Looking back at Interior Design

Interior design has come a long way for the past 10 years. It has much higher profile now than in the early 90’s, mainly due to interior design magazines and television programs. But if these are the only reference points that you have, you will fall into the usual trap like the others. You will just be replicating the look and creating the blandness of other houses in the land.

The trick is to choose an interior decoration style that is individual. Give a little thought to your style and ensure that it can be worked out. Creating this individual style cannot happen overnight. In fact, it is not achieved only by going to a few shopping trips.

Beauty of Antique furniture

Antique furniture is the way to go if you want to create a unique look in your home. The beauty of antique furniture is this: it doesn’t make your house look plain and ordinary. There are many cases where antique furniture can add a totally subtle and individual look to a particular home. You must apply a lot of thought if you want to design your home with antiques.

There are differing periods that can create a variety of look – matching and mixing the pieces of the furniture can enhance your creativity and style. You might find yourself looking at antique shops or furniture stores for some time before you can complete the pieces that you think will add a special “character” to a room. Patience is needed to achieve the desired look.

True Antique

Not every antique can qualify as a design masterpiece. In fact by definition, there are only a few that can be truly called a “masterpiece.” Majority of these pieces are already in the collections of the wealthy people or in a museum. And today, there are a lot of reproductions that produce fake antiques, or those with lesser quality. Always be careful of imitations. Check the manufacturer label of the furniture because only a few of them will give out a guarantee to the condition or authenticity of the antique.

Therefore, if you would like the “traditional furniture” look, it is best for you to buy antique (say for example, custom mahogany furniture) that is pre-owned. You would then be able to furnish your home with these museum-worthy designs that might not be available in the antique market.

Truly, furnishing your bare home with antique furniture can differentiate you from the usual interior design styles we see in the majority of homes in the country. Antique furniture may sometimes be “pricey” compared to other modern furniture (which is usually mass produced). But if you decorate with it, here is the advantage: you will eventually end up in a beautiful home with heritage and style. It’s truly worth it.

There are alternatives to buying new furniture. Depending on your taste whether it is contemporary, shabby chic, country-style, or an accumulation of styles, buying used furniture may be a way to stay within your budget. Well made furniture should stand the test of time and you may just find the furniture at a great price too.

Three ways to buy quality gently used furniture pieces within a reasonable budget include:

1. Estate sales, yard sales, and garage sales
2. Local newspapers / bulletin boards and Craigslist.org
3. Consignment furniture stores

Estate sales, yard sales, garage sales:

There are a number of reasons why a person may be holding an estate sale. The homeowners may:

• be downshifting their lifestyle
• moving far away
• be selling a second home and no longer need the extra furnishings
• have passed and their family has no need for the furniture

The advantage of an estate sale is that if you like the owner’s decorating style, you may be able to purchase an entire room of furniture at bargain prices. Like with yard sales and garage sales, estate sales will really be hit or miss. The disadvantage is that you never know what you will find at each sale which can be very time consuming.

If you do find a high quality piece of furniture that you want to reupholster, consider the real cost against your budget. Reupholstering quality furniture may be worth the time and expense if you know that this piece will stay in your home a long time. Depending on the age of the furniture, you may also need to rebuild cushions and replace throw pillows. This can really add up! For the expense of the new cushions, refinishing, reupholstering, fabric, materials, labor, transportation, etc. you may find it’s cheaper to buy a new piece. Definitely consider all of the costs before going down this path.

Local newspapers/bulletin boards and Craigslist.org:

If a person or business is liquidating their furniture and belongings, they will often choose to sell it via the local newspaper or through Craigslist.org. You may even find for sale ads on bulletin boards at work, grocery stores, and at churches. The seller will usually fetch a higher price for their furniture when sold through these avenues.

Craigslist has the extra advantage of being able to feature color photographs saving the buyer time of traveling around to different locations. If you are selling furniture, try selling it first through your local newspaper, local bulletin board, or on Craigslist since you will typically sell it for a higher price through these locations. If you were unsuccessful at selling your furniture through these outlets, then consider an a yard sale or garage sale. Your last option should be through an estate sale or consignment store since you will share your money with the people helping to sell your furniture.

Remember to donate any furniture that you are unable to sell through a reputable charity or organization. It’s important that you get a receipt for your donation for end-of-year donation write-offs.

Consignment furniture stores:

Consignment stores are a great way to buy furniture at a discount and save time. Of the three choices, this will be the most expensive way to buy furniture but it could save you a lot of time since it typically offers the most complete inventory options for furnishing living rooms, dining rooms, offices, kitchens and bedrooms.

You may find that local furniture consignment shops in your area have made arrangements with builders and interior designers who create model homes. As you know, model homes are beautifully decorated with high-end furniture to sell the home. When a builder has sold all the homes in a particular subdivision, the furniture is no longer needed. The furniture is oftentimes sold at furniture consignment stores for 50% off (or more!) the retail price.

Even gallery pictures for the walls are sold less expensively at consignment furniture stores. You will need to check the store monthly for new inventory as it changes frequently. To find a store in your area, simply do a search on “Furniture Consignment Store” + your zip code. Antique furniture stores may also appear in the listings.

Before purchasing your furniture, it is wise to have a budget in mind. It is advisable that you only buy the furniture and furnishings that you love because you will be seeing it everyday in your home. Often, people end up buying furniture because they need it now, but discard it within a year or two because they end up hating it. Buy for quality and because you really like the pieces. You will end up saving time and staying within your budget if you have discriminating taste when purchasing used furniture.

1. Selecting Wood. Are you drawn to the dark richness of mahogany, the simplicity of cedar, the light hominess of maple, the sturdiness of oak, or the ruddiness of cherry? From pine, elm, and willow to walnut, teak, and birch, you have a wide range of choices when it comes to wood. When planning your interior home decor, keep in mind that designers recommend consistency within a room. In other words, you don’t want a dark mahogany coffee table and a light birch end table. If you do mix woods, keep the color tones in alignment. For example, a lightly stained pine can go with a lightly stained birch. Keep in mind, though, that you can change furniture woods from room to room.
2. Selecting Furniture Styles. Do you love the classically solid Mission style of furniture, or are you drawn to ornately decorated Victorian tables and chairs? Does the retro Art Deco style appeal to you, or do you want to bring to your home Italian old world charm? Most of us have eclectic tastes, and it’s fine to incorporate different styles into your home decor as long as they complement one another.
3. Step-by-Step Home Improvement. Most of us don’t have the money to completely refurnish our homes in one clean sweep. When it comes to home improvement, the step-by-step approach can work to your advantage – particularly if you’re not ready to commit to a single furniture style. Sometimes the best approach to home decor is to start with one piece that really speaks to you, and then find another. Once you’ve selected a few pieces, you’ll get a better sense of your tastes and the pieces you still need in order to complete a room. From there, you can move on and purchase additional furniture with more confidence.
4. Find Inspiration. It’s hard to find the right interior home decor when you don’t know what’s available or how other people are approaching home improvement. Start by looking through magazines and finding furnishings that appeal to you. Tear out those pages and keep them in a file that you can refer to later. If the furniture in a friend’s house matches your taste, tell her that you admire her home decor and ask her how she went about choosing her pieces. Once you have a sense of what furniture speaks to you, go online and see the variety of pieces that are available. You’ll be able to find a much greater selection online that you will by going to a local furniture store.
5. Have Fun. Home improvement and redecorating projects can sometimes feel overwhelming, so remember to have fun. Take the time to enjoy the process, find pieces that you absolutely love, and take pride in transforming your house into a home.