PHILADELPHIA, April 6, 2011 — Just when you think you're home free, you realize the new sofa — which looked great in the store and took over two hours to select — doesn't look so hot in your family room. Unfortunately, that realization dawns as the delivery truck pulls away. According to Bucks County-based interior designer Donna Hoffman, lack of proper planning is an enormous problem and leads to "Post Purchase Furniture Depression."
Hoffman regularly receives first-time calls from people seeking help for the condition. One recent call came from a woman who said that she was nervous about a furniture store's plan for her family room. "And then she went on to add that she wasn't too happy with the bedroom they'd done for her the year before," Hoffman said. The designer's heart goes out to the frustrated flock, who have parted with their hard-earned dollars, so here are 5 steps she says will never fail you when shopping at a furniture store.
- Have a plan. "Never walk in there just to look. That's deadly! It's like food shopping when hungry," Hoffman cautions. Before you head out to "look" at even one stick of furniture, make a plan. Assemble decorating ideas. Pull pictures of what you like; create your ground plan and take measurements.
- Make a list and check it twice. List exactly what stays, exactly what needs to be purchased and then do not deviate. Period.
- Remember who you're talking to. Furniture stores are wonderful. Their salespeople are wonderful. Just remember that most furniture salespeople want to sell you furniture — THEIR furniture, whether it's wonderful for you or not.
- Know thyself. Because you'll be talking to terrific salespeople who likely want to sell you things, here's another protection: Know what design ideas you love. One exercise Hoffman's clients must do is pull photos of rooms and images they're drawn to. "People can't fully articulate what they like, but they sure recognize it when they see it. Clients are amazed when I analyze their home decorating wish photos and show them the predictable patterns found in them about color, furniture shape, textures and so on." The lesson: Know what you love and you can't be sold.
- Ignore fabric until the end. People get overwhelmed in furniture stores because they simply don't know where to look first for room design. Fabric and color are attention grabbing; they're supposed to be. Don't be seduced by the wrong size sofa because you like the fabric, or visa versa. On the first walk through the showroom floor, block out all fabric and color, focusing only on furniture shape. Next check for comfort, then size. Once this is done, you may look at fabric.
If the damage is already done and a poor furniture choice has been made, Hoffman recommends calling in a pro who will straighten things out fairly quickly using design principle and "perhaps a little shot of fairy dust." Remember, smart design brings great rewards. The cautionary tale above is not about "Buyer Beware" but rather "Buyer Be Aware."
For more design tips, please visit Donna's website: http://www.InteriorsByDonnaHoffman.com.
ABOUT INTERIORS BY DONNA HOFFMAN
In-demand Philadelphia interior designer and former QVC show host Donna Hoffman has been featured in Family Circle, Real Simple, Country Accents and cnbc.com. She heads up the Bucks County-based interior design group that specializes in home interiors that have 10+ years of staying power. Marrying smart design to your individual design fingerprint – your "interiority" – leads to the rooms clients love to live in, look at — and never want to leave. What's inside matters most. Additional information can be found at http://www.interiorsbydonnahoffman.com.
Contact: Donna Hoffman, IDH
215-736-8693
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