Furniture Shopping Advice

According the the American Home Furnishings Alliance, consumers should do the following when shopping for furniture:

1 - Identify your personal style. Is it casual, contemporary, country, traditional or eclectic? Look at the items around you to see how they reflect your personality – your wardrobe, your car, your magazines and favorite movies.

2 - Examine your preferences. Make a list of your favorite colors, textures and patterns. Do you prefer bold colors or pastels? Solids, stripes or plaids? Soft, light fabric covers or rich tapestries?

3 - Consider your lifestyle. Do you plan to have a family or already have children? Pets? Are you planning to move soon?

4 - Prioritize your purchases. Decide which furniture items you want or need most, and buy those first. Then build around them.

5 - Determine your budget. No matter how much or how little you want to spend, you can find great values that suit your style in any price range.

6 - Budget your time to suit your shopping style. Do you enjoy doing lots of research and browsing, or are you an on-the-spot buyer? Shopping for furniture can be as easy or involved as you want it to be.

7 - Explore available resources. Look to home programs, books, magazines, catalogs, websites and furniture showrooms to provide inspiration. Keep a scrapbook of furniture styles you like.

8 - Take advantage of free services. Many furniture stores offer such benefits as interior design consulting, room planning guides and product brochures. At Morris Home Furnishings, we offer free design consulting.

9 - Trust your own judgment. Buy what you like, and don't be afraid to be bold or different.

10 - Have fun and enjoy the process. Furnishing your home to express your personal style can be one of life's greatest and most enduring pleasures.