Only a year ago, properties were being snapped up for a princely sum to be renovated and put back on the market reaping thousands of pounds worth of profits for savvy investors. This year however, even the best paid professionals can’t get a mortgage. As a result, houses are becoming homes once more, and instead of interior designers giving advice on how to decorate a house for it to sell well, they are handing out advice on how to use home furnishings to create a homely paradise.

Home furnishings are seen as an investment, a quality settee or arm chair has the potential to last a lifetime, and the average home has had the same bed for the last 20 years. When deciding to purchase new home furnishings it is wise to consider what style you want carefully. Furniture needs to either blend in with its surroundings or stand on its own, gracing a room with the same presence as a work of art.

It is important to weigh up the atmosphere of the room you are furnishing. Is it a place to relax, a place that will be teaming with people or somewhere that is used for work? Consider the amount of use it will get and if it is likely to attract clutter. Having home furnishings that are tantamount to an art work, standing bold within a room is an investment that should be made with great care. There is no point in spending several thousand pounds on a chair designed by Charles Eames if it will be covered with laundry for the majority of the time.

Interior designers are able to give advice on when and how to make a quality purchase, and are a fountain of knowledge on how to achieve the same look on a budget. A classic example for creating an eye catching and individual piece of furniture is to buy items from a second hand shop, or even rescue discarded items from a skip and reupholster. Older furniture was made to a higher standard than the budget furniture made today, and therefore it is worth recycling and getting creative.

The money saved by buying reclaimed furniture can be spent on buying good quality designer fabric. There are a wide range of books on how to upholster home furnishings, and it requires very little in the way of materials. As any interior designer will tell you patience is the only tool you’ll really need to make a homely haven.

Dom Donaldson is an interior decorator.
Find out more about Home Furnishings for every room in your home at Haven Direct.

[tags]Home Furnishings, furniture, furnishings, houshold accessories[/tags]