Located in Monterey, California, all of our clients range in income and home size. We have furnished homes in Salinas, on the 68 Corridor, and supplied furniture to the Carmel Highlands. We have also tackled the tiny homes that dot the coastline in Pacific Grove and the military housing in La Mesa. Regardless of where you live or how much furniture you need, everyone wants high quality furniture that will look great. And at Mum’s Place, you don’t need to sacrifice style and functionality for affordability.
Depending on where you live, what your income is, and how much you are willing to invest in your house, you may have a different home furnishing budget than your neighbor. With these factors in mind, Mum’s Place is here to help guide you through the process of determining a budget, while offering tons of pieces at different price points. Our goal is to help you furnish your home with quality furniture and beautiful pieces that won’t break the bank.
Setting a Budget
There are many factors that are involved in setting a budget. The size of your family, the amount of storage you need, number of rooms in your home, and materials are some of the basic guidelines. It is important to establish the size of your home and how many rooms you want to conquer as well as determine your priorities. If you have a modest two bed one and a half bath cottage, you might decide to invest in every room. But if you have a large family moving into a five bedroom colonial style home in the suburbs, maybe you’ll focus more on the dining room and living room because those rooms are where your entire family will be together.
Prioritize your Furniture
We already talked about determining the rooms you would like to invest more in, but we can also look at individual pieces within these rooms. It makes sense to spend more of your budget on quality pieces that you would be using often, and save on some of the smaller, less functional furniture. For example, a beautiful bed and a comfortable mattress are going to be two of the most important pieces in your bedroom because SLEEP IS EVERYTHING! You want to enjoy your bed, so invest in a quality frame that will support you, and a mattress that fits your body. Don’t settle for a cushy mattress if you need support, and consider looking into mattresses that have cooling gel and sweat-wicking fabrics so you sleep comfortably through the night. When you are looking for a dresser, chest, or nightstand, the drawers should slide in and out effortlessly and it should provide all the storage space you need. That being said, these pieces could present an opportunity to save. Does it need a usb port to charge your phone? Are real crystal knobs really important? Does the back need to be finished or will it be pushed against the wall? When it comes to these pieces, try to go for a moderately-priced but high quality unit.
The living room is definitely an area to invest in. This is a room where your family gathers to hang out and talk, watch movies, or lay around reading books so it should be inviting and comfortable. Finding the right seating is essential, so invest in a great sofa or sectional, and look for some great side chairs that are both beautiful accents and great for lounging. Consider that this space might also be where your guests congregate so it should also have a more structured arrangement. This means that guests won’t like to sink into a super plush couch (while yes, it might be great for napping, it’s not practical for cocktail parties) and chairs should be supportive.
Of course dining room furniture is another important investment. Dining tables need to hold up to constant spills, scratches, and dings, and the chairs around the table should be sturdy and supportive. Fortunately, there are so many furniture manufacturers who offer scratch-resistant finishes and stand by the construction of their pieces.
One accessory that falls under this list of priorities is an area rug. This accessory can not only provide a great color palate, but it can also tie the entire room together. It also needs to be constructed well and made out of quality materials that will hold up to fading, pilling, spills and stains, and overall usage. The area rug is going to take a lot of abuse over time so it needs to be quality.
Our Favorite Affordable Furniture Manufacturers
Some of our favorite brands are actually the most reasonably priced. That’s because our manufacturers understand the needs of most consumers. They work hard to design hundreds of styles of furniture, available in different finishes and fabrics and they stand by the quality of their work.
Flexsteel
Flexsteel is one of our favorite manufacturers for several reasons. First of all, they have been around since before the Great Depression, which speaks highly to their durability, affordability and their ability to keep with the trends. Read more about interior design trends for 2019 here or check out some of our other traditional and contemporary living furniture.
The Bryant Sofa (pictured above) is one of our most popular sofas. It is modern with its straight lines, square cushions and track arms, but it is not cold and contemporary because it has comfortable cushions and a bit of a wide track arm. You can dress it up with a more traditional fabric or pattern, or give it a more casual feel with a textured cover. This piece is also a great option because it comes in a variety of sizes and sectional configurations so it will fit any style and space!
Palliser
Palliser is a great place to look for recliners. Available in a ton of different styles, shapes, and fabric options, Palliser is a great place to start looking for affordable and beautiful recliners. There are also lots of different base choices including round swivel bases and high leg, allowing you to choose the recliner that fits your space and your needs.
Shoutout to all the women out there who hate the idea of putting a recliner in the living room! What you might not realize is that not all recliners are over-stuffed massive chairs that are only used to watch “the big game.” Palliser has some great reclining options that have a smaller profile, and look more like regular conversation chairs. Check out the Jasper Recliner (above). It is both modern and unassuming and available in a bunch of different colors to match the style of your room.
Modus
Modus is our go-to manufacturer for bedroom furniture. They cover a multitude of different styles from traditional to modern and coastal to industrial, all while remaining affordable. They pride themselves in building their furniture exclusively with solid wood making their products durable and functional.
We are obsessed with the Oxford Bedroom Collection as pictured above. Combining upholstery with modern lines and materials, this collection is a great transitional option that would go great with a darker color scheme. The Oxford Canopy bed is an elegant piece as long as you have high ceilings, and the storage bed is a great option if you don’t have enough closet space. The dresser, chest, and nightstand have beautiful nickel hardware, adding a bit of lightness to the collection. Read more about Bedroom Trends for 2019 here.
Winner’s Only
Winner’s Only is a great place to start looking for affordable new dining room furniture. Offering a great variety of style and size options, Winner’s Only has a collection out there for everyone. Each collection is “what you see is what you get” meaning you have no options when it comes to finish and upholstery, but that also means it’s much easier to make decisions about what to put in your home.
It’s hard to choose just one dining collection… but the Urbana Collection has a great French Country vibe to it, with a washed finish and elegant detail on the legs. It is difficult to find affordable French Country style furniture because manufacturers have to add an extra level of detail to the pieces, but Winner’s Only created a beautiful and durable option for anyone who doesn’t want to pay an arm and a leg while still following the latest dining room furniture trends.
Make sure to check out our next blog about our higher-end furniture options and as always, follow us on facebook and instagram for more designer inspiration.
Stop by our furniture showroom to see what one of the best Monterey Peninsula Furniture Stores has to offer!
