WIBU to pay £500 for a bookcase?

[PanickedPanini]

I fully realise that I've probably lost my mind.

However, I have an awkward alcove which is 165x94cm and this piece is an almost perfect fit!

I want to invest in nice furniture that we can take with us when we move in a few years time, which is why we haven't paid for custom built-in shelves.

Does anyone have this piece and can give feedback? Or suggest an alternative? I'd like to avoid the likes of IKEA as everything we bought from there has fallen apart and the bed is about to give up too.

www.swooneditions.com/norrebro-contemporary-shelving-unit-natural-oak-mango-wood-brass

If you love it and can afford it then why not?

I've got a Swoon chair and it's decent quality, unlike the Made version of the same chair which was sent back twice...

Why would it be unreasonable? If it fits the Soave, suits your needs and you love it, then buy it if you can afford it. Its value is whether you think it’s worth what you pay.

I like it, btw.

Soave = space

NoSquirrels

Why would it be unreasonable?

We're renovating our first house and at every single point the price of things has been a shock to the system. Maybe I've lived an ignorant life but I was shocked at the cost of almost every thing! Now I've kind of swung the other way and feel a bit TOO comfortable throwing money around! I sent the link to a friend who asked if I had been hacked so I'm second guessing myself!

I do love it. However, I've not seen it in real life, and that's making me hesitate the most, I think, along with whether I'll actually care once it's in place and stuffed with books.

DP has unhelpfully abdicated this decision to me.

If you want a cheaper solution, put shelves in the alcove (don’t need to be posh, brackets & off the shelf stuff will do). But if you want furniture you can take with you, buy what you love.

I don’t think £500 is outrageous. If it comes assembled not flat pack then that’s the difference right there.

I spent £600 on a bookcase last year. It is solid wood and it is beautiful. I have also had a lifetime of IKEA furniture and while a lot of it is very good, it is still particleboard. I wanted to move away from that and buy proper solid bits. I got a solid wood cabinet from FB Marketplace for thirty quid too. Looks posh and I just put modern handles on it to bring it up to date.

It’s gorgeous, it fits your space, Swoon is good quality, you can afford it, and built in shelves for the same space would be more expensive.

There you are, decision made.

MUch better for or environment and finances to buy the right thing once, than lots of the wrong things.
It’s unlikely you’d find something with v specific dimensions second-hand.

But: if it fits very precisely, have you considered skirting boards when measuring the space...?

If it is a tight fit, make sure your walls are level from floor to ceiling. Otherwise it might not go into the space.

Saz12 and RagamuffinCat

There is 5-10 cm space leftover. I've taken the skirting boards into consideration, and I'm pretty sure it's even as the room was recently replastered and the floor was raised.

Thanks everyone, I think I'm one step closer to making the purchase... Dilemma #2 is that I actually prefer the dark version of this piece but all the other wood is light!

I’ve had numerous things from Swoon.
All very good quality, all still going strong and all look great.
I like the look of your bookcase, it’ll look great with books and other nick-nacks on it. Plus useful storage shelves too. I think £500 is reasonable for a well-made piece like that.

I don't really understand what you want people to say on these threads.

Without knowing all there is to know about your finances, how can we answer ?

You're a multi-millionaire and wouldn't notice the money going out of your account ? - Great. You've made someone happy and kept the economy rolling around
or
You're in debt up to your eyeballs, were working in a NMW job, been made redundant, struggling to get anything else without any qualifications ? - Then you are bonkers, and completely irresponsible.

Presumably, you are somewhere in between.
Where you are on that massively long continuum will dictate how reasonable or unreasonable you were.

It's a nice looking bit of furniture.
It is nice to have nice things , when you can afford them.
It is nice to think that you will be able to take it with you and keep it for years.

But I have no idea if YWBR or if YWBU.

BackforGood

Just looking for ideas, views and feedback, I guess. Especially when my friend reacted so negatively! I have money but I'm not rich. As I've recently name changed and likely will again soon, I can tell you that our monthly income is £4k but we live in London so that doesn't stretch as far as you'd think. I have spent the last decade either saving up for a deposit or paying the mortgage and fixing the plethora of things which need fixing in my house. So I haven't really felt like I had money because it gets spent as soon as it comes in. I don't see that ending any time soon. All my furniture up until now has come from charity shops because we were renting and moving often. Now I can buy some "permanence" but I'm worried that I'll be wasting money. It's therefore helpful to get other people's views and opinions.

There are definitely things I can afford which I would never buy because I don't think there's value in them and even if I WAS a millionaire I would never buy them. Equally when I was a broke new grad there were certain things I would not scrimp on, such as a mattress.

I bought a Swoon sideboard at Christmas - like you, I hummed and aahhed, but I think everyone should have a few good quality pieces if they can afford them

If you like it no.

OP I absolutely get it! I've furnished a few houses over the years and it is scary how much things can cost, but also how powerful that rush of adrenaline is, when you find the perfect item for you. I agree with others, that if this is the one then you should get it. However, if it was me, I would use this piece as inspiration /clarification of what I really wanted and go on a hunt for a cheaper version - but I'm quite tight!

@Puppylucky - sometimes though (not always, granted) the cheaper version chips, breaks or looks a bit crap after a few years. So it can end up being a false economy.
I can say that the pieces I’ve bought from Swoon are going strong after 7 years. And I’d expect them to continue to do so. Therefore, not only are they stylish and functional, but I also think they’re good value. As they last.
Just my view!

We had bookshelves and cupboards built in either side of a chimney breast, best £1500 I've ever spent. If it makes you happy.....

Yes totally agree that cheaper things don't last but the other lesson I've learned is that I don't stay in love with things for years any way so paying for longevity is a bit pointless.

Ha ha! That’s also a very good point.

I really like it.

You’ll be sitting looking at it, so get something you will enjoy.

KingdomScrolls

I would have done that if this was a long term house. But it isn't and I want to take as much with me when we move as possible.

I also like moving and rearranging furniture every now and again!

Well, it depends how many other expensive whims you are going to splurge on. Wait a month and keep researching, if it still feels like a buy you want to make, at least you know you delayed gratification.

But if you are renovating this house so you can move.... why not build shelves in the alcove ( you can easily replicate the style).
What if the shelves don't fit/ suit your more forever home?

WHAT THEN???!!!

🤣🤣🤣