Furniture Manual
Furniture Guide
Intro
Home is where the heart is, and furniture helps make the home. Whether you live in a studio or a mansion, you use furniture everyday for eating, sleeping, relaxing, entertaining, storage, and so on. As a result, your home should reflect your sense of style and taste through your furniture.
A stylish and comfortable home means choosing the furniture that suits you best after reviewing all possible options. Whether you need a new bedroom set, a coffee table, or a desk that properly stores all your computer equipment, fixing up your home and finding the right furniture is not as hard as it seems. This guide is designed to help you find what you need in each room and explain some important differences, as well as educate you on shopping for furniture. Take a look at the links below to get started.
Bedroom Furniture
The bedroom is where you spend at least a third of your day. You sleep there, wake up there, read there, and get ready for your day there. You may even spend time eating or watching TV to relax in there. Your bedroom is not meant to entertain guests like the living room is; it is designed to be a space of tranquility where you can get a good night’s sleep. Here are the basics you need in your bedroom.
Mattresses
Your mattress should be comfortable yet supportive enough for your neck, upper back and lower body. Lying down all day is one of the best parts about shopping for a mattress, but purchasing a mattress before figuring out a few steps can leave you with back pain and a restless sleep.
The first thing to do is establish what kind of sleeper you are. Do you sleep on your back? Or do you sleep on your stomach or one your side? This will let you know how firm or soft your mattress can be. Be picky when it comes to choosing a mattress, since you will be using it for at least ten years everyday. Old mattresses should be thrown out and replaced, since they do not last for long periods of time the way furniture does. Press down and see if it feels springy; if not, you need a new mattress.
The most common type of mattress is the innerspring mattress. This mattress consists of steel coils (springs), ranging from three to seven hundered, that make the mattress bouncy. The more coils, the firmer and more supportive the mattress is. This is not the time to be cheap; buy the mattress with the higher coil count or you will risk sleepless nights in the next few years when the mattress begins to wear down. Those that prefer a less firm mattress should opt for a pillow top, thereby getting both the high coil count and the soft feel. Those with allergies should look into latex and foam mattress, since they are hypoallergenic and 300% more resistant to dust mites.
Beds
Beds are needed to keep the mattress off the ground; otherwise, the mattress risks wearing down quicker or molding. Choosing a bed is another simple furniture task, but it takes some research. Decide whether you want a contemporary look or a more traditional one. Be sure to measure your mattress to make sure it will fit inside the bed.
The box spring bed is the most basic bed, with frames made of wood or metal. Box spring beds hold up your mattress using box springs at the bottom, and are higher off the ground. A platform bed, on the other hand, does not require a box spring. Instead, slats run across the width of the bed to support your mattress. Platform beds sit lower to the ground and have a contemporary appeal with their sleek lines and geometric shape.
The canopy bed has four posts on each corner of the bed. These medieval era creations have been carried over for centuries, with fabric often draped over the sides for additional privacy. Sleigh beds were created during the Empire period in the 1800s and feature scrolled feet and elaborately carved headboards and footboards. Today, you can find both versions of these beds in traditional and contemporary styles.
Case Goods
Case goods are the extra items that complete your bedroom, and they usually come in a bedroom set. Bedroom sets feature the bed, one or two nightstand, and a dresser. They can also include a matching mirror or an armoire or wardrobe.
Nightstands are placed beside the bed to store personal effects or important documents, and are quite handy for storing small items. Dressers, on the other hand, are meant to store bigger items like clothes. They vary in shape and storage capacity, ranging from the traditional three-drawer to the lingerie chest, which features six to sever drawers. An alternative to the dresser, armoires are essentially wardrobes with more space; they can often host a TV in addition to clothes, making them both a closet and entertainment unit. These work well in either a large bedroom or the living room, since they need extra space.
Drawer Slides and Glides
The quality of a dresser can be determined by the way the drawer slides are built. There are basically two types of glides or slides for drawers: wood-on-wood and side rails.
Wood-on-wood rails refer to glides with one rail that is mounted in the center of the drawer. Alternately, you can find two rails that are spaced evenly and closer to the edge of the drawer. Wood-on-wood means the slides do not age well, thus becoming harder to pull out. Unless you find them on antique or older furniture that you really want, it is best to avoid wood-on-wood rails.
Side rails, or under-mounted rails, have a ball bearing or wheel that slides the drawer in and out. There is a track fixed to each side of the drawer opening and one guide attached to the outside of the drawer. This system usually has a stopping mechanism that stops the drawer from falling out completely. This is a more modern system, and is made from metal or plastic so it will not age like wood will. Look for these when you buy dressers or other cabinets with drawers.
Dining Room Furniture
The dining room is the center of eating, entertaining, and anything else you need it to turn into. A dining room set is designed to seat anywhere from two to twelve people, from formal dining looks to more contemporary ones. Whether your dining room is a sumptuous gathering place for guests or a casual eating area, its furniture has to be sturdy, long lasting, and durable.
Dining Tables
Choosing a dining table takes a bit of preparation. Firstly, how much space is available? Some homes have large dining spaces, while others sort of blend into the living room. Smaller dining rooms look and feel more comfortable with a round or square dining table, where larger rooms are better filled by a rectangular or oval dining table. Whether you want it to be a formal occasion area or a casual eating one is up to you—there is no limit to the number of contemporary, transitional and traditional tables available when it comes to dining room sets.
Measure the dining room: walls, floor and floor-to-ceiling height. This will help you figure out where to place your table, as well as how big a table you can purchase. Make sure to leave some elbowroom for you and the other diners, somewhere around 24-30 inches per person and 30 inches across the table. Also be sure to map out where the dining table will be placed away from the walls. The chairs need to slide in and out with ease, so do not plan on putting your dining table too close to any of the walls.
Leg placement is important when figuring out what dining table to buy. The legs should not make it difficult to seat people, and the chairs should slide in and out without hitting the table. Therefore, the legs need to be spread far enough apart to sit everyone comfortably at the table. Most tables have legs at the corners or trestles that come from the center. Determining what you will use your table for and how often you will use it is also important. Dining tables range from two seats to twelve. If you have a small family or do not entertain much, a small dining table without leaves or extensions is just the right fit. If you do host dinners often, or have a large family, it is worth it to invest in a table with leafs that can be pulled out from the sides or center of the table or extensions that can be added. These pieces can be added and taken away as needed, leaving you with more dining area space when you do not need them and giving you more table space when you do.
Dining Chairs
Dining chairs are sold either in pairs or as part of a dining room set. In any case, dining chairs need upright backs to support people while they eat as well seat people comfortably. The legs should be even so that the chair will not fall apart; chairs with wide legs are not as strong, and will fit awkwardly at the dining table.
Chairs come in all sorts of varying shapes and sizes. The Chippendale and Parsons styled chairs are popular; one features ball-and-claw feet, while the other has full upholstery and a straight back. The Windsor chair has stick legs and a bow-back, while Queen Anne chairs feature a center splat and shaped crest rail. Shaker chairs or Ladder-back chairs have slat backs with woven seats.
Pub Furniture
Pub furniture is a fun substitute for formal dining room furniture. These dining sets work well in small spaces, like apartments. Pub furniture includes either a square or round table with tall legs that place the table higher above the ground than a normal dining table would. The chairs that go with it are simple with the same tall legs to match and straight backs. A large dining table, however majestic, does not really function properly without the right amount of space. The last thing you want is to cramp the space of people when they are eating; pub furniture offers another alternative that can work in tiny eating areas.
Other Dining Room Pieces
The furniture included in a dining room set is the basics needed. If you want to add more flair or need more storage space, there are plenty of other dining room furniture options. A buffet, for example, stores china, silver and linens. Buffets allow you to keep dinner table pieces like kitchenware in the dining room, while the top surface of a buffet can be used as extra serving space. With drawers and doors beneath, there is plenty of room to store bowls, plates, tablecloths and more until you need them again. Hutches and cabinets are another way to store belongings. These are the best way to display china and silver, while servers are side tables you can bring out to serve extra food and drinks on. Servers do not require much space, and work great in a small dining room, but hutches and cabinets need more room.
Living Room Furniture
The living room is a gathering room where family and friends convene to sit, visit, and relax. This room is not only highly visible, but used just as often as the bedroom. Therefore, the living room should not only reflect your style and taste, but it should also stress comfort. Your living room furniture should be placed in a way that sparks conversation while establishing a focal point, such as an entertainment center. Whether the tone is formal or casual, here are the basics you need to help set the tone you want in any living room.
Coffee Tables, End Tables, and Console Tables
Coffee tables can be used to entertain, to display or to store. Coffee table sets, or living room sets, usually include a coffee table and two end tables, or possibly a console table. These pieces come in all sorts of styles, from sleekly modern to ornately traditional.
No matter how it looks, it should be distinctive yet understated, since it is not really the centerpiece of the room. The design of the table, however, should keep in line with the rest of the theme you aim for in your living room. For instance, if you want to achieve a fresh contemporary look, a coffee table made from solid mahogany in an oval shape will not fit. Instead, look for an espresso shade and a shape that is more suited for the contemporary style, such as a rectangle with streamlined sides.
If you lack space in your living room, a glass tabletop is smaller but still brings the room together. Glass tabletops are an excellent way to show off a beautiful carpet or area rug underneath, and they are easy to clean. Round coffee tables also work well in small spaces, since it does not take up the same amount of room a rectangular shape would. If you have children, glass can be dangerous. Consider buying a wood coffee table instead, especially since it will hide smudges or stains.
Coffee tables with shelves or drawers are a great way to store loose ends in the living room, such as the TV remote or stationery. These drawers are not big enough to keep clothes or linens, but are just right for stashing away personal effects or items like magazines, letters, and so on.
Placing coffee tables close enough to the couch but far enough for legroom is important. The staging of a coffee table warmly invites guests into your home. Adding end tables to either side of a couch or sofa creates symmetry and balance, offering more space for your things and finishing the look. End tables are also a great place to put table lamps for reading and ambient lighting. Console tables can be placed anywhere you like in the living room. They are usually either in a hallway area near the living room as a replacement writing desk or nearby the sofa to display accessories. Part of the fun of interior decorating is getting creative with your furniture; if your living room set comes with one, find a way to place it in a unique and fresh way.
Sofas, Couches and Loveseats
Sofas, couches and loveseats are all pieces of furniture designed to help you relax. You want to look for comfort, but you also want to look for quality. Poor construction means that a couch or sofa will fall apart much sooner than you think. Therefore, even more than how it feels, you want to look at the insides of a couch to figure out whether or not it’s worth the buy.
The best kind of frame for a sofa is made from a kiln-dried hardwood, such as oak, maple or poplar. Inexpensive couches are made from pine lumber, which is softer and therefore more susceptible to breaking. Additionally, cheap sofas have cheap frames; the interior is often stapled together or has badly constructed corner bracing. Properly made couch frames are screwed together securely and are constructed with care.
An inner spring system is critical when buying a sofa. The best spring systems are what make a couch so comfortable and take away the stress that is put on the joints of the frame. A coil or cone spring system features eight-way hand-tied double cone springs to provide support. The cone springs are fastened tightly to the base and tied with a strong cord; it is the only system with both up and down and side-to-side movement. Although this system is pricey, it is the best, and will therefore last the longest. Grid suspension systems have a wire grid covered with paper or plastic, connecting to the frame with helical springs. The wire spring system forms a zigzag “S” shape, which makes the couch more bouncy. These systems are also very good, and less expensive. If the sofa or couch does not feature one of these systems, it is not worth buying. Avoid systems that use elastic webbing.
Although some sofas come with cushions attached, others come loose. Loose cushions mean you can turn pillows over when you like or change the slipcovers to something new. Attached backs, however, do not need fluffing or rearranging. The filling of the cushions also determines the quality. The best cushions have a down filling, or a down padding wrapped around foam. Basic foam is another sign that the couch is cheaply made and not worth buying.
Look at the arm height in correlation to the couch. Is it too high or low? Can you rest your head comfortably on it? Most of us can admit to taking naps on the couch, so you want to think about how you use your couch everyday before making a purchase. The arm style of the couch changes the look of it completely. There are armless couches, traditional rolled arms, curved arms and straight ones. Rolled arms have a flat front panel, while curved ones are rounded at the front with fabric formed into pleats and straight arms are the most contemporary type.
Sofas can also come with skirts that hide the legs or without them. Leg styles can vary from squared, chunky legs to delicately tapered ones. More traditional couches will feature carved or curved legs, while more modern ones will have short, wide feet at the bottom.
Media Centers
Media centers are essentially storage units, except that what they store is something you use all the time. Bookcases, cabinets, curios and built-in wall units are all considered media centers, especially if they house electronics. Most people consider an entertainment center to be a media center, since it holds a TV, stereo, or other electronic equipment. In any case, a media center can either show off your possessions or hide them away. Some media centers come with doors or sliding doors that protect the TV and show off the furniture instead. The same look can be achieved with an armoire, which works well in both the bedroom and the living room.
Patio Furniture
Patio furniture is probably the best way to spruce up your patio without it costing a fortune. For those that are the king of barbeques or just love spending time outdoors, a solid patio set is a great investment. Whether you choose teak, Poly-wood, or other types of wood, an expertly made patio set will be durable as well as beautiful. Here are some hints on how to turn your backyard into another room in your home.
Patio Tables, Patio Chairs and Rocking Chairs
The first thing to look at is the material used so you can determine which kind of outdoor furniture to purchase. What kind of climate do you live in? How much rain do you receive? Wood patio furniture will not hold up as well in rainy weather as plastic will unless it has been treated with sealant. Plastic furniture is a good alternative, but most products are made from cheap materials. A top-notch material is Poly-Wood, which looks like wood but is in fact made from recycled plastics. These “plastic lumber” pieces are weather resistant, nonporous, and do not require hardly any maintenance. Teak is another material that, while expensive, is incredibly long lasting with proper care. Teak patio furniture is pretty solid in its construction as well as weather resistant since natural oils protect it. It also does not need varnish or shellac, so its integrity is maintained over time. Other materials to think about are wrought iron, although it requires a lot of care, and wicker, which you can use indoors after the summer is over.
Secondly, think about the kind of space you have and how you will be using your patio furniture. Homes with a large patio have more room to really create an extension of the house with a patio set. Chaises, benches, rocking chairs, and swings can be added as extra seating. If you have a patio and a porch, consider buying a patio set with two to four patio chairs and a swing for the porch. Small patios need to get the most functionality out of the outdoor furniture, so you have to limit yourself to what you have. A patio table with two matching chairs is perfect if you are going to be spending a lot of time outdoors.
You may want to choose lighter pieces to heavier ones. When it comes time for you to move your outdoor furniture inside, you do not want to be lugging heavy patio tables and chairs. Make sure you have space in your garage or in a storage shed if you buy a large patio set. Although you can cover it up during the winter, it will last longer if removed from harsh climates.
Bar Furniture
Like dining room furniture, bar furniture is an excellent option for those with small patios or for those that just want to try something different in their backyard. Barstools are smaller and you can place more of them outside, giving everyone a place to sit. A large patio set in a smaller space makes it hard to move around, but bar furniture in the same space created mobility. And because bar furniture is tall and narrow, it can find a spot indoors during the winter months. The duality of this kind of furniture is especially great if you either have a breakfast bar in your kitchen where you can set up the bar stools or if you enjoy game nights, where a bar table is the perfect size.
Kids Furniture
Kids’ rooms are some of the most fun to decorate. With whimsical patterns and fun shapes like racecar beds and chairs shaped like frogs, it’s easy to get caught up and buy a bedroom set for your child that resembles a fairy tale. However, as they grow older, they are going to refine their tastes to something more practical than that racecar bed.
The best way to save money is to look for bedroom furniture that has a dual purpose. When babies grow into toddlers, they make the transition from a crib to a bed. There are many cribs out there that convert into a toddler bed, so the experience is less stressful, and you get more use out of the bed. As your child gets older and the homework increases, it’s a good idea to get them their own desk where they can work. Many beds come with a built-in desk on the side so they can study and sleep in the same area.
Bunk beds are almost always found in two places: kid’s bedrooms and dorms. If you have a large family with little space, or if you are the constant host of sleepovers, a bunk bed is a worthy investment. Back in the day, bunk beds were not built well and were somewhat dangerous. Today, the construction has improved; some include rails so kids will not fall out of the top bunk. Bunk beds today also feature the built-in desks as well as drawers underneath the bed for storage.
Trundle beds are another option to consider. These are less camp-like than bunk beds, but they have the same effect. When company comes over, you can pull out an extra bed that is stored underneath the trundle bed. They tend to look more stylish, plus they save you room compared to a bunk bed. If you have a small family and the kids are fine with sleeping bags, look for beds with drawers underneath. This will help save on closet and dresser space.
Although toy chests are iconic, the lids can be really heavy and pinch or land hard on a kid’s hand. Switch up the traditional wood toy chest for a dresser with drawers that do not fall out. You can also get creative with open shelves or colorful baskets for storing toys in. Many bedroom sets for kids come with a set of three to five-drawer dressers. Always keep in mind that the closet gets stuffed, and so does the bed underneath (unless there are drawers there, of course), but with organizational boxes and storage tools, you can create an uncluttered closet instead of a mess.
Instead of buying furniture that sets the scene for a princess wonderland, try using fabrics and paint. Replacing bedding or repainting a room are far less costly than buying a new set of kids bedroom furniture. Plus, it lets you easily update your child’s room every so often as their taste changes, so they feel like they have a say in their décor. Remember, bedroom furniture can be fun, but it needs to be functional, especially for children. Since kid’s bedrooms are usually small anyway, maximizing space is key. It’s better to go with a classic pine or cherry wood that will last through their teenage years than to invest in a festive yet impractical bedroom set.
Office Furniture
Above all else, home office furniture needs to be functional. Buying an antique desk for a desktop computer is not only impractical, but it is likely to be unable to have the storage capacity you need for home office supplies. With that in mind, you can still choose aesthetically pleasing furniture without sacrificing usefulness.
First, think about what you use a home office for. Is it to check email and play games? Does it house other equipment or do you have a large collection of books you store here? Does it double as a guest room? The amount of stuff you have in a home office can help determine how much furniture you need. Next, think about the electronic equipment you own. If you own a desktop computer, a printer, a fax machine and other computer equipment, you are definitely going to need a bigger desk than someone with a laptop and small printer will. Evaluating what you have in the office will help save on space.
Since most home offices are actually an extra bedroom, they are relatively small. Hence, you need to maximize space as much as possible. Think vertically, not horizontally. Computer desks tend to be wide and long, and that is great if you have all the equipment to store and keep on top of it. But there is no point in buying a huge computer desk for a small laptop; instead, look at desks that are about half the size, or look for a corner desk. Corner desks take up a part of the room that is not used and they save space by freeing up the walls, so you can double the room as a guest room if need be. Most desks today have space in the back to string electrical cables through so they do not get tangled near your feet.
Another option is to buy a desk hutch. No matter what kind of computer you have, you probably have a printer or general office supplies nearby. You probably also have books, files, important documents, and so on. Buying a desk hutch allows you to build up your desk vertically by placing all the supplies like paper clips and staplers up at the top where you do not need them all the time. Your laptop or desktop sits on the surface of the desk. Some desks may include side tables as well. These are great for placing printers or creating a mini filing cabinet.
Wood Furniture
Wood furniture is not all the same; just because it says it is made of wood does not guarantee quality. Knowing the difference between woods in furniture is important in determining the quality and look of the piece. Solid wood furniture means that the furniture is made entirely of solid board, with no veneers or particleboards. Solid wood has a seam you can follow to the end where the end grain is. Veneers do not show an end grain because they have been glued over the edge to fake the appearance of solid wood.
Solid hardwoods are of a finer quality than other woods. Maple and oak are among the strongest and most flexible hardwoods, along with rosewood, cherry, birch, mahogany, beech, ash and walnut. Any kind of furniture made from these woods is built to last due to its strength. Softwoods are not quite as strong, so you will see pieces that are lighter made from softwoods. Chairs, the insides of dressers and patio furniture are often constructed from softwoods. Cedar, pine and rattan (wicker) are good examples of softwoods.
Engineered Wood
Despite some that believe solid hardwood furniture is the only acceptable furniture, there are plenty of advances in technology in the last few years that have decreased the price and increased the quality of other furniture. Engineered wood now lasts just as long as hardwood furniture at a cheaper price.
All-wood furniture has veneers (a thin layer of wood) on top of particleboard, meaning that the surface looks and feels like solid wood, even though it is not actually solid wood. Particleboard and hardboard are engineered woods as well. Particleboard is constructed from wood chips that are bonded with synthetic resins. Medium density fiberboard (MDF) is one of the most common types of engineered wood around, especially in home office furniture. Hardboard has a greater density than MDF. Any of these woods are good to use, especially when it comes to furniture like desks and bookcases.
Joints
Furniture joints are commonly found and can affect the furniture’s quality. Furniture made from simple butt joints should be avoided. These pieces have two pieces of wood that are glued or nailed without an overlap, and will fall apart faster. These other five joints, however, are ones to look for since they will stand up to the tests of time.
Dovetails or English dovetail joints are widely considered to be the best kind of joints, particularly when it comes to constructing drawers. The front part of the drawer is locked into place by this joint so it stays tight over years of opening and closing the drawer. Mortise-and-tenon joints help connects rails on the side of drawer to the furniture, such as with dressers. They are also used in constructing chair frames, and are part of the signature look of Mission style or Arts and Crafts style furniture.
Dowel joints are a common joint that glue a dowel or peg into a pre-drilled hole. The two pieces of wood are connected together, and are held up over time since the dowel is made of stronger hardwood. Corner blocks hold the joints together where there is a high point of strain. Rails on the seat of a chair join the posts of a chair using corner blocks. Tongue-and-groove joints help make a strong, flat surfaces; although they are glued, they last for some time.
Finishes and Stains
Furniture may be labeled as one type of wood, but that may not be the wood it is made of. With the exception of unfinished furniture, solid wood furniture is usually stained or treated. Hence, it does not look like the original wood. For example, if a bed is said to be oak, it may just be an oak finish. If the bed says it is made of oak and comes in a cherry finish, then you know that the oak bed is not going to look like oak. Furniture is often darkened or lightened with lacquers, and it can affect the texture of the wood. This is common in furniture manufacturing; it is best to check with the manufacturer if you are unsure about what the furniture is going to look like or what kind of wood it is.
Just because one manufacturer has labeled its coffee table “maple” does not mean that every other manufacturer follows the same standard. Company A’s “maple” may look like Company B’s “oak” or even “dark cherry”. The finishes are just names, so do not think of the name as the actual wood. Look at the construction and the materials used to make the furniture first instead of looking for the right finishes. Solid hardwoods are different from engineered hardwoods; bedroom sets have different pieces depending on the set, and so on. Ask these questions instead, and you will be able to find furniture that you want in the finish you want later.
If you see the term “antiquing” or “distressing”, it means the furniture has been altered to look antique. It does not indicate that the furniture is actually antique. Edges are sanded down or scratched up to appear as though it has been around for centuries, but the worn-in appearance does not mean it is actually an antique, but a type of finish.