Ask The Interior Designer

Today, I will provide the answer to a previously asked interior design question.  Each Tuesday I will pick one question that has been asked and dedicate an entire blog to answering that question.  Feel free to post questions on the Designing Life Facebook page, as a comment on this blog, or you can Convo a question to me on the Etsy Shop for Designing Life.

Question:

Is it necessary to match all of the wood furniture in each room?  The furniture stores sell sets of bedroom furniture that are all cherry or dining sets that are all mahogany, but is that something that must be done to be correct?

Answer:

While there is nothing wrong with buying a bedroom set or dining set that all have the same finish or veneer, most interior designers love using multiple types of wood furniture within each room.  The story behind furniture is often the most important aspect of design.  The mahogany roll top desk that once belonged to a grandparent has so much history that the piece should not be sacrificed just because the perfect bookshelf for the study only came in cherry.  Each new wood color within a room adds character to a room.

One reason that furniture stores sell the matching sets is in order to encourage a customer to buy more furniture than they need during one purchase.  If a customer needs a chest of drawers for their bedroom and sees an entire set within their budget, the customer may purchase the entire set even though they may already have a headboard or bedside tables.  The main thing to consider when going furniture shopping is not matching the finishes, but rather buying the best quality piece of furniture within your budget.  Reconsider going with the matching set that seems like a steal and instead buy a nicer chest of drawers that will last for years to come.