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October 1, 2020 | IN Media Release and News | BY AVID | 4 min read

You’ve done it! You’ve built your new home and you’re almost ready to move in. There’s no feeling quite like having hit this major milestone in life, if it’s your first foray into the property market. Then again, if you’ve been through this all before, it’s still an exciting time. With any new home comes a new layout, new features and often means fitting it out with new furniture. Decorating your new home with furniture to suit is great fun, but it can be tough to know where to start.

Unless you’re an interior designer, you might find yourself stumped as to how to purchase furniture which both ties together your new home and suits each of the needs of your household’s members. We’ve put together this quick guide to help you tackle your new furniture search and create a home that looks as though you’ve had a professional in to help!

1. Measure twice, shop once

First and foremost, you’re going to need to know the dimensions of each of the rooms in your new home. It’s likely that your old couch isn’t going to be a perfect fit for your brand-new living room, and let’s be honest, it’s nice to update the old furniture to match your shiny new abode! Be sure to take measurements of the footprint of each of the rooms and take into account any traffic-heavy areas that you need to make allowances for. These might include the space behind the lounge suite where you’ll get access to the kitchen or leaving adequate room to move between your bed and the entrance to your ensuite, for example. The last thing you need is to have your heart set on that great new dresser only to find that you can’t even get onto your bed because of it. Measure, re-measure and be sure of the dimensions you’re working with.

2. Take stock

Is there anything you already own that you’d be heartbroken to see go? Maybe you’ve got a buffet that was your grandmother’s or a grandfather clock that’s been in the family for years? You might also have some furniture which is still perfectly functional and will fit well into the new place. Take an inventory of anything that you’d like to bring along and then you’ll know what it is that you don’t need to buy. This will also help you to decide on our next point: style.

3. Choose your style

If, like most of us, your furniture is a mish-mash of all the different pieces you’ve collected or inherited over the years, you might not have a clear idea of what your ‘style’ is. Building a new home is the perfect opportunity to let your own inner sense of style shine through, with the purchase of new furniture to match. This part of the process involves doing some research, reading those glossy magazines, and putting together a bit of a ‘wish list’ of the pieces and styles that you love. Perhaps you’re a shabby-chic enthusiast, or maybe you’re going for more of a minimalist theme? Having a clear style in mind before you start shopping for any furniture is important if the whole lot is to tie in cohesively in the end.

4. Start with the basics

You’ll need beds, a dining table and chairs ,and a lounge suite before you need throw cushions, end tables and statement lamp shades – so start with the basics. When choosing these staples of the home, keep in mind that you’re likely to hold on to these for several years or more. It’s likely that over time that your tastes will change or that you’ll want to give your décor a bit of an upgrade. When choosing these pieces, it’s a good idea to go with functional and fairly neutral designs. Your couch and bed can be easily dressed up with linens, cushions and other soft furnishings, and can be updated with ease, whenever it takes your fancy. So be sure to look for pieces that don’t dominate the room on their own. It’s also worthwhile spending the big bucks on these essential items – after all, they’re going to get a lot of use, and they’re going to need to last for years.

5. When in doubt, DIY

And finally, if you’re mindful of keeping the pocket strings in check, it’s possible to jazz up some of your older pieces or even shop second hand for things like bedheads and dining tables. A lick of paint or a well-chosen stain colour can turn an old bookcase into a trendy new piece to suit your new home perfectly. A bit of elbow grease can go a long way!