Getting to decorating your home is a wonderful and deeply personal process. You get to discover who you are in that process, what you like and don’t like, what you absolutely love, what says “this is me” in the most beautiful and authentic way. Sometimes, you can get the help of an expert interior designer, and sometimes you do not.
For those moments when you are flying solo (as in decorating or designing your home by yourself), the decision process, what to buy, can get overwhelming very fast. With so many choices nowadays for literally any object, at different price tags, different colours, materials and declining quality, it’s no wonder you are feeling this way.
The quality of things has been going downhill for a while now, but it feels as if it accelerated since 2020. You are not imagining it.
As an interior designer, I get to see plenty (and when I see plenty, I mean hundreds, if not thousands) of items in my line of work. I see gorgeous furniture at different price points, from a couple of ££ to hundreds to thousands for one piece of furniture. And with the way the world is going, prices are fluctuating to catch up with demands, resources, imposed tariffs and budgets, etc. And all of these do not reflect in the quality of the products. For example, an armchair that a few years ago was about £500-£700 is now well above the £1k threshold. However, the materials it’s made from have been either swapped to a less expensive option to keep profits or increase them.
So when it comes to decorating your home, I can understand how tempting it is to choose less expensive options (I know, because I do that too sometimes, I’ll be honest with you, but I do that intentionally - in objects that are not for everyday use or are essentials, such as a bed or a sofa). But, there's more to consider than just the price tag. And I cannot, in good conscience (especially as an interior designer), not mention these points to you, to help you make better decisions for your home and your life.
What to consider when buying any item for your home:
1. DURABILITY & LONGEVITY
Perhaps the most obvious point to consider when buying any item for your home is the durability and longevity of that item, before buying it.
Quality furniture is crafted from quality materials by expert artisans with great care, love and craftsmanship. And this often comes with a higher price tag, especially if it is handmade. A well-made piece of furniture can last you for decades. It can become a part of your home’s (and even your family's) story, perhaps even be passed down to future generations. I remember to this day, visually, certain pieces of furniture from my childhood that were passed down from my grandparents. They had a certain love ingrained in them, a special meaning and value, if that makes sense.
While cheaper options seem more appealing, they often mean lower quality, they break down faster and need to be replaced more often. As a result, not only do you spend more money on replacing things that broke, but doing this again and again also contributes to an endless cycle of waste by throwing things out. I know it’s a capitalist world we live in, and we’ve been conditioned into (sometimes mindless) consumerism.
The best trick capitalism has ever played on us was to make us think we are powerless against it. But this does not mean we are powerless in stopping this cycle. The truth is, the power lies (it always did) with us. In our buying decision. On what we spend our money on.
When I was young, I remember that for every item that broke, there was a shop that could repair it. In a couple of decades, we went from that to mountains of garbage and fast fashion clothes that can be seen from space. Imagine that for a second. It can be seen from SPACE! We have to work on our spending habits. To realise that throwing things away at the first scratch, and buying new ones, in 6 colours if possible (not because we need them, but because it’s fun), is deeply hurting us and the planet. Our only home! I really believe there is no planet B. Not in our lifetime anyway.
Design, styling and photography by ©Detail Movement
2. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Cheap, mass-produced furniture is often made from low-quality materials, which is obviously neither sustainable nor durable. The production of these items frequently involves environmentally harmful methods, from deforestation to the use of toxic chemicals, to name a few.
Another thing to be mindful of is the short lifespan of the items of furniture you are planning on buying. Because of their low-quality materials, most of them are not recycled at this moment, which means they simply end up in landfills (much like clothing does).
Quality furniture is usually made with sustainability in mind - using responsibly sourced materials and built to last. By choosing quality, you're making an eco-friendly and hopefully sustainable decision that reduces your carbon footprint. I say hopefully because it comes down to how each company creates its items. Think of items from Wayfair and Temu versus Ferm Living, for example. You can see the difference in quality just by looking at photos of their products.
Companies that actively try to reduce their carbon footprint and create a circular product lifespan (meaning it can be sustainably sourced, created, and recycled, leaving hopefully zero waste behind) will inevitably come with a higher price tag. But that is how you know that you get what it says on the tin. Such companies will have no problem being transparent and sharing information about their process.
Be aware that while it’s been made illegal to use greenwashing practices, some companies are still doing it. Because it’s easier to invest in great marketing than actually doing the work to create a better world, for them included.
So what can you do?
Information is key! And with today’s technology, it’s easier than ever to do a background check on companies and see which ones are walking their “talk”. Look for certificates, documents that explain their process, where the materials they are using are coming from, environmental impact reports, reviews, etc.
Lastly, trust your gut. Do you feel the company you're considering buying from is genuine? Or is it just greenwashing to sell products? Just because they are a popular company doesn’t mean they are also ethical. Always be sceptical.
3. SUPPORTING CRAFTSMANSHIP & LIVELIHOODS
It goes without saying, but when you invest in quality furniture, you're also supporting skilled artisans and craftsmen who pour their heart and soul into creating beautiful, lasting pieces. These people rely on fair wages and safe working conditions, which, sadly, are not a priority for companies that are after cheap mass production and maximising profit. By choosing quality, you are contributing to the livelihoods of those who take pride in their work, helping to ensure job safety and the continuation of traditional craftsmanship, and helping the planet take a break.
REMEMBER
The main purpose of a piece of furniture is to be functional. But it can also become something unexpected - a legacy item. Items of furniture that can hold beautiful memories! For example, a well-crafted dining table could host decades of family dinners, celebrations, and conversations, becoming a family symbol of a safe space or simply togetherness.
When you choose a quality piece of furniture, you're investing in the future! Whether that is family legacy, saving the environment, or helping and supporting artisans and traditional craftsmanship. This sense of continuity and connection is something that mass-produced, disposable furniture will never be able to offer.
At the end of the day, I know the reality of today (especially with the still high cost of living), opting for affordable furniture deals is a no-brainer. And that is ok. I am not here to shame anyone. I buy items on sale too. I'm not a hypocrite. I am only human. But it’s better when we buy mindfully. Because when we do, not only do we save money (in the long term by buying once) but also help create a better world around us.
We can choose to save for a better quality item and purchase it when it is on sale (because even these companies have sales from time to time). Or simply reusing an older (good quality) item and maybe reupholstering it or repainting it to extend its life. We don't always have to buy something new. We can repurpose what we already have.
In the end, it all comes down to a personal choice. The purpose of this article is to offer you another perspective on expensive furniture. Because I see so many clients and friends buying inexpensive items because of better deals from the high street shops. And while that can bring joy in the moment, in the long run, the true hidden cost will show up, guaranteed. The value of a well-made, thoughtfully chosen piece of furniture will always exceed its cost; it will enrich your life, your home (and the mental health impact of that - which is a post for a later time) and the lives of those who come after you.
Until next time, Rx
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All images that are credited as '©Detail Movement', are done by Raluca Vaduva for Detail Movement. All rights reserved. All pictures that are not my own, I credit them to the best of my knowledge & research, to their offline/online sources. I do not claim ownership over them in any way. If you see your picture on this site and do not wish for it to be displayed, please get in touch, and I will remove it or add additional notes at your request.