When you go looking for furniture, there are some key things to take into account when you're out shopping.
Sometimes you may think you have found a fabulous deal on a piece of furniture, but if it isn't made well then that eventually be money thrown away.
You should figure out what your ideas for your furniture long term are.
Is your living room going to have a sofa, coffee table and a chair or will it have a sofa, coffee table, a love seat, two chairs? Why? I hear you whining.
I know, it is a lot more fun to shop, but if you don't know what you need you may end up buying something else simply because you think you have found the deal of the year.
First, you need to figure out what are the sizes of furniture you need.
I know you may not have a CAD program, but you can do this a couple other ways.
One way is to mark out furniture using that blue painting tape.
You can research online to find the typical furniture sizes to get you started and then tape those pieces off on your floor where you want to place that piece.
This will help you see how much room you have in your space, if you have enough room to walk around or if you need to pare down your wish list.
Don't forget to make notes of how wide and tall your doorways are.
If you won't be able to get it through the door, then so sad for you.
So with list in hand, go to the stores.
Oh, looky here, you found a gorgeous sofa for a great price! Where's my credit card?? Hold up, there, buddy.
Let's look at this piece.
What color is it? Fuchsia? Oh no no no no no.
First, let's not go there.
I can almost guarantee you that you will be mad at yourself for buying it in less than a year, if not mad the first day when it gets in your home and sits there, mocking you.
Go with a neutral color.
They are so much easier to work with.
You can dress them up with colorful pillows and throws.
Now, how is it made? Is the piece held together with staples? Glue? Bubblegum? Check out if it is a solid wood frame, not MDF.
Is it sturdy? Now, don't go into your full Hulk Hogan moves, but push on the piece.
Pull on it.
I want you to see if it is sturdy or does it creek? If it sounds like an old woman and it is brand new...
watch out.
It may be falling apart in short order.
Are you married? Do you have a significant other? No, I don't want to date you! I want you to take your partner with you shopping.
They may grumble, but when you bring home the perfect sofa for you and you are 5'1", your significant other who is 6'2" may not enjoy the couch at all.
You need to try out the furniture as you would use it at home.
If you are a lounger type of person, then don't sit on the sofa like a prim and proper lady with perfect posture.
You don't really sit that way and when you do go to lounge on it later, you may be sorry.
If you are a bargain shopper, you have several options.
Estate sales, yard sales, furniture outlets and even places that sell former model home furniture.
All of these are great options, but make sure the piece is sturdy, in great condition (unless you are a crafty person and would like to invest the time and energy in to refurbish) and a good price.
Just because it is at an estate sale, don't think it automatically makes it a great price.
Do your research.
Also, if you find furniture that was in a former model home, it may not be made of the best quality since most people walking into a model home are just looking at how the place is as a whole, not how well the sofa is made.
It may be a cheapo sofa covered in a great fabric.
Custom furniture is also an option, when you know that this is a piece you want to keep for a long time and you want it to look a certain way.
Now, with that said, don't go blaming me when you look at your custom upholstered chair two years from now and see that selecting some trendy fabric, that is now out of style, was the wrong way to go.
That's how we ended up with a glut of 80s furniture on our hands.
Now go shopping!