Last updated on May 5th, 2024 at 09:23 pm
There will always be a place for furniture that serves as a stopgap between moving, saving, and buying more sturdy and long-lasting pieces. And in some cases, flatpack furniture can last for many years, but even with the best design, the materials used aren’t top quality.
Is there anything wrong with it? Not at all! But when you are ready to make some financial investments in your furniture, it is essential that you know what you are looking for.
The best thing about buying furniture like this is that you don’t always need to buy it new. You can pick up extremely high-quality pieces, with little to no wear and tear, from thrift shops, websites like eBay, and by checking out local listings for house and business clearances.
Photo by kou kigamine on Unsplash
So how can you choose high-quality furniture?
Reputation
You might think you recognize the name – but aren’t quite sure. Or perhaps you feel like you have seen the style somewhere else before. It is vital that you take some time to look up the manufacturer and read reviews about them and the furniture.
In some cases, the furniture will be different. For example, you might be looking at a table and chairs, but other people have reviewed sofas or dressing tables.
In general, the quality standards will be similar across all of their furniture – so make sure that you are checking out problems and comments.
Price
When items hit the trends retailers will usually adjust the price of those items to reflect their popularity. Supply and demand come into play more often, when pieces that get featured in movies, TV shows, and by influencers.
While most things in a regular thrift store are fairly priced, anyone who deals specifically in antiques and specific designers is going to be higher.
So before you start a bidding war on a piece that was just featured in Just Like That or Succession – wait a little while for the hype to die down, and you’ll get the same piece at a much better price.
Age
With furniture, we often think that newer pieces are going to be more sturdy since they are made with modern materials and new techniques, but the saying goes, ‘they don’t make them like they used to’ – and that is true.
Original pieces from the time period are going to be solid and high-quality so long as they have been taken care of.
When it comes to antiques, typically, you are looking for something heavy, solid wood, handmade, and the odd chip and bump.
Antique furniture comes with character, and that is something that new furniture can’t ever seem to compete with.
Material
High-quality material lasts longer than the alternative. So, for example, if you want a leather sofa, do you want to go with the best Italian furniture companies or pick up a faux leather couch from a local cheap furniture store?
When you look at furniture as a long-term investment, it becomes much more essential to pay for the suitable materials and fabrics.
Until you become more used to checking the materials, composite wood or particle board might look like solid wood. Only to find when it arrived that it was a really lovely finish, but the material wasn’t worth it.
And it is not just wood that can be tricky. Metals can be coated, brushed, and finished to look like something else. Granite and marble can be mistaken for high-quality fakes.
Start learning about the difference between the authentic material and the fake one.
Photo by Dana DeVolk on Unsplash
Handmade
What makes handmade items stand apart? Well, it typically passes through multiple people who are highly-skilled professionals. From carpenters to specialist upholstery people.
Each piece has been carefully designed and crafted to meet high expectations – and there is nothing that comes close to a hand-finished piece. While each of the pieces produced will be close, there will be some slight differences – making each piece unique.
Before choosing the types of furniture that you want, it is a good idea to take a look at how those items are made. It will give you a whole new appreciation for the items and clarity on why some pieces are priced as high as they are.
Weight
The idea of getting a heavy piece up seven flights of stairs might not seem appealing – but you really want weight. Weight is usually a great thing when it comes to well-made furniture. It signifies solid wood and heavy metal details – anything high-quality usually weighs more.
And it isn’t just wooden items; the weight difference in cushions is something to look out for too. Foam-filled cushions aren’t as heavy as real down-filled cushions.
Strength
It isn’t uncommon for older furniture to have some issues – which is why a strength test is a must. You need to be able to shake the furniture and test its hinges, drawers, and sturdiness.
If you press the corner of a dresser and hear creaks, cracks, and twists – there is likely damage that will need to be taken care of. For anything you are supposed to sit on, take a tentative seat and see if it is able to hold the weight.
For some furniture that will be leaned against a wall and not used often, this might not be an issue – in other cases where it was going to be an important feature – you will need to either be prepared to fix it yourself or know a specialist who can restore it.
In-person
Before you should ever consider parting with your cash, make sure that you have seen the item in person – or have a trusted person who can check everything you need before you commit. This can be more difficult when you are buying online and even more complicated when you have to commit to buying before you can view the item.
Wherever possible, visit the piece.
Remember that while big furniture might make a big statement, smaller pieces that can be used as accessories are great too: Unique Dining Room Home Accessories.
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