically around the client's requirements. The chest of drawers included individual internal divisions, while narrower shelving sections were created to accommodate our fabric storage boxes. These are particularly useful inside deeper wardrobes, where small items can otherwise easily disappear towards the back of a shelf.
Integrated LED strips were fitted within the cabinets and automatically switch on and off as the wardrobe doors are opened and closed.
We also fitted two mirrors to the inside of the wardrobe doors. Positioned together, these allow the client to see both the front and back of an outfit while dressing, without needing additional freestanding mirrors in the room.
Bedroom One: Girl's Bedroom With an Angled Ceiling
The fitted furniture in the first family bedroom presented another interesting challenge.
Here, the cabinetry runs from floor to ceiling and follows the angle of the ceiling above. The top filler involved a compound angle which needed particularly careful fitting on site.
Again, the team achieved a very neat result.
The wardrobes were hand-painted to match Valspar’s Gentle Lamb and include many of the same practical details as the master bedroom, including dedicated shelving for fabric storage boxes.
A mirror was fitted to one of the wardrobe doors using a 155-degree hinge. This allows the door and mirror to open further into the room, making it much easier to use when getting dressed.
LED lighting was routed flush into the cabinet sides and is activated automatically when the doors are opened.
Tom also incorporated an open display and bookcase section alongside the wardrobes. For contrast, this was finished using FINSA Lissa Oak, introducing a warmer timber element alongside the painted cabinetry.
Bedroom Two: Boy's Bedroom with Dark Blue Wardrobe
The second bedroom was designed as almost a mirror image of Bedroom One.
It includes similar full-height fitted storage with open shelves, but this time finished to match Valspar’s Naval Night, creating a much deeper and more dramatic look.
One small detail illustrates why made-to-measure furniture can work so well in new and existing homes alike.
Pipework entered the bottom of the left-hand cabinet and couldn't simply be moved. Rather than losing the entire section, we designed and built a boxed area within the cabinet around the pipes, allowing the remaining space to continue to be used for storage. It's the sort of detail that may barely be noticed once the furniture is finished, but it makes a considerable difference to how well the available space is used.
Guest Bedroom Wardrobes in FINSA 12Twenty
For the guest bedroom, the clients chose a different approach.
Rather than painted cabinetry, the wardrobes were created entirely from the FINSA 12Twenty collection.
Gris Coco was used externally, with Selene Gris for the interiors, giving the wardrobes a subtle tonal contrast when the doors are opened.
This room didn't require integrated lighting, but we again incorporated a mirror into the cabinetry.
Using FINSA finishes in this way also gives a very crisp and consistent finish, making it a particularly good choice for contemporary fitted furniture.
A Practical Cloakroom for Everyday Family Life
The cloakroom needed to work hard.
Rather than simply adding coat hooks to the wall, Tom designed a complete storage area incorporating somewhere to sit, somewhere to hang coats and somewhere to store shoes and other everyday items.
A low-level bench seat was created with a solid oak staved top. Above this, we fitted a backing panel with ten individual coat hooks.
Two deep drawers underneath the seat provide useful concealed storage, while open shelving on the opposite side of the room gives the family somewhere practical to keep boots and shoes.
The cabinetry was produced using FINSA finishes including Gris Coco and Gris Gu, with the oak seat adding some natural warmth to the scheme.
Designing Bespoke Furniture for a Passivhaus New Build
Although new-build homes can look beautifully straightforward once finished, they can present their own set of challenges when fitting bespoke furniture.
This particular property was constructed to comply with Passivhaus requirements, meaning we had to be particularly careful about how and where the cabinetry could be fixed, especially when working against external walls.
We worked directly with the builder to develop appropriate fixing methods that allowed the furniture to be installed securely without compromising the construction of the building.
There were also several walls containing pocket doors. Because the doors disappear inside the wall when opened, normal cabinet fixings couldn't simply be used in these areas.
These details required forward planning between ourselves, the builder and the client before installation began.
It's a good example of why the design process for fitted furniture isn't simply about choosing door styles and finishes. Understanding the construction of the building itself can be just as important.
Working Towards Moving-In Day
Timing was another major consideration.
The house was nearing completion when we arrived on site and the owners had a fixed moving-in date, so everything needed to be manufactured and installed within a very tight timeframe.
At various points we were working alongside painters, carpenters and other trades, all trying to finish their own parts of the house at the same time.
Good communication on site became essential.
Chris and the team worked closely with the other trades so everyone could keep moving without getting in each other's way, while still maintaining the quality of finish we expect from our installations.
The Finished Result
Seeing all five spaces completed together was particularly satisfying.
Although there are common details running through the project, each room has its own character. From the soft Shaded White wardrobes in the master bedroom to the Naval Night cabinetry, oak bookcase detailing, two-tone guest wardrobes and practical cloakroom storage, everything has been designed specifically for this house and the people living in it.
The clients are delighted with the finished project, which is always the most important part for us.
From Tom's initial designs through to the installation, this was a genuine team effort and one that involved plenty of careful planning, problem solving and attention to detail.
And, in our opinion, the finished quality is a definite 10 out of 10.
Planning Fitted Furniture for Your Home?
If you're renovating, building a new home or simply have several rooms that would benefit from better storage, we can design fitted furniture that works together throughout the house while still giving each room its own individual look.
From fitted wardrobes and dressing rooms to bookcases, cloakroom storage and completely bespoke solutions, everything we make is designed around your space.
Book a design visit with Just Wood Furniture and talk to us about what you'd like to create.