A Guide to Selecting Furniture

Sourcing furniture is one of the most crucial steps to completing a beautifully designed project. Furniture is like the icing on the cake; it brings function and life and sets the tone of a room. But it’s not always as simple as visiting a showroom and picking out our favorites. Here are five things we like to consider when selecting furniture to ensure we get the most out of each piece.

#1 Select a Design Theme

A theme keeps everything feeling cohesive and helps the pieces flow together. Gather inspiration from designs you love, then try to narrow them down to one to three pictures for your room – focusing on the details that make them stand out. What do you find is similar between the images? Do you see any natural patterns emerging? Do they gravitate toward any one design style? Looking at the two pictures below, we find a lot of curves, soft lines, and minimal details in the furniture.

Once you understand the elements you love and the themes that connect your inspiration images, you can incorporate those same elements into your own style.

#2 Functionality

Just as important as implementing a cohesive design is analyzing your needs for the space. What is the purpose of this room? And how can the furniture pieces elevate your intent?

Let’s say you are selecting a chair for your room that will primarily serve as a reading nook. The chair functions as your reading spot, but consider the feeling or atmosphere you want to create. Do you want to furnish your reading room with pop colors to keep your mind lively and open? Or would soft fabrics and a recline in the seat encourage a more relaxed reading experience? Your intention sets the scene for your design.

Another useful consideration is who will be using the room. Particularly in play areas or if you have lounging pets, we recommend selecting furniture pieces that use stainless and high-durability fabrics. While it may be easy to purchase the cheaper knockoff version, you may save yourself money over time by buying high-quality pieces that stand the test of time.

#3 Scale and Proportions

Nothing is worse than bringing your most recent furniture purchase home only to discover it doesn’t fit. Before making any final selections, take the time to review the overall layout of the room and consider how the size of your pieces will work together. Take accurate measurements of the room, and don’t forget about the path your new furniture will have to take when moving into its new home.

#4 Visualize

It can be difficult to see just how that new sofa will look with the carpet, let alone with the rest of the room! Here we recommend eliminating some of the guesswork by creating your own visual groupings. We absolutely love the snipping tool to capture images and combine them so we can get a better picture of the end result. After all, it’s much easier to swap options in and out on a computer than during the final install.

If you’re only adding a couple of pieces to an existing room, try taking a picture of your current space and pairing it with your new selections. Sometimes that’s just the confidence boost you need to go through with your purchase.

Furniture Concept #1: Entry Room

Furniture Concept #2: Living Room

#5 Harmony

You and your designer have studied the function and limitations of the space, sifted through patterns, materials, and colors, made your final selections, and combined it all into a cohesive design. Now it’s time to let your design breathe. We know it can be tempting, but here we recommend resisting the urge to make any snap judgments until you’ve given your selections a moment to settle. Use the room as intended and listen to how you feel inside the space. Is that chair as inviting as you’d hoped? Does the mood match your intention? Each piece brings its own unique qualities, contributing to the overall harmony of the room – only by experiencing them together can we truly appreciate their effect.

If, after a while, you find your selections aren’t what you were hoping for, then perhaps it’s time to pivot. Be sure to review the return and exchange policies on your selections in case there’s room for any last-minute adjustments.

At Parkway East Design, we believe a sofa can be more than a sitting place, a mirror more than a reflection, and a console more than a key rack. Let your furniture compliment and inspire you so you can live your best life!

Need help visualizing your selections? Speak with one of our designers today!