- danipyantinteriors
5 tips for choosing furniture and getting it right 🙌🏼
Decorating and furnishing a new home is an exciting prospect and often lived with great enthusiasm, BUT the desire to 'get it right' and the endless choices can often lead to feelings of overwhelm and decision fatigue.
We all imagine the house of our dreams but the reality is that when faced with making choices that reflect your personality and lifestyle it can be complicated! The sofa you love won't fit in your living room, you need more storage, you find a light fitting that is perfect but it's totally out of budget - I'm sure you're all familiar with these dilemmas.
They are all pretty common problems and I am going to spend a few minutes helping you to solve them. Whether it's for a brand new house that needs furnishing from top to bottom, or a single room remodel, these 5 simple tips will help you get it right.
Style before Spending
Before you start looking for specific pieces of furniture it is best to narrow down your overall style, not just for the individual room but ideally, your whole house. This will make it easier to choose pieces of furniture that complement each other and will help you to achieve a cohesive look throughout.
There are a variety of design styles out there and the best way to work out what you love the most is to get pinning on Pinterest. Think about what truly reflects your personality and lifestyle. Start saving images you like and noting what it is you like about them. Look for common themes in the images you are saving and this will start to give you some direction.
Harmony - materials and textiles
Once you have narrowed down your overall style, the next thing to consider is what each piece of furniture is made out of.
It's important to take into account the flooring and colours of the walls and ceiling. You can mix metals and woods but consider the undertones and overall style you are hoping to achieve when doing this. A cool lime-washed oak floor is better suited to a rustic reclaimed timber table than a deep or dark mahogany for example.
Scale and proportion
It's a good idea to have finalised your layouts before starting to shop. Think about who uses the space, and how it is used. Where do you need storage? How often will you use it? Think about where lights will go and the space you require.
To ensure your furniture is going to fit, use masking tape to mark out the dimensions on the floor - this will give you a good idea of whether something will fit or not. It's also worthwhile marking all items out so you can see how crowded (or not) the room will be.
Stick to budget
Make a note of your budget - and stick to it! It's always a good idea to know how much money you actually have to spend on furniture before you set your heart on a dining table or sofa that is way out of budget. Start with your staple pieces that will fill the room and then any cash leftover can buy those extra pieces on your wish list without any guilt!
Avoid the rush
Its easy to get carried away and make impulse purchases when furnishing a home - I know, I've been there! But being clear on your style, measurements and budget takes a bit of time and effort and it is far better to wait than risk a rush purchase that you then regret in years to come.
Once you have reached a decision, sleep on it for a couple of days to make sure you're happy.
And most importantly, have fun! Furnishing a new home does have its worries and stresses but make sure you take a moment to think about the home you are creating and the memories you will make there.
I hope this post gives you a bit more guidance on choosing furniture for your home. If you have any questions be sure to let me know in the comments.
Dani x