To think buying furniture brand new is a waste of money?

Furniture is not a significant part of anyone's cost of living, value-for-money just means not wasting money on things you don't like. It's fine to buy used if you like the look more than the new alternatives. I don't, generally. Even furniture that I'll admit is beautiful in isolation I would not accept as a gift, because it wouldn't fit in aesthetically wiht my home, and there's a 99% probability that it wouldn't be functionally perfect for my use. The latter I can generally achieve by buying new.

To illustrate what I mean by functionality, the sideboard posted up-thread, even if I liked the look, and even if I needed a sideboard, I'd regard as badly designed from a functional point of view, because the space underneath it is wasted. The size of home that would justify me wasting space like that would probably cost more than £2 million around here.

[quote Datingandnoideahowto]@SarahAndQuack wrt delivery. I live rurally. There’s one man with a van that covers this area and it’s £50 to get a sofa delivered (which then didn’t fit through my hall and into my living room and he had to take it back to the house clearance place I bought it from) and you have to wait til he’s available because he works and it’s a side gig.[/quote]
That sounds crap. I'm rural too, but usually buy from sellers who will arrange a courier from their end. The only downside is you do field all the 'I've put the postcode in but where are you, it's all fields' phonecalls from them, but then, you get that from IKEA too!

@Bluntness100, that’s the point I’m trying to make. None of those people were well known when dad bought the furniture, he just liked the style and quality.

My furniture mistake came from a local shop that sells a combo of have made/made to order and bought in wooden furniture. It’s all 20+ years old.

No. New stuff I can get delivered (IKEA have a standard delivery charge, as do wayfair.)

In which case you must have issues with new and old stuff alike.

Anyway I’m not up for an argument about delivery services.

There is one man and a van who delivers here.

Shipley don’t deliver here.

That can’t possibly be true unless you live on one of the remote islands or the far north of Scotland or something. Shipley isn’t a single company, its a marketplace and companies that are delivering other things in your region give you a price for doing your collection/delivery at the same time.

DM recently moved house, and her sellers sold a lot of their furniture to her very cheap, or left it for free. They, it their words “are having all new for the new house”.

DM’s furniture includes some Victorian bookcases of her grandparents’, and mid century pieces that my dad collected, Eames chair, Sarinen Tulip table and chairs, a table made Terence Conran before he was famous… some people treat furniture as an investment. Some people don’t. Same as shoes, cars, clothes….

Depends what it is. For things like wardrobes and chests of drawers, much rather buy secondhand solid wood (mid century stuff is really solid) than usually more expensive new flat pack that is falling apart a year or two later.

We paid an eye watering amount for our bed at And So To Bed 30 years ago, though and it’s still good as new.

Sorry, the last thing I want is any 1960 furniture style, they are not my taste.

I do buy decent quality furtniture. In the 30 years I am living away from my parents I am at the second dining room set, first living room table, still have the same bed and while we replaced the drawers and cupboard in the dining room and living room we did it as the space in our current house has odd measurements and we opted for build-in ones, beautifully hardwood, will not age look wise and fits exactly as we want.

Second hand furniture is often not really worth it unless you have the time. and means to go hunting and like a certain style. We have a beautiful made up antique shop nearby, I love browing and buying the odd small piece but all furntitures are heavy dark wood, it needs a certain house style and space.

Most furntiures offered on marketplace/fb/gumtree are not worth the time, cost and effort to get them to me. The only difference may be for. children rooms, DD's IKEA stuff ended in a play room locally,.

I want an antique chest of drawers for my bedroom but it would be difficult to get it into place - I'd also have to have it transported. Or I could go it IKEA ans buy flat pack which will fit in my car and I can build in my bedroom, which would be so much easier.

I've looked to what the IKEA drawers are selling at second hand, and yea they are half the price but once their built I'll have the issue of transporting them and actually getting them into my bedroom.

Generally I think second hand and antique furniture is nicer, although I do love a bit of IKEA flat pack for kids rooms.

I've still got an IKEA unit that my parents bought for my room before I was born

I, personally, would complain to Ikea. It shouldn't last 2 years. I get maximum time of everything. I am stingy bastard and demand a lot of my cheap stuff😂

I have a 2 yr old kallax which already has the laminate separating. As i said, its very temporary!

I also have some cheaper stuff like kallax from Ikea which i know in 5 years will be falling apart as they are so cheaply made, but for now they do what i want them to (like keep shoes in the utility room).

You are greatly underestimating Kallax😂

When i moved into our renovated house 10 years ago, i bought a solid oak dining table (sits 10) a sideboard and a set of coffee tables. Timeless. Something to last and they are still like new. They will be here for a very long time.

I also have some cheaper stuff like kallax from Ikea which i know in 5 years will be falling apart as they are so cheaply made, but for now they do what i want them to (like keep shoes in the utility room).

Once the kids leave home ill buy a hall way table just to look pretty.

Cheap works for some people

Shipley don’t deliver here.

If you use Shipley or a similar service you can get delivery of large items for very little. You literally just paste in the eBay item number and loads of companies quote for the job.

I bought a solid mahogany wardrobe a few weeks ago on eBay. It was in Liverpool (nowhere near me). Delivery through Shipley was £35. The wardrobe was £75. It’s beautiful and a no brainer IMO plus my house doesn’t look the save as everyone else’s.

I agree with the delivery option. We moved here last September and have yet to move our main furniture from the previous house.

Instead of paying a Man with a Van to bring our sofa over piecemeal we bought a new additional one with free delivery. It suits the room and will complement the old one when it arrives in the main removal.

@SarahAndQuack wrt delivery. I live rurally. There’s one man with a van that covers this area and it’s £50 to get a sofa delivered (which then didn’t fit through my hall and into my living room and he had to take it back to the house clearance place I bought it from) and you have to wait til he’s available because he works and it’s a side gig.

I have furniture ranging from Eames to Roche Bobois to IKEA to second hand unknown manufacturers.

They are all excellent quality. Some of the IKEA stuff is 20 years old and rock solid. Some furniture acquires a patina over time which money can’t buy. Eames designed amazingly comfortable chairs. My sofa is going to last decades.

None of it is disposable. The common denominator is quality. Doesn’t matter where it comes from.

I suppose it depends what they are buying.
It has taken me a very long time to furnish my home because I buy solid wood items, items that are very well made but are expensive, all with the sole purpose of not having to replace them.

I hate waste and would hate to have to keep replacing the same furniture because it wasn’t made to last.

I bought a 1930's table recently. Mahogany, made in Scotland somehow found it's way to. Dublin. It's beautiful. Can seat 4 6 8 or 10. The British Library sent me info on the makers.
I stripped the old tacky dark finish off, and waxed it. It looks timeless, fits seamlessly with everything. Love it.