You spend a considerable amount of time in your home, and a considerable amount of money on your furnishings, too. With so many furniture options out there, we thought we'd give you a few tips for purchasing furniture online.
What To Look For When Buying Furniture Online
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Buying furniture online may seem like a strange proposition, considering you really can't touch or feel the (typically) big-ticket merchandise, but there was a time when we not only purchased furniture from catalogs, but entire homes as well! From 1908 to 1940, folks could purchase a brand new home from Sears and Roebuck, with 400 different floor plans to choose from. Homes were delivered by freight car, disassembled. The average house had some 30,000 pieces, and were installed using easy-to-follow blueprints. Pieces and parts were number keyed to the blueprint for easy assembly (hellooooo, IKEA!). Every part of the home came from that kit, with the exception of the lot, foundation, plumbing, electricity and heating. Many Sears Roebuck bungalows still stand today, with home values anywhere from $300,000 to over $1M!
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When it comes to furniture shopping online, it is advisable to find a retailer that has a good reputation and excellent reviews. You should also consider terms and conditions provided by the retailer before making any purchase decisions. When you purchase furniture online, you will discover that some sellers have a friendly return policy and others, not so much. Additionally, consider any shipping and handling fees when making your decision--they can increase the purchase price substantially.
When you choose to buy furniture online, it is important to remember that textures and colors may look different in person than what appears on your computer screen. If possible, ask the retailer to send you a swatch of fabric and /or a physical color chart before making your purchase. This allows you to feel the fabric and determine whether it is the right color, texture and style you want.
When you choose to buy furniture online, it is important to remember that textures and colors may look different in person than what appears on your computer screen. If possible, ask the retailer to send you a swatch of fabric and /or a physical color chart before making your purchase. This allows you to feel the fabric and determine whether it is the right color, texture and style you want.
Most importantly, before you even begin your online furniture shopping journey, be sure to measure any doorways, hallways and stairways to make sure your furniture can easily be moved into your home, as well as where you will be placing the furniture itself. It would be disastrous if your furniture arrived yet couldn't make it into your home! Right, Ross?
Custom Joinery
If you are planning to have a bit of remodeling work done to your home, it's best to do it before you order your new furniture, and you'll need to find the best joiner for the job. In the US, a joiner is basically a carpenter: It's a professional who constructs the wooden aspects of a building or home, such as stairs, doors, and door and window frames. It can quite often be tempting for individuals to take on carpentry work themselves; and of course if you have that talent, go for it! However, unless you are completely confident that you can complete the construction of whatever it is you are adding to your home, then it is very much recommended that you leave the job to the pros. No matter whether you’re looking for a source for energy efficient windows or some brand new doors, you should never try to cut corners and do it yourself.
No matter who you decide to hire, you must be certain that they are licensed and insured. We cannot stress enough on this website the importance of hiring reputable, licensed and insured professionals. Your best source for finding a great carpenter? Referrals. Ask your friends and family members who they would recommend for the job your looking to accomplish. Additionally, get at least three estimates before making your decision, but keep in mind cheaper is not always better--you get what you pay for!
No matter who you decide to hire, you must be certain that they are licensed and insured. We cannot stress enough on this website the importance of hiring reputable, licensed and insured professionals. Your best source for finding a great carpenter? Referrals. Ask your friends and family members who they would recommend for the job your looking to accomplish. Additionally, get at least three estimates before making your decision, but keep in mind cheaper is not always better--you get what you pay for!
Our Favorite Online Retailers For Furniture Shopping
When the internet was fresh and new, it took some trial and error to find the best sites for furniture, and the pickin's were slim. As the years progressed, however, many brick and mortar stores took to the web to offer their products and services to anyone who hated shopping in retail establishments, couldn't find the store in their area or just wanted the convenience of shopping from home. Over time, we established a short list of retailers that we shop from on the reg, who have great reviews and offer quality products at reasonable prices. IKEA and Amazon notwithstanding, here's our picks for some of the best furniture shopping online:
Have you purchased furniture from an online retailer before? What are some of your favorite sites to shop? Let us know in the comments below.
*this post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy & terms of use.
*this post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy & terms of use.
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