Home may be where the heart is but furniture pieces play a big role in why you love your spaces and want to spend time in them. From the welcome mat at your front door, your home should embrace you with positive energy and joy and that has a lot to do with the furniture you buy. With all the options available to you – in-store, online, new or second-hand – buying home furniture is not for the fainthearted. 

We are here to break down the basic principles and tips you should consider before you “add to cart,” order online or say “yes” to the sofa.

Fast or slow furniture?

Eco-conscious and sustainability are buzzwords in the furniture manufacturing industry. Fast furniture items are mass-produced and use lower-quality materials which often have a bigger environmental impact. These home furniture pieces are relatively inexpensive but rate lower on durability and will need to be replaced in a few years. (It’s the age-old dilemma: “penny wise, pound foolish”).

The Slow Furniture Movement is all about intentional consideration of the planet’s resources and the deliberate creation of quality and durable furniture that will stand the test of time. Obviously coming with a higher price tag, these home furniture pieces are investment items and need to be budgeted for. Second-hand antique and vintage furniture is also considered slow furniture as it is recycled and can be upcycled. 

Furniture for which room first?

Furnishing your home is about being realistic and sticking to a budget. Certain iconic dream pieces – an Eames chair and ottoman, a Tulip table or a midcentury Diamond chair – may have to wait. 

If you are furnishing your home from scratch or slowly renovating, interior designers will always advise that you start with the key rooms and buy one quality investment home furniture piece for these spaces that is prioritised in your budget. 

• Bedroom: We spend a ⅓ of our lives sleeping, and so a good quality bed frame and mattress are worth splashing out on. A beautiful bed invites sweet dreams and makes your bedroom a relaxing haven. 
• Living room: It’s in its name – the living room is where you live, whether that be entertaining, reading, or watching TV. It’s a gathering place and comfortable and durable seating is required. Functionality must never be compromised over style, so check dimensions and suitability before you buy the couches and occasional chairs. (That light blue velvet couch may be stunning, but is it really user-friendly for kids and pets?)

• Home office: WFH (work from home) is an ever-increasing reality. A designated home office or a study corner requires an appropriate-sized desk and comfortable ergonomic chair to support hours of working at a computer.

Neutral or colourful furniture?

Once budget and functionality have been ticked off your home furniture list, you are now free to individualise your choices and indulge your design style personality. If you want a bold coloured couch or patterned and upholstered headboard, then go ahead, as long as you know you will love them for years to come.

On the other hand, if you love colour but are not brave enough to go big and bold with it, then neutral pieces of home furniture are always a timeless solution. You can then have fun adding touches of colour, patterns and florals in small doses with lamps, duvet covers, cushions, throws and rugs, and perhaps a smaller colourful occasional chair. 

There really are no rules – it is all about buying furniture for your home that you love, can afford and will make you love your spaces. 

Bidorbuy – your online home furniture solution

At bidorbuy, we have made it so easy for you to sit back and shop suitable furniture pieces online for any room in your home. Our myriad of new and second-hand vendors gives you options with regard to budget and style as well as allowing you to shop your way – bid on an auction or buy now. 

Renovate your spaces by shopping all our furniture collections online from the comfort of your home.