Wanting New Furniture? Luxury is a Good Place to Start.

As a general rule, whenever you’re buying anything – car, appliance, computer, clothing – getting the best quality item is a useful starting point. Quality means that thing has been made better, with better materials and more care over the design and construction. It will work better and last longer.

This is just as important, if not more so, when buying furniture. You spend roughly 1/3rd of your entire life in bed – surely it makes sense to be on a solid base with a good mattress and enveloped in lovely, sumptious sheets and duvets and pillows.

As our lives become more home focussed in the Covid world, even work has shifted to the spare room. That makes it even more important to ensure that your home is comfortable and looks good.

That $12,000 sofa? Worth it, especially when you consider that you’re likely to own it for 20 years at least (and that sofas can cost up to ten times that these days). And if it’s a great sofa (or chair), its style will easily last that long – you only have to look at the prices of the items in shops selling vintage mid-century and Danish designer furniture.

It also means re-covering your chair or sofa to keep it looking fresh becomes a relatively low-cost way of updating your decor because you still have a fabulously designed and well-built piece.

These days you have the option of buying new Eames Loungers (perhaps the most famous mid-Century design classic) at around $8000+, or copies made in Chinese factories for $1500 or less. If you examine them, you’ll notice the genuine article has softer, better leather, and the mechanicals will be more endurable. Second-hand examples of the originals are selling for more than their original cost these days and have years left in them. This goes for any of the classic furniture pieces.

Right-sized furniture – Overlarge is fine…if you have an overlarge room. Generally better to select furniture that fits easily into the room you have selected and that gives you space to move about and flexibility to rearrange. Don’t get too small, too. And think about how many people will need to be seated? If you have a large family, you’re going to need a lot of chairs, or a big sofa, or both, or bean chairs that can also be used outside… Or do you have teenagers who prefer to hand out in their rooms?
Sofas and chairs – Are these for lounging in a TV room or snug, or for a visitors’ space where the demand is slightly more formal? L-shaped and modular sofas are very popular because they’re comfortable for lounging and provide a shape that encourages socialising. high-backed, firmer sofas and chairs can be more suitable for spaces where you welcome visitors for coffee or wine, or perhaps match a firmer sofa with a relaxed armchair. And don’t forget pouffes and ottomans – flexible, modern and great for chats with friends.
Room Decor – Interior design is a broad and challenging area. There are so many distinct design styles that it can be hard to choose one, so be glad the list includes ‘Eclectic’ (which means a whole bunch of different styles thrown together). If you’re after a particular look and feel, buy furniture to fit. If you’re not fussed, then buy what you like and mix and match – it can lead to a wonderfully fun and unique outcome.
Fabric Colours and Materials – If you have small children or dogs, white may not be a great choice for your sofa. If you eat at your sofa while watching TV, as so many of us do these days, then fabric that can withstand food and drink spills is essential (and add in a coating to further protect and make it easier to clean). You have the choice of going with neutrals, to keep everything to a mellow tonal range, or choose a strong colour to make a statement. There’s no ‘wrong’ here, and you can even go the ‘Maximalist’ approach and have EVERYTHING bright and full-on. It’s up to you and what you like.

If you can afford it, there are shops that import top designer furniture from the US, Italy and France and where sofas are tens of thousands of dollars and more. If you’re on a budget, however, there are shops that sell designs at more of a mid-price point. Google ‘designer furniture’ and start from there. Compare designs and prices. Have a look at TradeMe – you never know your luck, but be specific in what you’re after when you search.

You’ll never regret having great furniture in your home.

“Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten…”