Guest Blogger: How to Save Money on the Latest Trends in Furniture Design

Guest Blogger #616, Entry #1465, August 14, 2012

In these austere times, it’s becoming more evident than ever before that a person’s home is their castle. As people are forced to cut back on luxuries in order to cope with significant increases in the cost of living, many of us are spending more time in our homes than ever before. People who would have previously spent their leisure time eating out at restaurants, jetting off to warmer climes, or simply having a couple of pints at the local pub, now find that they opt for ‘staying in’ to save a few of those precious pounds.

If you are spending more time in your home, it is worth making sure your space is inviting. Luckily, you don’t have to be a millionaire to style your house and keep up with all the latest trends. For all of the problems it has brought, the financial crisis has also inspired much creativity among leading furniture designers, as the recent Milan Furniture Fair proved. The fair, which provides a very real indication of emerging trends in furniture designs, featured designs and psychedelic fabrics from the 60s and 70s, as well as a revival of traditional methods of furniture construction. Further proof can be found by browsing the chairs on Fashion For Home.

Take a look at 5 ways to save money on furniture

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This is particularly good news for the furniture aficionado, who loves to keep on top of all the latest trends, but perhaps can’t afford to spend the earth. Loose-fitting upholstery and loud, colourful, floral designs featured heavily at the Milan Fair, which took place in April. This means that it’s easier than ever to utilise old pieces of furniture and give them an updated, on-trend feel.

1. Don’t throw away that old piece of furniture!

If you happen to have an old piece of furniture that looks tired and worn, then you’re already half way there. Replace the word ‘old’ with ‘retro’ and ‘vintage’ and you’re beginning to get the right idea. A tired table can easily have new life breathed into it with just a bit of reconditioning. For example adding some new glass to a coffee table, whilst ensuring that parts of the table still appear ‘distressed’ can totally revive a tired piece into something current and stylish. Updating old furniture allows for a more ‘authentic’ feel to any living room design. If you like the idea of retro furniture but want new items in your home, a visit to Fashion for Home’s Retro Furniture section can give you a taste of the classic designs that are available from retailers.

2. Fabrics can be bought cheaply and can add a contemporary feel to even the most tired of pieces.

DIY upholstery is a trend that is seeing something of a revival of late, and is a great way of updating out-of-date furniture. Best of all? It doesn’t have to be particularly expensive. Adding some loose-fitting, floral fabric to old cushions is just one great way to utilise current trends.

3. Feeling particularly creative? Why not create your own piece from scratch?

Another trend to emerge recently is that of using recycled materials to create that perfect piece for your home. Many of the leading designers are utilising traditional crafting techniques (such as hand-blown glass) and traditional materials (more wood, less plastic) in construction. If you’re up for the challenge of building a piece from scratch, there is no better time to give it a go. There are guides to be found online and a host of instructional videos hosted on sites like Youtube that can guide you through the process. Start with something simple, and expand from there. Even adding some unconventional materials such as dried flowers to an existing piece can give your home a truly original feel.

4. Opt for natural colours: they never go out of fashion.

For the last few years, natural colours such as greens, beiges and browns have featured prominently in furniture design and are classic choices that never really seem to go out of fashion. If you lack the time or inclination to ‘get crafty’ with your existing furniture, than opting for muted, neutral colours (evocative of nature), is a great way of ensuring that your home consistently maintains a stylish and contemporary feel, even in the face of evolving trends.

5. Multi-functional furniture is a great way to save both space and money.

Furniture that serves one or more purpose is another fantastic way to save money and utilise room-space. For example, entertainment units provide both a place for your TV and other electronic devices, as well as storage for video games, DVDs and the like. Multi-functional furniture such as this is always a wise investment, no matter the state of global finances.

Choose furniture that has natural colours

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This guest post was written by Hollie Sherrington on behalf of fashionforhome.co.uk, the online designer fashion outlet. Fashion For Home have a huge range of designer furniture, from designer beds to leather sofas like these and is stocked with fantastic images of stylishly designed rooms to inspire your home improvement endeavours.

For more furniture ideas on Stagetecture, click here.