Imagine your perfect outfit. You know, the one that makes you feel like a million bucks. You start with your favourite black dress as the foundation, pair it with dazzling jewelry and makeup, and of course, slip on a stunning pair of heels. The result? It feels complete and put-together, and you radiate confidence.
Just like your jewelry, makeup, and shoes are the accessories your LBD needed to go from casual to chic, your furnishings do the same for your home. Your foundation is a beautiful house, and once the walls and fixed features are in place, you’re ready to adorn it with items that make it feel like home.
Of course, planning to furnish an entire home is a bit more involved than selecting the accouterments to an outfit. You want every detail to be just right, but when it comes to a whole home, there are simply so many.
Our New Home Furnishings Investment Guide
To help you plan your home, from the family sofa down to the final lamp, we recently put together a Home Furnishings Investment Guide. It gives you a look at the typical items homeowners include in each room, along with “standard luxury” and “haute couture” investment ranges for procuring them.
You can download our Home Furnishings Investment Guide here, but before you dive in, come
take a look at the 3 BIGGEST things to know first…
1. It’s Important to Plan for Furnishings Early
The best time to think about furnishing your new home is when you are talking to your interior designer and architect about the floor plan of the home, maybe even before you get to this point. The way you want to use your home impacts the way furniture will be laid out in the space. That furniture layout will then determine where outlets are needed, or electrical wiring for overhead lighting, and more. In other words, your furniture plan can influence the whole structure of the house!
But that’s just one reason. It’s also important to start early so that your overall investment includes furnishings. Can you imagine moving into a brand new home with dated belongings you don’t love anymore? And that doesn’t match your home’s style? That doesn’t feel great after you worked so hard to build a new home.
Note: That’s not to say that you need all new items, but strategically planning what will stay and what will be purchased new is going to lead you to the home of your dreams…and make sure there’s room in the budget for it.
The final reason to start thinking about furnishings early is because you (or your interior designer) will want to start ordering and procuring them as construction gets underway. Lead times can be long, especially for custom items, and planning ahead helps with having a home that you can move into and enjoy when construction concludes.
2. It’s Smart to Focus on Your Investment Pieces
Good design is an investment that pays off, but where is it smart to splurge, and where can you save? My number one suggestion is always to invest well in your high-traffic and most frequently used pieces. Spending more on a piece of furniture that gets daily use may seem counterintuitive. However, it’s better to splurge on a high-quality item that will stand the test of time rather than have to replace it every few years. You’re saving in the long run. Plus, your investment will be the resting place for your most memorable events, like family movie nights, hosting friends, or even gathering for holidays. Well worth it!
The best place to save? Although I generally don’t love to focus on trends, there is typically a piece here and there that falls in the ‘trend’ category. It’s best to save on these items because you don’t want to spend a ton of money and then end up updating them in a few years when they’re no longer in style.
Note: As an interior designer, I have a well-developed design process that works to assist you in strategically selecting the best elements for your situation. You may be wondering, “but do I really need an interior designer”? If you want to make sure you’re maximizing your investment while focusing on quality, then the answer is absolutely. It’s literally our job!
Again, you can use our savvy Furnishings Investment Guide to start planning wisely.
3. It’s Essential that You Don’t Skip the Accessories!
Did you notice how I didn’t suggest saving on accessories? Unfortunately, when clients decide to skip accessories to save money, they are left with a room that feels incomplete. I can’t tell you how disappointed they feel to have dedicated the time, effort, and investment to their home, only to end up with a space that feels empty and unfinished.
“Wait, Maria. Do accessories really make a difference in the overall look and feel of a room?” Come see for yourself…
In the Refined Family Home in Burnaby, accessories are the difference between a desk-and-chair and an inviting home office space. Who wouldn’t prefer the second one??
In that same home’s bathroom, the accessories are the finishing touches that add a comfortable, personal, and collected feeling to an otherwise empty space. In other words, the finishing touches that make the house feel like home.
How to Create Your Home Furnishings Investment
We want you to have the necessary tools to develop an accurate estimate for your fully furnished home. That’s why we’ve created a comprehensive guide to help you calculate your home furnishings investment, room by room. Our Home Furnishings Investment Guide includes:
- “Luxury” and “Haute Couture” price tiers for furnishings, by type, by room
- The ability to mix and match tiers to build the right budget for you
- A look at typical interior design investments for furnishing projects
Of course, these numbers do not replace a real quote from a professional and/or their suppliers. However, it is a great way to start thinking about some general numbers so you can plan ahead strategically.
Looking for more guidance? I’d love to chat about how we can support your goals. Book a discovery call with me here, and let’s see if we’re the right fit for your project.
Xoxo,
Maria