Buying the Right Furniture

By Chirag Sharma

Photography: Courtesy World Wide Web

.

Experience the joy of buying new furniture – arm yourself with our useful tips…

Buying your furniture is no easy task. Apart from shop hopping and browsing through various custom-made options, you also have to primarily consider those pieces that essentially suit your style, functional needs and, your budget.

.

Buying new furniture can bring the greatest of pleasure if you analyze your home, lifestyle, family needs and personal wants attentively. Here are some handy spot pointers on how you can prepare yourself to make the right choice…

Do’s:

• Think about the room’s orientation – eg. facing East with interesting shadow play etc.

.

• Checklist existing colours and patterns of draperies or other upholstered furniture that you would continue to use.

.

• Look out for unusual design elements.

.

• Look out for the latest styles according to the current trends.
• Consider the space that the proposed furniture item would occupy.
• Take your floor plan with you when you shop.
• Enquire about maintenance
• Enquire about general discounts and package deals offered by the store.

.

• Research whether custom-made would work out more economical than a direct buy.
• Keep in mind your preferences for material – wood, wrought iron or glass etc.

Don’ts:

• Hesitate to ask questions.
• Feel embarrassed to refer to your floor plan to ascertain measurements.
• Buy impulsively as if you would never see the piece again. Be patient – you can always get back to it later.

.

• Get carried away by the surface finish. Look for substance within.
• Get carried away by brands.
• Allow your needs and wants to overlap. Be clear-cut in your decision.

.

• Pick randomly – a little trouble will go a long way; after all, you don’t buy furniture every other day.
• Show your eagerness for a particular piece of furniture – the shopkeeper / carpenter will never give you a discount!