Mistakes To Avoid When Buying Furniture

Measure

Measure, don’t eyeball! This simple mistake can end up costing you so much money, time, and stress.  Measure the height, width and depth of the space where the furniture will be placed, your current furniture for comparison, and the elevator or doorway leading to this space. You don’t want to purchase a piece that won’t even get in the door!

Do your research

 When investing so much money into long term furniture pieces, be patient, do your research, visit multiple stores, do a longer than usual sit test, browse furniture online and read reviews from other customers for insight, and ask family and friends. Don’t make an impulse purchase!

Picture it

 Take a picture of your room from different angles and take it with you while out shopping. As you see pieces you like, look at your picture to have a visual of what you’re working with so it’s not just in your memory.

Lifestyle

 Maximize your dollar and take your lifestyle into consideration. Do you have kids? Pets? Host events? Make sure to keep performance fabrics in mind for pieces that will experience a lot of wear and tear.  Ask about the durability of the fabrics you choose as  you want to make sure it will also fit your lifestyle in the long term.

Inspect It

 A friend of mine purchased what she thought was a gray couch at the store that really hinted towards a brown once in her living room. How is that possible? Lighting in the store will be different from what you have at home, additionally the other pieces of furniture in your home will impact the color perception of your new couch. Carefully inspect the color, ask the salesperson for fabric samples, then take home and ensure that it will work with your room color and the other decor and furniture that you have at home. Additionally research the material to make sure its a fit for your family and lifestyle. 

 Do you have any tips of your own to share? Comment below!

If reading this makes you dread furniture shopping, this is a big reason why people hire an interior designer. We do the dirty work and present you with the best options out there. You end up saving so much time, money and your energy because we have this down to a science! Next time you’re stuck when furnishing your home, contact a local designer, and if you’re in the Bay area, feel free to contact me for a consultation! My contact information is listed at the bottom of the page.