Nowadays, everything is available online, from groceries to health products. As such, it is also very easy to find a furniture shop online. However, is this a good way of shopping, or does it continue to be better to go to a location like Mid Century Modern Furniture, Los Angeles showroom? It seems that the general consensus is that, despite online advancements, furniture is something that should be purchased in person. Let’s take a look at why.
The Color
Firstly, there is the issue that it is almost impossible to have a true likeness for an original color on a computer. Take, for instance, the famous Sunflowers painting by Van Gogh. If you were to see this on four different screens, you would see four different yellows as well. And this is equally true for furniture. Getting the right shade for your home is absolutely vital, and this means that you must see the furniture in person before you buy it. Imagine getting what you think is a brown cupboard and it turns out to be cherry wood, for instance!
The Construction
If multiple designers make furniture pieces in the same style and color, they would all look the same online. You cannot see the finer details of construction, whether it is handmade, or whether it is a mass-produced item. On an online image, you cannot see how strong the wood is, and whether the strong tenon and mortise joints have been used, or whether it was simply glued. You cannot even see if the upholstery is made of quality materials.
Go to a Showroom
Clearly, the only way you can really assess the shade and quality of furniture, two vital elements, is if you see them in person. This means that you have to go a showroom. The vast majority of stores have websites as well, however, so you can use both. There are some furniture stores that have websites, but only for demonstration, meaning that you cannot purchase online. Others do enable you to purchase online, but they recommend that you visit the store first. You can then inspect everything, take notes on the shades that you like, and which construction you feel most comfortable with, and go home to think about it. Then, once you have made a decision, you can order the furniture online rather than having to return to the store.
The alternative is to start by looking on the website before going to the showroom. Showrooms are huge, and it is quite easy to miss something simply through information overload. By going online first, and writing a list of pieces that you find interesting, you will be able to have a more directed and targeted search once you go to the showroom. However, you do have to make sure that you don’t get tempted to simply press the “buy now” button when you’re searching online, something that we have grown too accustomed to.