A Plain-English Glossary for Anyone Commissioning Fitted Furniture

Commissioning fitted furniture should feel exciting. You are getting something made for your home, not pulled off a shelf. But somewhere between the first site visit and the final invoice, the language can get thick. Quotes mention carcasses, face frames, scribes and service voids as if everyone grew up in a workshop.

You do not need to become a joiner to commission good work. You just need enough vocabulary to ask a sensible question when something sounds vague. Think of this as a translator for the quote, the drawing and the conversation on site.

The bits that hold everything up

Carcass. The box of the furniture: the sides, top, bottom and back that form the structure. A wardrobe carcass, a kitchen cabinet carcass, a bookcase carcass. Ask what it is made from and how thick the panels are. In UK fitted furniture, you will hear about MDF, plywood, chipboard and solid timber. None is automatically bad or good. The right choice depends on where it is going and how it will be finished.

Face frame. A frame fixed to the front of a carcass, often used on traditional-style cabinetry. It gives doors and drawers something to sit against and can make a run of furniture look more furniture-like and less like a series of boxes. If you want a Shaker or in-frame look, this is part of the conversation.

Plinth. The base section under cabinets, often recessed to create a shadow line. In a kitchen it might hide adjustable legs. In a wardrobe it might simply bring the furniture up to the right height. Ask whether the plinth is fixed, removable or finished to match the doors.

Cornice. The moulded trim at the top of a cabinet run, used to finish the junction with the ceiling or to create a deliberate decorative line. In older homes, cornice can be a neat way to deal with a ceiling that is not perfectly level.

The gaps you will actually notice

Reveal. The small gap between a door and the carcass, or between two doors. A consistent reveal is a mark of careful making. Ask what reveal the joiner aims for and how the hinges allow for adjustment.

Shadow gap. A deliberate recess or gap used to create a clean line, often under a worktop or around a plinth. It can look very sharp. It can also collect crumbs. Ask how it will be finished and cleaned.

Scribe. A shaped cut that lets a panel or trim follow an uneven wall, floor or ceiling. Scribing is how fitted furniture meets a real UK room without leaving a gap you could post a letter through. Ask whether a scribe allowance is included in the quote.

Tolerance. The amount of variation a design allows for. A tight tolerance sounds impressive, but in an old house it can be a headache. A sensible tolerance is not slack. It is realistic.

The words about space and services

Service void. Space left behind or beneath furniture for pipes, cables and ventilation. It is especially relevant in kitchens, utility rooms and under-stair storage. Ask where it is, how deep it is and whether you can still get to the stopcock or isolation valve.

Void. A general term for an empty space, often inside a carcass or behind a panel. Not every void is a service void. Some are just dead space. It is worth knowing which is which.

Upstand. A short upstand at the back of a worktop, usually matching the worktop or splashback. It finishes the junction between worktop and wall. Ask how it meets an uneven wall and whether it is scribed.

End panel. A finished panel on the exposed end of a cabinet run. It makes the side of the furniture look deliberate rather than unfinished. If an end panel is visible, ask whether it is matched to the doors or the carcass.

The words about wood and finish

Grain matching. Arranging timber or veneer so that the grain flows across doors, drawers or panels. On solid timber and veneered work, good grain matching makes a run feel considered. On painted furniture, it matters less, but the substrate still needs to be stable.

Panel. A flat sheet of material used for doors, sides, shelves or backs. Panel thickness matters. A thin back panel can make a wardrobe feel flimsy; a sensible shelf thickness stops sagging.

Edging. The strip applied to the exposed edge of a panel, often in matching veneer, ABS plastic or solid timber. Ask how edges will be finished, especially on shelves and carcass fronts.

Dry fit. A trial assembly before final installation, either in the workshop or on site. A dry fit is your friend. It is where problems with doors, drawers and reveals should be found before everything is fixed in place.

The words about making it look finished

Making good. The plastering, filling, decorating and skirting work needed around newly fitted furniture. A quote should be clear about who is doing this. It is one of the most common sources of confusion on a job.

Template. A shaped pattern used to cut a worktop or panel to fit an awkward wall, chimney breast or alcove. Templating is common in kitchens and bespoke storage. It is a sign that the installer is planning to follow the room, not fight it.

Adjustable shelf. A shelf that can be moved up or down on pins or brackets. Useful in wardrobes, pantries and bookcases. Ask how many adjustable shelves you are getting and whether the pins are visible.

How to use this glossary

You do not need to memorise every term. Pick the ones that appear in your quote and ask a simple question: what does this mean for my room? If the answer is clear, reassuring and specific, that is a good sign. If the answer is vague, ask for it in writing.

A good joiner will not mind being asked. The whole point of commissioning bespoke furniture is that the details are decided with you, not imposed on you. The more clearly you can brief the workshop, the more likely the finished piece will feel like it belongs in your home.