FAQs
What makes STUHF Studio different?
Think of us as a furniture consultant, not a dealer. With no alignments or initiatives to sell your certain product lines, we work differently than the furniture dealers you may be used to. At STUHF Studio, we are a neutral partner through your process and are only making recommendations that fit with your design goals. Our team comes from an interior-design background, so every selection is driven by function, aesthetics, and budget, not sales quotas.
We believe in staying vendor-neutral, refusing exclusive contracts. Instead, we start in the furniture abyss, searching from hundreds of lines (or commissioning custom work) to build a package that truly fits your space. In addition, we value our spec separate from the value of the furniture, providing transparency between our design services and the actual cost of your furniture.
What Manufacturers Do you Represent?
We have relationships with hundreds, but no obligations to any. We work with what you call ‘open line’ options in the furniture industry. In addition to those relationships, we don’t limit ourselves to searching for out of the box solutions to provide whatever it is we are looking for.
What is an Open-Line Manufacturer?
Open-Line furniture manufacturers make their products available to all furniture dealerships. While Closed-Line manufacturers require you to purchase directly through the furniture dealership that controls your territory. For closed-line relationships, the dealer is working for the manufacturer and must meet sales quotas or other requirements to maintain exclusivity in that area.
Why should I avoid the Closed-Line Dealership Model?
Simply stated, we think it limits creativity and gives dealerships control of the spec, making it difficult to receive apples-to-apples comparison, eliminating a competitive edge to the purchasing process. While in some unique instances, it may benefit the client to work directly with an exclusive dealer, we still feel that selecting your product on neutral ground with STUHF delivers a better value in then end.
Isn’t it more expensive to pay for selections if the dealers do it for free?
Not necessarily, and in many cases, it can actually save you money. When a dealer handles selection "for free," they’re typically pulling from their own catalog of products, which limits your options and locks you into their pricing. This creates a kind of closed-loop monopoly; you’re handed a spec you didn’t choose, for products you can’t competitively price.
By investing in independent selection, you own the spec. That means you can bid it out to multiple dealers, compare pricing, and maintain control over your budget. It’s not just about selection, it’s about flexibility, transparency, and long-term value.
Will I receive mood boards, finish samples, or 3-D visuals before we place orders?
Yes! We are visual people, too. For any project that integrates us for the selection and specification process, we include digital mood boards to confirm style and palette, numerous samples of all the fabrics and finishes we are proposing, and 3D renderings for custom or detailed products. Our goal is to provide all the information to you in an organized and visual way so you know exactly what you are buying in the end.
I don’t need you for selections, but can you help us prepare a bid package?
Yes, you can engage us for any individual phase you need assistance with; be it planning, specification, bidding or procurement. Many teams bring us in early just to validate square footage and provide preliminary budgets; others ask for a full FF&E spec package and handle procurement on their own. But if you prefer a single point of contact from start to finish, we recommend you hire us to handle it all.
Do you only work in the Kansas City area, or can you support projects nationwide?
Kansas City is home base, but our planning and selection process enables us to collaborate with teams and individuals across the nation, allowing us to handle projects anywhere in the United States.