Should You Buy New Or Used Furniture?
Is new furniture a better investment for your home? Or are you better off buying used furniture? This post takes a look at which is better for your needs.
Customization
Buying brand-new furniture often allows you to explore customization options. For example, when buying a new sofa from a shop, you may be able to choose the color, the armrest style, and other features.
With used furniture, you have to buy it as it is. There is the option to modify used furniture once you’ve bought it (such as repainting a used chest of drawers), but you’ll have to be the one to do this modification.
Condition of Furniture
New furniture hasn’t had a previous owner, and you can usually guarantee it will be in immaculate condition. If there is damage, it’s usually protected by a warranty.
Used furniture is more likely to have some damage. If it’s old and heavily used, you may find that it doesn’t last as long as new furniture – particularly if you don’t maintain it well. There’s also less chance of it coming with a warranty.
Cost of Furniture
Good quality new furniture can be expensive. This is particularly the case if you’re customizing it – expect to pay well over $1000 for a custom corner sofa or a fitted wardrobe. Generic flat-pack options can be a lot cheaper. You can save money on delivery with flat-pack possibilities, as they’re easier to transport and maneuver into a home.
Used furniture is generally still much cheaper. Find used sofas and shelving units sold for less than $100 – and sometimes even for free – on online selling sites. The exception is rare antiques, which can be very expensive.
Environmental impact
Buying brand new furniture often isn’t as good for the environment as used furniture. However, it can depend on where you’re buying your furniture from. This good quality Italian furniture is manufactured to be very eco-friendly. Synthetic low-quality new furniture is likely to be the biggest polluter – it won’t last long and may not be recyclable.
Used furniture is greener on the whole. It’s essentially a means of recycling. Consider where you’re buying your used furniture if you want to keep your carbon footprint low – importing an antique wardrobe from across the world isn’t very eco-friendly.
Style of home
Think about which style of furniture suits the style of your home. New furniture is ideal for complementing a brand-new home. You can decorate an older home with new furniture, but you may want to avoid filling a historic period property with too many modern furniture options.
Used furniture can work well in most properties. Older antique furniture can even be used to match the period of an older home. You can use the odd antique in a new home to add some character, but it might look a bit odd filling a new build with antique items.
