by Laura Lee Winger

Created on: May 18, 2009   Last Updated: August 26, 2009

This may be the greatest of debates in home furnishing: does one seek functional, comfortable and practical furniture, or seek a picture-perfect setting? The answer will depend on the type of furniture and will vary with personal preference, taste and lifestyle. The best solution is to compromise very little on either side, finding the ultimate piece that is functional and beautiful, but that can seem like an impossibility. Nevertheless, I would challenge you to exceed a happy medium and seek that lofty goal, and perhaps the below advice may help you get started.

First, consider function in terms of how you expect to use the furniture. The sofa you plop down on to watch hours of television, or the bed you plan to sleep on, are probably not pieces of furniture you want to compromise comfort on. Likewise, a desk chair for the home office should probably offer some amount of support and functionality. On the other hand, a bar stool is generally not intended to be a place to recline and stay awhile. A home with active kids or pets may necessitate materials that are easy to clean, whereas a chandelier in an otherwise well-lit room may not need to produce that much light. With this logic, define minimum functional requirements based on how you intend and expect to use the piece. Some purchases may have very few requirements; the only requirement for a coffee table, for example, may be that it fits in the space. There may be features that would be nice to have, or are tempting "just in case", but at this point we are focusing on the must have's.

We tend to associate artful furniture with big price tags, and conversely, functional pieces with budgeted shopping. While there may be a correlation in some cases, the opposite can be true as well. An attractive ottoman may do the job for a relatively low cost, but an attractive ottoman with storage may be a bit pricier. Coffee tables that raise up or dining tables that extend are additional functions that can up the price as well. The greatest finds may be at garage sales or high-end furniture retailers, it is all dependent on your requirements and taste.

With minimum requirements in mind, go shopping. Actually, when at all possible, do research online first, identifying pieces that fit your needs and are at least attractive enough for your taste. Take or save pictures of everything you would consider, and record the price with each piece. Don't be afraid to look at items that may not exactly suit your needs, or are

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