To ensure the living room furniture you purchase really is the perfect choice for your home, you need to plan carefully before you start researching.
Many people who purchase new furniture online are impressed by the amount of lower-priced products but don’t pay attention to their quality standards.
Making a long-term investment involves researching where and how the furniture is produced to avoid making a rash decision you’ll regret later.
Let’s look at how to plan your research to avoid disappointment when you receive the finished product.
Planning Your Living Room Furniture Research
Before you begin researching how to buy living room furniture, it’s vital that you plan your research to save you a lot of time and frustration.
So here’s what you need to do.
What Style Do You Want?
As so many style options are available, knowing what to look for is essential before you start your search. Not all styles will suit your interior decor.
You won’t want to place contemporary furniture in a formal living room. Elegant traditional pieces that could be the focal point of the room with their intricate design would then suit your decor best.
Check out mid-century modern design if you want something plain with clean lines to create an understatement.
And if this style is too plain and traditional is too intricate, casual contemporary styles offer clean lines with just a few added details.
Measure Out Your Living Room
Next, take a tape measure and work out the dimensions of your living space. It’s vital to take into account the layout of your existing furniture if you’re just adding a new piece. But if you’re planning to refurbish the whole room, consider where you want to place each piece.
Once you’ve decided where to put everything, you can calculate the smallest and largest dimensions that will fit.
By taking measurements, you’ll avoid disappointment when you find the furniture you ordered is too small or too bulky for your living room when it arrives.
Make A List Of Living Room Furniture
Making a list will help you focus on choosing the right living room furniture. Then by sticking to this plan, you’ll avoid making a decision you’ll later regret.
You’ll need to decide precisely what you need, whether you just plan to replace a piece of furniture that has worn out or purchase something for the first time.
Having a list to work with will also help you avoid wasting time by checking out unnecessary items.
Create A Text Document To Save Your Favorites
When you prepare a text document, you won’t need to spend too much time checking information on each piece of furniture that attracts you. Place each page worth considering in the file, then return to the pages once you’ve finished researching.
You can review each item at leisure, then compare them, which will be a great help in making a final decision.
Not doing this will result in wasting time searching the website for them once again.
Living Room Furniture Options
With so many options available, choosing living room furniture is not easy. But to get the perfect style for your room, you first need to know what you are looking for.
An interior designer would break things down like this.
Sofas
Decide whether a small sofa is best for your room or whether a family-size one is better.
Or, if you also need a place for overnight guests to sleep, consider purchasing a sleeper sofa.
First, think about how much seating you require and what space limit you have. Then check out the customization options for your preferred products.
Whatever dimensions or style you need, you’ll find a great range of sofas to suit your requirements.
Sectionals
There’s nothing better than a sectional for watching TV with family or friends in the living or family room.
Sectionals are suitable for all size living spaces and are ideal for maximizing seating space in a family home.
There’s a great choice of curved or L-shaped sectionals in various design styles. So whether you want to make a statement or tone things down in your room, there’s a fantastic selection to choose from.
Loveseats
Large pieces of furniture will overcrowd smaller rooms, especially if the rooms are awkwardly shaped. Then a loveseat is a perfect solution to make the best use of the space.
As loveseats are smaller in dimension than sofas, they aren’t bulky, so they won’t look out of place. Also, they can be placed as additional seating to complement your sofa in a large room. Then you’ll always have a place to seat unexpected guests.
Accent Chairs
Accent pieces are great for filling up empty spaces. And if you have enough room to arrange a reading nook, an accent chair is just what you need.
They come in every possible design style, so you can match your choice to your interior decor and make it a striking focal point.
And apart from extra seating, an accent chair will provide you with lumbar support and maximum comfort for many years.
Chaise Lounges
Whether you have an open living space or a small room, a chaise lounge will make a statement.
And there’s no better way to relax than stretching out on a chaise when you want to read or take a nap.
It will probably take up more space than a recliner, but it has the advantage that it will seat more people. So you’ll always have enough room for guests.
Coffee Tables
There’s an amazing selection of coffee tables or occasional tables to complement your seating.
They come in various attractive designs and all shapes and sizes, from round to oval and square to rectangle.
You can use them as end tables or place one in front of the sofa.
And by placing a coffee table between two chairs, your guests will have somewhere to put their drinks.
Or, for a romantic ambiance, place some table lamps on side tables around the room.
Benches
Benches are the ideal choice if you need additional seating for guests. And they’re also space-saving for smaller rooms. A bench won’t take up more space than two chairs, but it will seat three people.
And it has more to offer than just seating. It’s a versatile and multi-purpose piece of furniture as many designs also provide storage space, so you can quickly hide things away before your guests arrive.
Ottomans
An ottoman is a must in the living room of every family home if there’s space, as it’s excellent for storing the kids’ toys when they go to bed.
They also provide additional seating for the family and are light enough to move around.
You’ll find some attractive rectangular ottomans that are perfect for larger rooms. But if you only have a small space, consider placing two square or round ones throughout the room.
Living Room Sets
Most living rooms have enough space for a sofa, two armchairs, and a coffee table. And this is basically what you’ll find in living room sets. The advantage of purchasing a set for your living space is that all the furniture pieces are coordinated.
You’ll find them in every design style, and to be sure your set is unique, there are some amazing customization options available.
Shopping By Brand
For superior quality, stylish furniture, check out the collection offered by each of the following companies.
Braxton Culler
Braxton Culler still produces impressive wicker furniture almost 50 years after it was founded in North Carolina. But it’s added custom upholstery furniture to its collection, which is hand-produced in High Point, NC.
It employs highly-qualified craftspeople and sources superior materials locally to ensure the utmost quality and durability. And its handcrafted pieces are among the best products money can buy.
It offers incredible customization options. You’ll be spoilt for choice with the 1,000 fabric choices and 15 different wood finishes. And you’ll find furniture in every imaginable style.
Its selection of comfortable living room seating is impressive. You’ll find various design sofas, sectionals, chaise lounges, and loveseats in dimensions to suit even the smallest living space.
There’s also a selection of tables and accent pieces to complement them.
And whatever you purchase, you can be sure of having a durable product.
Classic Leather
Classic Leather is a family-owned business founded in the 1960s. It produces top-quality leather furniture in its facrory in Hickory, North Carolina.
The more than 280 artisans it employs handcraft the custom-made furniture to perfection. And it’s incredibly proud of its time-honored technique, which is the 8-way hand-tied seating construction, which ensures ultimate comfort for customers.
The customization options include a choice of decorative or natural leather upholstery to match any interior decor. And the collection ranges from traditional to contemporary design styles for maximum flexibility.
The Classic Leather occasional chairs are ideal for smaller living rooms, as they don’t take up too much space.
But if you’re looking for ultimate comfort, there are motorized recliner chairs, and you can complement these with an ottoman to provide you with additional seating.
And for larger rooms, there are motorized reclining sofas that are incredibly comfortable.
Comfort Design
Comfort is not all you can expect when purchasing Comfort Design products. You can also be sure of durability that will last for decades.
The handcrafted furniture is designed and produced by top artisans in North Carolina, where it was founded almost 50 years ago. The company puts emphasis on comfort and style, and you’ll notice this immediately when you feel the upholstery and the quality of the foam cushions.
Its policy is to produce top-quality products that are also environmentally friendly. It sources steel springs for the seating made from recycled materials and recycles all the leftover materials.
There is a collection of tufted leather and swivel chairs and a whole range of sofas, loveseats, and recliners.
When you purchase Comfort Design furniture, you can expect ergonomic support and maximum comfort. And as the frame, springs, and upholstery are extremely sturdy, they’ll last for decades.
Leathercraft Furniture
For more than 50 years, the Leathercraft Furniture company has been producing high-end leather furniture at its factory in North Carolina.
It employs highly-skilled craftspeople and sources top-quality materials to custom-make the products, so you can expect unmatched craftsmanship.
The innovative seating options in its collection offer ultimate comfort and durability and are aesthetically pleasing. And you’ll find Leathercraft furniture in every design style, from traditional to classic or modern.
With the customization options covering color, features, and design, you can create a unique piece of furniture to be proud of.
The living room seating in the Leathercraft Furniture collection includes chairs, recliners, sofas, loveseats, and sectionals. And as accent pieces to complement your seating and to provide extra seating possibilities, you’ll find ottomans and benches.
Whether you’re planning for a large country home, a house, or a one-room apartment, you’ll find something suitable in the Leathercraft Furniture collection.
Living Room Furniture Quality Expectations
When paying a higher price for new living room furniture, you’ll expect it to last for decades. To ensure this, check the following quality standards before choosing furnishings.
Solid Hardwood Frames
For the frame to be durable and last for decades, it should be made from kiln-dried solid hardwood, like oak, ash, or maple. Cheaper furniture usually has inferior frames made from pine or plywood, which won’t last.
Your seating will soon become uncomfortable and start to sag. Even with only minimal wear and tear, it will need replacing, so it isn’t a long-term investment.
For a long-term investment, check the collections from the furniture manufacturers we recommend. Their handcrafted frames are all produced from locally sourced hardwood, so you can sit comfortably for many years.
Highest Quality Leather
Before making a purchase, check the quality of the leather. Lower-priced products can be very attractive initially, which is misleading. The leather will soon start to crack and tear, and your furniture will need replacing.
For durability, only look for products made from top-grain or full-grain leather.
The tough outer layer of the hide is left intact on full-grain leather and includes any natural imperfections caused by bites or scratches during the animal’s lifetime.
Top-grain is softer as the outer layer of the hide is sanded down. It is then protected with a stain-resistant coating, making it the perfect choice for a family home with kids.
Durable Fabric Upholstery
The amazing selection of prime fabric options for upholstered pieces are all sourced from American mills and are of such high quality that they’ll stand up to a lot of wear and tear in a family home. And as the fabrics are stain-resistant, they’re the ideal choice if you have kids.
But they’re also great for anyone worried about staining the upholstery when they spill something.
The high quality of this premium-rate fabric ensures that it is durable and can even last a lifetime with the proper care.
Customization Options
By taking advantage of the customization options available to create a unique piece, your personality will be reflected in your living room.
Some design styles have great options when it comes to wood finishes Or, if you’re into traditional nailhead trim, there’s an incredible range of choices.
And finding the perfect piece upholstered in fabric when you really want leather upholstery needn’t be a problem. Most products have the option of customizing the size, upholstery, and finishing touches.
Handcrafted Manufacturing Techniques
No machine-produced furniture will be as durable and unique as handcrafted pieces. The artisans who produce hand-made furniture are committed to their trade.
And their techniques have been passed down from one generation to the next. Although some techniques have evolved, the 8-way hand-tied seating construction has remained the same.
It’s not possible to apply this process by machine as it’s a method where the springs are tied eight ways to attach them to the frames. By using this unique manufacturing technique, the manufacturers can guarantee that their customers are purchasing durable products.
Made In America
The manufacturers we recommend are among the top furniture producers in America who have all been producing top-quality handcrafted furniture for decades.
Their products are of superior quality but at affordable prices. And you can expect their customized furniture to be unique and last decades.
Their craftspeople are all experts in their field and produce the furniture from locally sourced materials. As they’re based in North Carolina, there’s an abundant supply of top-quality hardwood from the nearby Appalachian hardwood forests that they can take advantage of.
And by purchasing their products, you’ll support local jobs and the American economy.
Let Us Help You Make The Right Choices
The complete range you’ll find in our online furniture store includes exclusive pieces of superior-quality furniture that are incredibly durable.
With great customization options, you can create one-of-a-kind furniture at an affordable price that is produced by widely acclaimed manufacturers.
If you need help with the customization options or advice on any of the products in our range, a member of our customer care team will be happy to assist.
We look forward to hearing from you and assisting you in creating a unique piece of furniture.
