New furniture is often a large, expensive purchase. After all, furniture is large, so it’s expected that it’s a more costly investment.
Interior design doesn’t look dated quite as quickly as fashion design, but old furniture can still look shabby and dated.
If your home needs an update, but you’re on a budget, keep reading for some tips!
It may seem like a no-brainer, but the biggest way to save money on furniture is to take care of your existing pieces. Consider putting a throw on the sofa when you have company over to avoid wine stains, and use coasters on tables, especially if they’re real wood.
Taking care of your furniture will ensure it lasts longer, so you won’t have to replace it so regularly.
Also, choosing more basic pieces of furniture and saving trendy looks for accessories will keep your spaces from looking dated quickly.
Consider forgoing new furniture and find creative ways to give your old stuff a new look. Slipcovers can give old, worn out chairs and sofas new life.
These are fairly easy to make yourself, given today’s fairly minimal designs, but if you don’t have any sewing skills there are a number of services that make them for you, which costs money, but it’s still cheaper than a new sofa. If you don’t want a complete cover, an attractive throw can also make an old piece of furniture look nicer. Add colour with cushions and pillows, and accent the room with new curtains. If you’re really talented and have some time on your hands, you can even repaint and re-upholster your old furniture to give it an updated look.
You can also consider second hand furniture. While the idea of getting some items such as mattresses is unpleasant, other items such as tables, chairs and drawers can be much cheaper if purchased used.
Keep your eyes open for estate sales and quality second-hand shops, or check the classified ads regularly. Often, items are older, which is great if you have a ‘retro-cool’ style, but sometimes you can even get nearly-new pieces for a fraction of the price.
If you absolutely must have new furniture, you can still get great items without having to pay full price. There’s a lot of competition out there, and therefore, lots of deals to be had. Look out for sales during stock turnover. Since furniture is large, shops really want to get rid of it when newer items come in. You can also sign up to a site like Groupon and get vouchers for furniture shops and websites. Signing up for Groupon vouchers gets you vouchers delivered to your inbox, so it saves a bit of time as you don’t have to find the sales yourself.
