Guide for First-Time Furniture Purchasers

Purchasing your first home is an exciting milestone and there are endless possibilities when it comes to personalizing and decorating your home with your own style. Although exciting, buying furniture can also be a daunting task, especially when you’re shopping for furniture on a budget. Fortunately, you can buy many beautiful and high-quality pieces of furniture while also staying within your budget.

If you’re not sure where to start with furniture shopping, we’ve come up with the top furniture buying tips to help guide you. Here are our tips to help you with buying furniture for the first time.

1. Set a budget

Before you start shopping for furniture, set a budget that you feel comfortable sticking within and write it down. Once you have your budget established, you’ll have a better idea of what kind of furniture you can look for, where to shop, and what essential pieces to invest in.

2. Start with the necessities first

Before you start decorating your home and bringing your Pinterest vision board to life – focus on the furniture that you need to invest in and that is necessary for your home. Necessities like a bed, dining table, chairs, and a couch will allow you to sleep, eat your meals, and relax while at home. Once you have your necessities bought and have created a livable space, you can start focusing on other pieces of furniture you need. 

3. Focus on popular areas in your home

When furnishing your new home, focus on areas that get the most use like the bedroom, dining room, or living room. Since you spend the most amount of time in these rooms, you’ll want to furnish them first to make them comfortable and functional before moving on to other rooms in your home like the office and spare bedroom. 

Ask yourself which rooms in your home get the most use. Do you love curling up on the couch with a good book in your living room, or do you prefer to host dinner parties regularly and enjoy having people over? Once you’ve established which rooms get the most use out of your home, you can prioritize furnishing those spaces. Make your home livable before shifting your focus to decorating and personalizing it.

4. Buy at the right time

The best times to buy furniture are usually January and July since most furniture shops will get new inventory in February and August, leading to sales to clear out old inventory. You can find some of the best budget-friendly deals on furniture in these months which will keep you in line with your furniture shopping budget.

You should also be on the lookout for deals during popular sale times like black friday. 

5. Refurbish & find used furniture

If you’re on a tight budget for furniture shopping but still want to make your home look stylish, you can take on a few DIY projects to refurbish your old pieces of furniture into something new and beautiful. You can also check online markets, and thrift stores, and check in with friends and family to buy second-hand furniture. 

6. Mix and match

When you’re buying new furniture on a budget, you’ll want to have a variety in what you purchase to create a balanced design. You can mix and match trendy new pieces of furniture with second-hand vintage pieces to curate a beautiful space. 

You can also mix and match different shapes of furniture which will add visual interest and feng shui to your home. Along with mixing and matching different shapes, try mixing in different sizes too. By buying furniture in a wide range of sizes, you’ll create a balanced and aesthetic design. Pair a small, minimalist desk with an oversized chair or a large bed frame with a tall dresser.

7. Measure and make a plan

One of the most important tips to remember before making any furniture purchases is to measure the rooms in your home first. Looks can be deceiving and until you measure each area of your home, you won’t know the exact amount of room you have to work within your home. 

It may help to create a floor plan with the exact measurements of the height, width, and length of doors, doorways, halls, and stairways, as well as the location of outlets, windows, and floor and wall vents. This will help you plan out each room’s layout, as well as how the furniture, lighting, and decor can be put together to create a cohesive design. Don’t forget to measure the furniture you plan on buying as well to ensure it’s the right fit.

8. Prioritize your lifestyle

The type of furniture you buy should not only reflect your style but should also align with your lifestyle. If you have young children who love drawing on things or a big, playful dog, suede, leather, or white furniture may not be the best choice. Before you decide to purchase a piece of furniture, make sure that it aligns with your everyday lifestyle, needs, and your style.

9. Add your style

Let your home furniture and decor reflect your personal style. Whether you love a clean, minimalist style, a traditional farmhouse style, or a boho styled-home, your furniture and decor pieces should reflect your sense of style. If you’re not sure what your style is, have a look through Pinterest and home magazines to save and cut out photos of styles of homes you like and want to re-create in your home.

Don’t be afraid to create a mixture of styles like contemporary, modern, vintage, or eclectic – if done right, mixing a style or two will create a balanced, stylish home. 

10. Personalize your space

If many of your furniture pieces are second-hand or are from family members and friends, it may feel like your home isn’t your own space just yet. Personalize your space by adding framed photos to the wall or on a shelf. You can also buy a few cozy candles, flowers, and plants to enhance your furniture and personalize your space to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. 

These are great, low-cost options that really help it feel like your home. It’s a great example of a lot going a long way.

11. Less is more

Although you may be excited to completely furnish your home right away – remember that less is more. Skip the clutter and create a minimalistic home by only purchasing pieces you truly love and will have use for. Get rid of any furniture pieces, clothing, or other items you no longer use or need to declutter your home and create a clean, organized space. 

Furnish your home with pieces you know you will use regularly and need for your home. Quality is much more important than quantity, and a minimalistic style will give your home a clean, open, and inviting look. 

12. Don’t forget about lighting

The overall look of your furniture and the rooms in your home depends greatly on the kind of lighting you have. Good lighting will make your home feel warm, light, and cozy. Make sure you have window coverings like curtains or shutters to control the natural light in your home. Natural light will make your home look much brighter and inviting but if your home doesn’t get much natural light, you can still give your home a warm feel. Use light bulbs with yellow, warm light, and avoid those with blue and fluorescent lights. 

13. If you’re unsure, stick to neutrals

If you’re not sure about your color scheme or don’t want to go too bold with colors, stick to neutrals when you’re first buying furniture. Don’t add too many colors, textures, patterns, or designs to your furniture and decor as this can overload your space and cause pieces to clash. Instead, keep your walls neutral or white and add a pop of color with a throw blanket, wall art, or bedspread in your bedroom. 

Each homeowner has a unique sense of style, budget, and vision for their home furniture. Remember that your first time buying furniture is a unique experience and should align with your budget, style, and design goals. By making plans, setting a budget, and following the tips in this guide – you’ll be more than ready to shop for furniture to create a stylish, inviting, and beautiful home that you love.