ask the designer
Consider room size, quality of pieces
when choosing furniture
Question: How do I avoid costly mistakes when purchasing furniture?
Answer: First, always measure the room or area where the furniture will
be placed. This allows you to avoid multiple visits to furniture stores
when looking for a specifically sized item. When you go armed with
your floor plans, the salesperson can only sell you items which will
address your needs. Your floor plans will show the proposed furniture
placement. Furniture placement should always take into consideration
the presence of radiators or air conditioning ducts, windows, door
swings, and all door and window casings (trim work).
Besides measuring the space, you also need to measure the existing
furniture that you plan to keep. Because buying new furniture may shift
the placement of your current pieces, you need to plan to accommo-
date the new, as well as the old, furniture. You must always note the
size of doorways and access areas such as hallways and elevators.
Imagine how disappointing it could be to purchase furniture that will fit
in the room, but you can’t get it into the building.
Define your style, or the aesthetic direction of the room. Once you
have determined if you are looking for contemporary, country, mid-cen-
tury, modern, etc., you’ll be able to shop for classic, well-constructed
pieces that complements the existing architecture and décor of your
home. Try not to stray too much from your home’s style unless you are
very comfortable with this eclectic look.
Purchase the best quality furniture your budget will allow—even if it
means sacrificing quantity. Buy one good quality piece at a time.
Consider the amount of wear and tear a piece of furniture may have to
endure. Good quality furniture is constructed of hard woods, such as
oak, mahogany and teak; not pine or ash.
— Alicia Truesdale-Spencer, allied member, ASID
The writer is the owner of Razzbere Interiors in Glen Ridge. Her expertise is in residential, hospitality
and custom window treatmen