How to Shop For Home Decor Online

Mistake: Not Considering Scale

Orlando identifies scale as the number one mistake that people make when shopping for home products online. "This is something that happens not only with furniture, but with accessories." Don't assume that you can tell an accent table's proportions or the size of a floor lamp just by looking at the images on a website.

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Solution: Measure, Measure, Measure!

Image Source: A Beautiful Mess

It's impossible to tell how big something is without knowing its measurements, so be sure to check the product information on the website you're shopping. If you're really not sure how a piece is going to fit into your space, Orlando recommends making a mock-up out of cardboard with the same dimensions so you know just how much space it will take up and where it might fit in the room.

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Mistake: Judging Fabric by the Picture

Image Source: Style Mutt Home

As Orlando notes, color and texture can be hard to read online. Sometimes items photograph more blue than they are, so keep that in mind when doing any online shopping. Just because a fabric looks perfect in the picture doesn't mean it will translate well into your space.

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Solution: Order Swatches

Image Source: Kristi Murphy

Whether you're shopping for upholstered furniture, throws, or even fabric itself, see if you can order swatches before you make a big purchase. This is also true for any fabric that has a pattern, as Orlando touched on: “Seeing the scale in person completely changes the way your eye reads the pattern, so I wouldn’t purchase a fabric without having a swatch of it.”

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Mistake: Forgetting About Maintenance

Image Source: Cuckoo 4 Design

Thinking about purchasing a lacquered piece of furniture for your busy house? You might want to reconsider. "People might make a choice based on style that isn’t necessarily based on the practicality of the item because they’re not there looking at it.” An item like lacquered furniture can scratch and dent easily, Orlando says, so consider whether a piece like that is good for your space.

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Solution: Think Practically

Image Source: The Crafted Life

Before making a purchase, try to think about how it fits into your lifestyle. If you have kids, are they likely to damage your brand-new coffee table or expensive shag rug? Does white furniture usually end up looking beaten and worn in your home? Try to look at these items objectively, like you would in a store.

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Mistake: Assuming Quality

Image Source: My Fabuless Life

Much like color and pattern, Orlando noted that it's hard to tell the quality of a piece of furniture from an image. A piece of furniture might look sturdy or well made in a professionally styled picture, but the reality may be different. While this is always a bit of a risk when shopping online, it's not impossible to avoid.

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Solution: Read the Specs

Image Source: Francois et Moi

Never assume that the product you're ordering is made of high-quality materials, especially if the price seems too good to be true. "You need to check, is that a bonded leather chair or real, genuine leather? Little things like that make a huge difference in terms of how the product reads in real life," Orlando said. Make sure you read the specifications listed on the website and identify exactly what the piece is made of.

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Mistake: Not Thinking of the Space as a Whole

Image Source: Polished Habitat

Quite often when people online-shop, they're wooed by furniture or accessories that aren't necessarily a great look for their space. Because there are so many options in terms of home decor when shopping online, it's easy to lose focus and get distracted by pieces you wouldn't usually consider. As Orlando noted, “You really want to think about how all of these objects are going to coalesce in a room together and create a space that feels cohesive.”

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Solution: Make a Mood Board

Image Source: Love Grows Wild

“Create a mood board for yourself, and that can help you figure out if the purchase you’re about to make makes sense with the design of your home," Orlando suggested. It could be something as simple as printing off pictures of the furniture you currently have and putting them next to pictures of the furniture you're shopping for or even creating a Pinterest board. If they don't work together, don't buy them!

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Mistake: Impulse Buying

Image Source: Little Green Notebook

We've all been there: it's 11 at night and you're browsing the internet for home decor deals, glass of wine in hand, when you spot something you just have to have. Impulse buying is a huge mistake when shopping for home decor, especially larger pieces. While you may be swayed by free shipping or limited-time deals, these are not necessarily great reasons for buying a new sofa or accent chair.

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Solution: Do Your Research

Image Source: Studio McGee

Orlando cautioned against making impulsive buying decisions. "Never rush your decisions, do your research, and really look around and make sure what you’re buying is really the best option for you and that you’re giving it some time." He recommended googling the product you're looking at to see if any design bloggers have had success with it first. And at the very least, check the return policy before you make any big decisions.

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