HHI and what you spend on furniture?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think spending a large percentage of your HHI on furniture makes a lot more sense than buying a $300 purse. A 5k table may seem extreme, but is probably solid wood, hand-made in the USA, and higher quality than IKEA and whatnot. That's a lot more than I can say for other "name brand" items that are made in the same factory in China as everything else.

Thanks this is the OP. Yes, made in the US of sustainable wood. Something I feel good about buying that can be passed down or sold for someone else's use. Same with a leather chair we bought. We could have saved some money, but we went with American made. Sometimes I like my money going to a quality item and to a company that pays a living wage.

[Anonymous]

$150k HHI. Everything is from Ikea. We don't have to worry about the dogs chewing things up!

[Anonymous]

I am blessed that I have inherited a bunch of antiques and vintage furniture, just about all of the case goods (not upholstered). Those items make up the majority of what I have, and I think I purchased one or two from from my aunt.

I still have some things from childhood too, though I'd like to replace them since they aren't really my style anymore.

I have purchased just a few things over the last 18 years or so. My HHI is now around $150K but 12 years ago it was closer to $50K. I tend to purchased antique or used for non-upholstered items and new for upholstered items. I have gotten a few upholstered items used, but very carefully because of bedbugs. And the LaZBoy items I've purchased I did through the outlet furniture companies in NC (and saved about 1/3).

Purchased items include --

Purchased New (about $7-8K total):
LaZBoy leather sofa & loveseat. Leather chair, two bookcases, File cabinet, BR rug, a large painting by an artist friend

Purchased Used ($2K or less total):
Dining table and chairs, used from someone at work
DR silk Pottery Barn curtains, used from someone at work
Two rugs, Coffee table & crystal chandelier, Ikea Ektorp chair, Christmas tree, all from Craigslist
Kitchen chairs, from Goodwill (and they're great!)

The rest I purchased from the house's previous owner (about $3-4K total):
LR sofa, assorted chairs, and one rug
Antique DR Buffet
China, some lamps, a few nick nacks

[Anonymous]

Not judging, but it seems like you could have bought more for $22,000. Maybe I just don't shop at nice stores.

21:05 here. Well, the master furniture included a queen bed, a dresser, a chest of drawers, and two nightstands. Everything except the sofa is from Room & Board--solid cherry, and made in the USA. The sofa is from MG+BW, from their NC outlet. It alone was $5k and is really comfortable and holding up well (as it should!).

[Anonymous]

HHI 85K, was 130K when I worked but I'm SAHM now and won't be shopping anytime soon!

When I was a kid we had only cheap, flimsy, fake furniture. When I was older and my parents were better off, my mom spent what seemed like a ton of money furnishing a large house, but somehow mostly pretty poor quality stuff that barely lasted 4 years. Somewhere along the line I was instilled with a desire to own some nice furniture even if it meant not owning much. DH and I have never lived in a very large space that we felt we needed to fill up, so we've taken it slow and been pretty careful.

I love nice woods. I hate flimsy stuff and would rather have nothing at all. We wait for the Room and Board end-of-year sales and furnished our bedroom there - walnut bed, cherry chests - different woods but it works because of the design cohesion. We recently moved and bought a gorgeous floor model walnut coffee table at C&B - marked way down - didn't have a coffee table before that. I'm reluctant to spend money on the kids' room since their situation will change, or not change, depending on when we are able to move into a 3BR. Thus, I have spent very little money in there. DS6 is in a simple wood $20 garage sale bed frame with an IKEA mattress, DD3 is still in her IKEA crib with the side taken off. Don't want to invest in bunk beds if they'll have their own rooms anyway in a couple years, plus I have a boy and girl and there don't seem to be a lot of gender neutral options out there.

We do have a few nice pieces as well as some family antique type pieces, but since we married I doubt we've broken 10K with our furnishings. We are pretty poor though for around here!

[Anonymous]

$1M+HHI. About $300k furnishing.

But I think the better question is what percent of the house value did you spend ( based on the date of furniture acquisition)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$1M+HHI. About $300k furnishing.

But I think the better question is what percent of the house value did you spend ( based on the date of furniture acquisition)

How many sq ft is your house? Did you but everything retail (for ex, Baker in Georgetown) or also buy things in places like North Carolina?

[Anonymous]

You should definitely not go into debt to buy furniture. We net over a million annually, and when I was pregnant, bought the crib at Ikea. Last year we got a coffee table I really love, and it was $2500 not including tax or delivery.

I've bought sheets at Marshalls or Ross for under $50, and then gotten throw pillows that are over $300.

Do what works for you. Plot out what you think you need/want, and think about how it'll be used and how many years you anticipate using it and how heavily.

[Anonymous]

350k. A mix of Miss Pixies (from 10 years ago), higher end Ikea, Wisteria, a few Georgetown shops, a couple items from places like hayneedle, and a couple pottery barn.

I think the trick is to take your time and buy an item when you *really* like it. It is less important for the items to match than for the items to be very nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think spending a large percentage of your HHI on furniture makes a lot more sense than buying a $300 purse. A 5k table may seem extreme, but is probably solid wood, hand-made in the USA, and higher quality than IKEA and whatnot. That's a lot more than I can say for other "name brand" items that are made in the same factory in China as everything else.

Thanks this is the OP. Yes, made in the US of sustainable wood. Something I feel good about buying that can be passed down or sold for someone else's use. Same with a leather chair we bought. We could have saved some money, but we went with American made. Sometimes I like my money going to a quality item and to a company that pays a living wage.

Fine furniture is also something you can pass on to your children, if they want it. My parents are immigrants and my mother deliberately bought any piece of furniture that reminded her of something she grew up with.

[Anonymous]

$500k and we spend as little as possible.

Some ikea, some C&B, some local craftsman.

[Anonymous]

^ and a few family pieces

[Anonymous]

350K. We bought a new home almost 2 years ago and didn't have much to start off with in the way of furniture. So we've spent probably close to 20K so far.

[Anonymous]

$550k and the most expensive item is a 1,000 rug. 1200 sofa. Crate and barrel.

I design for less .

[Anonymous]

HH income nearing $200 and we just moved from a town home to a larger single family house. We've had to buy multiple sofas (All IKEA), headboard (Walmart), rugs (amazon), desk (world market), and kitchen island (target). Our lighting is from home depot and accent pieces are from home goods. It all adds up! I figure it will be around $15,000 to $20,000 to furnish even with budget places. I look on Craig a list too but the quality and hassle factor jaamt made it worth it so far.