Creating A Lovely Home

Have the holidays left your home looking like a tornado went through everything? Are you hoping to start the new year with some new pieces, but gift buying has left your wallet feeling empty? It can be difficult to go furniture shopping, looking for the perfect piece. But things can be even more of a hassle if you're also operating on a tight budget. Fortunately, there are some tips and tricks you can employ to help you get the right pieces without having to go way over budget. Some things to remember are:

Ask about lightly damaged items: Sometimes, during delivery, a piece of large furniture may sustain some slight damage. It may get a small scuff or tear in one spot. Even though this damage is cosmetic and may be easily hidden by a cover or by placing the furniture in a certain position, the furniture store can no longer sell this piece as new. Damaged pieces like this are sometimes kept in the back, hidden out of sight unless someone inquires about them. If you buy one of these less than perfect pieces, even with the cost of a new cover for the furniture, the cost may be substantially less than buying something without any damage at all.

Brand names are usually unimportant: While certain brand names in fashion, cars, and other types of products can be a good indication of quality, the same can't always be said for furniture brand names. Instead of looking for specific brand names, look at how the furniture itself is put together. If you're looking for a couch, try to lift one end at the furniture store. A lighter weight often means cheaper materials that won't last as long, so you're not getting your money's worth. On the other hand, lightweight furniture can be a good choice if you like to change your decor every few years anyway. Why pay more than you need to for a couch that you'll be replacing relatively soon?

Get "boring" furniture: It can be tempting to get pieces that match your personality. After all, what's the fun of buying furniture if it doesn't fit you home? However, you may pay extra at the furniture store for these extra bits of personality. Special-ordering a couch in your favorite color or in a particular fabric can add hefty fees onto the base price. Instead, get a plain beige or black couch and then purchase a slipcover in your favorite color. The cover will help protect your couch, meaning that you should be able to resell it later, and you'll still be able to have the unique piece that you wanted in the first place. Click here for info about this.