Home furnishings should always be purchased in-person and preferably local.
I have worked with many clients who have made some bad choices when they purchased their home furnishings and decor online. They see a great bargain and cannot pass it up. However, when the goods come, they are often of a small scale or just poorly made. Many online vendors have incredibly great images of their poor products, fooling the eye if the general pubic.
I often am called to step in and help rectify the issues. Sometimes my client expects me to wave my magic wand and make the items work when, in many occasions, I just cannot. It is what it is and sometimes you just cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
It is important to be able to sit on furniture that is intended to be sat upon. However, there are ways around that if you have a professional involved. We talk in terms of seat height and seat depth. There is also the detail of what the seat cushion is made of. Do you want a firm seat or a softer cushion? I always like to ask my client what they do and do not like in their current seating.
Many times sofas and chairs sold online are made in China and the seat height is low. That makes it hard to sit down and get yourself up out of the piece. Many times the cushions are so hard you wonder if the fill is made of a wood block. The frames of these pieces could sag over time as they are usually not well built.
You don’t always need a top of the line piece of furniture, but you do get what you pay for. Especially where upholstery is involved. Seams are usually poorly matched and sewn and the fabrics are almost always uncomfortable to sit on and touch with bare skin. Do not be fooled by the vendors pictures of pillows and blankets staged nicely over a chair or sofa making it look comfortable and inviting!
Poor choice.
Better investment.
Discount lamps are usually of a small scale. With our taller ceilings today a lamp over 30 inches is preferable. Most online lamps are 24 to 27 inches. Many times they appear to be ceramic or porcelain and when they arrive there are resin or even plastic. And the shades! Yuck! Many times the shades come unassembled, so you can image the poor quality these are made of. They certainly will not last over time. A lamp should have some weight and height to it for it to make the proper statement!
Poor choice.
Better.
Artwork is usually very limiting online. Again, sometimes the vendor doesn’t tell you that the item has to be assembled. Even artwork can come as a frame you have to build and then stretch the canvas around it. This is why these items are sometimes less expensive as they are easier and less expensive to ship.
Way too much trouble for art that looks cheap.
Floral pieces sold online can usually be of very poor quality. In my field I find there is a huge difference in the less expensive floral decor versus higher end. We all want our fake floral to look real. This is one area it is hard to save on.
Inexpensive tables, whether they be dining, coffee, end or occasional almost always have to be put together. Over time these poorly made pieces can fall apart as they are not well designed.
Cabinetry, chests and cabinets sold cheaply are usually poorly made, the doors and drawers do not align and the hardware is not attractive. Hinges can be cheap and fail over time.
So, with all of this said, spend some time and compare what your local stores have in stock for you to sit on, open and close, touch and consider. Supporting local is so important right now in our community. As someone who has a home furnishings store and a womens shoe and clothing store, I can tell you that us local small business owners have had a very lean summer. Add hurricane Helene to the mix and we are begging people to support us. And…we are ready to discount our goods to make a sale. Take advantage of this opportunity and find quality furnishings for your home.
Don’t get me wrong. If you are furnishing a college dorm or an AirBnB online cheap, inexpensive goods can work in a pinch. Maybe you mix a little of it in your space. But if you want to feel really great about your home and show it off to your family and friends as most people do, invest in some quality goods that you are proud of. If you are on a budget check out your local thrift or consignment store. They usually only obtain good quality pieces!
