6 Tips from the Professionals When Shopping for Home Décor

Most people are unsure of where to begin their furniture and wholesale home décor shopping. Many people think that their only option for making these kinds of purchases is with mass-market retailers, but there are several other options that one should consider.

Most designers combine high-priced items with lower-priced items to provide a full design while staying under budget limits. It’s important to remember that furniture is not a high-margin sector. Therefore customers will receive the quality they paid for.

Before making a purchase, make sure to compare the quality of items in person, if possible. Fabric-covered upholstery parts are the most effective at concealing faulty construction. The structural components are all buried beneath the fabric, so inspecting them before purchase is a must. Also research the store to ensure it is a reputable store with a long history of service like Abbott Collection so you know you have a high chance to not only receive your purchases but they are high quality as well.

1. Be Careful of Online-Only Stores

Although online-only companies offer low pricing, they do so at the expense of convenience. Not only will consumers not be able to see the quality in a person, but they will also not receive the same level of customer service that they would receive in a retail store.

When purchasing furniture, it is crucial that customers are aware of all possible circumstances before placing their order. This is because furniture is expensive, and shipping/delivery is expensive if something requires a return.

Even if a customer is dissatisfied with the product or arrives broken, they may be forced to resell it locally rather than return it to the store for an exchange or a full refund. Never pull out a credit card to purchase without first doing plenty of research into the online store and its policies.

2. Visit Trade Stores

When shopping for wholesale home décor, it’s good to know that trade stores are a great option. The only downfall to these stores is they are limited to professional decorators only. This means that a regular homeowner won’t be able to come in and make purchases. However, people can still visit their websites to see what they have to offer. If a person finds something that they absolutely love, they can hire a professional designer to do their shopping for them.

3. Secondhand Items Are Great Options

While Amazon is an obvious low-cost option for decor, other possibilities to consider include local consignment or thrift stores. In some areas, these places can be a treasure trove. Occasionally, a high-quality piece can be made to feel brand-new with a coat of paint or reupholstery.

Additionally, check Facebook Marketplace and other garage sale pages along with similar resale apps. Sort the search by “high- to low-priced” products to rapidly find the highest-quality items. Numerous model homes must liquidate their inventory, and people who transfer frequently liquidate barely used high-quality furniture. These types of sites are a gold mine for finding barely used furniture and decor.

Secondhand is an excellent choice that people can feel good about because they are frequently saving perfectly good furniture from the landfill. Quality craftsmanship can be found in an antique wood dresser that is no longer manufactured. Adding a marble top to a piece for a more formal space or an industrial metal top with rivets to a piece for a more manly design can completely transform it.

4. Local Outlet Stores

When looking for home decor businesses, be sure to check to see if they have an outlet location in the area. Many have pieces with minimal to no damage. Most of the damage is almost impossible to see with the naked eye. Frequently, it is simply furniture that buyers return due to a change of heart.

5. Look Into Local Custom Artists

Local furniture makers and artisans are an excellent source for purchasing custom-made furniture or one-of-a-kind home décor items. They can be located through Facebook Marketplace listings, but the best sources are through word of mouth from local interior designers, smaller specialty furniture businesses, and friends). They can also be found through Instagram hashtags such as #(city)customfurniture or #(city)artist.

6. Always Have Measurements for the Home

Never purchase furniture without first determining the dimensions of the room and the other furniture items in the room. Never assume that it will fit into the desired space because it looks as if it’s an ordinary size. Nothing looks to be scaled appropriately in a large showroom, or even worse, online.

One of the best ways to ensure that measurements for each room are always handy is to jot things down in a notebook. Inside the notebook, consumers should include the basic floorplan of the room and a list of furniture and décor currently in the room. When jotting down measurements, always include the height of tables, sofas, and more. This will prevent the mistake of creating an awkward look because something sits way above the rest. For room measurements, it’s important to include ceiling height.

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