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Some of the houses we're looking at are older (circa 1940s) so shopping at Ikea might not work, as their styles are definitely more modern.
You'd be surprised. I've got a mix of Goodwill-procured furniture from the 30s and 50s, new IKEA stuff, and other modern furniture in a 1920s Colonial. It looks great. (if I may say so myself ... LOL ... )
Buy what you like and what works for you. Don't worry about mixing styles.
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Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81
You'd be surprised. I've got a mix of Goodwill-procured furniture from the 30s and 50s, new IKEA stuff, and other modern furniture in a 1920s Colonial. It looks great. (if I may say so myself ... LOL ... )
Buy what you like and what works for you. Don't worry about mixing styles.
I'd like to add to that. Beware of the "Pottery Barn-ization" of America. Just because all the TV shows look like a catalog showroom, doesn't mean you should fall for it. It is so soul-less.
Your home should be a mixture of stuff you love and which reflects your personality and life experiences.
I'd like to add to that. Beware of the "Pottery Barn-ization" of America. Just because all the TV shows look like a catalog showroom, doesn't mean you should fall for it. It is so soul-less.
Your home should be a mixture of stuff you love and which reflects your personality and life experiences.
Excellent point. It really is a personal decision and one that you must make for yourself - current lifestyle and future. Flip through mags and see what really appeals to you, and only pick stuff you absolutely love. Then go back and see what your "picks" tell you to do. Eclectic, traditonal, contemporary. It's all about personal choice. good luck and have fun with it.
You know another thing to look at is antique furniture. You can find anything from craftsman, to colonial to victorian, etc. Sometimes you can find a beautiful piece that's less expensive than buying a new piece of furniture. As long as you keep it well maintained, it should hold it's value.
Not sure how much you know about different furniture styles...... Understanding styles will help you to build off of your collection so when you're out purchasing different items you will be able to identify pieces that work well together. It's not that everything has to be matchy poo, you might find that you like a more eclectic look; but you mentioned that you have mismatched pieces all ready and that you're trying to get away from that kind of look. Hopefully by looking at different styles together you'll both be able to agree on one that fits both your home and your lifestyle.
Try this sight from HGTV. It lists all the different styles and shows a picture. Maybe from there you can narrow down your search by googling the names of the styles you like to see what you can find.
You can buy bits and pieces here and there. Depends what your style is. My son is going to start furnishing his home with my help little by little. He is leaning towards modern/art deco. Since we live in Floirda it is a popular style here so there are plenty of places to shop for it. For pics on the wall Target has a nice selection of some art deco prints. As far as furniture, my son is leaning towards a red leather modern couch and loveseat with chrome legs. Maybe some zebra prints for the walls. You can mix and match whatever style you like. It is best to pick your color choices then purchase a couch and loveseat and a nice picture and work around those. I always like to add a huge mirror on the livingroom wall somewhere with maybe some candle sconces. Home Goods is a great place to shop for accessories as well as TJ Max. Ikea also has some nice stuff. I have gotten some nice duvet covers from there and long sheer curtains. I buy all my candles there too.They have lots of good buys there. I also bought some prints for my sister there....zebra ones!
Ethan Allen is middle of the road when it comes to quality. it's one of the better mass produced lines out there, but it's relatively inexpensive and great in terms of value.
I really like Ethan Allen and Thomasville, but you ahve to very careful about the items you get from them. You don't want the lower end stuff. You want their higher end stuff.
Wow never thought of Ethan that way but I have never been in there...what would you say about the quality of Bassett...need some advice there.
Back to the OP....what I did when I bought my house last year was bought the essentials then waited to do most of the rest....I find that when you live in a house first you then decide what you want rather than filling up early on. Then you really decorate your home for the way you live. e.g. I have a sitting room in my master and I thought I wanted to make it an office. Then after 6 months I realized that I never worked upstairs, when I went to my bedroom it was either to bed or relax in the daytime therefore I bought a chaise and made it a relaxing corner. As to the modernization and cookie cutter look...I get advice from HGTV and then put it all together, some Bassett, some Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn, some Target, some Bed Bath and Beyond. Once I zone in on what I want in a certain area then as I spend time on the weekends in various stores then I see it and I know. e.g. I wanted a chair for my bedroom and I knew exactly what I wanted and many months later I walked into Bassett and there it was, a floor model originallly 1300 but got it for 500....now floor models I have never thought I would buy but I wanted that chair.
Ethan Allen furniture is really nice. Yes it is expensive but will last a lifetime if cared for. I would stay away from IKEA. Although it is nice for right out of college or renters, most of it is not something that will last although there are exceptions. IKEA is mostly modern. Ethan Allen has traditional but some modern pieces too. I have an Ethan Allen dining room table I bought about 25 yrs ago and it still in use and in perfect condition.
ok, I am gonna wade in here......I am an interior designer, and have worked as an in-store designer for quite a few folks, so please let my knowledge bear out here.
Ethan Allen- good upholstery, upper middle market case goods, same for Thomasville
Best bang for the buck would be Bassett, same quality as the aforementioned, but much better prices
Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel are in the same boat as Broyhill, dont think much of any of them.
Buy the best you can afford, and educate yourself on furniture construction techniques. Buy your anchor pieces first, and then fill in with the smaller pieces.
No one ever furnishes a home all at once, so have fun, and happy shopping!
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