Stepping Into The World Of Grown Up Furniture? Here's What You Need To Know...
Have you gotten to a point in life where you appreciate and understand the value of good furniture? Maybe you're like me and you have gone through enough of the cheap stuff to know that in the end, well made furniture pays for its self because you will never have to replace it. Well if you are ready to part with your flimsy "starter furniture" congratulations and please keep reading! Now you can begin the journey of decorating your home with the quality furniture that will be with you for years to come. The design choices that you make now will will shape the memories of your children and/or give comfort and peace to your spouse. You are the creative director of the movie that is your life and your home is the main stage. Weather you decide to try it alone or hire a decorator to do the hard parts for you, you will first need to begin by taking inventory of what you already have to see what can stay and what must go. Go through your home with a pen and paper and take note- I'm going to list some things that are evidence of temporary furniture that you may want to replace. __butt imprint on sofa/chair cushions __loose or missing screws/bolts on tables etc __flimsy things that tip over easily __plastic that is painted to look like metal __bubbles on wood surfaces indicating fake wood veneers __small TV stands (vs. a custom entertainment wall) __art that is impersonal and ordinary __hardware that falls off easily __cracked peeling leather indicating low grade leather or vinyl __fabric that is pilling or no longer performing If most of your furniture is needing to be replaced, not to worry, with the help of a qualified interior decorator, you can have a transformed room with very little effort on your part. If that's something that you are interested in, please do not hesitate to contact me. I offer in home consultations as well as E-design which can be done over the computer. If you are not yet ready to purchase an entire room but want to gradually replace your furniture as you are financially able to (piece by piece) it can be a bit more challenging to get a cohesive look but you can do it. You will need to start with a plan and gradually purchase the pieces that fit into your ultimate plan. I want to give you a simple guide to buying quality furniture for you to print up and take with you to the furniture store.... 1.Selecting quality "workhorse furniture"- ("Workhorse furniture" is referring to any un-upholstered furniture that contributes to the functionality of the room). Look for solid hardwood not particle board with a fake veneer on it. The veneers will lift and warp and chip easily. Even if you do mange to chip the wood on a solid hard wood piece, all that is under it is more hardwood so it wont look bad and can even add nice character. Look for double dowels mortise and tenon, or "dove-tail" joinery in the places where 2 corners join. (This means that the wood corners are cut and interlock with each other like a puzzle vs. just being glued and nailed together). 2. Selecting Quality upholstered furniture- Ask the store how the cushions are constructed. The eight-way hand-tied system is the best way to construct the seat structure. A high end showroom should be able to explain whats inside of your cushion. The cushion foam should be a high density foam or it will begin to compress to much after a while and you will have that butt imprint and saggy loose fabric on top. Look at how the fabric is stitched on. Sometimes you can even count how many stitches per inch are holding your fabric together. 7 stitches per inch is superior quality. Look for durable fabrics that will not pill or stretch out. Go for real leather vs vinyl which will split and crack. 3. Selecting Quality plants- Please if at all possible, buy a real living plant as part of your decor. Having something alive as part of your decor feels so much more rich than having a counterfeit of the real thing. It ads to the spirit of the home. If you are horrible at caring for plants (like me) may I suggest the 'Parlor Palm'. Trust me you cant kill this plant if you tried. 4.Selecting Quality Hardware- I believe it was Candice Olson who said "Hardware is the jewelry of your room" We know what happens when we buy fake jewelry right? The flaking and discoloration. especially on cabinets that get high use like kitchen cabinets, the moisture on your hands will strip the false top layer off cheap hardware. Also, cheap curtain rods will slide and bow in the center so its okay to splurge on the good ones. 5. Selecting Quality lighting- Well admittedly, table and floor lamps are one of the things that I still buy at Target because I like to swap them out frequently. As a rule of thumb, any of the little accessories that you plan to only keep for a year or two, can be a little on the cheaper side so that you can freshen up your look through the years (or even seasonally). If you want invest in beautiful overhead lighting please do because a good chandelier can be a showstopper and make the whole room. Wow, I'm sorry this was such a lengthy blog post this month! There is so much more to know about purchasing quality furniture. In fact, there are entire books dedicated to this topic but I hope this helps when you find yourself in the store. Please feel free to comment if you have any questions regarding furniture quality and reach out to me via email if you are ready to have an entire room designed for you!