How NOT to Buy Furniture: Chapter 2

Welcome back to the continuing story of what I have decided to call, “How NOT to buy furniture.”

Chapter 2

Some of you who have known me for a long time know that I like to keep it “real.” So if you are already a designer you will know that this is NOT the usual way of picking out furniture and restyling your home. But to the ones that already know this about me, they will tell you that I don’t follow rules well. Just ask my mom and dad. I’ve started living by the saying that I heard many years ago, “Don’t ask permission, ask forgiveness.” If you are always following the old rules that designers used to tell you that you have to follow, you’ll miss out on so many new creative experiences. Sometimes, they work–sometimes, not so much.

Last week, as mentioned in my newsletter I started on the mission of restyling and updating my home. As mentioned in the prior newsletter, there is nothing wrong with my furniture that I have. It’s in perfect condition, but dated about 15-20 years give or take a few years.

So I began my adventure looking for my sofa. Yes, it was going to be the most expensive piece that I purchased so everything was going to revolve around that sofa. I thought. And on my first day of shopping for it I thought I had found it at Ethan Allan. I had a delightful designer help me with the details of the sofa, but as I wandered the store, I felt as if the sofa that I thought I had wanted was just a little bit “formal” for my life now. After all, I want my home to make people want to relax and visit, not feel like they are in a museum. However, this sofa is still in the running, butttttttt—–

I totally changed directions when I saw the next piece. It has become my inspiration piece and every other purchase is going to revolve around this.—Not the best way to pick out a room. So forgive me all you decorators and give me permission break the rules and have what I love and to enjoy the challenge of pulling it all together.

No, it’s not the sofa here or any of the furniture. It’s the chandelier!!!! I loved how it was placed over the coffee table. And then I remembered—We have an outlet in the center of my living room area that we put in in case we wanted to add a ceiling fan. No ceiling fan for me–I thought. So we just plastered over it and I had forgotten about until I knew this was the direction I was going. (Now we just have to locate it and with my wonderful husband on board, I know he’ll find it.)

This decision will not surprise a lot of you readers, as most of you know how I love light fixtures of all kinds. And while I knew I loved the first chandelier, I had to be honest with myself. I do want it to coordinate with the chandelier at the end of the open room over my dining table. So I remembered that I had placed an order with a lighting company at market and went to their website. I found the chandelier that will compliment my fixture over the dining table. Yay!!! That part is done now. Let’s add the other elements so we’ll have a place to sit.

Take a look at the lighting that I bought from this company. I can’t wait to have the company as a part of our decorating family.

These are only a few that we’ve got coming.

So it’s onward and upward for my sofa purchase. I have decided that I like the type of sofas that are called conversation sofas. There’s just a little curve to the sofa. Who knows what will speak to me next. I know what I love and when I see it, I’ll buy it.

One thing I am not thrilled about AT ALL is that I may have to wait, in some instances, 6 months until the piece arrives if I order a different fabric. I don’t think I can wait that long.😔

(Picture taken at Horton’s Furniture)

So this coming weekend I’m going to take a trip to Kansas City and see if I can find my dream sofa and chairs there. My accent chairs will have to speak to me very loudly. I want to go bold with those. And the coffee table has got to be biiiiiiiiiig. I might even end up with an ottoman in a fabric that is pretty bold yet coordinates with my accent chairs. You know what they say–Go bold or go home. Oh, wait–it’s go big or go home. Whatever!!!!!

Right now, I’m going to take Erma Bombeck’s advice she wrote after receiving the news about her cancer diagnosis. “I would have never bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.” You can read the whole article here.

Blessings and let’s live life to its fullest today no matter what life has thrown at you!

Debbie