Having a very deep and diverse fear of decorating your home in style is nothing to be accused of – in fact, it is perfectly natural! Simply looking at the prices on some of the sofas, chairs, and other accessories just for the living room is enough to give anyone chills! A simple set of deck or patio furniture can literally run into the thousands of dollars – so is it any wonder that many of us cringe when we think of buying furniture and always end up in the discount stores looking at stuff we do not like simply because we can not bear to spend more?
But what really is the price of that cheap furniture? From a purely psychological point of view, an ugly set of living room furniture can be a constant source of social embarrassment – especially if you know the guest has a really stunning pit area or a beautiful coffee table! Even if you pretend like it does not bother you – it does. Some of us compensate by constantly pointing out how we do not "need fancy furniture" … or, we may decide to talk about or criticizeize those that do. Either way, it is a coping mechanism meant to make us feel better about having crappy furniture. It does not work and those who know us best recognize it for what it is – whether we think so or not!
From a purely logical standpoint, the cheap furniture problem does not make itself apparent at first. However, a set of outdoor deck furniture made from inferior wood that is not finished properly will begin to rot and decay in the first or second season. Even with proper care, an inexpensive set of outdoor furniture will only last a few seasons before you are again spending big money on cheap loungers, tables, chairs, and other accessories that are both ugly and quite probably uncomfortable. A nice set of quality made Adirondack or teak outdoor deck or patio furniture will bring you years of enjoyment, be a real source of pride, and be around for years to come without needing replacement and often being the better overall value.
The same is true of indoor furniture as well. While you might think it best to buy a cheap dinette set when you have small children fearing stains, marks, and other issues caused by young ones – this may cost you more in the long run as well. A quality made dining room table or chair is more likely to end wear, retain value, and bring you pleasure and enjoyment – than some discount set sold at a flea market or on Ebay.
It is sad but very true – you do indeed get what you pay for in this world. While we may love the idea of saving a dollar here and there when comparing prices – you have to really look at what is being compared. Comparing a cheap desk lamp with some genuine Dale Tiffany reproduction, as seen on http://www.tiffany-lamps-store.com , made from the same materials as those used to make the originals – well, of course there will be a huge gap in price. But, while the cheap desk lamp will likely break or fall from favor within a couple of years, a Dale or Meyda Tiffany lamp is something that will likely become a treasured heirloom that is passed down through the generations. Is there a price difference? Yes, but sometimes the costs of shoddy furnishings, second-rate materials, and by-gone designs are all greater than simply spending the money for the furniture that you want and will be proud of. There is nothing to fear …. but coming home and being ashamed of your own furniture!