Questions To Ask Before Investing in a Statement Furniture Piece 

My sister gave me once-years ago-excellent advice.

She related that she had once spent years purchasing what she considered trendy furniture for her home. After discovering that these products were inexpensive, did not hold up well, and ultimately led to a rather unfortunate waste of money.  

Now, at 72 years old, she has beautiful furniture that she has lovingly cared for many, many years. What she has loved the best is not only the quality of the furniture, but also the simple beauty it produced. 

With a change to a tablecloth, some random accessories, and continual care, they have been able to remain “current,” “relevant,” and “functional” for all those years. 

She took her time to save for quality pieces, found a style that was uniquely her own, and was amazing at keeping things looking fresh and up to date. It is easy when you know how!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Carefully check the scale and visual weight of the furniture before purchasing.
• Longevity depends on high-quality materials and construction details.
• Opt for classic, neutral styles that can be refreshed with accessories and decor.

Does This Piece Function In My Daily Life?

With homes turning into a more compact space these days, your special piece needs to fulfil a function as well as offer a beautiful aesthetic to your home. 

You would want it to look, including a substantial woodworking art piece and something people will admire due to the craftsman’s skill and how well it represents your style. It like like a timeless when surrounded by your aesthetic, and enhances the natural beauty that your plant life and other design elements offer the whole room. 

It’s about picking out heirlooms that have a story to tell and radiate quality every day, even if you ARE using them to house your board games and linens. Everything inside becomes critical outside as the piece demands it just by existing.

Things to Think About:

• Lifestyle Assessment: What are you hoping to achieve, a kitchen nook that feels cosy and comfy, a wonderful formal dining area, or an old farmhouse look with modern elements strategically placed?
• What materials will withstand the activities? Is a kitchen table meant to see years of rolling, baking, and kneading dough, or do you want your guests to see the richness of the wood as it reflects their image in the shine?
• Should there be drawers that slide in and out easily, great bright lights for homework sessions, or no drawers at all, and just everything in baskets on display?
• Storage Needs: Do you want open storage or concealed shelving that hides everyone the paraphernalia of the kitchen or the bedroom? What style suits the requirement of your bedroom and the style you want to come across?

Keep in mind that the furniture you are having made suits your purpose now and into the future.

Scale and proportions:

Well, I found this beautiful square high dining table once; it did not come with chairs, but it was gorgeous. Deep glossy finish, dark walnut, and it was about 5 feet square furniture transforms a boring, unattractive space. Here, I loved that table. 

The thing was, it took up the entire dining area on its own. 

There, I had trouble finding chairs that sat at the right height, and you could not take a leaf out to make it tinier when you were not entertaining. With a habit of having laundry to be folded on another, crafts going on one side, and clear a space for us to eat on another. 

My dog at the time was fond of thinking the warm laundry was his bed, so more times than not, you could not see the table-top, had nowhere to sit, and nothing was ever put away.

Even with those issues, I loved that piece of furniture. But I finally had to admit defeat, though, and had to let it go. 

Was it a wise purchase, uh, no, but it provided me joy. Getting rid of it was hard, too, as I was passing the challenges along to others. Someone finally felt the same as I did. I’m sure they loved it til they couldn’t keep it anymore as well. 

So think it through, even though loved, it turned out to be my ‘mistake’ piece:

• Measure the space, see what the footprint of the space is, and if you are purchasing the sales floor, will there be any wiggle room if it’s just a smidge too big?  
• On the other hand, this is the right opportunity to invest in some customer furniture. In case you are wondering something like, “Where can I find good-quality custom furniture near me?” It’s suitable to look online and find a local furniture maker who can advise you on quality, styles, and types of wood for different needs. They also might be doing custom-made furniture.
• Visual Weight: How will a large, heavy wood piece feel in a room? Can you balance heavy-feeling furniture with other pieces that help balance the room? To help you visualize, try the Tape Trick: A practical DIY tip of using painters’ tape on the floor to map out the footprint of each piece and how it looks.

What Material and Construction Details Ensure Longevity?

The materials used in building need to be purpose-built, functional, offer beauty, and longevity.

In case you are looking for investments ready-made, go to the exclusive shops and follow the advice of the smart shoppers, and what they think makes a good investment.

Will the Style be Timeless, Or Is It Too Trendy?

Determining the kind of style you want in your home will be a big decision, as your custom-made furniture will be around for decades and cost a lot of money. 

At this point, you may want to make sure you’re making the right choices and not having to get other, more modern pieces if what you choose is too old-fashioned for your liking.

Defining Style Longevity: 

• The Neutral Foundation Trick: How a classic, well-made piece in a neutral style (like a Shaker table or a simple platform bed) can be incorporated with decor as trends change. 
• The “Heirloom” Test: Ask yourself, “Could I see this piece in my home 20 years from now?”
• Do you want to have statement pieces that reflect American history? (like Amish-style furniture that’s been around for centuries)

Conclusion

An investment in selecting furniture is like art that you appreciate all your life. It will take money, time, and careful choices. 

You wish to invest in furniture that will bring you and generations to come joy, and perhaps something worth something. 

You do not want to fill a space to set your TV on; you want quality places for memories to sit and reminders of the amazing life you have had. The story of how you attained a piece, or why you chose that piece, will live on and bring meaning to that awesome old desk you had made for your husband that was centered around the secretary your grandfather used. 

These are things that are representative of irreplaceable parts of a well-lived life.

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