When it’s time to step out and shop for furniture, things can be overwhelming. Suddenly every piece out there looks good yet you only have money for one thing. Before you know it you’ve bought furniture you hate, even though you got it at a “good price”.
You won’t believe how many people end up regretting their furniture purchases. Since it happens a lot, you are better off reading this post (till the end) to avoid being part of the big number.
We’ve come up with a list of mistakes people have made before to make it easier for you to buy furniture you are satisfied with, whether in a local warehouse or online.
Furniture Mistake 1: Not Thinking About the User
A no-brainer, right? You see an attractive piece of furniture, think it’s what you need because you can afford it, then make an order right away – a mistake. Think about your furniture investment: Is it adults who are going to use the furniture or children? Is it for work or for relaxing? Are pets involved?
While there are attractive furniture setups in online design magazines like Pinterest, don’t allow yourself be carried away by the attractive images. The furniture designs might look good in one person’s space but be a bad option for your space. Be sure about the furniture specifics depending on the users.
Consider how long you are going to sit in your chair every day. Ask yourself if the dining set you are buying is big enough for your home if everyone is sited. Are you going to share your furniture with your pets? Don’t just pick any furniture material. Is the wardrobe big enough to hold your stuff? Is the headboard compatible with your bed. What about your interior design features?
Furniture Mistake 2: Buying Without Thinking the Future
If you buy furniture on impulse, then you likely are not thinking about the future much. This might lead to decisions that may cause regret immediately your furniture arrives home or office. Before you decide on which office furniture is suitable for your needs, do three things.
Assess Your Needs – As mentioned earlier, think about how you are going to use your furniture before investing in them. The more you think about your specific requirements the more likely you’ll end up with a quality piece of furniture that meets your needs.
Determine the Shortcomings of What You Own – Before you decide to buy a new set of furniture, chances are that you are not happy with your current furniture. List down some of the things you think are the shortcomings with your current furniture and avoid those in your new purchase. If it’s the office, talk to one of the workers to help you figure everything out.
Choose Timeless Over Trendy – Trends are meant to last for a short while. Don’t buy trendy furniture that will only last you a few months. Instead, go for simple yet attractive furniture with durable features; a timeless piece that offers long term value.
Furniture Mistake 3: Asking Too Many Opinions or Not At All
Imagine asking 10 different people for furniture opinion and everyone of them has their different input. Not useful right? Instead of helping you make a decision, it will lead to confusion and eventually poor decisions.
Not asking for help is also a bad idea. That’s why you need to research about your purchases, the average prices, and how to maneuver the whole buying process. Also don’t ignore the sales person because they are there to help you choose wisely. But always remember to make the final decision. It’s also important to go with a family member (say a spouse) if you are buying home furniture. Or shop with a trustworthy employee to seek their input if you are dealing with office needs.
Furniture Mistake 4: The Wrong Piece for the Job
While a shoe can drive a nail into wood, using a hammer does it better. The process is much easier with a nail gun, right? This is applicable when buying furniture. An office chair has to be comfortable, not just be the cheapest chair in the market. You want a wide dining table not just the most affordable one out there. You want a microfiber couch if you own pets, not the most attractive couch you find online.
Furniture Mistake 5: Considering Price Over Value
It’s easy to think buyers only spend too little when buying furniture which is not always the case. Sometimes buyers spend too much on poor quality pieces of furniture. There are times you just need to wait for special offers and ask for discounts if you are buying a lot of furniture. At times, just see the price tag, look at the features, and choose an alternative.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of buying now and paying later financial plans but you should avoid this like a plaque. By the end of it, the interest rates raise the prices significantly. It’s also easy to think that the most expensive piece of furniture offers the best quality. That’s not always the case.
Furniture Mistake 6: Choosing the Wrong Color
When you go to the showroom, things can be overwhelming with so many attractive pieces of furniture. A color that doesn’t appear so overpowering may look too bright when you take it home. You want to walk around with a sample material or a fabric swatch aware of your favorite color choices. Shopping online makes it even harder to get colors right because what appears in the image is not what you always get. If possible, request for a fabric swatch and select your colors carefully.
Furniture Mistake 7: Not Anticipating Maintenance Costs
This point would have fallen under not thinking about the future use of furniture, but it wouldn’t hurt to talk about it as a point in its own. When buying furniture, think about how you are going to clean and maintain it. If you think about this, you’ll choose the right fabric, select the right color and patterns, and go for durable options. Some furniture options are too costly to maintain even if they appear cheap now. Select options that can use locally available cleaning agents instead of an expensive chemical you’ll only get by importing from across the world. Don’t forget to think about other accessories as well.
Furniture Mistake 8: Buying From the Wrong Vendor
There are all kinds of furniture vendors out there. Some are good, others just want your money in their pocket. If you unfortunately meet a bad seller, you’ll likely get a poor quality product without any help from them.
How do you get a good vendor? Thankfully, we have the internet and most furniture vendors have websites where buyers leave their experiences with them. Some sellers might manipulate this. So find sites like Amazon with confirmed buyers saying their truths about the seller and their products. Take note of the warranty, how long it takes for them to deliver their products, in what condition these pieces arrive, and if the sellers follow up in case of a problem.
Furniture Mistake 8: Forgetting to Measure
Before you buy any piece of furniture, think about where you are going to use it. Will it fit? Don’t be like most buyers who neglect the measurements and end up with furniture too big for their entry ways and target room. You want to make sure your new furniture enters the elevator, passes the hallways, doors, can be carried on the stairs, and where you intend to use them to avoid wasting money on restocking charges.
Furniture Mistake 9: Choosing the Wrong Fabrics
The type of fabric you choose for your furniture depends on your biggest need(s). If cleanliness is a priority, then going for vinyl that’s wipable could be a good choice. If you are buying a couch and own pets, you might want microsuede or microfiber as your material. If durability is what you are looking for, engineered fabrics are the way to go. Executive suites and offices would benefit from one of the many grades of leather. Some offices would do well well with mesh fabrics. Don’t just choose any material for the sake of it.
Final Thoughts on Mistakes Furniture Buyers Make
As you can tell, there are many mistakes furniture buyers make – don’t fall into the same trap. Understand who the user is, what they are using the furniture for, how you are going to maintain it, measure where you are going to use the piece, choose the right fabric, and only buy from a reputable vendor.