Things I have Learned about Furniture Shopping

If money is no object, you can pay full price for furniture anywhere in one of those huge warehouse stores. Or you can buy good as new from consignment stores. Get to know the owners of consignment stores. They are your friends. They want business, you want furniture. Cultivate the friendship. It will save you money. You will get better deals.

Never, never make an on the spot decision about furniture. Use your IPhone and take a photo. Take measurements. Go home. Imagine it in your living room, bedroom, etc. Measure space for the furniture, width and length. Imagine some more. If you are still interested, go back and look at it and look at other stuff. Go to outlets, see if something similar would work for you. Be nice to furniture store sales people, they only live on commission. It's a really hard way to earn a living. Also, be firm with them. Some of them are pretty good. Their job is to talk people into things they might not necessarily want to buy. Practice saying no in the mirror a lot before shopping for furniture.

Futons are not furniture. They should be banned from the planet. No furniture made of plastic will ever become an heirloom. (There are a few exceptions to this rule, but not many.) Naugahyde is not an animal. There is wood, real wood, and then there are pieces of wood. Pieces of wood pressed together do not create great furniture. Some Ikea Danish Modern furniture is spectacular. Some of it is not.


Occasionally, you will find vinyl upholstery that looks more like leather than actual leather. Use caution when buying leather. It is everywhere! Not all of it is great. Quality leather is worth its weight in gold. Educate yourself about leather furnishings. It will save you money. Take care of quality leather and it will last forever (unless your dog eats it first!)

As Queen of Consignment Shoppers, I have shared a few morsels of my vast consumer knowledge with you; but not all of my secrets. Happy shopping!