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Planning
As an interior designer, I am intensively concerned with the factors and details that make a room appealing and functional at the same time. In this article, I would like to explain to you which factors are particularly important when choosing furniture.
Functionality
Before I decide on a piece of furniture, I ask myself what exactly it will be used for. Should it be used purely as a seat or as storage space? Or maybe even both? Should it be the center of attention in the room or should it remain in the background? Knowing the function of the piece of furniture will allow you to narrow down the choices and make sure that you choose a piece of furniture that meets the actual requirements.
The color
Long before choosing furniture, the color scheme of the room is usually up for discussion. Unless there are already pieces of furniture on which the color scheme should be oriented. I like to work with odd numbers of colors, e.g. three or five, the latter being my personal maximum.
The colors are divided into major, neutral, and accent colors. I’ve already written a blog post about color choices , which you can find here. So the question regarding the choice of furniture is, should it have a main, neutral or accent color? The possible colours are therefore an important factor in the choice of furniture. The larger a piece of furniture is, the more likely it is to have a main or neutral color, or larger portions of it. In a living room, for example, I would choose a couch in the main color, but a stool might be in an accent color.
The size
It is important to take into account the size of the room in which the piece of furniture will be placed. A piece of furniture that is too large or too small can make the room look disproportionate and disrupt the flow of the furnishings. Measure the space and make sure the piece of furniture fits well into it and is an appropriate size. Even if less is sometimes more. A room can also quickly become cold and uncomfortable if it is too empty. On the other hand, too much furniture can quickly appear untidy and restless. People often tend to put rather small furniture in small rooms. But then they lack storage space and other small pieces of furniture are added. This is not a good strategy and the result often seems chaotic.
Apart from the size of the room, it is of course also important how much storage space the piece of furniture should offer, or how many seats you actually need on a regular basis. In my experience and opinion, a sufficiently large piece of furniture is in the vast majority of cases the better choice than many small pieces of furniture. I also like to summarize several requirements, especially when it comes to storage solutions. In a small apartment, for example, a large built-in wardrobe in just one room often fits in better than small to medium-sized cupboards in each room. In the case of a large house, however, this would be rather impractical, because the way to the closet would usually be too far. Involving the entire apartment and all rooms in the planning can therefore make a big difference in the end.
The style
If you’re looking for furniture that’s both functional and aesthetically pleasing, think about your personal style and the aesthetics of the room. If you have a penchant for antique furniture, look for pieces that match that style. If you prefer more modern pieces, look for furniture with clean lines and a minimalist design.
In the past, I often tended to just want to finish quickly, after a move, for example. Especially when there is a lack of storage space and chaos grows over your head, it easily leads to impulse purchases that you regret later. Sometimes an urgent salesperson may have a rather bad influence on our purchase decision or a friend or partner has a completely different opinion and we give in prematurely and regret the decision later.
Especially in a partnership, different tastes often come together. I therefore recommend creating a vision board beforehand with all your preferred styles and colors. If you have already agreed on the possible style etc. at home, then shopping will certainly be less stressful and you are less likely to make bad purchases. And even if the longed-for sense of achievement may not materialize, in my opinion it is better to look a little longer for the right part than to simply buy something that may seem like a compromise at the moment, but does not really make you happy. And yes, I think a room should put a smile on your face when you enter it, then it’s a successful interior.
The materials
Choosing the right materials is crucial to ensure that your furniture is aesthetically pleasing, sustainable, healthy and functional. If you prefer sustainable furniture, we recommend pieces made from recycled materials or those that come from sustainable sources. If you prefer elegant furniture, pieces made of leather, high-quality wood, marble, brass or velvet are suitable. However, before buying, it is best to think about the care and maintenance of the materials to ensure that your pieces of furniture last a long time and look good and that you are not overwhelmed with the right care or that it does not fit your lifestyle. Delicate pieces of furniture, for example, may not be so suitable for a family with small children or many pets.
Plastic furniture or furniture made of foiled pressboard will never look really good in my opinion. Yes, there are always trends with furniture made of plastic, but none of these trends have ever convinced me. These pieces are never timeless, don’t age beautifully, are not environmentally friendly, irreparable if they break or are damaged and you usually get tired of such pieces very quickly.
The quality
The quality of the furniture is just as important as its functionality and aesthetics. I pay a lot of attention to the workmanship, the material and the durability of the piece of furniture. Investing in high-quality furniture can pay off in the long run, as it will last longer and look better. Basically, this builds on the materials.
But I can’t stress this issue enough. A table made of pressboard or cheap wood will not last 10 years and certainly will not look good for that long. Apart from harmful toxins, which also get into the room air from such parts. My dining table is a 130 year old oak table. It has its quirks, but the record is hard as stone. You won’t find such a hard wood in new furniture these days. Of course, it depends on the desired furnishing style, but in my opinion it is worthwhile to buy very used furniture and refurbish it or have it refurbished by a professional. Of course, only if you like the style.
In the end, this is usually still cheaper than buying an equivalent piece new and you have a truly unique piece of furniture in great quality. In addition, you might even support a craftsman. Many old crafts have been becoming rarer and rarer for years or even dying out completely. I also think it’s important to prevent this from happening and to make craft professions more respected again.
Conclusion
If you take these 6 factors into account and then choose furniture that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing, you can be sure that you will have a décor that not only looks good, but also meets your needs and will give you pleasure for many years to come. My tip would be to write a small list of these points: function, color, size, style, materials and quality (price range). This will help you make the right choice. With these tips, you can be sure that you will find the right furniture for your home and that the furnishing ideas will succeed.
I hope that these tips will help you choose your furniture and that you can use them to create a room or home that meets your wishes. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Just write us your question in the comments, we will also answer it or maybe even write a detailed article about it.
I wish you a wonderful week.
All the love
Christina
“The biggest enemy of quality is haste”
Henry Ford
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About the author
Christina Ernst is founder and CEO of Linen & Quince. She is also a designer, author and real estate expert. She shares her experiences and knowledge not only on our Linen & Quince blog, but also on her personal blog, christinaernst.net , where she writes about financial knowledge, starting a business, real estate knowledge and personal development. She loves interior design, art, antiques, as well as elegant, sustainable and high-quality fashion.
