Furniture: When to Invest and In What
This week, I moved from a 1500 sq ft. condo to a 600 sq ft. rental. From my condo, I brought a few rugs, a dresser, and a few chairs. That was IT. That was all that I had that would properly fit in my new home. I no longer have a dining room, so the dining table couldn’t come. I don’t have space for a large sofa, accent chairs, or my beloved tall curved etagere. Even my desk was the wrong size for the corner I am claiming as my home office. I am, basically, starting over.
The problem is… I don’t know how long my fiancé and I will live in this tiny apartment. Will we opt for more space when our lease ends in September? Or will we be here a few years? Either way, I know right now with some certainty, this is not our long-term home. So how does one go about buying furniture when moving is inevitable and moves often render beloved furniture pieces unusable in your next space?
I see this problem a lot with clients. I’m often hired when someone is moving into a new space. They’ve brought all their old stuff with them and I feel bad telling them to get rid of it. It can feel wasteful. Unfortunately, often you have to choose what is of higher value to you— having a space that feels balanced, correctly scaled, and highly functional OR a space that makes use of what you already have.
In my core, I believe in good furniture. I believe in high quality pieces that stand the test of time. I want to invest in these things, but not if I’m going to move in a few years and discover the thing I invested in doesn’t actually work in my space anymore.
So, in a transient society where moves are expected and frequent… when is the right time to invest in quality furniture and which pieces are safe to invest in? Here are 5 categories that I think you can choose to invest in at any time that are most likely to be able to move with you again and again.
Bed, mattress, and bedding. If you plan to always be a Queen, it’s safe to invest in a bed frame you love, with a great mattress, and high-quality bedding. Assuming you will not sign a lease for a place that doesn’t fit your queen, this should be able to come with you and work in many bedrooms to come. This is the bed I’m dreaming about investing in.
Walker Bed from Amber Interiors
Rugs. If you are living city life, 8x10 and 9x12 rugs should continue to serve you in many spaces. If you are a suburban dweller, maybe a 10x14 is a safer bet. My vintage rug from this Etsy shop has had a home in my last three places!
Lamps. Floor lamps and table lamps are versatile. They can be used in a living room, a bedroom reading nook, an office. Sometimes you need a specific size and shape for a space, but generally, these are fairly standardized.
Art. With the exception of mega oversized art, you can usually find a new place for your favorite art and getting things up on the walls in a new space goes a long way to helping you feel settled.
Image from @phoebenicol.interiors
(maybe) A Tallboy Dresser. I think this might be city-specific, but I have found my tallboy dresser to move from space to space with ease! In my Chicago condo, I may have preferred a long and low dresser, but I was able to fit more furniture in my room by having a tallboy instead. I got my dresser in 2016 when I worked at Megmade. It is vintage and has been refinished and has held up great!
Here’s one final design tip: When you design your home to all work together in a cohesive color scheme and style, you are more likely to be able to mix and match furniture from multiple rooms into new spaces later on. In my new home, I’m using my previous dining room drapes and rug with my previous living room pillows and it all coordinates well. If you’re not sure where to start, find something with pattern you love. This could be wallpaper, a rug, a fabric, or piece of art. Then, try to build your color scheme off of colors found in that pattern. This should help to keep things consistent.
Some pieces aren’t going to move well with us, but for the few that will, it can be worth it to invest in well-made pieces that will serve you for years to come!