Shopping for furniture? Here are some hints!

As a stager and owner of Staged SO Right, one of my favorite things in the world is furniture. I love to place it, rearrange it, be satisfied for a little while and then start all over again. Needless to say, working for a furniture showroom would be a dream come true and that is exactly what has happened to me!

I started a new job in marketing and sales for Corvin's Furniture, a local furniture company and I love it! It really is a dream job - I get to "stage" the business for success, but the best part is to help clients and customers who come in to stage their rooms! What a fabulous opportunity it is to help pick out the right pieces for people and have them leave excited about the mood we have created for their home.

I have learned a few things so of course I want to share them. There are a few tidbits of advice I will pass on that will help you if you are ever in the market to shop for new furniture.

First thing is to measure the area you are trying to fill. It doesn't help to walk in and pick out this fabulous huge sectional when it will be 20 inches too long when you get it delivered. Furniture and accessories usually look smaller in the store than they will in your home. Once you get some of these pieces into a confined space, you will be shocked at how much a piece of furniture will "expand" in your home. The opposite can also happen. You will have a huge wall to fill and the pieces you have chosen will be dwarfed when in your home. The best bet is to measure first to make sure that what you purchase will fit comfortably in your space.

Secondly if you are trying to match wood finishes, fabric choices, wall colors or carpet colors, bring a sample. Sometimes that will mean bringing in a drawer from home or a whole sofa cushion, but it will be worth it in the long run. Being able to see how finishes will compliment or conflict with each other is a great tool, but can only happen if you are willing to walk in with a sample.

If you can take a picture of the space, bring it with you. People come in all of the time and try to describe their space and I really can't appreciate it until I see the configuration visually. Most people have phones that have cameras and they are ideal for this purpose. It will help your designer or sales staff help pick out the perfect pieces for your home. I have even had people bring in drawings of their room indicating where doors, windows and anything else that may effect placement are so that we can choose furniture arrangement and sizes.

Lastly, it is an old adage, but a very true one when purchasing new furniture pieces: "You get what you pay for." That is not to say that expensive pieces are always going to be the best, but .... It has been my experience that they are usually better made and hold up much longer. Furniture can be an investment and that is why it is important to purchase the best quality you can afford, because it generally lasts longer.

When you are in the market to purchase new furniture, it is important to invest a little time and energy into some of the above prep work so that the end result is one that will make you happy for years to come. If you need help making the right choices, make sure to ask for the help of sales staff. That is their job - to help you create the room or home of your dreams! Good luck and happy (furniture) hunting!

Learn more about Corvin's Furniture at www.corvin'sfurniture.com!