How to Buy Cheap Furniture

Posted By:  //  Category: furniture

When I was newly married, I was faced with a big problem, finding furniture for my new apartment! As I began to look around the stores, I noticed that if I wanted nice furniture, I would have to pay a pretty penny to get some. My mother told me that is wasn’t so and that I could furnish my home with modern, chic and stylish pieces of my choice. So, with a little time and elbow grease, you too can save lots of money and personalize your tables, beds and chairs!

When I was newly married, I was faced with a big problem, finding furniture for my new apartment! As I began to look around the stores, I noticed that if I wanted nice furniture, I would have to pay a pretty penny to get some. My mother told me that is wasn’t so and that I could furnish my home with modern, chic and stylish pieces of my choice. So, with a little time and elbow grease, you too can save lots of money and personalize your tables, beds and chairs!

Step1

Begin looking for furniture at thrift stores. That’s right! Look at stores such as Goodwill, Savers and other stores similar. You can also look at garage sales and online classifieds such as craigslist. You will be amazed at what you can find. However, it is sometimes hard to imagine the end result from such an ugly piece of thing so keep an open mind

Step2

Once you have located the piece you want to purchase, try to barter on the price. Some stores are anxious to sell anything while some are set on their price. Whenever you barter, try to look only remotely interested and point out flaws such as, “Well, there is a huge scratch across the top of the table…” Try it. The worst that could happen is for them to say no.

Step3

Once you have bought a cheap piece of furniture for an even cheaper price, decide on what to do with it. If your style is shabby chic, paint it an off white and scratch the edges with sandpaper. If your style is more modern, sand off the old stain and apply a new one. You can even replace old handles to make it look really nice. Even if you don’t have a single artsy bone in your body, you will be surprised at how much paint can do for it!

Step4

Now you have two decisions. You can keep the furniture or you can turn it around and sell it for more than what you bought it for. Although, if you are going to sell it, make sure to calculate the cost of paint and supplies in the price as well.

How to Buy Dining Room Furniture

Posted By:  //  Category: Dining room furniture

The dining room is one of the most family-oriented rooms of the home. Whether it is used for a late-night pizza party or a huge holiday dinner, the dining room brings everyone together. The furniture and décor should be inviting as well as functional. Here are some suggestions for buying dining room furniture.

Step1

Consider the family. If your family has small children or pets that are still being trained not to chew things, don’t invest in an expensive dining room set at the time. Look for furniture that is appropriate for the age and needs of your family. Buy a less expensive, more durable table that will withstand spills and broken dishes now, and buy the more high-end furniture in a few years when the kids are older.

Step2

Plan ahead for special occasions. Your dining room will be used for regular family dinners the majority of the time it is in use, but for special occasions, holidays and parties there will be more people gathered around the table so plan ahead for this when buying your dining room furniture. Look for dining room tables that have removable leaves or wings that can lengthen or expand the surface area of the table to accommodate more diners.

Step3

Get plenty of seating. Purchase the number of chairs that your immediate family will use when having dinner. Then consider the number of extended family members likely to be invited to holiday functions and special occasions and plan seating for them as well. Buy a dining room set with an adequate number of chairs for everyone, or buy enough for your everyday use and purchase less expensive extra chairs to be stored when not in use.

Step4

Find a place for storage. Dishes, glassware, placemats, napkins and other dining room necessities must be stored somewhere when not in use on the table so consider this when purchasing your dining room furniture. Look for dining room tables that feature built-in drawers that can be used to store place settings and silverware or invest in a small corner hutch for storage to keep your dining room stylish and uncluttered.

Step5

Inquire about warranties. Many furniture companies have warranty coverage that will repair any scratches or damage done to your furniture. Since your dining room furniture will likely see a lot of daily wear and tear, it’s worth your time to find out about repair options when buying your dining room furniture