Made-to-Order Patio Furniture: How Custom Orders Work
Most of the furniture we sell is not sitting in a warehouse. It is made to order: the factory builds your piece after you order it, in the frame finish and cushion fabric you choose. That is what makes it custom patio furniture rather than a stock set, and it is why the same sofa can look coastal in one yard and modern in the next. Here is what you can customize with each of our brands, how long it takes, and how an order works from the first swatch to delivery day.
What made-to-order means
When you order, we place it with the manufacturer within one business day, with your finish and fabric confirmed, and production starts right away. The pieces are built in American factories: Lloyd Flanders in Menominee, Michigan, Homecrest in Wadena, Minnesota, and Telescope Casual in Granville, New York, among others. Each product page shows the build time near the price, so you always know what to expect before you order.
What you can customize, brand by brand
Every brand works a little differently. These are the choices on the product pages today, using one popular piece from each brand as the example:
- Lloyd Flanders. The Reflections sofa offers 20 Lloyd Loom frame finishes, fabric grades A to D, and a cushion style: Traditional with buttons, Traditional without buttons, or a Contemporary back. Throw pillows are an optional last step.
- Telescope Casual. On the St. Catherine sofa you choose a frame color and, separately, the arms: matching marine-grade polymer or a wood-look polymer, all the same price. Fabrics come in grades A, B, C, D and F.
- OW Lee. Thirteen textured powder-coat finishes and fabric grades AA to D. Many cushion collections, such as Classico, add a trim step: a slim welt or a twisted decorative cord, at one flat price for the piece.
- Woodard. The Jax sofa shows 21 frame finishes, a graded Woodard fabric library, and an optional welt in your cushion fabric or any Woodard fabric. Some finishes are a premium tier, and the price updates when you pick one.
- Homecrest. The Boden sofa comes in 11 frame finishes with Sunbrella, Brisa and other fabrics in grades A to E.
- Skyline Design. Most pieces deliver in 5 to 7 business days in stock Sunbrella fabric; choosing a custom Sunbrella adds 4 to 6 weeks.
Prefer a fabric you have found elsewhere? Our furniture pages welcome your own fabric (often called COM, customer's own material). Ask us first and we will confirm the details with the factory.
Fabric grades, welt and trim in plain terms
A fabric grade reflects what the fabric costs the factory, not how well it performs outdoors. Every grade on our pages is an all-weather outdoor fabric, and the price on the page changes as you move between grades. Welt is the slim piping that runs along each cushion edge; in the same fabric it reads tailored and quiet, in a contrast color it outlines the shape. Decorative cord, offered by OW Lee, is a twisted rope edge. For help choosing, see how to choose Lloyd Flanders fabrics and our Sunbrella cushion guide.
How ordering works, step by step
- 1. Choose your pieces. Start with a single piece or a set, and check the dimensions against your space.
- 2. Pick a frame finish. Colors vary on screens, so ask us for finish chips; if a finish or tabletop sample has a cost, we email you to confirm before anything is charged.
- 3. Order free fabric swatches. Fabric and sling swatches are free. Look at them outside, in your own light, next to your house and your plants.
- 4. Make your choices on the product page. Finish, fabric, cushion style, trim. The price updates as you go, so there are no surprises.
- 5. Place your order. We process it within 24 hours and send it to the factory with your selections confirmed.
- 6. Production and shipping. Build time is shown on each page. Once it ships, freight transit typically takes 5 to 7 days, we email tracking, and the carrier calls to schedule a delivery window.
- 7. Delivery. Shipping is free on every order. Upgrade at checkout to white-glove delivery: Room of Choice for $149, or Full Service with placement, assembly and debris removal for $249, free on orders of $7,500 or more.
Lead times by brand
These are the build times shown on the product pages today. They can change with the season, and the page for your piece is always the current word.
- Woodard: ships within 2 to 4 weeks.
- Homecrest: ships within 2 to 5 weeks.
- Telescope Casual: ships within 3 to 5 weeks.
- Lloyd Flanders: ships within 4 to 6 weeks.
- OW Lee: ships within 4 to 6 weeks.
Need it sooner? Quick ship options
If the party is next month, there are faster routes. Most Lloyd Flanders tables are Quick Ship and typically delivered within 5 to 7 days; tables painted in a Lloyd Loom finish are the exception and are made to order. OW Lee's Quick Ship program covers select Monterra and Arc seating and two Elba fire pits in set finish and fabric combinations, shipping in 5 to 10 business days; the product page marks them "Quick Ship available." Quick Ship items also follow our standard 30-day return terms.
One honest note before you order
Because made-to-order pieces go into production for you as soon as you order, they cannot be canceled or returned once production starts. The manufacturer's warranty still covers defects, and damage in transit is always covered. That is exactly why we push free swatches and questions first. And if you find the same piece for less from another authorized dealer, our price match guarantee means we will match it.
Five brands, built to order
One piece from each brand, every one built to order in the finish and fabric you choose:
Frequently asked questions
How long does custom patio furniture take?
Are fabric samples really free?
Can I use my own fabric?
Does made-to-order furniture cost more?
Can I cancel or return a made-to-order piece?
Start with a conversation
We are a two-person business, and Emmett and Allison answer the phone themselves. Call or text (949) 782-7338, send a photo of your space through Plan My Space, or browse the look books for ideas.
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