One of the greatest feelings you can have is unlocking the door to your brand new house and walking inside for the first time. There is a real mixture of feelings that hit from excitement to happiness and a sense of accomplishment in owning your own house. Of course, after all the initial feel-good feelings wear off, it won’t be long until reality hits and you realize now you need to get your brand new house set-up.
A brand new house starts off as blank slate that you haven’t yet filled. You have all kinds of options and opportunities to do what you like, but at the same time, that can feel a bit overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you ensure the rooms all flow? How much and what type of furniture will you need? The questions go on and on.
In order to help ease you through things, here are seven tips that will help you furnish your new house without going crazy in the process.
Take Stock of What You’ve Got
Before you go on a furniture spending spree, it’s wise to take stock of what you’ve already got. Take a look at all the pieces you brought with you and ask yourself if there is anything you don’t plan on using. If there is, it’s best to donate, give it away, or sell it as soon as possible.
The next step is to create a floorplan, either on paper or in your mind, of where all the pieces you kept will go. You can then move them into place. Now you will have a visual of what kind of space you’ve got left, and what key pieces you are missing.
Set a Furniture Budget
If you’ve never had to shop for multiple pieces of furniture at once, then there’s a chance you don’t realize just how expensive it can get. Before you know it you’ve spent thousands of dollars, which could be more than you’re willing to shell out. This is why it’s a good idea to set a budget, and then prioritize which rooms you want to spend the most money in. Typically the rooms that have the most furniture should sit high on the priority list. This includes the living room and bedroom.
Look for Quality Not Quantity
Often people get focused on the quantity of furniture they need to buy when in reality the focus should be on quality. Unless you want to be replacing your furniture every couple of years, investing in higher-end pieces is usually the best approach. This may mean that you can’t afford to furnish every room right away, but it will eventually happen.
Measure Twice and Write Everything Down
To avoid any potential issues of furniture that is too small, too big, or the wrong shape for a room, you want to be sure that you take careful measurements of all the space you have that you want to fill. Be sure to measure twice, just to be extra careful, and write everything down so there are no mistakes.
Choose a Style and Color Palette
In order to create flow from room to room experts always suggest you choose a style and color palette that is used throughout the entire house. This doesn’t mean you can only use one color in each room, it just means that you are sticking with one color family. Each room can have accents and pops, as long as it is grounded with that main color palette.
If you’ve ever been in a house that feels jarring as you move from room to room, there’s a good chance this rule wasn’t followed. It can result in a space that doesn’t feel cohesive, feels smaller than it is, and just doesn’t work.
At the same time picking one color palette makes it easier from a design standpoint. It takes all the questions out of the mix, as you know exactly what color furniture you’re looking for.
This brings us to style, which is another thing you will want to choose from the get-go. Figure out what style best represents you and your lifestyle. Again, you want to carry this style throughout the home in order to create flow. For example, you don’t want to invest in a country-style kitchen table set, only to have the living room right next door feature ultra-modern and sleek furniture. It just doesn’t flow or make sense.
If the furniture you already own doesn’t match up with your chosen color palette and style, it’s best to get rid of it and look for something new.
One-Stop Shopping Makes it Simple
Now if you want to make life really easy on yourself, look for a furniture store that specializes in all rooms of the house rather than just a couple. This will allow you to get all your main pieces in one place and can help with matching styles and colors.
This furniture store, Family Furniture of America, is a great example of one-stop shopping. You can find furniture for the dining room, bedroom, living room, kids’ rooms, and even for a home office. Rather than trudge around to a handful of different stores, you can get everything done in one go.
There is No Need to Fill Every Square Inch
Another tip to keep in mind is that there is absolutely no need to fill every square inch of your home with furniture. There is nothing wrong with having a little open space in the house, as it can help things to feel more spacious and less cluttered. You can always leave those open spaces for décor items instead.
A Beautifully Furnished Home
Walking into a brand new home can feel overwhelming from a furnishing and decorating standpoint. Knowing where to start, how to go about it, and how to make things flow can be quite intimidating. These tips can help create a blueprint that you can follow, making the process smooth and simple.
