Furniture isn’t just functional; it says a lot about your style and preferences. When it comes to furnishing your home, you’ll want pieces that are comfortable and match your home decor. Since there are so many options to choose from, we’ll help narrow your options according to style, quality, and comfort. Whether you’re replacing a worn-out couch or furnishing an entire house, we’ll tell you how to choose and arrange furniture, which styles are popular, and when to shop for coveted pieces.
What Are Some Popular Furniture Styles?
When you walk into a furniture store, you’ll see many different styles and designs. You can narrow your options by thinking about your home decor and personal taste. Do you like sleek designs and geometric shapes, or do you prefer rich fabrics and floral motifs? Here’s a quick breakdown of the more popular furniture styles so you know what you’re looking for.
Traditional and Farmhouse Styles
Think of traditional furniture as a version of classic European decor. It often includes dark wood, plush upholstery, and muted colors. Traditional furniture has curved lines, floral patterns, and details, such as bun feet and intricate carvings. Silk, velvet, and leather are common fabric options in traditional pieces.
Farmhouse or cottage style has a rustic, homespun feel. You’ll find sturdy construction, natural fibers, and creamy colors. Reclaimed wood and distressed finishes are popular, and you’ll probably find woods such as pine, oak, and cherry.
Modern and Contemporary Designs
Simple lines and geometric shapes are a hallmark of modern furniture. This style often uses a mix of materials, such as metal, glass, plastic, and leather or vinyl. You probably won’t find many ornamental flourishes but instead more neutral colors and glossy finishes. Mid-century modern recalls a style popular from the 1930s to 1960s and has become popular once again.
Designers developed contemporary furniture in the latter half of the 20th century. This style includes soft, rounded lines and smooth surfaces. Light woods, glass, and metal are common, and the style favors neutral colors accented with bold hues. This style is all about comfort, giving off a casual vibe.
Transitional and Industrial Aesthetics
If you like certain features of traditional and contemporary designs, you might prefer a transitional style. It focuses on simple, sophisticated silhouettes and includes both curved and straight lines. The colors are soothing and warm, with soft fabrics and textures.
Industrial style reflects the look of factories and warehouses with distressed wood and metal pieces. You might find authentic reclaimed items or reproductions that designers used to mimic the industrial aesthetic. Raw materials and exposed structural elements give this style its rugged, utilitarian look.
Mastering Size, Proportion, and Arrangement of Furniture
Whether you’re leaning toward a traditional style or industrial design, your furniture has to fit in your space. The right size and arrangement can make a room feel balanced and inviting, but if you have disproportionate furniture, the flow will be off with too much or too little space.
Below, we’ll go over a few tips to find the right size, proportion, and arrangement.
Creating a Floor Plan
Before heading out to the store, measure your room and create a scale drawing of the floor plan. Make sure you know the square footage, shape of the space, ceiling height, and the location of windows, doors, and other features. All of your notes will guide you as you choose and arrange your furniture.
We recommend you use graph paper and make several copies of your floor plan. From there, draw different furniture arrangements so that you can visualize how pieces might fit. For example, in a living room, a sofa usually goes along the wall with chairs on either side and a coffee table in front. You can include your media center or fireplace opposite the sofa.
Balancing Furniture in Your Space
Arrange furniture according to the room’s horizon line so that pieces and people using them can relate to each other. For instance, you’d want to avoid putting a tall cabinet next to a low love seat. If you’re working with a larger space, set up furniture in small groupings instead of trying to spread out pieces throughout.
If you have lower ceilings, pick out low-profile pieces, but if you have high ceilings, add taller furniture, such as a four-poster bed. You’ll also want to create symmetry between your furniture pieces, so if you place a love seat on one side of a room, opt for something lower, such as a short cabinet, on the opposite side of the space for balance.
Allowing for Traffic Flow
Allow enough “white space” in the room so that people can move comfortably around the furniture. You don’t want anyone tripping over your ottoman or bumping into a cabinet as they walk through the space. For example, in your dining room, the table needs to be at least 36 inches from the walls so that you can pull out your chairs without bumping into anything, and choose chairs that allow 9–13 inches between the seat and the table surface.
Remember a room’s true purpose too. For example, if you want your child’s room to be a spot where they can study, you’ll want the desk and bookcase to be well-sized and functional.
Evaluating Furniture Quality
Not all furniture is created equally. Some pieces are poor quality, while others will last a lifetime. But how do you know what’s good and what’s not? We have a few tips to share with you, depending on the furniture type.
Assessing Upholstered Pieces
Do the following for sofas, chairs, and other upholstered items:
- Bounce a bit. If the springs compress so much you can feel the frame, skip it.
- Check out corners from underneath—they should be reinforced with glued-in, screwed-in blocks.
- Choose tightly woven fabric with a high thread count for longevity.
- Confirm that the fabric fits snugly around the frame and padding.
- Examine upholstery for equal placement of padding throughout—there shouldn’t be any lumps or hard spots.
- Lift the piece off the floor by a corner. It should feel solid and not creak, sag, or sway.
- Look for straight seams, neat piping, secure buttons, and tight, uniform stitching.
- Make sure that foam cushions are solid because shredded foam is likely to lose shape.
- Sit down, grip the arms, and wiggle. Check that the arms and legs feel sturdy.
- Unzip cushions to ensure that there’s a fabric liner or ticking to keep materials in place.
Examining Case Goods
For tables, dressers, bookcases, and other wood furniture, do the following:
- Check the inside of drawers for quality joinery (dovetail joints are ideal) and smooth surfaces. Press against the bottom to test for strength and investigate the interior to make sure nothing will catch on clothing.
- Look for legs made from solid wood for strength and stability.
- Make sure knobs, pulls, and other hardware are firmly attached from the inside.
- Open and close doors and drawers to check that there’s smooth, silent operation and complete closure.
- Test stability by gently pushing against the piece—it shouldn’t rock or wobble.
Choosing the Right Furniture for Each Room
In this section, we’ll explain the different furniture types that belong in each room. Use this information for inspiration or a list to check off all the pieces typically required according to the space.
Living Room Essentials
The living room is often the heart of the home, where family and friends gather. If you entertain often, choose a lot of seating, be strategic with smaller rooms, and find multifunctional furniture, such as a storage ottoman. Here’s some of the furniture you’ll want to include in your living room:
- Accent chairs for additional seating
- Coffee table or ottoman
- Comfortable sofa or sectional
- Media center or TV stand
- Side tables for lamps and drinks
Bedroom Basics
Your bedroom should be a restful retreat. Find a bed that gives you enough space to move around, and add nightstands that are proportional to your bed. A few pieces include the following:
- Bed frame and mattress
- Closet system or wardrobe
- Comfortable chair or bench
- Dresser or chest of drawers
- Nightstands
Dining Room Must-Haves
Whether you have a formal dining room or an eat-in kitchen, find furniture such as the following:
- Buffet or sideboard for storage
- China cabinet or hutch (for formal dining rooms)
- Dining table
- Dining chairs
If you host large gatherings, you might want to find an extendable table for flexibility.
Tips for Furniture Shopping
Once you’ve made your furniture list and are ready to start shopping, you can save time and money by following the tips below.
When To Buy for the Best Deals
If you want the latest styles in furniture, shop in spring and fall when new collections debut. If you hope to save money, wait until holiday sales during Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.
In-Store vs. Online Shopping
By visiting a brick-and-mortar furniture store, you can see, feel, examine, and perform all the quality tests recommended earlier. Take along a tape measure and your floor plan to measure not only the length but the width and depth of pieces that interest you.
You’ll have more options when you shop online, and you can do it from the comfort of your own home. Browse at any time and compare offerings from multiple retailers, but it’s harder to judge comfort and true colors online. If you can, consider a hybrid approach by visiting showrooms to test pieces and make your final decision online, where you might find better deals.
Understanding Return Policies
Before buying anything, review the retailer’s return and refund policy, especially if you’re purchasing something online when you can’t see the item in person before buying. By reviewing these policies prior to purchasing an item, you’ll know what to do if the furniture isn’t what you need or want. Check for the following:
- Any restocking fees
- Conditions for returns, such as the item must be in original packaging
- Return windows, which means how long you have to return an item
- Who pays for return shipping
DIY Furniture Projects and Assembly
If you’re handy, do-it-yourself (DIY) furniture can be a fun project to customize your space. Whether you’re assembling flat-pack furniture or building pieces from scratch, below are some tips for success.
Tools and Materials You’ll Need
These are the basic tools you need for furniture assembly and simple DIY projects:
- Allen wrenches (often provided with flat-pack furniture)
- Hammer
- Level
- Measuring tape
- Power drill (for more complex projects)
- Screwdrivers (flathead and Phillips head)
Remember that for DIY builds, you’ll also need items such as wood, screws, nails, wood glue, and finishes. Check the manufacturer’s instructions or your project plans before starting.
Step-by-Step Assembly Guide
When assembling furniture, make sure you do the following:
- Clear a space in the room where you’ll use the furniture.
- Double-check your work after each step.
- Follow the steps in order without skipping any.
- Group similar items together and keep track of small parts.
- Read the instructions thoroughly before starting.
- Unpack carefully, checking for all parts and hardware.
Take your time, and if you run into a problem, check online for advice. Many manufacturers provide videos or customer support to help.
Popular DIY Furniture Ideas
If you want to take the DIY approach but don’t know where to start, below are a few ideas to get you started.
Basement Bar
If you’re big on entertaining, you can build a basement bar to add entertainment space. You can include features such as a wine rack, barstools, and adequate lighting.
Salvaged Material Projects
Add character to your furniture by reusing salvaged items, such as old doors or windows. For instance, turning an old cabinet door into a unique coffee table can offer both style and functionality.
Storage Chests
You can use a classic storage chest for both seating and storage. Find a design with upholstered seating so it’s more comfortable, and consider adding dividers and shelves to customize it.
Wall-Mounted TV Cabinets
A wall-mounted TV cabinet saves floor space and matches sleek and modern decor. Use high-quality hinges and sturdy materials for durability.
Our Conclusion
Choosing and arranging furniture is fun but can be challenging. We recommend you take time picking out high-quality pieces that match your style and home decor. Look for deals or shop on holidays if you’re on a budget, and consider DIY furniture if you’re handy and looking for a project.