To make your house look good, the choice of home decor or furniture has a huge impact on it. The furniture needs to be perfect whether it is ready made or off-the-shelf or custom made and of course in come with relevant cost of home decor. Some of you may prefer off-the-shelf furniture, while others may prefer custom-made. Whatever your preference, it’s crucial to understand how your furniture costs are determined and which factors affect it the most.
Sometimes custom furniture is expensive, and sometimes it’s cheaper compared to off-the-shelf furniture. Hence, it may want to know why the price is different and how it affects the cost. It is possible to save on furniture costs and all it comes is to make sure you pay the right price for the right furniture. How to know all of your furniture worth the price? It is the big question that most of us are asking in mind.
What affects the cost of furniture? A single factor can never determine cost. There are many factors at work that ultimately affect the cost of furniture. And in this article, here are the 5 factors that affect the cost of home decor for your home.
Table of Contents
Factors That Affect the Cost of Home Decor #1: The Materials used
You must be aware that the quality of fabrics, wood, and other materials used to make home decor which directly affects the cost. It is quite obvious that the higher the material cost, the more expensive the furniture will be. But again, there’s a reason for this cost difference, and the quality or durability of these materials doesn’t always play a role most of the time.
For example, choosing solid wood furniture will be more expensive than furniture using Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) because MDF is not as durable as solid wood. Also, there are different types of wood such as mango, salwood, teak, all of which have different prices. For example, mango and sandalwood are priced at RM18-85 per cubic foot, while teak is priced up to RM340. Also, there are different types of plywood and they cost different too. For instance, Marine ply is expensive compared to commercial plywood, etc.
The procurement cost of the material is also an important factor which is known as the cost of acquiring the material, which ultimately affects the cost of furniture. For example, recoverable/recyclable materials such as wood are often expensive. This is because it has to go through a sourcing and refining process and adds to the overall cost of preparing the wood for use.
So, to understand the cost of furniture, ask about the type of wood used and decide exactly which wood you need. For example, marine ply is a good choice for bathroom and kitchen cabinets where the chance of humidity or moisture is high. Consider using a good quality commercial plywood for your TV unit. Hence, know your requirements, know the price and make an informed and cost-effective decision for the home décor choice.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Home Decor #2: Build Quality
The build quality is another factor that affects the cost of furniture in addition to the materials used. Even if you are choosing high-quality wood-based furniture for your home, it does not guarantee the overall quality of the product as you need to consider the durability and sturdiness of the furniture as well. Custom furniture will be better in terms of durability and sturdiness than off-the-shelf furniture and it doesn’t make sense to choose a piece of furniture that will only last a few months. You have to remember that the more durable the furniture, the less it will need to be replaced in a short period of time.
So, choose well-made furniture rather than simply choose a furniture with “good quality materials” as the good quality materials will be useless if the joints come off, or start to squeak within a short period of time.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Home Decor #3: Mass Production Product
Usually, the price of a mass-produced home décor or furniture like chairs, beds, tables, and so on are very much lower than the ordinary one. Customed made home décor or furniture on the other hand will cost relatively more.
In addition, mass-produced furniture is low cost because they optimize the production process, use heavy machinery and minimal manual labour. The procurement costs are reduced greatly as they use mass-produced raw materials as pre-laminated MDF.
Most of the time, mass produced products come in standard layout or size which may not suitable in your home interior design. For example, mass produced tables are standardly made for 6 people, so it is not suitable if your dining room design is for table that seats up to 10 people. However, it will cost more if you opt for a custom table but due to its custom nature you will most likely be happy with the end result as it is Tailor-made for you.
However, mass-produced furniture isn’t always the right fit for your home as it usually doesn’t make a good use of space and is often too generic, lacking your own personality, not to mention the “standard materials” used. Again, considering the advantages, opting for custom furniture is a better option and ultimately cost-effective.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Home Decor #4: Design Sophistication
Each piece of furniture is designed in a specific way, and the better and more innovative the design, the higher the cost. Also, the polishing and finishing of the piece will also affect the cost.
Also, complex designs can be more expensive than simple designs. Sculpting and intricate designs require more labour, which also increases the cost of furniture.
Apart of that, if the furniture is more functional in nature – such as a coffee table or storage options with a makeshift chair underneath, a bed with multiple storage options, etc., it will cost more than a simple and straightforward piece of furniture.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Home Decor #5: Labour Costs
Costs are also impacted by labour costs once you have the design and materials done. Each contractor/supplier has its own team with unique expertise, skill levels, material proficiency, etc. If you are looking for an interior designer for your home, it is important to know that the cost of renovation and built of your home which includes the interior designer’s fee and the actual cost of the home decor.
So, the more expensive your labour is, the more expensive your furniture will be. Again, this will be intertwined with the design sophistication expected of furniture.
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