On the surface it might seem simple, but there is a lot more that goes into furniture buying than you might think. From taking measurements and establishing a floor plan to following themes and coordinating it all, here are five rules to follow when choosing furniture.
Take measurements and create a floor plan
Before you make a purchase, take measurements and establish a floor plan. The last thing you want is for your new items to not fit in your home, or through your doorway. Use a tape measure, yard stick or other measuring tool to measure both the length and the width of the space you want to decorate. Make sure to consider any alcoves or recessed spaces, too. It is also crucial to measure your doorway, this can help to prevent unwanted delivery mishaps and can guarantee the furniture that you choose will make it into its intended space. Your floor plan doesn’t have to be perfect, a simple sketch on grid paper will do. This can help you figure out how much space you have to work with and where the items you are considering will fit best.
Understand your decor themes
There are seemingly endless interior design themes to choose from when decorating your home with furniture, however, the main ones typically include traditional, contemporary, modern, casual and Old World. Most furniture that is sleek with clean lines in considered modern. Modern themes often make use of neutrals, white and beige hues. Traditional themes are generally more formal and include lots of details, such as skirted bottoms and rolled arms. The colors in this theme range from rich hues of red, ivory, and other deep colors. Cozy homes are often decorated with casual furniture, a theme that uses prints and patterns. And finally, Old World interior design styles, which hail from Spanish, French, and Italian designs, often combine antique pieces and decor in deep, earthy colors.
Begin with the basics
When decorating your home, think about the basics before you start buying. Be sure to choose staple items before splurging on support items, considered extras, when choosing furniture for your home. Does you home have all of the essentials? For example, your living room should be decorated with an armchair, sofa, coffee table and side table before you add extras like ottomans.
Coordinate your furniture pieces
Like understanding your decor themes, coordinating your furniture pieces is also important. When purchasing, think about what you already have at home. Will that new sofa table you are considering coordinate and complement what is currently there already? Not coordinating your items can make your home look thrown together and even chaotic. Stick with items that go with your interior design theme. Modern sofa tables go with modern decor, traditional with traditional and so on.
Buy long-lasting investment pieces
Quality is everything. And you might even find that you save money in the long run when purchasing investment pieces, rather than cheaper versions that can quickly age, tear or break down over time. These items typically hold up better and have longer lifetimes. Choose items with sturdy wood frames, and sofas, chairs and love seats with steel-springs and well-built bed frames. These are the items that you will have in your home for years, make sure that you can enjoy them.
When styling your home, there are a lot of rules that can be broken — but not these rules. For a stylish, well-dressed living space, be sure to consider investment pieces, design themes, coordinating your decor items, decorating with the basics first and taking measurements when choosing furniture for your home.
