There is so much opportunity to spend money and so little guidance on how best to spend it. Regardless of how much money you have to spend there are opportunities to buy the wrong pieces everywhere. There are also opportunities to purchase pieces that have stood the test of time and continue to be useful. I would rather wait and buy unpretentious solid furniture than succumb to a 50% off quick deal for a cheap and showy piece. Cheap modern furniture is just that, it lacks quality and if it is still in one piece will not be of any value in years to come. Not only that but its not even that cheap! Owning a table made by a craftsman and used over generations is a very honorable thing to do and is often much cheaper than commissioning a comparable piece of modern furniture. It will also hold its value and is likely to increase.
The less money there is to spend, the greater should be the care exercised in spending it. The first thing to keep in mind is that you pay for what you get and succumbing to the offers I mentioned above is no guarantee that you have a got a good deal. Any shop that emphasises the value of the free services they offer and discounts over the quality of the furniture they are selling should be given a wide berth and avoided.
My advice for buying on a budget, is never to rush, do not be tempted by the first thing, keep in mind what you have seen and what you are looking for and don’t get distracted. If you don’t know what you are looking for then flicking through magazines is a great way to gather ideas.
Know what you want, and see that you get it!
October 28, 2008 at 9:07 am |
I’m looking for some quality furniture for my new home, but I’m finding it difficult to know what equals good quality or not. I found some solid wood furniture which seems to be great quality, because they don’t use veneers or anything. It’s all very good stuff by the looks of it. But after reading this post, I’m just wondering; their stuff is great value, but does that really mean they should be avoided?
October 28, 2008 at 10:44 pm |
Thank you for your comment on this post and the link to the site you found. I had a look and even signed up so I could see their prices. They are certainly reasonably priced and if you wanted to furnish a house quickly they would be a good place to go to. If time is an issue then I can see no problem buying their products, but I would buy them for the reason that they are cheap and will fill the space while I wait for something better.
I certainly hate to spend money and I always like to look for resale value and the pleasure of owning something unique. I had a look at http://www.the-saleroom.com and searched on “wardrobe”. I found similar pieces of similar quality ( pine with no veneer ) for £20-£40 which by comparison were £400+ on the site. I would be concerned that my new cabinet would not be worth so much when I came to sell it.
The beauty of pine is that it grows fast, it is cheap, reliable, easy to work with and strong. Its a great wood for cheap furniture. As with most things these days, corners are cut, styles are simplified and pine fits the bill just fine. You will rarely see a piece of 18th / 19th century pine furniture as it was rarely used other than as a carcass timber on European or Chinese furniture. English cabinet makers nearly always used oak which is a slower growing and more expensive timber.
It really depends on what you are trying to achieve. As a temporary measure they are fine, but I would suggest looking at the auctions for something at a lower price. I would then keep an eye on the market to buy the right piece which may cost a bit more but will hold its value and be a pleasure to live with for years to come. Now all you need to decide is which styles you actually like.