What is better not to save on buying furniture in China

How to save on furniture?
How is it better not to save on furniture?
What are the best and the worst pieces of furniture to save on?

Being frugal doesn’t only mean saving money but also spending it wisely. Some things can be cheap now but in the long run, they will cost you much more. So, for example, the sofa that you bought with a big discount two years ago has already sagged in the middle. And in the bedroom, there is a beautiful picture on the wallpaper that your son has drawn with markers on your birthday, and now you can't wash it off. So the cheap sofa turned out to be more expensive than expected as you already have to change it, whereas a good-quality one would last for at least 25 years. Let’s check when it makes sense to spend more money now than regret it later.

Choosing a kitchen in China:

Choosing a kitchen in China don’t go cheap on:

• Hardware. How many times during the day do you open and close the drawers in the kitchen? Cheap hardware will be worn out of its overuse and need to be changed in a few years. That’s why when choosing the kitchen, it’s necessary to pay special attention to the material of the hardware like drawer slides and hinges.
• Countertop. It is the main work surface in the kitchen. To make it look good even after decades, it’s better to choose a durable countertop made of high-quality material that is not afraid of mechanical damages. Such a countertop will make the kitchen look neat and will not spoil the whole look even after a long time.

Choosing a kitchen in China safely save on:

• Materials. Solid wood can be replaced by veneered plywood or MDF board. Veneered MDF is the strongest and most durable material of wood imitation.
• Upper cabinets. Nowadays, the kitchen “without a top” is becoming more and more popular. This kind of kitchen doesn’t have any upper cabinets. A lot of designers make their projects with such kitchens. They look much lighter and more spacious. However, if you worry about where you will put all your beautiful jars, plates and cups than open shelves can be a good alternative.

Choosing furniture for a living room in China:

Choosing furniture for a living room in China don’t go cheap on:

• Sofa. The sofa is a centrepiece of the living room. The guests who will come to your house-warming party will definitely sit there. You will spend evenings with your family there. That’s why you shouldn’t go cheap on a sofa. Choose a comfortable, not very soft and not very hard sofa. Old people better use a high-seater sofa.

Choosing furniture for a living room in China safely save on:

• Sofa upholstery material. If your dream is a soft leather sofa, you can choose a combination of leather and faux leather. This means that the entire surface that comes in contact with the body is made of real leather, whereas the back and sides are made of faux leather. You will still enjoy the softness of the material and at the same time save up to 30% of the cost that you can spend on other important items.
• Side tables. Side tables are very easy to find in various styles and at different prices. If you find a cheap one that matches perfectly the design of your living room, do not hesitate to grab it. We usually don’t put more than a cup of tea or a magazine on it, so the quality is not so important.

Choosing furniture for a bedroom in China:

Choosing furniture for a bedroom in China don’t go cheap on:

Bed. Some interesting facts:

1. A person uses it more than any other piece of furniture.
2. A person spends a third of one’s life in bed.
3. Doctors believe that the first cause of diseases of the musculoskeletal system is the wrongly chosen bed.
4. This is already enough to understand that the bed is not the best piece to cut your costs. The main thing in bed is a frame. The best material for it is wood or metal. It is also important to choose a bed with a lot of slats, so the mattress will have enough air. A bed is not only a place for sleeping, but you can also read there or have breakfast in bed, so the headboard is very important too. Choose a tall headboard so you can lean on it just before going to sleep.

Choosing furniture for a bedroom in China safely save on:

• Decorative elements. Various curls, rounding and unusual bends are unnecessary elements to spend money on. Classical style with carved elements and panels is always much more expensive than furniture without additional decor. Simple straight lines are just as elegant as complex decorative elements.

Small advice:
There is a perfect armchair from a famous Italian brand that you fell in love with. It matches perfectly the design of your living room but… Its price is beyond your budget. There are a lot of replicas of famous brands in China, so it’s no big deal to find an exact model here. The quality is usually as good as the original one, however, no need to overpay for the brand. Your friends will definitely not tell the original model from the replica. If it’s still a stiff price to pay, it’s possible to find a similar model. Maybe the legs of the armchair will be different but it will help you to save quite a sum of money.

You can find more information about replicas in China in our article.

One of the most important things is to think over your project on an early stage of construction, so you will have a clear picture of the budget to spend on each piece of furniture. It also depends on your priorities. If you keen on cooking, don’t pinch pennies on a kitchen. If you come back home very late after a long day of work and the only thing you want is to relax, then better splurge on a good bed. Foshan has a lot of markets with furniture of all prices and quality, so you can safely come to us for furniture sourcing. If you still have some questions left, you are welcome to ask our managers.