Ready to upgrade from furniture that comes with 53 pieces and a confusing set of directions? Stepping into a furniture showroom can be just as daunting as visiting a used car lot; at first glance it is hard to tell quality craftsmanship and a lemon apart. You can find top-of-the-line pieces with a little luck, some looking around, and a lot of research. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Before You Shop
1. Create a budget. The amounts spent on each piece will include additional fees. A sectional sofa can cost quite a bit more than advertised after adding delivery costs and taxes. Whether buying furniture as a set or individually, determine which pieces will take the most daily abuse and need to be durable. Buying more expensive furniture doesn't mean higher quality or durability, but it helps to know which items are acceptable to splurge on.
2. Like any major purchase, think about the furniture's function. An end table next to a sofa may be used for storage but won't require the same durability as a coffee table or office desk. Pieces that are used daily, such as a sofa or dresser, must be stain resistant and easy to clean. Use a measuring tape to get approximate dimensions for larger items. Consider future situations, such as having children or moving. Living in an apartment isn't permanent, and pieces that fit perfectly in a living space now might not work in a new place. With children, you would have to replace or alter modern furniture with sharp edges or glass.
3. Create a shopping list of furniture items and approximately how much each should cost. Write down any approximate measurements to use as a guideline. Create a second list of stores. Window shop at larger, brand name stores first. These types of stores generally have show rooms and designer areas to give you more bedroom, office or living room ideas.
Finding Good Furniture
4. Start by trying to find the proverbial needle in the haystack. Some resale and antique stores offer used furniture well below retail value. Find these stores on review sites such as Yelp! Read reviews about which stores are rip-offs and which resale shops have decent furniture selections. In these stores, information on where the piece came from or what kind of material the furniture is made from probably won't be available. Don't be afraid to pull out drawers, lift up cushions and look at the underside of the furniture. Looking at the drawer corners and underside of wood pieces can give you a good idea of the quality of the piece and whether or not it has been refinished. There is truth to the old saying, "They don't make them like they used to." Older furniture at these stores is less likely to be made from composite materials or artificial wood.
5. If you didn't find what you were looking for at a resale store, visit multiple furniture retailers. If you see similar styles at different stores for radically different prices, don't get discouraged. Different retailers create knock-offs of popular styles, just like clothing designers. And like clothing, knock-off quality can be questionable. Ask the salesperson what material the item is made from, what delivery costs are and if the item needs to be delivered from a warehouse. Two similar pieces at different stores may have different prices because one store offers free delivery, and the other doesn't. Write down names, item numbers and exact measurements of pieces you like and go home. Don't purchase anything right away or bow to any sales pressure. If a salesperson offers a special discount, that offer will be good tomorrow. Ask the salesperson's name, and if you come back to the store, let another salesperson know that Mr. X offered the furniture to you at a better price. Don't forget, most salespeople work on commission.
6. Use a search engine to look up information on the furniture you found. Online discount outlets might offer the exact piece for cheaper, and other sites may offer reviews or ratings about the furniture. Look for specific comments about durability, warping, discoloration and overall satisfaction. There may also be specs about the materials of the piece, such as whether a desk is made from veneered wood or bonded wood. A desk made from solid pine isn't necessarily better than oak veneer. Pine is a soft wood, and while generally less expensive, it also scratches and dents easier than a veneer-ply oak desk would. Research this kind of information.
7. Outline the furniture measurements. Move your current furniture aside, and with masking tape, outline on the floor the exact size of the furniture you plan to purchase. Since masking tape won't tear off paint, also measure the height of pieces on walls. Make sure the new furniture wouldn't block any closet doors or interfere with the high traffic walking paths in the room.
8. If you still haven't found the furniture you are looking for at the right price, consider looking at unfinished furniture stores. These stores offer pieces for substantially less than furniture retailers, but leave the job of staining and finishing a piece up to a customer. This may be an ideal option if you are looking for a piece to blend into an already finished room. Another option is to work with an Amish furniture shop. While these may be out of the way, and not always accessible, the prices are usually far more reasonable for the quality.
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