How to accumulate furniture you love
It’s an idea that runs counter to our “have it now” culture. And, it’s something you may not have thought of before. Nevertheless, coming up with a furniture plan may be just the thing to get your home planning on track.
Here’s the plan:
- Decide what you want
- Commit to a plan
- Purchase at least one major item of quality a year
What are the reasons for doing this, and how can it benefit you?
You Can Include Broadway Furniture In Your Long Term Furniture Buying Plan
Filling Up Space vs. Planning
First, we’ve been told that things should be “perfect” from the moment we move in. As a result, we may purchase the first thing we see that we can afford, just to fill a space. But if we continue on that road, in 20 years we’ll most likely end up with a mish-mash of furniture and accessories that no longer work, with cheaply made items that must be discarded, and some trendy items that don’t seem to fit anywhere anymore.
How to avoid this? As with many things, planning and goals will go a long way toward accumulating furnishings of value. Unless you have money to burn, planning will help focus your decisions and provide goals for all of your home purchases (I like to call them “adoptions” since you are in essence bringing something into your home that you’ll need to provide space for, clean, repair, and dust for its lifetime with you.)
Here are some suggestions to get you started on your own 20 Year Plan.
Consider Both Function and Style
Decide what you want
Think about what you really do at home, how you’d like to use your spaces, and what furniture you need. For example, if you enjoy reading you’ll want book storage and some comfy sitting areas. If you play music, you’ll need a music area. People who work at home need an adequate work space and useful furniture. If you sew you’ll want sewing storage and counter space. Cooks will need wonderful appliances and cookware. Whatever your particular likes and needs, think them through and be clear about the furniture, appliances, and accessories that would make your space more useful, more convenient, and more beautiful. This is your “wish list”. Commit to a plan
Now, once you have this focus, prepare a plan. Very few of us can afford to purchase an entire houseful, or even a roomful of furniture at one time. So, you’ll need to prioritize. Let’s say your dining room is your first priority. You have a table from a “put-together” furniture store and now it just seems too small and looks too much like someone’s first apartment.
Part 2: How to accumulate furniture you love
Sit down and brainstorm some solutions. Try to imagine what you’d LOVE to see in this space. What’s your style? Is it an old pine farm table or a new mahogany Queen Anne? Is it round and cozy or rectangular and traditional? Is it a place where the kids can do homework, or is it something to use only on formal occasions?
Zero in on the look you want, on the style of furniture you love, as well as what will be practical (that is, a huge 12 foot dining room table is never going to fit in your 11×11 dining room).
Buy What You Love
Now, look ahead about 20 years. Pretend you’ve had your first choice of dining room tables for all of those years. How did it work? If you went with a formal look, was it your favorite part of the holiday to set the table and sit down for an elegant meal, or did the table gather dust most of the year between major holidays? Or if you decided on a casual style pine table, did your family and friends spend happy hours around it, and does it sport a few memorable dents from homework and craft projects, or was it just too casual? Visualize moving to a smaller home after the kids have grown up. Is that table something you’ll want to take with you?
Refuse to ‘Settle’
Ok, here’s the hard part. Once you’ve decided what you want, what may still be something you’ll love in 20 years, then it’s a matter of commitment. First, NOT to buy something for the wrong reasons (“because it’s on sale”, “my cousin will give us his old table free”, “I guess this square one is Ok, even though I wanted a round table”). Resist the urge to settle for something that’s not quite right. You’re going for the “real thing”.
Buy One Piece a Year
Purchase at least one item a year — Next, commit a portion of your annual budget to at least one yearly purchase of furniture. Learn to wait until you find just the perfect piece. It may take a week, or a month, or even a year to find it. It may take longer than that, but when it’s true love, you just know. And you’ll be glad you waited. Can you buy more than one piece a year? If your budget allows, go right ahead. It’s the idea of finding pieces that are truly “you” rather than any specific time frame of purchases.
Conclusion
- Here’s the important thing to remember:
If each year you bought at least one quality item of furniture, one painting, or one fabulous accessory — things you truly love — you’ll be building up a wonderful collection of pieces you adore.
What could be nicer than that for a beautiful home?
Broadway Furniture
228 NE Broadway
Portland Oregon 97232
503 — 281 — 5555
“Your Doorway To Values”
We Are Locally Owned and Family Run For Over 70 Years!
Our store carries over 50,000 square feet of furniture and accessories on 5 floors.
If you don’t see it on our showroom floor, we can order it for you
source:http://interiordec.about.com/cs/furnituregeneral/a/20yearplan_2.htm
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