5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Furniture

04/19/21 • 11 min

Buying furniture can be overwhelming because you don’t want to make a costly mistake you’ll have to live with for a long time.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, we’ve helped thousands of furniture shoppers make the perfect purchase for their lifestyle and budget.

In this episode, we’ll go over the most common furniture buying mistakes you need to avoid.

1) Measure Your Doorways

Measuring your room to make sure your new furniture will fit properly is an important first step in the buying process.

However, most people forget to measure their doorways to make sure they can get their new piece to its room.

You’ll also need to consider stairways or elevator dimensions if your furniture is going up a level.

For most furniture, the width of the entryway must be larger than your furniture’s depth, height, or diagonal depth.

Entryway Width > Furniture Depth or Height or Diagonal Depth

Your furniture will fit as long as one of these furniture measurements is less than the width of your entryway.

2) Consider Your Lifestyle

Another common mistake is buying furniture that doesn’t fit the needs of your lifestyle.

For example, households with pets or children will want to select durable fabrics that will resist spills, odors, and sharp claws.

You should also consider how many people will be using your furniture to make sure everyone has a comfortable place to sit.

3) Set Your Price Range

Giving yourself a price range and sticking to it will keep you from spending more than you expected.

If you’re not sure where to start, here are some articles that will help you set your price range:

It’s also important to consider furniture delivery when you calculate your final price.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, your design consultant will use your price range to help you stay within your budget.

4) Try It Before You Buy It

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is deciding to purchase a piece of furniture before you see it in person.

Some online furniture companies will offer free returns with 365-day home trials.

However, they will not accept items they consider damaged, soiled, or excessively used.

This means you could be stuck with expensive furniture you don’t like if they deem it has been “excessively used” or damaged.

Plus, some online retailers will charge a 20% processing fee from your refund.

5) Get a Second Opinion

Seeking out the opinion of an interior design expert gives you an opportunity to ask questions and avoid mistakes.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, you can bring your dreams to life by working

A FREE CONSULTATION WITH A DESIGNER
Schedule a free consultation with a degreed interior designer at La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings and Decor
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Buying furniture can be overwhelming because you don’t want to make a costly mistake you’ll have to live with for a long time.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, we’ve helped thousands of furniture shoppers make the perfect purchase for their lifestyle and budget.

In this episode, we’ll go over the most common furniture buying mistakes you need to avoid.

1) Measure Your Doorways

Measuring your room to make sure your new furniture will fit properly is an important first step in the buying process.

However, most people forget to measure their doorways to make sure they can get their new piece to its room.

You’ll also need to consider stairways or elevator dimensions if your furniture is going up a level.

For most furniture, the width of the entryway must be larger than your furniture’s depth, height, or diagonal depth.

Entryway Width > Furniture Depth or Height or Diagonal Depth

Your furniture will fit as long as one of these furniture measurements is less than the width of your entryway.

2) Consider Your Lifestyle

Another common mistake is buying furniture that doesn’t fit the needs of your lifestyle.

For example, households with pets or children will want to select durable fabrics that will resist spills, odors, and sharp claws.

You should also consider how many people will be using your furniture to make sure everyone has a comfortable place to sit.

3) Set Your Price Range

Giving yourself a price range and sticking to it will keep you from spending more than you expected.

If you’re not sure where to start, here are some articles that will help you set your price range:

It’s also important to consider furniture delivery when you calculate your final price.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, your design consultant will use your price range to help you stay within your budget.

4) Try It Before You Buy It

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is deciding to purchase a piece of furniture before you see it in person.

Some online furniture companies will offer free returns with 365-day home trials.

However, they will not accept items they consider damaged, soiled, or excessively used.

This means you could be stuck with expensive furniture you don’t like if they deem it has been “excessively used” or damaged.

Plus, some online retailers will charge a 20% processing fee from your refund.

5) Get a Second Opinion

Seeking out the opinion of an interior design expert gives you an opportunity to ask questions and avoid mistakes.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, you can bring your dreams to life by working

Previous Episode

4 Common Myths and Misconceptions About La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings and Decor

Have you ever heard one of these common myths and misconceptions about La-Z-Boy?

La-Z-Boy is one of the most well-known brands in the furniture industry. And they’ve been around for over 90 years.

In this article, we’ll address the most common myths and misconceptions about La-Z-Boy.

1) La-Z-Boy Only Sells Recliners

La-Z-Boy Recliners are known around the world for their famous comfort and unique design.

Their great success has misled some people into thinking La-Z-Boy only sells recliners.

It’s not unusual for someone to walk into one of our locations and be surprised by our beautiful:

Sofas
Loveseats
Sectionals
Chairs
Ottomans
Bedroom Sets
Dining Tables & Chairs
Barstools
Rugs
Pillows
Art

La-Z-Boy carries everything you need to furnish your living room, dining room, and bedroom.

When you browse our wide variety of furniture, you’ll find the same comfort and quality La-Z-Boy is known for in all of our products.

Plus, most of our living room furniture can be customized with over 900 leathers and fabrics.

2) La-Z-Boy Furniture Is Made in China (It’s Not)

Have you ever felt like everything you own was made in China? It turns out some stuff is still made in the United States.

La-Z-Boy Furniture is made in North America and always has been.

Today, our plants produce an average of 8,000 pieces of furniture a day and employ more than 7,500 people.

3) La-Z-Boy Doesn’t Have a Free Design Service

The first time some people hear about our free design service, they are skeptical that it really doesn’t cost them anything.

Some furniture stores will charge a redeemable fee for you to work with their interior designer.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, we give you the option to meet with a professional interior designer for free.

Your personal interior designer will help you bring all of your living room, dining room, and bedroom dreams to life. No project is too big or too small.

And the best part is it’s 100% free. The only thing you’re responsible for paying for is the furniture you decide to buy.

La-Z-Boy Free Design Service: Reviews & Testimonials

4) La-Z-Boy Furniture Is Expensive

Another common misconception is the idea that La-Z-Boy Furniture is expensive.

When you start comparing numbers you’ll notice La-Z-Boy is priced very competitively.

Recliners: Starting at $399
Loveseats: Starting at $779
Sofas: Starting at $799

La-Z-Boy also offers the most fabrics, options, and upgrades in the furniture market.

This gives you the ability

Next Episode

5 Health Benefits of Sleeping in a La-Z-Boy Recliner

Have you heard about the multiple health benefits of sleeping in your recliner?

It turns out there’s a reason you feel so great after a nap in your recliner.

Some people have even decided to ditch their mattresses completely to reap the positive health benefits every night.

Health Benefit 1) Improved Circulation

There’s a reason it feels good to kick your feet up at the end of a long day. Sitting at your desk or standing for long periods of time causes blood to rush to your legs and feet.

You can give your lower body some relief by elevating your feet above heart level. This allows gravity to naturally reduce stress and inflammation.

Reclining your legs and feet jumpstarts your body’s circulation and helps you recover from daily fatigue. Plus, it’s great for your back!

Health Benefit 2) Back Pain Relief
Back pain is a common ailment that will likely happen to everyone at some point in their life. Our back and core muscles are constantly at work balancing our upper and lower bodies.

We can take this pressure off our back by reclining and elevating our feet.

Reclining removes pressure on our spine. And allows our core muscles to relax. This gives these overworked muscles a chance to recover.

Elevating your feet lets gravity send blood to the muscles and tendons of your lower back. This helps our backs heal and become stronger.

Sleeping in your recliner can treat and prevent lower back pain by resting your muscles and giving them the ability to stay healthy.

Health Benefit 3) Breathe Easier
Sleeping in your recliner opens up your diaphragm and helps you breathe easier.

This position has been found to relieve the symptoms of:

Snoring
Sleep Apnea
Heartburn
Acid Reflux
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

Sufferers of heartburn, acid reflux, and GERD find relief in their recliner because sleeping in an upright position allows gravity to keep stomach acid down.

By breathing easier and keeping your stomach acid where it’s supposed to be, you’ll be able to get a full night’s sleep.

Health Benefit 4) Calm Your Nerves
Elevating your feet improves circulation, relieves back pain, and helps you breathe easier. Plus, it has positive effects on your nervous system.

Your nerves are constantly firing and working to move your body and get things done.

By reclining and giving your body a chance to heal, you’re also giving your nervous system a much-needed break.

You can benefit from a quieter and clearer mind by giving your nervous system time to relax.

Health Benefit 5) Better Digestion
Implementing deep, slow breathing while you recline will put your body in “rest and digest” mode.

In this state, your body will actively digest anything you’ve eaten while working to heal and repair your body. This allows your digestive system to fully process your food.

Letting your body rest and digest before bed leads to an improved overall quality of sleep.

Dr. David Shares His Advice

In an interview on the spruce, Dr. Dave David shared his medical advice on sleeping in your recliner to relieve back pain:

“Recliners can help with back pain for the simple reason that you take the weight off of your back. By reclining or lying down, you rest your spine. A reclining position is better than sitting up straight because when you sit up straight y