Commissioning a custom Art Deco furniture piece is one of the most considered purchases in the luxury interior design market. Unlike buying a production piece off a showroom floor, a genuine bespoke commission involves a collaborative process — one that produces something that doesn’t exist anywhere else. For clients and interior designers in West Hollywood and greater Los Angeles, understanding how that process works is the difference between a frustrating experience and a result that defines a room for decades.
This guide walks through the commissioning process for custom Art Deco furniture in 2026, from initial concept to final delivery.
Step 1: Define the Piece and the Space
The commissioning process begins with clarity about what you need and where it’s going. For interior designers, this means arriving at the showroom with precise measurements of the space, an understanding of the architectural context (ceiling height, natural light, surrounding finishes), and a clear sense of the client’s aesthetic preferences within the Art Deco vocabulary.
Common commission categories for Art Deco furniture in 2026 include dining tables — where exact dimensions matter enormously for both function and proportion — coffee tables, consoles, lounge chairs, and wall sculptures. Each category has its own set of design considerations within the Art Deco tradition.
The most useful first meeting is one where the designer brings reference images, room measurements, and a palette. This gives the maker enough information to have a substantive conversation about what’s possible within the style and the budget.
Step 2: Choose Between Period Originals and Contemporary Bespoke
For clients sourcing from a specialist like Anne Hauck Art Deco in West Hollywood, there are two distinct paths: acquiring an authenticated period piece from the collectible line, or commissioning a new piece through the Studio (bespoke) line.
Period originals are evaluated on provenance, condition, rarity, and historical significance. These are collectible objects — their value lies not just in their appearance but in what they are: authenticated 20th century Art Deco pieces with documented histories. For a client who wants to own an actual piece of design history, this is the appropriate category.
Contemporary bespoke serves a different need: a client who wants the visual language and material quality of Art Deco in a piece designed for their specific space. Custom width, custom wood species, custom finish, custom profile. The piece is new, but it’s made with the same materials philosophy and design principles as the historical originals — exotic woods, high-polish finishes, geometric forms. The same configuration is rarely made twice.
Most Los Angeles designers working on bespoke residential commissions choose the Studio line when exact specifications matter — which, for a high-end project, they usually do.
Step 3: Select Materials and Finish
Material selection is where the commission becomes specific. Art Deco furniture traditionally uses exotic wood veneers — macassar ebony, amboyna, zebrawood, and other high-figure species — applied over solid structural cores. The finish is typically high-gloss lacquer or piano-style polished surfaces that reflect light and give the piece its characteristic visual depth.
In 2026, clients have access to a range of exotic wood species and finish options that remain consistent with the historical tradition while accommodating contemporary sustainability considerations. A qualified specialist will walk through the options honestly — explaining which species are available, what the visual character of each is, and how different finishes interact with specific wood figures.
Hardware and metal detailing — brass, bronze, chrome — are also part of this conversation. Art Deco hardware is architectural in character: substantial, geometric, and integrated into the piece’s visual logic rather than applied as afterthought decoration.
Step 4: Understand Lead Times
Genuine bespoke furniture takes time. A custom Art Deco dining table with hand-applied high-polish finish and exotic wood veneer is not a four-week commission. Realistic lead times for a quality bespoke piece range from eight to sixteen weeks depending on complexity, material sourcing requirements, and the maker’s current production schedule.
For interior designers, this means building bespoke furniture commissions into the project timeline early — ideally before other finish decisions are finalized. A table or console that arrives at the end of a project and doesn’t work with the palette that developed during installation is a problem that proper scheduling prevents.
The best makers give accurate lead times and communicate proactively about any changes. If a showroom quotes an unusually short lead time for a complex piece, that’s worth questioning.
Step 5: Installation and Ongoing Care
High-polish Art Deco finishes require specific care. The finish that makes these pieces so visually distinctive — the deep, reflective lacquer — is also sensitive to certain cleaning products, direct sunlight exposure, and moisture. A quality specialist will provide clear care instructions as part of the commission.
Installation considerations depend on the piece: large dining tables may require partial assembly on-site, and wall sculptures need proper mounting hardware for the wall substrate. For designers managing a full installation, coordinating furniture delivery timing with other trades is part of the professional process.
Working with a West Hollywood Art Deco Specialist
For interior designers and clients in Los Angeles looking to commission custom Art Deco furniture in 2026, the commissioning process described above is most reliable when working with a specialist who has genuine depth in the category. Anne Hauck Art Deco’s West Hollywood showroom brings over 36 years of combined expertise — the historical knowledge to source and evaluate period pieces, and the fabrication relationships to execute contemporary bespoke commissions at the material and craftsmanship standards the style demands.
For clients and designers who want to commission something that will be in the room for decades, starting with the right specialist is the most important decision in the process.
Seth Hatfield, a maverick in the realm of writing, seamlessly weaves tales from the world of construction and beyond. With a unique blend of insight and creativity, he invites readers on a journey through his diverse repertoire of articles.