Furniture Buying and Designing Tips for First Time Homeowners

Furnishing your first home? Here's what you need to know.

First of all, congratulations! Having your own home provides a fulfilling and liberating feeling because it allows you to transition into independent adult living. We understand that it can be both exciting and overwhelming to think about how you'll set up your place and maintain it for the upcoming years. Shopping for home furniture and searching for new appliances to fill your home is oh-so thrilling, but the design process itself can be daunting.

Before you begin your interior design project, here are some things you should know to avoid common mistakes. 

 

Make a Plan

Furnishing and designing your home may take a toll on you and your budget, so it's essential to take your time and carefully select the items that you need immediately. Before buying your furniture, appliances, and decors, be sure to plan your layout first to avoid buying costly items that might not be beneficial in the long run.

Set a theme, a colour scheme, and a floor plan to know what furniture you need per room. You can browse the internet for Pantone and design inspirations and even shop for furniture that matches your taste.

Your bed frame, mattress, couch, or dining table must be prioritised when shopping for furniture, as they are the main pieces that define your room's purpose. Remember that you don't need to buy all the essentials at once. In fact, we recommend staying in your new home for a month with the basics before splurging on other items. This way, you can assess your furniture requirements based on your lifestyle. Taking your time to determine your needs will help you create a more functional home.

 

Create a Timeline

Make a list of what you must do and the essentials you need to buy. Include the following itinerary when creating your moving timeline:

1. Organise your moving-related paperwork.
2. Sort out stuff you will take with you when you move and things you will toss or donate.
3. Book a moving company and buy moving supplies to make the packing process.
4. Clean your old space.
5. Make a shopping list of things you want to buy for your home.
6. Set a time for general new home cleaning and unpacking.

Moving to a new home will encounter many trials and errors. It’s okay. Use your adjustment period to note what you can improve and what you need to add to your home furnishings. This way, you can better visualise the layout you want to achieve.

 

Measure Your Space

Never rely on eye measurements when choosing your furniture. This is one of the worst mistakes you'll ever make when shopping for furniture. Remember that the showroom is more spacious than a standard room when visiting a furniture outlet. What appears to be small in a showroom may be too large for your space.

To prevent buying something too big or too small for a space, make sure to get the exact measurements of your area. Measuring your room will guarantee that your furniture will fit and save you time in searching and short-listing your furniture choices.

 

Know Your Style

The best thing about designing a new home is looking at it as a blank slate, which means you have all the freedom to explore what layout and furniture you want to use without the obstruction of your old theme or existing pieces. Do you have a theme in mind? How do you visualise your dream house? Are you going for an elegant and classic theme or a modern home?

If you still don't have a general idea of the look you're going for, feel free to browse for design inspirations and mood boards on Pinterest. You can also follow design projects on Instagram. From your living room, bedroom, kitchen, and even home office and bathroom, you will get myriad inspirations that you can adopt. You can even curate furniture and decorations online while searching for ideas.

 

Invest in the Right Furniture

When shopping for furniture, always treat every piece as an investment in your comfort, the beauty of your home, and its function. When furnishing on a tight budget, start with a good bed frame and a cosy mattress. Do not skimp on these two essentials. After all, you will have to use them for many years, so it's better to opt for high-quality pieces than budget mattresses that you will need to replace sooner. Once you have your bed and mattress, you can start working on your sofa and dining set. When the major home furniture pieces are present, you can now invest in your accent pieces. Back to the first point: you don't need to hoard furniture pieces, or you’ll end up throwing even the unnecessary ones into your space.

 

There's No Need to Match

While it's tempting to buy matching furniture sets, if you are eager to bring your own personality to your design, we highly recommend purchasing individual pieces that speak to your unique style. 

Don't be afraid to play with various styles, hues, and textures to find your own balance. When mixing and matching individually curated furniture units, prioritise scale, proportion, and coherence. You can tie all your pieces together with a common theme or colour scheme. If working on a striking piece, you can play with the contrast by choosing less detailed accent furniture. You can also utilise your curtains, rugs, throws, and wall art to unify your furniture.

 

Do Not Overdecorate Your Home

While it's fun shopping for new furniture, decorations, and appliances, try to regulate your shopping sprees by setting a budget. You can allocate your budget per room or by priority. To avoid major clutter, avoid purchasing excess items, including storage solutions. 

 

Express Yourself

Treat your new home as your art canvas. When you were younger, you probably envisioned having a home that resonated with your personality. This is your chance to do so! You don't need a big budget to pull off a remarkable interior design. Try filling your space with items you love, like framed images or mementos. If you love books, create a mini library with a free-standing bookshelf. Remember that your home is where you stay and come back to after a long day at work, so you have to make it as welcoming and fulfilling as it can be.

 

Make Your New House a Home

At the end of the day, your house must become a home that provides you with warmth and comfort. Take your time and carefully consider how you want your house to function to ensure you'll create a place you'll always want to go home to. You may have to deal with a long to-do list and consider many things, but we guarantee everything will be worth it.

Let Megafurniture help you furnish your new home in Singapore! Browse our extensive collection of high-quality and affordable furniture, mattresses, appliances, and home essentials. Is this your first time purchasing household goods online? Let our team of professionals give you a helping hand.