Viewing an item in a 10,000 square feet showroom with 14-foot ceiling heights is a totally different experience than seeing it in one’s home. Unfortunately, this often results in purchasing furniture and finding it’s not right for the space. This could be due to factors such as the ceiling height, inappropriate scale or it’s stylistically not in keeping.

Remember: the majority of sales representatives work on commission, so they like any piece of furniture you do! This is still a better option than purchasing online…more on that later!

Always try to consult an experienced interior designer when buying furniture. A lot of designers will do consultation by the hour. If this isn’t possible, you can use masking tape to mark on the floor where your furniture will go, including current items. For example, don’t just mark the new sofa location; put in the coffee table with enough room to move between that and the sofa! Measure before you buy!

Shown below are other measurements you should take before your purchase. The widest part of the piece and the overall height are important, too.

 

As designers, the vast majority of the furniture we produce for clients is completely bespoke, with each piece individually designed and custom. We use trade-only showrooms and local artisans. The interior design industry, like many others, has quality products that take time to make and are not inexpensive.  

This will help avoid problems of it fitting when you move the beautiful piece to its new home.