Furniture choices play an integral part in transforming your house into an inviting, attractive, and comfortable home, but the process of purchasing furniture can be complicated. Buying furniture is often fraught with potential mistakes that can turn a delightful experience into a disappointment.
Navigating through a variety of styles, materials, sizes, and prices requires careful thought and planning. Common mistakes, such as misjudging space requirements, overlooking functionality, and ignoring quality, can derail and discourage you in the process. When you understand these common furniture buying mistakes, you will be able to approach these purchases with greater confidence.
Buying the right furniture for your space requires consideration of a variety of factors, both short and long term. Be sure to allocate the appropriate amount of time to studying these factors to make the best furniture purchases you can and avoid costly mistakes.
Incorrect Measurements
Many furniture shoppers fail to accurately measure their rooms and consider how these dimensions will affect how a piece of furniture fits in the space. Without precise measurements, you risk purchasing furniture that is either too large or too small, or that simply does not look right in the space. Returning furniture that does not fit can be a difficult and time-consuming process. You might also be subject to a costly restocking fee.
Take precise measurements in each room where you intend to place the purchased furniture. This includes the room’s length and width, as well as its ceiling height. All of these will help you determine the size and scale of furniture that will fit and look right in the room. Make a note of the size and layout of the doors and walkways to determine whether you can fit a specific piece of furniture into your home.
Ignoring Functionality
Functionality is not a furniture quality that piques people’s immediate interest, but it is one of the most essential factors that contribute to long-term satisfaction. While the aesthetic appeal of a piece of furniture is important in how it appears in the design, prioritizing it over function can result in furniture that is visually appealing but unsuitable for everyday use.
The furniture you buy should always accommodate your lifestyle and day-to-day needs in the space. Before purchasing any new furniture, consider your needs in terms of the room’s activities, storage requirements, and long-term goals. Consider pieces that incorporate functionality into the design, such as hidden storage, adjustable components, or modular designs. Read reviews to see how the furniture works in real life to determine if it is suitable for your home and family.
Overlooking Quality
Many low-budget homeowners choose to buy inexpensive furniture with a lower initial cost. This may appear to be a cost-effective purchase, but if the furniture is poorly built and made of low-quality materials, it will result in dissatisfaction and increased costs in the long run. Sagging cushions, wobbly legs, and peeling finishes are common signs of wear and tear on this type of furniture over time.
Furniture is a significant investment, so these decisions should always be carefully considered. Never spend more than your budget allows, but it is preferable to purchase fewer high-quality pieces than many low-quality ones. Good quality furniture has a higher level of craftsmanship and superior materials, making it a more cost-effective, long-lasting, and sustainable purchase. Take the time to save for a piece that will last for many years.
Buying the Furniture Set
Purchasing an entire furniture set is a simple way to achieve a consistent style, but it results in a monotonous and boring room that resembles a showroom. This type of furniture purchase, while convenient, is not the best way to create a room that reflects your distinct personality and style.
Mixing and matching furniture may be more time consuming, but it will be more rewarding because it will help to create a room filled with purchases that you love. The key to creating a cohesive room design is balancing variety with cohesion. Begin with a cohesive color palette with which you can tie different furniture pieces together. Choose pieces in distinct but complementary styles and colors. Mix modern and antique pieces to add depth and interest to your furniture design.
Impulsive Buying
Imagine you are in a furniture store and come across what you believe to be the ideal sofa for your living room. It is on sale, and you need to make a quick decision. You buy it only to discover that it is the incorrect size or color for the room. One of the most common mistakes is buying furniture on impulse because it appears to be a good idea at the time. Unfortunately, impulse purchases do not give you enough time to think about, plan for, or examine the piece’s foundational elements that ensure its longevity.
Instead, it is much better to consider a piece of furniture from a distance. This means you can more objectively assess the piece’s appearance, size, and functionality without feeling pressured to buy it. Give yourself time by ordering swatches, measuring the size of the piece with tape on the floor, and reading reviews before purchasing it. While it is always possible to make a mistake when you have plenty of time to think about the furniture purchase, giving yourself time to think about it increases your chances of making a good decision.
Forgetting About Assembly and Delivery Times
It is easy to picture the delivered and completed furniture in our space, but we often forget about the sometimes lengthy process that led up to it. Many modern furniture pieces require lengthy delivery times. You should think about this if you need to fill your space right away for a function or because you have added new family members. Purchase furniture early enough to account for delays and long lead times in the delivery process.
Assembly can also be difficult for those who are not mechanically inclined or have other limitations. Make sure you have someone to assist you, as well as the tools and time needed to complete the assembly.
Buying Furniture at One Time
Buying your furniture all at once is an understandable mistake because, when you have an empty space, you are tempted to fill it right away. Purchasing furniture over time necessitates living in open spaces or with old pieces while you consider new options. However, giving yourself time and space will allow you to make better and more appropriate furniture choices.
Buying furniture over time will also allow the space to evolve more naturally. This will ensure that you choose pieces that complement the style and layout of your room, as well as pieces that speak to you, rather than simply filling the space.
Choosing Style Over Comfort
Buyers are drawn to style first and foremost. It determines the appearance of the pieces and how well they complement the style of your home. But, ignoring the comfort of a particular piece can result in a beautiful piece that you never or rarely use. There is a good chance that you will replace this item sooner rather than later.
Instead of focusing solely on how a piece looks, consider how it is constructed. Before you buy furniture, try sitting or lying on it to get a feel for it. Press the upholstery to see if you can feel the structural elements below. If you can, avoid purchasing this item because the padding will quickly wear down and leave you with an uncomfortable piece of furniture. Look for furniture with a comfortable shape and plenty of padding made from high-quality materials.
Not Considering Your Budget
Almost no one has an unlimited budget for furniture purchases. Staying within your budget will make you happier and feel better about your purchases, regardless of the amount that you have to work with.
Whether your budget is large or small, determine it before you begin to purchase furniture. Remember that you should never buy all of your furniture at once. Set aside money throughout the year so that it can build up over time. This will allow you to save for more costly purchases. Saving also has the added benefit of giving you more time to plan, think, and consider before making major furniture purchases.
Buying Too Much Furniture
Filling every nook and cranny of our homes with furniture can lead to overspending and a disorganized environment. Too much furniture can impair the functionality of our space and make us feel more anxious. It is a better choice to allow your furniture arrangement to breathe through the strategic use of empty spaces. This enables you to create more visible focal points and open spaces for the eye to rest within the furniture design.
A good goal is to fill 60-70% of your room and leave the remainder open. Buying less furniture allows you to spend more on fewer, higher-quality pieces that will look better and last longer.
