Fast Furniture and how to shop better

We’ve been talking a lot about fast furniture after reading this recent article and this one (we even made a TikTok about it). It’s a big topic, one that we care a lot about. We’re passionate about the decorative arts and the value that it has in this world. Having a beautiful, functional home is supposed to be about following your joys, your tastes, and your practicalities. But when does ‘accessible’ furniture come at too high a cost? If buying new furniture from a big box store is not built to last, inevitably being harder on our wallets and destined for the landfill, then what can we do to shop better?

Here are our tried and true tips for shopping sustainably without sacrificing beauty and quality:

Buy less

Overall we consume too much. Being intentional about what we buy is the best thing we can do to ultimately keep things out of landfills.

Shop second-hand first

Your house doesn’t need to be all second-hand (unless that feels fun for you!) but if you’re looking for a lamp, see if you can find a vintage one that you love before looking at the big box shops. Vintage shopping isn’t for the faint of heart, but if you love it, then it’s the easiest eco-friendly habit!

Buy good enough pieces thoughtfully

If you’re on the hunt for the perfect ottoman but you’re struggling to find the piece you want to invest in, we are all for using second-hand pieces as stand-ins. Claire has a thrifted ottoman that’s not the forever piece for her home but after hunting new and old for a year without success, she just needed something functional. If you can find something good-enough from your local thrift shop or facebook marketplace, it’ll buy you some time and you can resell it once you finally find your perfect piece! Go for low-cost and decent materials.

Unfinished wood is a humble go-to material that you can buy from many big retailers. You can paint it any color and give it a fresh coat if your color scheme changes over time! We recently suggested these to a client who was having a hard time finding nightstands to invest in. They’re inexpensive and can surely be made beautiful.

Repair what you have

If your upholstered chair gets a tear in it, what’s your first instinct? After you shed a few tears, are you on YouTube figuring out the best way to give it a mend? Maybe rearranging your furniture to conceal the tear, or finding upholsterers in your area who can lend their expertise? Point being, there are options! And worst-case scenario, you can resell the chair or donate it with the hope that someone else can make the repairs.

Invest in quality materials

Something that we strive for whether we’re buying new or second-hand is to invest in well-made, high-quality materials. These pieces are more likely able to be maintained and restored so they can have a life beyond you! Our recommendation when you’re shopping, is to become wise to materials more than trusting a brand as a whole. Look for pieces that are made of hardwood, steel, metal, ceramics, glass, and natural fabrics and they’ll be easier to maintain and able to last a lifetime. If you grow weary of their style, they can be resold and enter the circular economy so someone else can enjoy and maintain them.

If you have the budget and the interest, it’s always great to support local woodworkers and craftspeople who can make custom pieces with great materials! If your budget is small, we love thrifting and Facebook Marketplace in particular because you can find amazing pieces at great price points! You will have to dig, though! Prepare to get scrappy.

Strive for progress, not perfection

The goal is to be mindful of what you’re buying. That will look different for every person! Just know our individual choices will make an impact. Making the best, educated decision for you and your family is enough.

Our House Friends community is a great resource for second-hand shopping tips. We love crowdsourcing repair resources and chatting about our love of design. Read more about our community here!