The first thing to consider are your couches. Couches probably get the most hard use out of any furniture item in your home. They are expensive, so make sure to spend your money on quality pieces that won't go out of style and you won't grow out of. Basically, you want to make sure they are neutral, comfortable, and sturdy.
Beds are a bit trickier. They come in about a thousand different styles and sizes. Personally, I prefer a large bed with lots of room to sprawl out at the end of a long day. Mattresses range anywhere from old-fashioned metal springs, to memory foam and gel substances, and it can be confusing to pick the right one. Here are a few tips that we learned when shopping for our own mattress: find someone who knows a lot about mattresses to help you, do your research, and, most importantly, take your time. Again, this is a HUGE purchase and will greatly impact your life. When you go to the mattress store, don't just lay on a mattress for a few seconds to try it out. Lay there for 10-15 minutes. You will be surprised at how comfortable a bed can feel for a minute or two, but how quickly you will come to hate it 10 minutes later if it's not the right bed for you. My husband has back issues, and when we were first married we were sleeping on a thin, uncomfortable, hand-me-down spring mattress. When we finally replaced it with a memory foam mattress, I was amazed by the difference it made. He was a new man. A good night's sleep can make or break your day, so before you drop $1,000+ on a new mattress, make absolutely sure that it is the right one for you.
Another place to spend on furniture is the dining room table. Dining tables get a lot of daily wear-and-tear, so make sure to purchase a quality one. We hated our first cheap dining table and never used it because it was small, ugly, and poorly constructed. We recently bought a new, more sturdy dining table that we absolutely love! Luckily, we didn't even need to spend that much (as described in a previous post.) Shop around for deals on your local secondhand websites (like Craigslist), or in the scratch-and-dent section of furniture stores.
So now that we've discussed the things TO spend money on, let's discuss the things NOT TO spend money on.
Accessories and art are so easily made (even if you think you don't have any artistic ability) that it would be a waste to spend serious money on them. Besides, when you make it yourself you have a piece that is unique and meaningful to you. Art is always the first of the budgets to get slashed, and there's a reason for that. Here are some examples of homemade art that probably doesn't cost very much.
You can easily stretch fabric over a canvas or simple wood frame, as shown above. You could also frame a beautiful piece of scrapbook paper. (This is even less expensive than fabric canvases.)
As far as accessories go, there is no limit to what you can do. I like to go to my local thrift shop and find old glass or ceramic decorations and spray paint them to bring them into the 21st century. You can do this with almost anything, just make sure to buy the right paint for whatever material you are spray painting.
Don't spend too much money on pillows, there are so many ways to make your own. Special order fabric samples are the perfect size for pillow fronts. When the fabric is discontinued, fabric stores usually clearance the samples for just a few dollars each. By backing the pillow with cheap fabric, you get an expensive look for a small amount of money. I always check the clearance rack first when going to a fabric/craft store. I have found incredible deals by doing that, and have saved a ton of money over the years. If you don't feel like making your own, last week's post had some links for recovering the pillows you already have, with or without sewing skills.
If you have a piece of furniture that is solid wood and still works, but you don't necessarily love the finish, DON'T THROW IT AWAY! Solid wood furniture is harder and harder to find these days, and you can paint almost anything. There is a great tutorial here.
So those are the basics on what to spend and not to spend money on. The most important thing is to have fun. I hope these tips help you stay on budget when furnishing your own home the way you want.
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