How much to furnish a house?

[anonymousbird]

Buying a compact 3 bed property - don't need to replace kitchen or bathroom or carpets. One living / dining room. Am I realistic in thinking I can furnish and equip for £5k? Thinking IKEA type cost/quality for furniture and JL basics for homewares I can't get at IKEA.

TIA.

I could do it for that!

Good! I think I can too! First time from scratch like this though, and just need a ball park for budget and was hoping this would do it as not much more available!

Look up the Hemnes (white) bedroom furniture in IKEA. I have that and love it.

I've never had a sofa from IKEA, though. I think I'd go elsewhere for that.

Definitely! I furnished a 2 bed house with less than that, after moving from a furnished rental flat to a house. Ikea for the big pieces of furniture !

That sounds about right to me!

£5k is a decent budget although you would be surprised how much everything ads up.

Spend a grand on your bed+mattress. Less on the guest bed or children beds.

Another £1k on the sofa.

Rest isn't that expensive.

We furnished a 2 bed apt for about 4K

If you're doing ikea and the property is compact, then storage storage storage! They're excellent for shelving/drawer units etc. Measure up and budget carefully and you can easily do it for £5k. I recommend trying mattresses out in a bed store then try to find a similar one online, we did and saved £300. Ikea sofas are fine, by the way.

EBay is great for cheap really well made nearly new furniture for much cheaper than new. Just sort by distance to your postcode

Please don't buy IKEA rubbish that everyone has in their house. Have a look on gumtree or eBay for one-off items or really good quality furniture that people need to get rid of due to relocation or downsizing. You'll be able to find some amazing bargains if you look hard enough!

I bought an oversized (talking 2m by 1.5m) antique mirror with a gold plated frame for £200 from an old lady who was downsizing a few years ago. A similar mirror but new would have cost me over £1k!

IKEA isn't rubbish - one of the major reasons they are so successful is because the quality of their stuff is so good for the price. Yes, nearly everyone has it, but there are good reasons for that.

I love IKEA and due to nature of move need it all to arrive in one hit as far as possible. I'd love to search for unique items but in this instance it's not practical. And the house lends itself to requiring space saving storage items. Need to put four of us (two huge teen children) in a seriously compact space - every inch counts!

Adore hemnes whoever said that!

Glad to hear my budget isn't too wide of the mark.... comfort and function should be achievable.

Do need large L shaped sofa though which will be my most expensive item.

Wow fudge- totally agree. I've kitted out "posh" properties with IKEA in the right rooms and it just works, and lasts. I don't know how they do it for the price.

I have an IKEA sofa for the playroom and I was surprised how good it is and it withstands 2 boys and their friends jumping on it. It's now 4 years old but you'd never know It.
Only thing was I bought a spare set of covers so if they ruined a set I could swap them but they are still sitting in the cupboard and the originals have been washed when necessary (last time was to remove mushed in chocolate cake )
I personally would mix Ikea and second hand - I think you end up with a more personal but still practical house that was.

I have an IKEA Stockholm sofa it's amazing quality and still looks good after nearly 5 years.

I got a 2 grand sofa from sofa workshop in sale for £1000, pay £15 a month for ages.
Interest free.

*Please don't buy IKEA rubbish that everyone has in their house.

My bedroom looks just lovely furnished in IKEA thank you very much. It is hugely popular for a reason - good price, good quality and looks pretty stylish in the right setting.

I've got a MALM bedside table that has been with me since my uni days and in 5 different properties and even has a newer brother to match for the other side of the bed.

Have a look on gumtree or eBay for one-off items or really good quality furniture that people need to get rid of due to relocation or downsizing. You'll be able to find some amazing bargains if you look hard enough!

Great if you are into that. Not so great if you want furniture a bit more quickly, and don't have transport or a willing mate to help you lump about second hand sofas.

Hipster - malm is a favourite of ours. Been through several houses and lives.

Yes, transport and delivery a major issue - due to location, I need stuff simply to "arrive" on a lorry, searching and carting around sadly not feasible.

@anonymousbird when I did my massive Ikea delivery for my new house I paid a flat pack guy to come and build it.

I'd always built everything myself before but two wardrobes, beds, huge chest of drawers I just couldn't face. I really recommend it - he did a much better job and meant I could get on without other jobs.

DP loves s flat pack lol, he sits and counts that all the screws and components match the instructions. The quality is pretty good. We have a day bed, tv cabinet and two tables that have lasted 5 years and still look as good as new 👍🏼. We also night some stuff from argos and the quality is shite I can't wait to replace them from IKEA

Also used a flat pack builder for the dreaded hemnes daybed and some wardrobes and would thoroughly recommend.

I have an IKEA sofa, it's been going strong for 15 years. Recently had it recovered and it's still as good as new. Build quality is excellent.

The ikea Friheten L shaped sofa bed is forever being recommend on here as the best sofa bed money can buy, and its only £395.

You might not like IKEA but it isn't rubbish.