A short guide to buying furniture for a starter home

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For first time homeowners, choosing furniture for a starter home is a difficult task. Lack of experience in furniture shopping coupled with a limited budget often lead homeowners to settle for the cheapest pieces available, regardless of quality. This short guide will help homeowners furnish their starter home with the pieces they need while staying within budget.

Some pieces of furniture are necessary for a home. These include:  

 A bed frame and mattress. The average person will spend about a third of his or her life in bed, so homeowners should take care in choosing one. Bed frames come in different styles, sizes, and material. Platform beds often consist of just a base and a headboard, and are a good choice for a minimalist bedroom. A good mattress should both be comfortable and supportive: not too soft and not too hard. Mattresses should be tested in-store before purchase. Make sure to match the mattress to the size of the bed.

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A dining table and chairs. First time homeowners can't go wrong with classic round and rectangular tables. Round tables are best suited for small families while rectangular tables can accommodate more people. Make sure to bring a measuring tape when shopping for furniture to avoid space issues. For chairs, choose comfortable, well-made pieces that complement the table. Some retailers offer dining room sets, which can be more economical than purchasing the pieces separately. Check the construction: the pieces of quality wooden furniture should be jointed, not nailed or glued together.

A sofa. Those who prefer a firm sofa should choose one with coiled springs, while those who prefer a soft sofa should choose one with zigzag coils. A sofa upholstered in durable fabric, with a sturdy wooden frame, can last a long time with careful use. To save money on starter home furniture shopping, homeowners can check local furniture stores for sales, visit garage sales (but be sure not to buy mattresses and bedding secondhand) and furniture overstock outlets, and regularly visit furniture store websites for ongoing deals. It's best to purchase new furniture from a reputable furniture store like Circus Furniture, as an unscrupulous retailer may try to rip-off less savvy shoppers.  

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For more tips on finding affordable quality furniture for a starter home, like this Facebook page.

Furniture styles: Which one to get?

There are several styles of furniture to choose from. If you’re not familiar with any of them, you may find yourself at a loss when shopping in furniture stores.

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Furniture retailers like Circus Furniture in Tucson, Ariz, advise to have at least some basic knowledge on the different styles of furniture and decors. Having such knowledge will make the purchase of furniture a lot easier. Below are some furniture styles:

• Eclectic – This is when you go from one style to another and find some degree of commonality among the pieces of furniture. Not really a style, but more of a choice.

• Traditional – It is a furniture style that evokes a formal design from the Victorian period. What’s best with this style is its timeless appeal. Traditional furniture are mostly functional and they can easily transition to a different style in case homeowners want to do some changes later.

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• Contemporary – This style is a combination of past and present designs made to stand on its own. Among all styles, it is the most flexible as it takes the best from all designs and it can easily be mixed with the others.

• Modern – Often confuse with contemporary style, modern is a combination of leather, steel, vinyl, molded plywood, and plastics for a stylish furnishing. This style has a modernist appeal.

• Retro – a bit difficult to define, but mostly, this style is achieved when a modern design is no longer trendy, but still look sleek.

• Provincial – A popular choice in Europe and in the U.S., it has both the classic and country feel that was popular during the 17th and 18th centuries in French provinces.

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Whatever style of furniture a homeowner favors, what is important is that the pieces will elevate further the beauty of the home.

Circus Furniture offers a wide selection of home furniture and accessories for the discerning homeowner. Visit its official website for its latest offerings and in-store promotions.