Reply
Honored Contributor
Posts: 35,613
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

I like to go mid-priced furniture because, frankly, I don't care to look at the same piece of anything after several years. Things get boring and I find myself changing things up all the time. Woman Happy

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,660
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Depends on what and how much usage the piece will get.  For great room and master bedroom where the pieces get heavy and daily use quality is key. For a guest bedroom and formal living room where the usage is much less frequent I look for less expensive solutions.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,019
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

@PamfromCT wrote:

Most of the time, we have bought high quality furniture in designs that will stand the test of time. We still love our bedroom set, dining room furniture, living room tables, as well as some Hitchcock pieces, as well as some antique accents.  We take very good care of our things, and still love them as we approach our 50th year of marriage.  Most were bought in our younger years!


 

This is the way I was raised, and I still have furniture that my parents bought (a really nice hard rock maple bedroom suite) when they bought their first house in about 1962, along with other pieces they bought over the years. 

 

I know a number of people who buy 'cheaper' furniture because they enjoy redoing the house every decade or so, and get rid of virtually everything in a particular room, and change styles, colors, etc. They like things to be more trendy, while I guess I find something I love and stick with it. It makes more sense to me to change over upholstered pieces for updating or changing the look, than it does the wood pieces. I guess I was just ingrained to believe that the wood pieces are 'forever'. LOL

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,233
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@StylishLady wrote:

Quality for sure. Unless you're flipping a furnished house, I can't see any reason to buy any other way.


I have to replace 25 year-old furniture which was in quite good condition until we had a pipe burst.  I'm heading to age 75 in a few months - and that's the reason why I'm fighting my urge to replace with similar quality. 

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,892
Registered: ‎07-03-2013

Quality and cost.  For furniture, I look for middle of road pricing with good quality.  I don't want to keep it forever, but I don't want it falling apart in two years either.  For home decor, I look for quality.  I don't like to buy one season disposable things.  My favorite stores are pottery barn and pier one.  If the price is what I consider too high, I'll wait for a sale or coupon.  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,019
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

@millieshops wrote:

@StylishLady wrote:

Quality for sure. Unless you're flipping a furnished house, I can't see any reason to buy any other way.


I have to replace 25 year-old furniture which was in quite good condition until we had a pipe burst.  I'm heading to age 75 in a few months - and that's the reason why I'm fighting my urge to replace with similar quality. 

 

 


@millieshops

 

I'm sorry you had such a mess to deal with. Water can create such damage is such little time!

 

I do understand at the stage of life you are in, thinking about just how long you may need or use some things, and it makes perfect sense to me.

 

My mom is 80 this year, and has been needing new carpeting in her home. She has always been one to buy top of the line (or the best she could afford) and I'm having a hard time convincing her that a medium grade carpet would be good enough, considering her age, and how long she may still be in the home.

 

Her carpet is just in horrible condition, has been down for 23 years (was cheap but what was there when she moved in) definitely needs replaced, but her age just doesn't warrant a carpet that will last for 25 years or more (although her grandma did live to be 102, so who knows LOL!).

Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,199
Registered: ‎07-29-2014

Re: Cost or Quality

[ Edited ]

My only income is SSD and therefore very small, so I must always consider cost first.

 

But I'm also not a fan of 'throwaway' items in any area, so I try for decent quality at the same time.

 

It can sometimes be challenging, but I've found that doing thorough research beforehand really helps.

 

There's nothing like this kind of experience to make you a proficient consumer.  ;-)

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,648
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

For me, and for pretty much ANY type of purchase, quality will always come before price.  I think it's one of those things many people learn along the way.  You might start out just trying to save money and, somewhere down the road, you will learn that for many products, if you pay a little more (or maybe a lot more) you will get something that will last so much longer that it's cheaper in the long run.

 

After I decide WHICH product I wish to purchase, based on quality, I will probably shop it.   You can pay such a variety of prices on the same exact product, as I'm sure we all know already.   So if I find a better price through a reputable retailer, that's where I'll get it.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,233
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@mominohio  It's a tough call for us oldsters. Hope you and your mom can find a good compromise, but I know it's hard. Just the thought that if I don't buy enough quality, I might have to do it again when I'm even older than I am now is daunting.  It's hard not to think "This is my last carpet, or car, or sofa or whatever."

 

I still remember my mother in her hospital bed asking me if I'd take her almost new refrigerator.  No way was that sensible, because we lived far apart, but it does tell you how some of us think as we age.