Sure, you love bringing home that amazing new sofa or the perfect table for your entry, but the victory is even sweeter when you know you got a great deal. Here are our tips for making great furniture buys, whether it’s a new bed, a new chair or a beautiful new dining room table.

• Use more than just your eyes

When you’re test driving a new piece of furniture, and particularly the upholstered variety, you need to get a little physical. So have a seat and take note of things like roominess, scale and comfort. Give it a little nudge or try to lift a corner too – higher quality, more upscale furniture pieces will have more raw material (things like frames, springs, cushion, etc.), and tend to be heavier than lower-end, inferior-quality furniture, even when the material is similar.

Quality cushions share a few traits: they should have tidy and well-defined corners, details that are securely attached, and neat, discreet seams.

• Take a close look at the finish

That beautiful paint or rich stain shouldn’t be there just to hide flaws. A translucent finish should be evenly applied and allow the grain to really shine. If the finish is opaque, it should be consistent and well done. If it’s an old world or rustic piece, and imperfections are part of the style, don’t mistake aged for sloppy and/or cheaply or hastily done.

•  Don’t take things at face value

Flip cushions, turn things over to check out construction, check for loose screws, badly sewn padding, inferior support, and open springs. Keep in mind that when you’re looking at the raw side of a piece of furniture, it’s not going to look perfect. But you should feel satisfied that things were properly assembled and that no corners were cut.

• Note the details

You can tell high-end furniture from low-end pieces by the way they’re assembled. Things like sanding, finishing, welding, concealed mechanisms, and hardware will speak volumes about how how much care when into building something.

• Think through the conditions

When you’re choosing a piece of furniture, consider which direction it will face, whether it will be exposed to sunlight, how much use it will get, and let that guide your decision. A delicate fabric will do best if it’s not exposed to kids’ shoes and pet hair, so be realistic about how much wear and tear your furniture typically gets.

• Consider where you’re buying

Local boutiques – like The Find! – are committed to keeping customers happy. We aren’t a box store or a franchise, and our focus isn’t on meeting the bottom line sent to us from corporate headquarters. Our bottom line is directly related to how well we please you, our customers, and the quality of our furniture absolutely reflects that. Anything you buy from The Find in Reno will be upscale, high-quality and distinctive – you’ll always get a great deal.

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