Why You Need to Be Strategic When Investing in Furniture & Home Decor

A vacation home in Falmouth on Cape Cod, with family friendly fabrics and materials.

I love the excitement clients have when they talk about how they want to change up parts of their existing house, furnish a new home or design a vacation home for family and friends.  There is the excitement, and then there is the slight halt when I ask about budget.  Almost as if they know there needs to be a budget, and there is a vague one, but no one wants to talk about it.  We have to talk about budgets!  If you want a designer to work with you, and help you, you need to talk about your actual budget.  I don't want to know your budget so I know what I can spend.  I want to know your budget so I know how I can help you achieve all that you want, realistically and without wasting time looking at things that won't make the cut.  I want to help clients invest in their furnishings strategically.

Invest Intelligently in Daily-Use or Design-Critical Items

I always advise clients to invest in the big pieces of furniture that need to stand up to weight-bearing, high-traffic, daily use, like the sofa and lounge chairs, a quality rug, the coffee table that people throw their feet on.  These items will cost more because they should be of the highest quality.  And then there are the pieces that really pull the whole design together, maybe it's a few throw pillows with amazing fabric, or art that really draws the eye around the room.

Guest bedroom on Cape Cod with a woven headboard and simple painted nightstand.

Save Strategically on Pieces and Spaces Used Less Often

Save your money on the lesser used items and furnishings that meet their function but don't need to be stars of the show.  A discreet floor lamp for reading, a side table for drinks, a pair of lamps that add balance and light but don't need to be collectors items.  These are all items that you could buy versions of without breaking the bank.  This is where a designer's knowledge of different vendors is valuable in knowing where to source for the highs and lows while maintaining a certain degree of quality.

An entry for a vacation home on Cape Cod, plan for stair runners, custom bench cushions, …

Plan Prior to Any Purchases Alongside a Home Professional

In many cases I am brought in at the end of a project where a client has built a beautiful new home and has not considered the amount of money it will cost to furnish all the rooms.  It costs a lot to fully furnish an entire house, and then there are the window treatments.  Planning ahead is essential!  With a new house or even a renovation, you will have floor plans that you can use to create a furniture plan (to scale!) and with that you can create a furnishings budget.  You can even select and purchase your furnishings before the house is finished so you can start enjoying your house as soon as it's done.  If you plan ahead of time and consider the furnishings budget as part of the new build or renovation, you will likely stay close to your build budget and have money for the furnishings.  My furnishings investment guide is very helpful for this part of the process.

Outdoor furnishings must be included in the plan! This porch on Cape Cod is essential to the vacation home and gets as much use as the living room and bedrooms.

Working with a designer from the beginning will help you plan and budget for all aspects of the project.  A furniture plan and detailed budget will include all furnishings, flooring, window treatments, lighting and accessories.  It is a lot to think about, especially if you can't conceptualize it from the floor plans and you aren't familiar with the cost of furnishings.  A designer can help you stay on track and make decisions with the entire design and budget in mind.

Have some questions about how to develop a thoughtful budget for your design project? Give us a call...we'd love to help you out! Reach out, and let's chat!

Until next time,

Molly