A Few Helpful Tips When Buying Quality Furniture
Furniture is an investment but how do you find superior quality home furnishings at the best possible value? How do you know you're getting your money's worth? If the price is too good to be true, it most likely is. This is true whether you're shopping at furniture stores in New Jersey or those in California. You really can decorate your home with quality furniture that adds a splash of fun and here are some tips that will help you decorate your home with furniture that truly reflects who you are.
The Price Is Too Good to Be True...
The old saying is spot on. There are plenty of reasons why a piece of furniture, such as a sofa, is inexpensive in certain furniture stores. In order to sell you that sofa at such a low down price, shortcuts are taken during the production process. A quality sofa frame should be constructed from hardwoods and not particleboard. The joints should be corner blocked, glued, and screwed. If the corners are simply stapled, run as far as your can. Bonded leather is not genuine leather. Don't get swept up by the enticing price. A piece of furniture may look fantastic on the showroom floor and you could probably envision it in your home but first you need to find out a few things.
What to Look for in Sofas
When you're shopping for living room furniture, such as a sofa, you need to ask the sales representatives the right questions. We'll start with the foundation, the frame. Make sure the frame is kiln dried because all the moisture will be removed, otherwise the frame may experience shrinkage. As far as the frame joinery, ask how they are reinforced. They need to be doweled, glued, and screwed. You want the frame to be stable and to last. Solid hardwood wood frame is the best choice. Even plywood will do, when it comes to reinforcement material but stay away from particleboard. A helpful test is to lift one corner of the sofa a few inches and if the other leg rises as well, the frame is strong. If it doesn't, the frame is too weak and you should skip that particular one.
A good quality frame supports the seating and the filling enhances it even further. The best springs out there are what are termed as eight-way hand tied. Next in line are sinuous coil springs (S-shaped springs). A simple way to check if the springs are sturdy is to remove the seats and feel them. Press down on them and they should spring back into original position instantly. If the seats are attached, you need to ask the sales representative about the spring construction. Stay away from sofas that have just webbing.
As far as filling on the seats (foam), you want high resiliency polyurethane foam so that your seating can last for years and offer excellent support and comfort. Lower density foams don't last as long and deteriorate pretty quickly.
What to Look for in Case Goods
When purchasing case goods, such as chest, dresser, nightstands, buffets, and sideboards, look for hardwood solids as the main construction material. Even a combination of hardwoods with veneers can be a quality piece. You want to stay away from case goods where the main construction material is particle board or MDF with paper veneer on top. Paper veneer is pretty much a layer of paper printed to resemble wood grain. It looks descent but it sure won't last. Keep in mind if it wobbles on the furniture store floor; imagine what will happen down the road in your home.
The drawer construction is very important as well. Open and close the drawers. The operation should be smooth. One of the best joinery methods is English dovetailing. French dovetailed case pieces are just as good. Stay away from stapled-only joinery. The bottoms of the drawers should be center supported as well as corner blocked because you don't want the bottom of the drawer to fall out and empty your contents on the floor.
Buy from Quality Furniture Stores
Don't just search for price. I’m sure some of the prices that you see on television ads from certain discount furniture stores are enticing. Before you drop that hard-earned money of yours on disposable furniture, keep in mind that in a few years, you'll probably have to replace it. Instead, consider buying quality furniture from stores such as FOW Furniture in New Jersey. The furniture itself in other stores may look very attractive from far away but closer inspection reveals otherwise. Ask yourself if in the long run you're getting a bargain. Initially, quality furniture will cost a bit but in the years of ownership it ends up being less pricey to own.
The Price Is Too Good to Be True...
The old saying is spot on. There are plenty of reasons why a piece of furniture, such as a sofa, is inexpensive in certain furniture stores. In order to sell you that sofa at such a low down price, shortcuts are taken during the production process. A quality sofa frame should be constructed from hardwoods and not particleboard. The joints should be corner blocked, glued, and screwed. If the corners are simply stapled, run as far as your can. Bonded leather is not genuine leather. Don't get swept up by the enticing price. A piece of furniture may look fantastic on the showroom floor and you could probably envision it in your home but first you need to find out a few things.
What to Look for in Sofas
When you're shopping for living room furniture, such as a sofa, you need to ask the sales representatives the right questions. We'll start with the foundation, the frame. Make sure the frame is kiln dried because all the moisture will be removed, otherwise the frame may experience shrinkage. As far as the frame joinery, ask how they are reinforced. They need to be doweled, glued, and screwed. You want the frame to be stable and to last. Solid hardwood wood frame is the best choice. Even plywood will do, when it comes to reinforcement material but stay away from particleboard. A helpful test is to lift one corner of the sofa a few inches and if the other leg rises as well, the frame is strong. If it doesn't, the frame is too weak and you should skip that particular one.
A good quality frame supports the seating and the filling enhances it even further. The best springs out there are what are termed as eight-way hand tied. Next in line are sinuous coil springs (S-shaped springs). A simple way to check if the springs are sturdy is to remove the seats and feel them. Press down on them and they should spring back into original position instantly. If the seats are attached, you need to ask the sales representative about the spring construction. Stay away from sofas that have just webbing.
As far as filling on the seats (foam), you want high resiliency polyurethane foam so that your seating can last for years and offer excellent support and comfort. Lower density foams don't last as long and deteriorate pretty quickly.
What to Look for in Case Goods
When purchasing case goods, such as chest, dresser, nightstands, buffets, and sideboards, look for hardwood solids as the main construction material. Even a combination of hardwoods with veneers can be a quality piece. You want to stay away from case goods where the main construction material is particle board or MDF with paper veneer on top. Paper veneer is pretty much a layer of paper printed to resemble wood grain. It looks descent but it sure won't last. Keep in mind if it wobbles on the furniture store floor; imagine what will happen down the road in your home.
The drawer construction is very important as well. Open and close the drawers. The operation should be smooth. One of the best joinery methods is English dovetailing. French dovetailed case pieces are just as good. Stay away from stapled-only joinery. The bottoms of the drawers should be center supported as well as corner blocked because you don't want the bottom of the drawer to fall out and empty your contents on the floor.
Buy from Quality Furniture Stores
Don't just search for price. I’m sure some of the prices that you see on television ads from certain discount furniture stores are enticing. Before you drop that hard-earned money of yours on disposable furniture, keep in mind that in a few years, you'll probably have to replace it. Instead, consider buying quality furniture from stores such as FOW Furniture in New Jersey. The furniture itself in other stores may look very attractive from far away but closer inspection reveals otherwise. Ask yourself if in the long run you're getting a bargain. Initially, quality furniture will cost a bit but in the years of ownership it ends up being less pricey to own.
