If you want a beautifully curated home with enduring appeal, you can't buy furniture on a whim. Our furniture should be an investment, so it's important you make an informed, intentional decision about the pieces you bring into your home. The reality is, an impulsive furniture purchase rarely ends in a successful interior design. Instead, it takes planning, measuring, and a good eye to find the perfect piece of furniture for your home. While the options are endless, finding the right fit is no mean feat. Think of it like Cinderella's slipper—only the perfect match would do.
If you're on the hunt for new furniture, make sure you avoid making any major design mistakes during your search. Here's how to ensure you find the perfect match for your space, be it a bed upgrade or a brand new sofa.
By far the most common mistake when buying furniture is failing to measure either your existing space or the piece of furniture that's caught your eye. Both are vital if you want the best fit, especially if you're working with tight spaces or awkward alcoves. The last thing you want to do is return that sofa you love because it's a few inches too long for your living room. Always bring a tape measure with you when buying furniture in store, and read product specifications properly if shopping online. If you're anything like us, new furniture will tempt you at every turn, but don't make the mistake of buying on impulse or falling for fleeting furniture trends. That new sofa may look beautiful styled in that department store window, but it could look out of place against the backdrop of your living room.
This doesn't mean you shouldn't make furniture choices based on what brings you joy. Quite the opposite. Not having a vision and simply following what your neighbors are doing leads to an impersonal home that isn’t true to who you are. You want your house to be your home where your personality shines through for all to see.
When it comes to our living room furniture ideas (or any part of the home, for that matter), you should always prioritize quality over quantity. Your furniture doesn't necessarily need to leave a huge dent in your wallet. You can still purchase good-quality, second-hand items at a fraction of the cost of brand new. Those low-quality particleboard desks or laminate tables, however, will only cost you more in the long term.
'Matchy-matchy' furnishings are a pet hate among designers. You might think uniform sets (like a sofa, armchairs, and ottoman) produce a clean look, but it's actually a common mistake people make when buying furniture. In reality, matching furniture tends to land on the sterile side, creating spaces lacking in personality and charm. For a more balanced, visually arresting design, be sure to buy furniture that mixes decades and styles.
Have you ever fallen in love with a bed, sofa, or dining set and then struggled to squeeze it into your home? You're not alone. Besides measuring your space and your desired piece of furniture, you need to measure any awkward nooks and entryways in your home that the furniture has to travel through.
The best furniture stores will usually offer a delivery service to help you transport your new furniture, but they can't work miracles, especially if the furniture is too large to fit through tight spaces or doorways.
While the visual aesthetic of a piece of furniture is what typically draws us in, don't weigh your entire decision on this factor alone. Functionality should also be at the forefront of your mind, especially for big-ticket pieces of furniture that you'll use daily, like your living room sofa. Don't settle for a dining table without space for the whole family, for example, or a sofa without that extra hidden storage you need.
When purchasing new furniture, the minutiae matter more than you think. Your closet might have the best quality joinery, but without the premium hinges to match, you'll need to repair or replace it sooner than you'd like. For any type of furniture, from seating to storage, don't forgo the finer details.
All the old rules you have probably heard a million times apply when it comes to buying new furniture—'buy cheap, but twice'; 'measure twice, buy once'; 'you get what you pay for.' The important thing when buying furniture is a balance of practicality and going with your instinct. You want all your pieces to function in your home, but you want them to add character, too, and reflect your personal style.