Dear Jean and Richard, I recently ordered some furniture from a catalog and am now experiencing long delivery delays. When you design an interior that requires special orders, how do you make sure the products are ready for the job on time? --Getting frustrated fast

Richard: Hello Cousin. (We could be related with the same last name!) As much as I would like to tell you there are secrets within the trade, the truth is anything resembling a custom home furnishings order will take time to receive—especially when most furniture (or at least the frames) is now manufactured overseas. For us, it’s not a matter of just going down to the warehouse or discount retailer when our mission is to create something special. Truly unique installations—almost by definition—require research, resources, and patience.

Jean: I think we’ve all been spoiled by acquiring everything on demand. Abundant food is as close as the corner grocery. Consumer goods fill the aisles of chain stores and specialty boutiques. And now with the internet, nearly anything you want can be purchased with a credit card and the click of a mouse.

Richard: Yes, but you better be buying a familiar object when you’re shopping on line. Convenience is a fine thing for French fries, but not necessarily for French antiques.

Jean: You buy your French fries on line? I should think they would be antiques when you got them.

Richard: Seriously, there was a book reviewed recently by the Citizen-Times’ Seth Brown titled “Cheap, the High Cost of Discount Culture” which outlines how shopping on the basis of price has cheapened our lifestyle. The idea of buying furniture as heirlooms has become obsolete, let alone buying anything that is uniquely you.

Jean: Well, unless you find a new piece locally, there’s a good chance you will have to wait on order processing and shipping—and both are facts of life in our business. It may sound old fashioned, but I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. After all, if you can decide on a piece, find it, and bring it home all in the same day, maybe it’s not as unique as you might hope.

Richard: Some of the smaller furnishings, such as lamps, we may receive in a week, whereas custom sofas can take as long as six months- not for the budget minded.

Jean: While we’re on the subject, Price—or “less expensive”—is not always the best bargain either, and not just with potential heirlooms. Sometimes it’s worth waiting on the good stuff.

Richard: Most of the time! I’ve heard people complain that they should have purchased a better quality product, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say, “I wish I owned a cheaper one.”

Jean: Think of it like good food. Usually, the best dishes take a little more time to prepare or cost a little more on the menu. Even good pomme frites.