Furniture to Consider Getting

It doesn't matter if your style is contemporary, traditional or eclectic. Besides the furniture you sit on or sleep on, here is a list of some of the more common types of pieces you might consider for your home. The longer you live in the same space, the more you'll come to recognize the real value of furniture pieces that are functional and that add storage space to your home. I've lived in my home for almost 30 years, and right now I'm buying more and more storage baskets, bins and casegoods than ever before to store all my stuff. I have two college age kids that, hopefully, will soon take some of my furnishings off my hands, but until then, my home is literally stuffed. Consider some of these pieces for your home.

Armoire - This is French, meaning "wardrobe". Armoires are massive pieces and are usually made so that they can be disassembled when you need to move them. They usually have a single or double doors, and you'll often find them carved. Sometimes they come with a drawer on the bottom. They are usually very tall and made with exquisite woods.

Breakfront - Sometimes this piece is also known as a china cupboard or dresser. These pieces are often used for storing dishes and collectables. They generally have a projecting center section, glass-paned doors above, and either drawers or solid doors below.

Buffet - This piece is also known as a "sideboard". It is a waist-high cupboard and the top is generally used for serving foods. This is an excellent piece for storing table linens and flatware.

Butler's Table - A unique piece usually comprised of two sections. The top section is an oval tray with hinged leaves. Two of the leaves may have slots for lifting. There is a base which may be stationary or may fold.

Console Table - This is a small table attached to a wall and supported only on the front with legs. It can be rectangular or a half-moon shape. This term also is used to refer to sofa tables, which are narrow tables with 4 legs that are placed behind a sofa.

Credenza - While credenzas are usually thought of for offices, they are actually storage cabinets that are low. They can effectively double as a buffet.

Dresser - This is an alternative term to chest of drawers and is particularly used if there is a mirror above the unit in a bedroom. It is also sometimes used as an alternative to describe a china or hutch, especially if there is an upper section, set back, with open shelves.

Entertainment Center - A wall system that accommodates electronic equipment, such as a TV, VCR, DVD, Stereo.

Etagere - A tall, narrow, open, freestanding shelf unit that has several shelves. It is often made out of metal with glass shelves and is also often made of wicker or rattan.

Highboy - A tall chest on a stand. It usually matches a lowboy. The top drawers are usually paired and more shallow than the lower drawers, and if an antique, could be elaborately detailed.

Lowboy - A low chest of drawers on legs, it is usually has a shallow middle drawer with two deeper drawers on each side. There is usually a matching highboy.

Platerack - A unit with multiple shelves which is used to display dishes. It may have hooks or hanging cups or mugs and is often suspended above a sideboard.

Secretary - A slanted top on a desk that has drawers beneath the writing surface. It may come in two sections. The tall, shallow storage case above the writing surface may have either solid or glass paned doors.

Choosing the Right Fabrics

Are You in the Right Career?

Making Money as a Decorator

Making Money as a Consultant

Tips on Buying Furniture
Look for furniture constructed to last a long time. Check every single part of the piece, how studily it is made and how smoothly the pieces fit together. Open the drawers, lift the lid, try to move it a bit, see if it is level. Check the composition of the wood: is it veneer? If so, make sure the veneer adheres well. While reproductions and adaptations are made to bring antique styles into an affordable price range, there is nothing that beats the original all wood pieces made in decades past. Use occasional and accent pieces to fill in the gaps in your decorating, but remember that you usually get what you pay for.
bedroom, bedrooms, bed room, bedroom decorating, bedroom-decorating, decorate bedroom, decorating bedrooms, how to decorate bedroom, how to decorate bedrooms, arranging furniture, arrange furniture, arrange furniture bedroom, arrange furniture in a bedroom, arranging furniture bedrooms, furnture, furnitre, decorate, redecorate, decorating, redecorating, instant decorating, decorating on a budget, budget decorating, quick decorating, home decorating, home interiors, home decorating, how to decorate home