Buying furniture - how do you plan? ETA It's a done deal - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Off Topic

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Buying furniture - how do you plan? ETA It's a done deal

Astrid

Veteran

I'm asking because I think about getting a new bed. Most of my apartment is furnished with IKEA because it's cheap and fits my budget, but I have to confess that I love well made furniture. I like the idea of buying furniture for life (or at least for more than a few years). There's some great stuff out there.

The bed I have right now is my childhood one and probably won't make it much longer. I think I'm also in need of a new slatted frame and mattress in any case. This is a single bed (90cmx200cm) which is bad because I want more room, but it's good because I have no space. Affordable low budget options that are bigger are mostly 140cmx200cm, but that's technically too big for the room. It would fit, but it would be stuffed and not as usable as the bedroom/office/livingroom it truly is. 120cmx200cm would be a better option, but that's more exotic and you'll only get that size at a higher price with better quality brands (and more expensive slatted frames and mattresses too). I probably won't move for at least two more years, who knows what will happen afterwards. I love the idea of getting something nice, but I'm not sure if I want to sink so much money into it. On the other hand I don't want to spend a lot (if less) money on crap or something that doesn't work right now.

My mum told me I should work out what I want and part of this could be my Christmas present, but I'm not quite sure what to do. Of course I could always keep my old one until it falls apart and just do nothing. I'm young so my back can take it.

Do you buy furniture bit by bit? Do you work on your space over some time, planning ahead? How much planning is even possible? Or are you all for the quick fix?

I'd love to hear your input.

Off Topic

21 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

Keep in mind that for 120x200 bed the fitted sheets are not as easily available as for 140x200 and they might be more pricey when they are.

Personally, I'd go for 140x200 because it's a small difference compared to 120x200 one which would also make the space stuffed. In the long run it has the potential of being the guest bed if you ever don't need it any longer for yourself.

I have lived in the small spaces and can recognise the challenges that one room that serves many purposes presents. You need to decide what is the room's main function in your life is though and accomodate that. In any case I would not put unnecessary strain on the young, strong, healthy back though, at least not knowingly. Keep your back.

I also guess sofa-come-bed is the option you considered? There are good solutions out there, but there is a question of such piece being overused for sitting and how good for sleeping it will be over time.

ETA: Check http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ an their contest Small Cool - great solutions for small living spaces.

Irene

Veteran

I have some questions before answering to your question, because I think you and I are on the same page (although I have a relatively brand new bedroom after I outgrew my childhood one):

- You still live with your parents but plan to move out soon? (soon being in 2-3 years)
- Do you have younger siblings or someone who could use a spare single bed?
- Would you consider taking your new bed with you when you eventually move out?

I still live with my parents too but plan to change that soon enough. I don't think I will be able to take the furniture with me, but I do have a younger sister who will use it. I too sleep in a single bed because if I had a double bed there would be no space left for my huge working table and my two columns of shelves. My old bed was high with drawers and cupboards underneath, which is why we had to change it for a regular one: jumping up and down was getting a big silly at the age of 22.

FWIW, my whole bedroom (except for the shelves) is from IKEA and the bed is comfy and fine, albeit not as pretty and well made as my old one (the old bedroom was made to fit the room).

Gaylene

Veteran

Oddly enough, I'd consider going with another 90cm bed if I thought the 140cm one would be too large for the space. My reasoning would based on a couple factors:

First, unless you are planning to move in the immediate future, you might find yourself in your current location for linger than you might think. A too-large bed might become a serious nuisance if you are constantly bumping into it.

Second, if you do move, you can easily fit a 90cm bed into any size room as a guest bed and purchase a larger size at that time; or purchase a second 90cm bed and push the two together for a 180cm bed that uses two mattresses (much better, in my experience than a 140 or160cm bed for two people); or use the beds separated in a children's room; or, as a last resort, sell the bed to another single person living in a small space. Lots of flexibility for all the unknowns in the future.

qfbrenda

Veteran

If you want well made stuff, I would focus on buying second hand. Most of our furniture is either a) hand-me-downs from family, or b) bought second hand. I'm not sure how else to do it on a budget, frankly.

Astrid

Veteran

Thanks Ornella! I hadn't thought about sheets at all, good point. Also thanks for the link, I remember looking at Apartementtherapy before but I forgot about it. Oh and no, I don't want a sofa-bed. I have a nice easy chair for reading and watching tv and when I have guests we are always in the kitchen anyway. Changing it from bed to sofa everyday would be too much work I think and if I always keep it as a bed anyway then I can go for the healthier mattress of a real bed. The thing is 140x200 really is too big. It would mean blocking a bit of the window if it is too high and I'd have less space between bed and desk to comfortably place my chair.

Thanks Irene! I'm living on my own. I moved out four years ago for university, I'm in Berlin now and I come from the south west of Germany. It's at least five and half hours by train, so there was no way I could stay at home. I have a flat of my own, 30m² all in all (one room, kitchen, tiny vestibule and a bath). My old room at home was in the attic, so my furniture wasn't well suited to my new flat. That's why I got some new stuff (all Ikea). And of course I needed kitchen and bath things of my own.

Astrid

Veteran

Thanks Gaylene! Makes sense. Also 90x200 is less expensive, more money for the mattress that way.

Thanks Brenda! We also have some second-hand at home. Also when I'm saying expensive I don't mean huge money of course. It's more the difference between getting a piece of solid wood furniture and MDF.

qfbrenda

Veteran

Solid wood is definitely the best way to go. Part of the reason I suggest second-hand is that it seems, at least in the US, that it's hard to find new furniture these days that is made well. The best quality pieces we have in our house are old and we found them cheap at garage and estate sales.

Deborah

Veteran

For me furnishing my home is a work in progress. And if I can't have what I want I tend to leave the space unfurnished until I can. When we built our previous house, the formal dining and lounge areas were virtually bare for four years. We did have an antique dining table on loan from my sister but that's all. We had a bit of a windfall and furnished the whole area. The furniture wasn't madly pricey but it was what I wanted.

At the moment we need a coffee table in our new house for our formal lounge and have invested in some very unique sofas, so we are just waiting for the right one to come along at the right price. It may be new, it may be second hand, I am very open... I just want the right one And we may have no coffee table for another 2 years.

Oh, and we do have some items from Ikea and one of my close girlfiend's has real mix of quite spendy pieces which she mixes in with her Ikea (she loves Ikea) and we find the Ikea pieces travel pretty well.

Adelfa

Veteran

Astrid, this is interesting to me because I too am furnishing a small space. I looked at the Apartment Therapy posts in the small space division and one thing I noticed was that NOBODY had a single size bed. Not that you can't, I just thought it was odd that in these tiny spaces people weren't choosing to go down on bed size. I'm leaving my queen here (I think 150x200) and will probably get a full (135x190).

Astrid

Veteran

Brenda, you definitely have to take a close look at the quality before buying. I agree that old furniture is often better quality, but I don't really have the tools here to fix an old piece up like my dad at home.

Sounds great, Deborah! Borrowing furniture until you can afford or find what you want is an interesting idea. I guess a bed is more problematic though because I need one and can't just do without one for a while. As for Ikea, I could see myself keeping some of the pieces in the long run, but definitely not everything.

Adelfa, that really is interesting! I hadn't thought about it, but I don't remember seeing a single either. I guess it's difficult to go back once you've had a bigger bed. And two persons can sleep in the bigger sized single bed if need be. A single is much easier to plan around in a small room though!

Adelfa

Veteran

Astrid, if I were putting a single bed into a studio apartment, I'd strongly consider a day bed. It's not like a sofa bed where you have to fold and unfold. You just make the bed and toss on cushions.

As far as furniture quality, it sounds like you're still in transition. So I'd get a nice enough mattress, but for the rest wouldn't worry about going with ikea type stuff for a little longer.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Astrid

Veteran

Ha, that looks just like the bed I have right now, Adelfa! Mine is the one in #1 - that's a stock picture though, not my room (I don't have a baldachin). I think another day bed as replacement is a good idea and probably more sensible than getting a bigger reclining area. I'd love something like pic #2, with storage underneath. This exact one is unfortunately too expensive... But I want one where you can add a good slatted frame, not something like the metall frame bed I have now.

This post has 2 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I had to fight tooth and nail to get a decent single sized bed. I think I may have yelled at a sales person - "JUST BECAUSE I WANT NICE FURNITURE DOES NOT MEAN I HAVE A PARTNER OR NEED THE ROOM FOR TWO PEOPLE!" (it had been a long day).

I ended up approaching some artisans for my bed - I believe they are Mennonites, and they hand-carve all their solid wood furniture, so it wasn't hard for them to make me a single bed. In fact, I could customize it with the depth I wanted to put my mattress on, and how I didn't want a footboard and I wanted a slanted headboard for reading. It was a bit pricey, but they delivered and the people were very lovely (and they made me pie).

bella

(website)

Veteran

If I were you, I wouldn't sink my money into a single bed right now (especially considering you don't want a double that is too big for your current apartment.) You don't know where/with whom you may be in a few years.

Astrid

Veteran

Lyn, YES! Seriously, why is that so difficult? Either they are cheap or well made but for children which shows in the design. The one I have right now wasn't expensive either, which is interesting considering how long it held out. It's fantastic that you got to decide everything yourself and had your bed made for you! But I think if I'd do the same it would be so expensive that it would be more reasonable to just get the one pictured above or something similar by a good quality brand.

Thanks Bella!

rachylou

Veteran

I dream of a clean furniture slate! I've chosen very little of my furniture - some bookcases, chairs, bed and sofa. The rest are hand-me-downs. The chairs are a bit of a case. I chose them, but my parents got them for me. And my mum and dad each went out and got one of these chairs - in different colours!

You KNOW I was *like,* you live in the same house people! Couldn't you coordinate? Hahaha.

Right now I'm in a teeny-tiny city apartment and my bed is squeezed in the bedroom. But it's ok. I like to reserve the bedroom for sleeping - I don't need a huge amount of empty floorspace to, I don't know, build model airplanes or anything.

My bed is a Dux. It pretty much breaks the bank as beds go. However, pure heaven to sleep in.

In the big picture, my thought has been to have a general plan and then to fill as I go. For me, home is a living laboratory. I dream of a decorator house, but as with fashion, I can't be done. Could never do it all in one go.

Anyway, for you - I say you're young and can suffer a bit. I'd go with the smaller bed but get a good mattress. You're also studying in your bedroom and you want a comfortable workspace. You might consider what, at least here, is called a Hollywood frame. It's a metal frame to hold the mattress and no headboard. You can attach a headboard and change things out when the mood strikes and the wallet permits. My Dux is actually like that. Cost a fortune and then I gave it an IKEA headboard. Lol.

In my defense, the Dux headboards make me think of airports and office furniture. Yeah, I don't think so!

Irene

Veteran

Oh, you are right, I didn't remember you were on your own already!
I would think than in few years you might have met someone to share a bed with (I don't know if that is even in your plans, but it's a pretty common route) and found an apartment where a double bed can actually fit in. I wouldn't invest in a high quality single bed for someone older than 16, but that's just me. I mean, I am single atm and would love to have a double bed even if I don't share it with anyone. I don't know, there's just more space to roll and if someone comes up, you already have a bed to share with them.

I say buy a cute inexpensive bed frame and maybe get a really good mattress.

Astrid

Veteran

Thanks Rachylou! That story with the chairs is hilarious. I definitely wouldn't have a problem with filling up floor space if the room would function just as a bedroom, but as it is it's a different thing. I think I'm going to have a look at different options in the stores before I decide on anything though. I'm also going to do some more measuring, I might be able to shift some items around a bit.
I had to google Dux beds, I hadn't heard of them before.

Thanks Irene! I think you're the norm, most of my friends who are single have a bigger bed. I've already slept in a 140x200 a few times when I was visiting somewhere and they let me have their bed, so I can definitely say that it's nice to have so much room. I just think that it's not worth it for the sake of bumping in the bed all the time because it's too big for the room, like Gaylene said.

Astrid

Veteran

Just wanted to say that I have a solid wood bed on order, 140cm. Did some floorplans and found a way to make some space for a bigger bed. I'm going to get it in about two months, I'm looking forward to it!

Alassë

Veteran

Great!

rachylou

Veteran

Ooh! What fun! Decorating time is *almost* as fun as fashion time