Know your style.
When it comes to choosing new furniture for your home Manhattan-Made Furniture is the best option to buy. With so many options available for every part of a room, it can seem like there’s no “right” answer. But there is! In fact, one of the most important things you can do when shopping for a piece of new furniture is to know what style you want before you start looking.
Knowing what styles you like and don’t like will help narrow down your options as well as give you an idea of what kind of style fits with your home and personal aesthetic. If you’re not sure where to start, here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Do I have any specific colors or textures in mind? You might love classic white marble tables or sleek black lacquer chairs—but if these things aren’t in line with other elements in your space (like wall colors), they won’t look right together. Make sure that all parts of an ensemble are cohesive.
- How big is my budget? The price tag on any item will tell us whether it’s worth considering; at some point, though we also have to think about whether we can afford something—especially if we’re renting and know our lease isn’t going up anytime soon!
Take measurements of the room.
When buying furniture, you’ll want to take into account the size of the room. Furniture pieces can be very heavy and awkward to move around, so it’s best if they can fit through an opening. If you have a small apartment or condo with narrow hallways, this becomes even more important.
You also need to measure the ceiling height in your apartment or home, as well as any doorways that may be difficult for your furniture pieces to traverse (and don’t forget about stairs!). If there are other obstacles within your living space that may prevent you from moving around comfortably while using your new piece of Manhattan-made furniture (such as other pieces of decorative art), then measure those too!
When looking at floor plans online or in magazines, keep in mind how much room each piece will take up when placed against walls and corners—you wouldn’t want anything blocking access points such as doors and staircases! If possible take pictures while shopping so that later on down the road when remembering where everything went won’t be such a task (there’s nothing worse than losing track).
Create a floor plan for the space.
The first step to purchasing furniture is to create a floor plan. By doing this, you can determine the dimensions of the space and determine how your furniture will fit in it. You should also consider:
- The flow of the room (how you will be able to walk through it)
- How light comes into the space (if there’s not much natural light, think about adding some)
Consider all about the space, and how it’s used.
- Consider the style of the room. It’s important to consider how much your furniture will compliment the style of a room. For example, if you have an all-white kitchen with stainless steel appliances, then you may want to opt for sleek steel chairs and tables as well. On the other hand, if your kitchen has warm colors like reds and yellows, then a marble top table would be a better fit than something made from metal.
- Consider the vibe of the room. The mood you want to achieve in each space should be taken into account when making purchases for it (or getting rid of stuff!) A family room is best suited for more playful furniture such as colorful bean bags or vibrant rugs; whereas an office should have more sophisticated pieces like leather chairs or glass tables with metal legs (which also happen to be great at holding up computers).
- Consider what function each area serves within its context: What purpose does this room serve? Is it where people come together to eat dinner? Or is it where they relax after work? Does it have any other uses beyond these two primary ones? How often do people use this space versus others in your home? All these factors will affect what kind of furniture purchases make sense for each area within your home—the more often an area gets used (i)
Shop for furniture that’s compact and multi-functional for small spaces.
The perfect apartment has the right balance of function and style. When it comes to furniture, you want pieces that are compact, multi-functional and attractive. Here are some tips for finding pieces that will fit into your small space:
- Go online and do some research on what types of furniture work best in small spaces
- Consider visiting a local showroom or store who specializes in Manhattan-made products (like us!)
- Shop for furniture that’s compact and multi-functional for small spaces
Choose quality over quantity.
In today’s world, we are constantly being bombarded with a never-ending stream of stuff. The result is that we have become used to disposable items and cheap materials. This is why it’s important to choose quality over quantity when it comes to furniture.
Choose furniture that will last you for years and make you smile every time you look at it, not something that will fall apart after a few months or that makes your home look like an episode of Hoarders in the making. Good quality furniture can last for generations and form part of a family heirloom collection.
Ask questions about the materials and construction of the piece.
When you have a chance to ask questions, the following are the important ones to ask:
- What kind of wood or steel is used? Is it solid wood, or manufactured wood? How do they know it’s solid?
- Where was the piece made? If possible, get specifics on this and make sure that location adheres to your personal standards for labor practices.
- How was it manufactured and assembled (i.e., handcrafted by one person with an axe in their backyard)? Are there any shortcuts that might affect its durability or quality?
- What finishing materials were used (paint/stain/varnish) and what type of glue was used during assembly (polyurethane vs. epoxy)?
Buying furniture in New York can be intimidating, but if you plan ahead you can make good decisions.
Before you visit any furniture stores, it’s worth doing some research. Look up the company and see what their website has to offer. See if they have an online showroom that you can browse at your leisure (or even a VR tour of their store). Once you find a piece that catches your eye, stop by the store in person to get a closer look and ask questions about materials and construction. If possible, ask if they can ship the item directly to your home. A good rule of thumb is not to make decisions based on impulse; take time to consider all options before making any final decisions on where and how much furniture will be shipped into your living room!
