by Jhumki Sen

Created on: December 02, 2010

Nowhere is the maxim ‘You get what you pay for’ more accurate than when it comes to buying furniture. Furniture is one of those commodities that you will probably stick with for a while.  Whether you are a college freshman decorating for the next three years, or a homeowner decorating for the long term you need the furniture you pick needs to be functional, reliable and of course match the rest of your décor.  If furnishing you home, the focus is on style and longevity, the dorm room furniture needs to look cool and stand up to abuse.  Either way spending les on lower quality furniture does not seem the way to go.

There is the third category of furniture buying where you are furnishing a rental property. You want the place to look presentable and livable, but don’t think it wise to splurge on something you will not be using. There is a fine line here, where you can make a case for buying inexpensive furniture, since you would need to replace it every so many years anyway.

That being said, these days the availability and selection of furniture to choose from has multiplied exponentially, thanks to the internet and virtual showrooms. The ideas of brand names having monopoly on the discerning buyer’s mind are also changing.  Manufacturers who had previously relied on retail outlets to sell their products are opening up shop themselves. This translates into savings for the buyer while keeping the spending to a reasonable level. The furniture manufacturing giants in North Carolina area prime example.  People from as far as Boston in the North to Florida in the south are willing to make the drive up to NC with a truck of their own to buy rooms of furniture.  The quality of this furniture matches any high end names and the net savings are impressive in most cases. Don’t go looking for unreal deals at such places though. The prices are comparably competitive and remember you get what you pay for.

Of course if you are looking for a specific accent piece, or a futon for the guest room, you are better off with you local store.

The internet is another resource where you can search for and zero in on the exact bomber chest you have been looking for or the ornate grandfather clock that matches exactly with your living room curtains.  Many such sites have a reputation for timeliness and reliability, and being virtual they have an enviable inventory to browse through.  But if you are not handy with the drill, or nervous about paying online, this option is not for you.  Most furniture bought online will require some assembly so be sure to read the fine print.

An emerging trend in furniture business id the hyped ‘discount’ stores. Their advertisements promise hundreds off 'those other guys' for the same or similar quality and style.  Claims such as those need to be taken with a grain of salt; while it is true that some of the markup on the merchandise can be reduced, if you see a difference that seems too large, there is probably a sacrifice in quality involved. As for style, you are the judge of what looks pleasing to the eye, and no one can tell you one thing or the other is more or less stylish.

No matter how you shop for furniture, quality is your first concern, and if it means a little extra, it is most often worthwhile.

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