Spend or splurge: Can affordable furniture be good quality?
Let’s face it: buying new furniture can get crazy expensive really fast. Knowing when to save and when to splurge can be a real tightrope of a balancing act.
Tip the scales one way, and you could end up spending a small fortune. Go too far the other way, and you might end up with furniture that falls apart before you can say, “where’s the allen key?” (Just quietly, that’s not a problem with Koala furniture, as every single one of our pieces is assembled tool free. Yep, you read that right, tool free!)
You want affordable furniture but you also want pieces that have been beautifully and sustainably crafted (and maybe even helped some koalas along the way). Awesome. So do we. That’s why we’re here to share everything we know about finding koala-ty furniture that won’t break the bank.
What do we mean when we say ‘affordable’?
Everyone’s idea of affordable furniture is going to be different — $100 for a coffee table could be the limit for some, while others are more than happy to part with five times that.
But while a hundred-dollar coffee table might look like a steal, if it’s falling apart after 12 months, was it really a good buy?
If you spend a few hundred gumnuts on a coffee table and it’s still standing strong after 10 or 20 years, we reckon that’s a win. Because what it really comes down to is cost per wear. We know, you can’t throw your sofa over your back and wear your furniture — duh. But you get what we mean. You want furniture that’s built to last.
Top tips for buying affordable furniture
Set a budget but consider investing in key pieces
Setting a budget is a great way to stop yourself from splurging when you really need to be saving. But bear in mind that spending a bit more on quality pieces that’ll stand the test of time will help save you money in the long run. Because investing in timeless and classic pieces that won’t go out of style is the true secret to good budgeting.
Bella Vie Interiors principal interior designer Lisa Alward gives us some further insight. “Items like sofas and coffee tables are good key investment pieces. They tend to cost a bit more, but you need them to be good quality so that they can handle the wear and tear that comes with day-to-day life.”
Always check the warranty
Furniture that comes with a warranty or guarantee can work wonders at giving you peace of mind and protection against defects or issues down the road. It’s Lisa’s biggest tip for buying new furniture.
“If you’ve got a good warranty or a money-back guarantee, it essentially means the supplier is saying, ‘We want you to be happy with what you’re getting. And if you’re not, we’ll give you your money back.’”
Cheaper furniture brands are much less likely to have such offers, so going with a brand that’s generous with theirs is usually a good way of spotting the good eggs. Little hint here, at Koala we stand by our products, which is why you are covered by our warranty and 120-day trial on all our products. But more about that later.
Consider your lifestyle, and plan your space
Before you run out and start splashing your cash, take some time to make a plan for your space.
Think about what fits, what colours and designs you like and what furniture you actually need. And think about what works in the room you’re shopping for. (Just because you’ve seen a plush Hamptons-style sofa you love on Insta doesn’t mean it’s gonna work in your Scandi-inspired living room..
Also think about your family and the lives you all lead. “Consider your lifestyle before picking out new furniture,” says Lisa. Young kids with sticky hands? Or dogs with mucky paws? Pick durable fabrics in darker colours. Child-free and feeling fancy? Welcome to the white-sofa-owners club.
“You don’t want to be buying something that you have to replace because you didn’t think about the fact that the style or fabric isn’t suitable,” Lisa adds.
A word to the wise about buying furniture online
We know, we know — it can be stressful to buy something without seeing it IRL first. But buying furniture online doesn’t have to give you the spooks. Before hitting that ‘buy now’ button, Lisa recommends doing your research.
“Read the reviews, ask friends for recommendations, double check the warranty and make sure you’ve got your measurements right.”
Photos of the item in an actual room can also help to give you a visual of what it’s gonna look like in your home, so have fun with building a vision board before you hit the (online) shops.
Koala makes it easy
At Koala, we’re shaking things up and proving that good quality doesn’t have to be exxy. Our mattresses might not be the cheapest out there, but trust us — you’ll be snoozing on them for years to come. Along with our mattresses, our sofas are designed to take on all of life’s tumbles, and our coffee tables and bedroom furniture are built for loving and long-lasting relationships.
We want you to feel good about your purchase too, which is why we’re also big on sustainability. We will never churn out cheap furniture just to make sales. As a proud B-Corp-certified business, we’re all about sticking to the highest standards for you, the furniture we make and the environment.
Design your dream room
Ready for a new look? There’s so much to discover in the Koala furniture range. As well as being home to the best mattresses around, we’ve got carefully designed coffee tables, plush Koala sofas, brilliant bookshelves, divine desks and Koala armchairs perfect for snuggling. Anything you need, we’ve got you covered — and all at the best prices. (There’s a reason we’re known for being one of the best quality furniture brands in Australia, y’know?)
We’re sure that you’ll be pleased as punch with your new items. But just in case you’re not, we give you a 120-night, risk-free trial so that you can take some time to see what works for you. If, for any reason, it’s not a match, get in touch, and we’ll be more than happy to arrange a product refund.
