I am currently hunting for a new apartment in New York and I’m really excited because that means that I get a empty slate of one empty bedroom, living room and kitchen to decorate! Some people may share my fervor as they search around for apartments and try very hard to mentally envision a cozy place filled with unique furniture to call their own.
Then Again, some people get deathly afraid at the very thought of furniture stores in New York. That’s why I’m here to say, no more fear; your very own private interior designer is here. Ok, maybe I’m not your very own personal interior designer since, hopefully, more than one of you is reading this post. But, still, I’m going to offer some comments for those starting to think about decorating or redecorating their homes and for those who would rather not give it another thought.
My first recommendation would be to window shop or walk around some furniture stores in person. No dedication necessary, so don’t get apprehensive. Don’t even tell any of the sales staff that you’re looking to buy and, rather, just browse. Once you have a general idea of the kind of materials you prefer and the kind of style you think you like, it’s time to visit the Internet.
Some say I’m working backwards- that I should scope out what I like on the Internet and go out and locate it in a store. But I always tend to find the best deals online and I’ve found that purchasing furniture is no exception. I like to begin with the sofa and a modern table. New York is known for modern, and that’s what I happen to be partial to, but you can actually choose from traditional, Baroque, minimalist, eclectic, Indian-inspired and even Zen. It all depends on your style.
After the living rooming furniture is selected, I spread outward to the rest of the house, carrying on the color theme and style that I chose for my sofa and coffee table. The kitchen would be next for me, but people, instead, like to move towards the dining room furniture. NYC has some pretty bizarre taste, so it’s possible to get pretty radical with your dining room table. But my mother’s theory was that you can never go bad with a long, dark wooden table for traditional or a pure glass table top for modern and elegant. Then it’s off to the bedroom to proceed with the designs.
Whichever path you choose to go, remember that you must love the furniture you buy before anyone else gives their impression. After all, at the end of the day, you’ll be the one using it.