“A well-designed home has to be very comfortable. I can’t stand the aesthetes, the minimal thing. I can’t live that way,” the renowned architect Frank Gehry once wrote. If you feel the same way as Gehry does about filling your spaces with furniture that is comfortable and livable, then there are a few styles you are likely drawn to, including traditional, rustic, and French provincial. These styles, unlike modern and contemporary designs, are less trendy and are more livable for the average family.
Going to furniture stores isn’t everyone’s favorite thing to do, especially if you’re shopping on a budget. However, there are a few things you can keep in mind in order to get great deals, and a great new look for your home.
Three Ways to Get the Best Look for Your Home
- Come with color palettes in mind, and in hand. Part of creating a room that really “pops” and is visually comfortable is understanding which colors and patterns fit together. Our memories are notoriously shifty; what you remember as a pale blue is actually a medium turquoise. Take swatches of wall colors, rugs, and other furniture with you when you shop so that you can mix and match accurately.
- Repetition helps to pull a room together. If you’re trying to find the most cheap furniture available and can’t be too flexible when it comes to shape or appearance, just keep in mind that you can transform a room with patterns. Instead of seeing a wicker chair as an odd, eclectic outsider, bring it into the fold by hanging a wicker-framed mirror nearby. With sofas and chairs, pillows are often an easy way to create an ongoing visual theme.
- Keep an eye to quality. Good quality materials and products come at all prices, but not everyone is keen at spotting them. Educate yourself on the signs of quality for whatever pieces you’re buying. A microfiber sofa, for example, shouldn’t have visible seams; a wooden chair shouldn’t show signs of warping.
Now that you know a few ways to ensure that your home looks good, exactly how can you get the best prices on the furniture you want?
- Floor models often make for quality discount furniture. This is best for pieces where it’s easy to evaluate whether or not they’ve been damaged by being on display. Sofas can often contain hidden problems you won’t realize until you’ve signed the deal; kitchen chairs are a more safe bet.
- Look for furniture stores with financing. Why spend all your money at once? Pay off your furniture over a span of months or years, rather than all in one day. When you look for furniture stores with financing, compare APRs, and make sure you understand how this loan will affect your credit score.
- Discount furniture that can be painted or reupholstered. Often, the only thing wrong with a quality piece of furniture is that it needs different fabric or a better paint color, and these are changes you can make for under $30. See what your options are in the discount section.
Do you plan on going to furniture stores with financing options? Let us know in the comments.
