Choosing the Best Furniture Materials for Your Home
When choosing furniture, many of us prioritise aesthetic appeal and price. However, an equally crucial factor in furniture selection is the material it’s made from. Understanding the characteristics of different materials empowers you to make informed decisions that suit your home and its intended use. As interior designers, we need to grasp the production and usability of the products we specify for our clients, particularly in furniture packages. Therefore, we are here to assist you in making these furniture decisions, ensuring you select the right pieces for your space.
Rattan Furniture
Rattan is a stunning material ideal for achieving a coastal or boho aesthetic. Not only is it eco-friendly, but it also boasts excellent flexibility and breathability, making it perfect for tropical climate Airbnb properties or holiday homes. While it performs well in warm environments, it’s essential to shield it from direct sunlight, as extended exposure can lead to weakening, fading, and even mould growth. Authentic rattan furniture offers superior quality, so it’s important to discern between genuine and synthetic options. Rattan’s natural beauty and texture are often showcased in dining chairs, buffet units, and coffee tables.
Wood Furniture
We are all familiar with wood—a timeless material renowned for its versatility and durability. Not only is wood aesthetically pleasing, but it also provides strength to furniture and maintains its value over time. Adding wood to your living or dining room brings warmth and character, thanks to its distinctive grain and tones. However, it’s important to be aware of a few considerations. Wood readily absorbs moisture, which can lead to uneven deformation in humid conditions. Additionally, prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can cause discolouration. Nevertheless, one of the great benefits of wood is its ability to be sanded to remove unwanted scratches and scuff marks, preserving its beauty for years to come.
Marble Furniture
Another widely recognised material found in our side tables, coffee tables, and bedside tables is marble. Renowned for its durability, marble is resistant to scratches and damage, although it does require proper care to ensure its longevity. Timeless and elegant, marble offers a wide array of colours and patterns, making each piece unique. Despite its durability, liquids such as spilled drinks on a marble coffee table should be promptly wiped to prevent permanent stains. While marble is commonly used in smaller items, it’s also possible to purchase marble tables, although it’s essential to consider the weight and location of the item, particularly if it will need to be moved.
Veneer Furniture
Veneer is a frequently utilised material, often incorporated into various types of furniture. It offers the visual appeal of natural wood at a more affordable price point. Veneers can be customised with polish or varnish to alter their shade, ranging from light to dark. Additionally, they are environmentally friendly and easily recyclable. However, due to its composition, veneer is prone to water damage unless a sealant is applied to the surface. This versatile material is commonly found in furniture and timber products alike.
Glass Furniture
Glass is a versatile material that brings numerous benefits and enhances the ambiance of any space. Not only does glass add visual interest with its unique surface, but it also has the ability to create an open and spacious feel, making it ideal for apartments. Offering a modern aesthetic, glass is resistant to deformation and aging. While glass surfaces can be challenging to clean due to streaks, they can be easily maintained with proper care. It’s important to handle glass surfaces with caution, as they can be fragile depending on their thickness. For instance, having kids around a glass dining table with thin legs requires extra care. Nonetheless, glass generally performs well and requires careful handling and movement to avoid breakage due to its fragile nature and weight.
Boucle Furniture
Boucle, a material that surged in popularity in 2023, is widely recognised for its highly textured appearance, adding depth to any space. With its elegant and luxurious associations with Chanel, boucle brings a touch of sophistication to interiors. Ideal for cooler climates, boucle offers excellent insulation, effectively retaining warmth, and is known for its durability thanks to its hard-wearing fabric. However, it’s important to consider the price of boucle, as its premium quality often comes with a higher cost, and its weight can be unexpectedly heavy due to its composition. Despite this, boucle remains a preferred choice for adding textural interest, as it resists matting, fading, and shedding unlike other fabrics.
Leather Furniture
Leather is a familiar material, yet it may not have been widely experienced due to concerns about wear and tear. Surprisingly, leather ranks as the most durable fabric for upholstery, resisting tearing, puncturing, and fading. However, scratches can be particularly noticeable, especially in households with young children and pets. Leather provides excellent breathability and exudes a high-end, elegant appearance. Despite its many positives, leather can be less comfortable and tends to retain heat in warmer months, making it worth considering for holiday homes or Airbnbs.
Furniture Packages
Armed with insights into the prevalent materials and fabrics found in our homes, we trust you’re better prepared for your upcoming furniture package investment. Should you still seek guidance on furnishing your forever home, holiday retreat, or Airbnb, don’t hesitate to reach out to our interior designers at Blink Living for a complimentary consultation. Through an initial site visit, we’ll assess your furniture, rug, and homeware needs, ensuring that the materials selected complement your lifestyle and the intended use of your furniture. Inquire about furniture packages today.
