Choosing Furniture for Office or Home – The Right Way

Selecting Furniture the Right Way

by Affiliate Rita Alexander, Chrysalis Interiors

An all too common mistake made by anyone, including women when purchasing expensive furniture is the discovery that the proportion of the furniture doesn’t work in the space for which it was purchased. This happens at home, as it happens in the place of business – and women in business are no exception to this mistake.  When this happens to one of my clients, I get the call to come and “fix” the problem.

It is, of course, better to avoid the problem and do it the right way from the get-go.  By following certain guidelines furniture will not be too large and cumbersome, or too small for the spaces for which they were intended.  As a professional it is my passion and talent to re-arrange existing furniture to make the best use of your spaces. it’s a fun puzzle for me to take much of the guesswork out of purchasing new furniture an there’s nothing I enjoy more than helping my clients rediscover, or repurpose existing pieces to help them fall in love again with their space.  Along the way I’ve gained insight which may help you going forward in your decorating decisions making and so I’d like to share with you some tips and trade secrets that will enable you to create an effective and appealing space to relax, work and live!

Some Ideas and Tips for Purchasing New Furniture:

First, know what you can afford.  Have a budget in mind before you start looking and stay with your bottom line figure.

Don’t buy impulsively!  Shop smart with a definite idea of what you want and need.

Scale is key.  Carefully measure your space in advance. You can spread newspaper to cover the area where you want the furniture placed or use painter’s tape in the same fashion; this will help determine the size and scale of the pieces to be purchased.  For those of you who own an iphone or ipod there is an application, Mark on Call, which is a handy drafting tool; just  plug in room and furniture dimensions to get a gauge of the space, saving yourself failed room re-arranging and emergent calls to a professional.

Visual balance adds impact so it may not be a mistake to have an extra large sofa in a small room if it looks fabulous and doesn’t block human traffic flow.

Remember you will be living with your furniture purchases for a long time so if you’re buying upholstered furniture keep in mind that neutral fabrics go with everything.  If you want to add bold color and express your personality you can do it with paint and accessories which can be easily and affordably changed when you so desire.

Even if you are managing all other aspects of your decorating project, if you feel anxious about purchasing that sofa or loveseat on your own, this may be an area in which you seek out a professional to help you.  Furniture like fine art is a lifetime investment….do it right.

HAPPY HUNTING!
Rita Alexander
Chrysalis Interiors

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *