It's time to update your furnishings or fill your home for the first time, and that's exciting! But where do you start with so many options on the market?
From minimalist to maximalist, traditional to transitional, there's a design style out there to suit every homeowner, but that doesn't mean all pieces are created equal.
Regardless of your style, incorporating designer furniture has many benefits, such as its fine craftsmanship that's guaranteed to last for years. Designer pieces are also visually interesting and can turn any house into a home.
Let us help walk you through picking iconic pieces that you'll love with these simple and informative tips.
1. Create a Design Board
Design or mood boards are collections of pictures and samples designed to create a visual for a room. A design board might include several pictures of furniture pieces you like, paint chips, fabric swatches, etc.
The purpose of these boards is to guide you while decorating the room and to keep everything cohesive. However, they're meant to be abstract and give you a vague idea of what you like, so you don't need to worry about layouts yet.
Here's an example. A mood board for someone that wants to incorporate more greenery and natural elements might have pictures of plants, wood flooring, green walls, paint colors that evoke feelings of nature, wicker, and other natural textures.
You can collect pictures from magazines, print them out, or create Pinterest boards. However you choose to make it, a mood board will guide you and help the design flow.
Get some inspiration by shopping room by room and saving the pieces you like best.
2. Choose Pieces That Last
There's a problem in the fashion and design world known as fast furniture. This phenomenon involves buying fashionable but cheap furniture designed to break down or to be tossed.
Americans throw out more than 12 million tons of furniture and furnishings every year. That wreaks havoc on our environment, as these pieces of recycled materials wind up in landfills.
Even if you don't consider yourself eco-conscious, you're doing the planet a favor by buying designer furniture made to last. Many of these iconic pieces can be passed down to future generations.
Since you'll have this furniture for years, you want to choose timeless styles and colors. Go with neutral colors that you can blend with your decor that will last through any changes you make later on.
3. Consider the Available Space
Don't start buying furniture without measuring the available space you have first. You don't want the room to look crowded or for pieces to be too large.
For instance, in the living room, you want a sofa or sectional that suits the size of the area. Be sure to measure the size of the room as well as the space you plan to set the sofa. Consider spacing between pieces, such as the television, media stand, coffee table, accent chairs, etc.
Create a furniture layout plan. You can use graph paper or an online tool to do so.
When creating your layout plan, be sure to include the placement of doors and windows. You want to make an open and inviting space with room to navigate.
4. Make Small Rooms Look Larger
Small, dark spaces are often the bane of a stylish homeowner. If you have a corner of your house that always seems dark, there are ways you can make it brighter.
One of the best ways is to add a lamp, sconce, pendant, or other light. Layering your lighting at home creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Mix pendants with table lights and floor lamps.
If there isn't an outlet or available space or you can't hardwire anything, you can bounce natural light around with light colors and mirrors. Painting the walls a lighter color or using light-colored furniture creates the illusion of more space. You'll also want to choose pieces that leave a little room around the sides of your furniture and the walls.
Hanging mirrors in the room allow you to bounce light around and make the area brighter. To maximize the effect, place them opposite windows to bounce natural light. You can also buy mirrored accent furniture to achieve the same effect.
5. Function Over Form
You may have heard the phrase "function over form" in the design world. In short, it means prioritizing the function of the room or a piece of furniture rather than only prioritizing looks.
For example, you might love the look of an oversized sofa, but if your goal for the living room is to entertain multiple guests, it's better to choose a couch that allows enough room for additional seating, such as accent chairs or a loveseat. That way, it's easier for everyone to gather and converse.
That isn't to say that furniture shouldn't be beautiful. The benefit of buying designer furniture is that these iconic pieces are both stylish and functional.
You can also opt for multi-purpose furniture, which is both convenient and chic. Add a blanket chest that doubles as a bench, or place a sofa that transforms into a bed in the spare room.
Designer Furniture You'll Love
When you purchase designer furniture, you know you're investing in beautiful, high-quality pieces that will last for years. Use these tips when shopping to ensure you find the best pieces for your home and seamlessly incorporate them into your design.
Here at Meadow Blu, we have a wide collection of furniture for every room in the house. Find quality pieces from Four Hands, Villa & House, Gabby, Noir, and much more.