While there is always plenty of information about how much it costs to buy a house, one of the things people don’t really tell you is how expensive it can be to fill it. It can take a long time, and a lot of money to furnish your home.
Not only that, but it can be really hard to find exactly what you’re looking for.
Pinterest may be great for finding some inspiration, but when the sofa you’ve fallen in love with is only available in the US, it’s not always easy to find something similar closer to home.
And what about Instagram? It can be a great place to find furniture closer to home but sadly, not always within your price range.
So yes, furnishing your home isn’t as easy as they make it out to be. But there is one way to get exactly what you want, at a much more reasonable price – and that is making it yourself.
The internet is full of people who pull off their own creative, stylish masterpieces every day, so why can’t you be one of them?
Think you could have a go at making your own furniture? You can! Here’s what you need to know about making your own furniture.
Start small
When it comes to building furniture, learn to walk before you run. If you’re new to DIY, or your skills aren’t as sharp as you’d like them to be, you’ll be glad you started with some smaller projects.
Finding existing furniture to upscale can be a great start, or you can teach yourself how to upholster furniture. In time, you’ll get a feel for different techniques, and you’ll be able to try your hand at some more complicated jobs.
Borrow some tools to begin with
When you embark on a new hobby, it’s normal to want to get out and get all the kit. But what if you turn around and find that you don’t like it or DIY isn’t for you?
Instead of rushing out to buy lots of tools, why not borrow some instead? It’s a good way to test the water and decide on what you really need.
You can build up your tool collection over time, and you can look at buying some second-hand tools to help you save some money.
Learn different hacks that will produce great results
Not all furniture builds need to be done entirely from scratch. In fact, some of the best results can come from hacks, helping you transform ordinary furniture pieces into something special.
There are a lot of people who hack IKEA furniture to create more unique pieces, and it’s easy to do once you get started. This IKEA living room hack is just one amazing example of what you can do with a little creativity and some great foundations:
Be detailed in your plans
Now comes the fun bit – designing your pieces! Here’s where you get to think about what you really want to achieve, and the more detailed you are, the better the results will be. Think about the widths and lengths of your piece, the type of materials you want to use, and your finish.
If you’re unsure where to start, take a look at some existing pieces. You can choose your perfect dining table by looking at some ready-made designs, or turning to Pinterest or Instagram to help you find an aesthetic you love. Even if you’re not a strong drawer, you can use online tools to help you plan out your piece.
Don’t be put off by making mistakes
Mistakes and DIY go hand in hand. Not everyone is going to get it perfect every time. And that’s ok! Don’t be put off by making mistakes, learn from them and learn how to do things better next time.
You can help protect yourself against mistakes by making sure you buy enough materials for waste, and doing some practice runs where you can. Another good tip is simply to take your time – it can make a big difference.
Explore some of the biggest DIY mistakes and how you can avoid them, it will help you feel more prepared about what could go wrong and how to avoid making costly mistakes.
Find some great suppliers
Making your own furniture is a cost-effective way to get high-quality furniture. But it can end up costing you a lot of money if you don’t learn how to shop around. Finding some helpful, reliable suppliers can help you get the materials you need without breaking the bank.
It’s worth exploring what’s available locally, and you can find some amazing online suppliers too. Finding your own industrial table legs can help you make savings on the cost of furniture such as dining and coffee tables, giving you a designer look for much less.
Ask friends and family for recommendations too – they can be a great source of information to help you find some reputable suppliers.
Ask for some help
Building furniture can be really tough, so if you find yourself struggling – ask for help!
Whether it’s a helping hand lifting something or you need help with an unfamiliar technique, it pays to ask for help. There are also plenty of online forums you can join to ask for support from others.
Document your efforts and share them with others
Finally, why not document your hard work? Whether you choose to keep it to yourself, or share with others, it can be really rewarding to look back at what you’ve achieved.
If you do decide to share with others, you could very well end up being someone else’s inspiration to give it a go!
Making your own furniture can be extremely rewarding. It can be an affordable, creative, and fun way to get the furniture you want and fill your home with personal touches.
From small items to statement pieces, you’ll be surprised at what you can achieve when you put your mind to it!
Disclosure: this is a collaborative post