Furniture can turn your house into a piece of art or a messy drawing made by a child. It can make or break the atmosphere of your home, so it’s essential to get it right.
The thing is, the right furniture can make a difference to the aesthetics of your home.
Without these furnishings, your home might look dull, uninviting, and plain.
But your home can be filled with warmth and style, with the perfect items in the ideal places.
And that’s why it’s so important to know what you are doing and have a plan when choosing furniture for your home.
Don’t worry; you don’t have to be an interior designer to do this.
All you need are essential tips and guidelines to make the right decisions when shopping for furniture.
How to choose furniture for your home?
So, how do you choose the right furniture for your home?
Answer these six questions:
1) What type of furniture do you need?
First, you need to know what kind of furniture you need. You must answer this question first to move on to the other ones.
Do you need furniture for your bedroom, living room, bathroom, or kitchen? Each room in your house requires different types of furniture.
For instance, here are the typical furniture for each space in your house:
- Bedroom: beds, nightstands, bedside tables, closets, and mirrors.
- Living room: sofas, chairs, centre tables, coffee tables, TV stands, and shelves are some common wooden living room furniture.
- Dining Area: dining tables, chairs, and cabinets,
- Kitchen: bar stools, kitchen islands, and cabinets.
- Study room: study tables, chairs, and bookshelves.
- Bathroom: bathroom vanity units, cabinets, mirrors, and dressing tables.
- Children’s room: children’s beds, bunk beds, and tables.
Instead of visiting several shops or online furniture stores to determine which one to get, knowing what furniture you need immediately will save you so much time.
2) Where should you place it?
Now that you answered the first question, it’s time to figure out where to place your new furniture.
If you plan to buy a bed, go to your bedroom and find possible spots to place your new mattress.
Do you want to place it in the corner of your room? Near the wall or window? Or at the centre of the room?
The placement of your new furniture will help you work out your style or design considerations.
For example, if you plan to add a corner sofa to your living room, you’ll know how much space you have and how it will match the other furnishings in that space.
3) How much space do you have?
Consider how much space you have available, especially when you already have existing furniture.
Get a measuring tape and measure the space you have. Once you get the dimensions, write on paper and use it as a guide when you shop.
If you are shopping online, you should always, I mean, AT ALL TIMES, check the furniture dimensions you are buying.
You don’t want to end up like those memes where people bought furniture and got a Barbie-sized one because they didn’t check the dimensions, right?
So next time you visit sites like Amazon or Furniture Hunter to shop for furniture online, never skip the size guide or product descriptions.
Now, back to your home space. If the area is limited, choose versatile and multifunctional pieces of furniture.
For instance:
- Instead of buying a chair and a small cabinet, why not buy a Storage Ottoman?
- Instead of buying a bed and a closet separately, there are beds with hidden drawers where you can put your clothes.
- Some sofas transform into a bed, perfect for a studio-type home.
Just try to be creative and practical, and then space won’t be an issue.
4) What kind of material do you prefer?
Next, you need to decide what kind of material you need. Furniture comes in various fabrics and materials.
What I suggest you consider when choosing a material is the maintenance needed and durability.
Here are some common materials used for furniture today:
Wood
Traditionally made of woods like Oak, Mahogany, Teak, Maple, and Pines — wooden furniture has been around for the longest time because it is incredibly durable and easy to maintain.
Your wooden furniture can transcend your lifespan if you properly care for it.
Metal
Metal furniture is also durable and easy to maintain, like wood. If you are worried about rust, some metals, like stainless steel, do not easily corrode if left outside for long periods.
Keep this note about metals, though; they go with the weather. They get hot when exposed to the sun, to the point where you can get burned, and it might feel too cold during winter.
Plastic
Another low-maintenance material is plastic. Although it is less durable than wood or metal, plastic furniture is lightweight and, most of the time, budget-friendly.
Glass
Glass furniture is popular due to its stylish look. Most of the time, glass furniture comes with wooden or metal frames. But you must be careful when you get this material, as it can break easily.
Glass is also low-maintenance; it is durable against most chemicals but is vulnerable to sudden impact.
Fabric
Like glass, most furniture that includes fabric also comes with wooden and metal hardware. Fabric materials are for upholstery only.
The most common fabrics used for furniture are cotton, linen, leather, silk, polyester, acrylic, rayon, and nylon. The durability depends on the type of fabric used.
However, fabrics can be harder to maintain than others because they quickly absorb liquid and accumulate dust. Plus, uninvited bugs love to hang out in fabric materials and can turn it into their breeding ground.
5) Define your aesthetic.
How does this new furniture fit your current furniture and decor?
You want to consider the colour schemes and style you are going for.
The most popular styles these days are the following:
- Modern
- Rustic
- Minimalism
- Maximalism
- Retro
- Vintage
- Industrial
- Victorian
- Farmhouse
6) How much is your budget?
Last but not least, figure out how much money you are willing to spend on your new furniture.
Now, you should have a general idea about what you want, all that is left is to find furniture that matches your budget.
There are many affordable and high-end furniture available on the market.
If you have a budget, you can buy brand-new furniture.
But if not, you can always buy second-hand items that are still in good condition. I’m sure you’ll find something that fits your criteria and style, but you can always refurbish it as a last resort.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I choose the right furniture for my house?
When choosing the right furniture, I suggest trying to answer these six questions:
- What kind of furniture do you need?
- Where should you place it?
- How much space do you have?
- What type of material do you prefer?
- Define your aesthetic.
- How much is your budget?
After that, you’ll have a general idea of what furniture suits you.
Why is it important to choose the right furniture?
Choosing the right furniture will save you so much time in the future. It also helps you make the most of your investment. For example, if you don’t have the time to maintain your house, getting low-maintenance furniture saves you time and headaches.
When choosing furniture, what should be your number one priority and why?
While the furniture style and design are essential, your number one priority should be the quality of the material. For example, if you’re purchasing a sofa, look for one that uses high-quality fabric. These materials will last longer than cheaper ones and be more comfortable to sit on.
Conclusion
Choosing furniture for your home might seem like a chore at first.
But think about it: this new addition is like a family member that will accompany you for years — or even decades. You might spend more time with your furniture than you might think.
Besides, wouldn’t it bother you if this new piece does not fit your home’s aesthetic?
So why not spend a few hours choosing the right furniture for you and your home? It will pay off in the long run.
Trust me, the right piece will distinguish between a ‘just fine’ home and a welcoming home full of style.
