Tips for Furnishing a New Home
Congratulations! If you’re reading this, you probably recently purchased or moved into a new house! This is such an exciting time, but you might be a little intimidated thinking of all the furniture you’ll need to fill up your new space. Not to worry, we’ve got all the tips you need to make this a fun and stress-free process. Keep reading to check out our advice!
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Step 1: Take Stock and Purge
The first step to furnishing your new home is taking inventory of what furniture you currently have. Decide which pieces will be coming into the new space and which need to be replaced. It might even help to write out the pieces you have for each room, so you can easily see where you’ll need additional furniture.
At this stage it’s also a good idea to take measurements of your current furniture and your new home to make sure everything will fit. Once you’ve decided what’s coming with you, donate, sell or recycle the excess furniture. You don’t want to have to move heavy furniture that you won’t be keeping!
Step 2: Prioritize
Next, it’s time to prioritize which rooms you’ll need furniture pieces for the most. Maybe you’re okay with shopping around for a dining table, but you know you’ll need a couch immediately. Or you want to take some time furnishing your home office, but you need your bedroom to be finished right away. Having a list of priorities in your head will keep the process from feeling too overwhelming.
If you know there is some furniture you want to have right away, you can get a head start on browsing for those pieces. If you find something you absolutely love, you can always request a later delivery date to have the furniture delivered right to your new home when it’s time to move in. That way you can let our white-glove delivery crew do the heavy lifting for you!
Step 3: Mood Board Exploration
So you’ve got your list of prioritized rooms and furniture you need, but maybe you’re struggling with finding the right style for your new house. Using a tool like Pinterest to browse inspiration photos and save your favorites can be a great way to gather inspiration. Check out our own Pinterest to see our inspiration boards filled with ideas for every room of the house!
Once you’ve gathered some images from Pinterest or even magazines, ask yourself what it is that’s drawing you to that image. Is it the wall color you love or the shape of the sofa? Is it the texture of a fabric or the layout of the room? Identifying those small details that appeal to you will be helpful later when you’re out shopping and looking at dozens of varieties of the same piece.
Step 4: Shop
Now it’s time for the fun part (well, maybe we’re a little biased), furniture shopping! With R&F you can visit your local showroom or shop our huge selection online to find the pieces you need to complete your home. We’re your one-stop shop with our collection of furniture for living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms and more along with accessories like rugs, home decor and even lamps and lighting fixtures.
Both in store and online you’ll have access to our knowledgeable Home Furnishing Consultants to answer any questions you have or give design advice if you need it. If you feel like you need personalized help, you can even schedule an appointment for a free consultation to go over your design ideas and help you turn your inspiration into reality.
Step 5: Live With It
Once your new furniture is delivered, you might be tempted to finish a room right away just to call it done. But we recommend being patient and taking time to live with your new furniture. Finally seeing the furniture in your new home might give you unexpected inspiration or make you decide to change design plans you had.
Play around with the arrangement of the furniture, see how the fabric looks in different types of light, even test out home decor you already own with your new pieces. This should help you get an idea of what you will need to finish the room, without rushing and buying accents you’re not entirely happy with. You might even discover inspiration in an unlikely place if you give yourself some time to find it!
Step 6: Time to Accessorize
Accessories are how you really pull your room together and make it feel homey. Don’t be afraid to take your time collecting accessories and decor pieces to complete your room thoughtfully. You never know when you’ll discover the perfect piece for your space.
If you’re wondering how to get started, textiles like curtains, rugs and throw pillows are a great starting point. These are an easy way to add texture, color and even pattern to your palette if you want. Follow up with wall art to fill up any blank spaces, whether that’s decorative canvases, family photos or mirrors. If your room is dark, mirrors can be a great way to reflect light and make a room feel brighter.
