What are your needs?

Whether you are furnishing an entire home, just one room, or simply replacing one or two pieces that have become worn or outdated, it's important to decide what you need, how it will be used, and by whom, and how long you will need it. These are all questions you need to ask yourself before you purchase new furniture, because your needs will affect the style, construction and fabric choices.

If you have children and pets, your choice of style and fabric will be different than that of a single person or an older couple whose children are grown. For instance, if you are furnishing a childs' room, chances are the furniture will be outgrown in a few years, so you might want to look for something that is sturdy, durable, and well built, but inexpensive. On the other hand, if you are purchasing furniture for the master bedroom, you may want to spend more on an armoire that will also accomodate a TV or VCR or stereo, in addition to clothing. Maybe you have just remodeled after your children have grown, and now you decide to buy the kind of furniture that would have been impractical with children and teenagers in the house.

Besides being pleasant to look at, furniture should also be practical and comfortable. For instance, If you're buying a new chair, consider how it will be used. Maybe you don't really need eight-way hand tied coil springs, if you just want a comfortable chair you can curl up in and read the newspaper. A well built no-sag construction is much less expensive and will suit your needs. On the other hand, if you will be spending a lot of time sitting in a chair and working, you may decide that the extra money spent on eight-way hand tied coil springs is well worth the extra money.

If you've recently bought a new home, like most people you probably spent every penny you could afford to get the most house your budget would allow, but now you find you are living in an empty house. Think about whether the furniture you are purchasing will be short term or long term. You may want to spend less on a chair or sofa that you plan to replace in a year or two, and more on a wall unit that provides much needed storage space in the living room, and can be used in a den or home office in a couple of years. Even with a limited budget it is still possible to find well made, inexpensive furniture that will suit your needs if you plan ahead and decide what you need and how you will be using it.

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