Trade
October 22, 2026
6 min read
Every designer has a story about an order that arrived wrong. The sofa that was two inches deeper than the drawing. The finish that read 'natural' on the quote and 'honey' on the floor. Most of those stories start with a thin furniture spec sheet that nobody pushed on.
We work with designers across the Triangle every week, and the projects that go smoothly share one habit: they treat the spec sheet like a contract, not a formality. Here's the checklist we'd hand to any designer before they sign off on an order.
It has one job. It lets three people, you, the client, and the maker, agree on the same object before money moves. If any detail lives only in someone's head or an email thread, it's a risk.
A good one is boring. Every line is specific. Nothing says 'as discussed.'
Start here, because this is where the expensive errors live. You want width, depth, and height for the overall piece, plus the dimensions that affect how it's used.
Always confirm whether a number is measured at the widest point. A rounded or tapered piece can have a nominal width that isn't the real footprint. When in doubt, ask for the measurement in writing and check it against your floor plan.
This is where 'close enough' costs you a remake. Spell out the species of wood, the finish name and sheen, the fabric collection and color name, and the leather grade where it applies. Request a physical swatch for anything the client will see up close, and keep it with the project file.
Lighting changes everything. A fabric that looks warm under showroom lights can go cool in a north-facing living room. That's why we send swatches home with people, and why we'd push you to have the client approve against their own light, not ours.
If durability matters, say so on the sheet. Cleaning code for upholstery. Rub count where the maker publishes one. Cushion fill. For commercial or high-traffic residential work, note the use case so everyone is solving for the same wear.
A date on the sheet is worth more than a promise in a call. Get the quoted lead time in writing, and understand whether it starts at order, at deposit, or at final approval of finishes. Those are three different clocks.
Then nail down delivery: who receives it, what the path in looks like, and whether placement and packaging removal are included. With white-glove delivery, the crew places the piece in the room and hauls the packaging, but you still need to confirm access details like stairs, elevators, and parking. Get those on the sheet too.
Numbers on a page are not the same as a room. Before you finalize anything, drop the pieces into a scaled layout. The free Trig Studio room planner uses verified widths, depths, and heights for real pieces, lets you arrange them in your exact room dimensions, and exports a spec sheet you can send to a client. We wrote more about that workflow in using the Trig Studio to close client projects.
A scaled plan catches the things a table of numbers hides: a chair that blocks a door swing, a console that pinches a hallway, a rug that's a size too small.
Last block, and the one people skip. Record who approved what and when. If the client changes a finish after approval, the sheet should be revised and dated, not patched in an email. It protects you, and it protects the relationship.
It also makes reorders and punch lists painless months later, when nobody remembers whether it was the oak or the walnut.
Our trade program gives designers preferred pricing across all of our brands, a dedicated contact, and white-glove delivery across the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill Triangle. One person who knows your project means fewer gaps between the quote and the spec sheet. You can see which makers we carry on the brands page, with more than 40 to choose from.
If you're starting a project and want to pressure-test a spec sheet, send it over or come by the showroom in Raleigh. We're happy to look it over with you.
Missing or vague dimensions. Designers often list overall size but skip seat depth, arm height, or clearance, and those are the numbers that decide whether a piece actually works in the room.
Yes, ideally. A signed or clearly approved sheet with a date ties the finish, size, and options to a decision, which protects everyone if something arrives different from what was expected.
Before you finalize the design direction. Swatches take time to arrive and review, and a finish change after ordering is the costliest kind of revision.