5 Furniture Pieces Worth the Investment & Important Things to Know Before Buying
The saying “you get what you pay for” has never been more true than in home furnishings. But even my most high-end luxury clients have a budget for their interior projects. So it’s important to know where to splurge and where to save in home furnishings, no matter what your own budget is. I will share with you the top 5 investment pieces that are worth paying more for and that will stand the test of time. I will share what you should invest in and where should you save your money.
Every good designer knows how to successfully mix high and low price points to create a beautiful home. Just how a nice pair of shoes can pull together your entire outfit, investing in a few furniture pieces inside your home will elevate everything else.
Important Things to Know Before Buying
Longevity & Sustainability
Customers today are more concerned with longevity and sustainability in their furniture pieces. Although aesthetics have always been top of mind for the majority of purchases, sustainability is now a key criteria. If you buy well, you should only need to do it once or twice in your life so it makes sense to invest in high quality furniture items that retains its value when you can afford to. It will save you money in the long term.
An inexpensive “knock-off” of a high-end classic won’t look as good as the real thing and definitely won’t stand the test of time. Instead of spoiling your budget on generic finds that will sooner or later fall apart, invest in interesting, quality, well-made pieces that you can use for a lifetime and beyond. It also pays off to think about how you can use pieces now and how you can repurpose them later on. Source timeless, multipurpose pieces that will grow with you.
Don’t Rush – Pace Yourself
As difficult as it may be to seek out the best investment furniture for your home, there’s plenty of reason to proceed with caution and careful consideration. It’s not necessary and near impossible to buy investment furniture all at once as no space can be decorated overnight.
Furnishing your apartment or home, or refurbishing it for that matter can be challenging as you fight the urge to rush to fill the space with practical and stylish pieces by heading over to your nearest big box retailer and spending your budget outfitting your entire home in one go.
However, I strongly recommend resisting that temptation. Though it may be difficult, pace yourself. When it comes to buying investment furniture, spend your time and money wisely for rewarding, long-term success.
Beware of Trends
Before spending your budget on a piece of investment furniture, ask yourself: Do I love it? Will I continue to love it five years from now? Is it well-made and designed? Is it too trendy? Is it versatile?
Remember that trends change. That’s why they are trends; and who wants to end up with a house full of dated furniture in a few years time? It’s always recommended to stick to classic, clean lines and not too intricate details for a timeless look when considering investment furniture pieces.
Online Shopping – Know Who You Are Purchasing From
Although online shopping has now become the norm and is set to only gain in popularity, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have a good relationship with your supplier. The sign of a good online furniture store is their willingness to discuss your purchase with you and answer any questions you many have.
4 Furniture Pieces Worth the Investment
We encourage our clients to invest most of their budget in pieces that they’ll enjoy daily. Upholstered sofas, bedframe and headboards, dining room tables, a desk for the home office and an entryway table are furniture items are likely the crux of your home and should be of higher quality so that they can withstand everyday wear and tear.
1. The Sofa
This is one of the most important furniture decisions for the living room you’ll make and needs to needs to stand up to wear and tear. So it’s important to pay for a well-constructed piece that will stand the test of time, and that you can reupholster when needed. Since it’s easy to imagine that you’ll be spending a lot of time on your sofa, buy the best-made one you can find for your budget made in an easy to clean, durable fabric, with a great silhouette.
While the prices will vary based on size, material, and manufacturer, opting for a well-made sofa that costs a few hundred dollars more than a cheap and easy alternative will likely pay off for years to come, as too many people have come to learn the hard way. The risk with buying a sofa on the lower end of the price spectrum is that you’re stuck with a hard, uncomfortable sofa that likely won’t withstand the normal wear and tear you put it through.
Everything else, from bookshelves to end tables, can be purchased as an accessory to fit around the sofa that you’ve selected. Where sofa selection is concerned, you’ll need to not only decide on colors and materials but also things like comfort, layout, and extras. The first step in buying a sofa online is deciding how many people you want to seat.
For three, you need an 84 to 96-inch-long sofa. The average sofa-back height is 34-38 inches, and the overall depth is about 35 inches. But don't stop with the overall dimensions. Look at the interior, including seat depth (average is 22 inches). Consider your intended use and adjust: Is this a sofa for lounging? Go a size longer. Love throw pillows? Pick something deeper.
Though a straightforward neutral fabrication may come off as uninspiring initially, you’ll end up getting the most wear out of a more classic upholstery option than you would with any print or pattern as your tastes changes over time. When you do want a quick refresh, change accessories like pillows and throws seasonally as an inexpensive upgrade.
Think of it this way; an iconic sofa is not inexpensive, but you’ll be getting a lot for your money.
Sofa Link: https://shopdeborahlkerbel.ca/collections/living-room/Sofa+Sofas
Sectional Link: https://shopdeborahlkerbel.ca/collections/living-room/Sectional+Sectionals
2. Bedframe and Headboard
Just like the sofa is the centerpiece of the living room, the bed and headboard are the centerpiece of the bedroom. All other design choices will stem from this selection. You spend a lot of your time in bed and besides a comfortable mattress, you want it to feel sturdy and look good too. A bed frame and headboard can really be a showstopper in your master bedroom.
A sturdy bed frame will keep everything in its place and the headboard can really add a lot of style to your room. Pick a headboard with clean lines and a style that will last through the years.
Bedframe and Headboard Link: https://shopdeborahlkerbel.ca/collections/headboards-frames
3. A Desk for the Home Office
Here, your choices become a little more complicated. First off, think about how much you will use the home office. If it’s a rarely used space where you will tend to bills and other life details, then you may prefer something more minimalist. If you work from home full time, however, then something larger might be more practical.
Last but not least, consider style. When you approach style, think about it not only in terms of aesthetics you enjoy but aesthetics that inspire and motivate you. If you’re spending your workdays in your home office, then the furniture must be something that you will enjoy all day every day.
Office Desks Link: https://shopdeborahlkerbel.ca/collections/office-desk
4. The Dining Room Table
Your dining room table is the center of your home and is another showpiece item that is worth splurging on. Like other pieces mentioned, the dining room table is the space’s focal point—and it’s also where you’ll be making an impression on guests when you have them over for dinner. This is why a dining room table is an excellent piece of furniture worth investing in furniture that’s practical and hardwearing.
To help make your choice consider not only with a nod to the style but also to the types of hosting you envision. Intimate candlelit dinners, for instance, may be best seated at a round table. Conversely, if you envision yourself hosting larger events for multiple people, a square or rectangular table makes seating everyone easier.
Dining Tables Link: https://shopdeborahlkerbel.ca/collections/dining-tables
5. Entryway Table
If you have room for an entryway table, invest in a good one. A foyer or entryway is the first space a guest sees when they come into your home and sets the tone. Make that first impression amazing with a great quality entryway table. Besides your guests seeing it, you’re going to be seeing it a lot, every time you leave and enter your home.
You want it to be a piece that you love.
Entryway tables also often get a lot of use and you want it to be able to hold up to being a mail center, homework central, and general dumping ground.
Entryway Tables Link: https://shopdeborahlkerbel.ca/collections/living-room/Console