5 tips on furniture shopping for the holidays
Before you start sprucing up your home for the holidays, read this
The holidays are almost here! For some, it's a time of love and family, while for others, the stress of decorating our homes are starting to dawn upon us. In a pandemic world, gatherings with our loved ones are limited with the set of rules that have taken place due to the coronavirus – hence, we might see the majority of celebrations to take place at the comfort of our own home. Which begs the question: have you started planning on redecorating your space?
If you haven’t already begun sprucing up your home to receive guests for the upcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations, it’s time to start thinking about it and investing in the right pieces for a home that’s ready for hosting friends and family at a moment’s notice, like these favourite picks we’ve rounded up from Castlery.
About Castlery
Founded in 2013, Castlery is the go-to for stylish and practical furniture essentials with a variety of styles that are created both in-house and in collaboration with award-winning international designers. Their designs feature clean, contemporary lines and hard-wearing materials that are selected for durability — all at an affordable price tag for the modern homeowner.
Get your home party-ready
All it takes to get your home ready for gatherings this festive season are a few key considerations when shopping for furniture. Here, we’ve rounded up five factors to keep in mind.
A modular sofa that offers flexibility is essential, like the Adams Chaise Sectional Sofa and Ottoman. You can configure it to suit the shape and size of your living room, and rearrange it from its usual layout for a more gathering-friendly one, if necessary.
It’s also extremely comfortable with its ultra-plush back cushions and high-quality foam that your guests can just sink into. And even if something spills, you can easily clean up since the seat and cushion covers are removable.
If you have the space, a larger sofa like the Adams L-shape Sectional Sofa and Ottoman is a great setup for facilitating conversation. Its clean lines and legs accented in brass, black, or silver make a stylish statement in any living room.
Larger gatherings call for extra chairs — which won’t be a problem if you have seating options that you can easily pull up without having to do heavy lifting. We like the Hagen counter stools, which exude tropical vibes with their woven rattan seats. They’re great for gatherings on the balcony or terrace, too, since they’re made of sturdy and durable material.
We also love this Cammy armchair, which pulls double duty as both comfy reading chair during a quiet afternoon at home, and as extra seating when needed at a gathering. If you have guests that need a comfortable seating option with plenty of back support, this armchair is the one for them.
Your guests definitely need somewhere to place their plates and wine glasses, and also play party games! Invest in a coffee table with a generous surface area, such as the Mico Coffee Table, so that there’s enough space for everyone. With its solid teak top and rattan body, it’s both stylish and practical, lending a rustic-chic vibe to your living room. The tabletop slides off for access to generous storage space, too, so you have a place to keep extra cushions and throws if you need them.
As the host, you’re going to need somewhere to keep all the board games and extra cups within easy reach. A sideboard is the perfect addition to your living room since it doesn’t take up much floor space, but provides plenty of extra storage. The Charlie Sideboard, for instance, has three drawers and a deep cabinet space large enough to store plenty of party necessities in. Its mid-century modern design with a chevron finish adds a striking accent to the space, too.
Since most gatherings involve a lot of people moving around, bumps against the furniture are inevitable. Avoid scratches and bumps by ensuring your furniture has rounded edges, like the Seb extendable dining table and bench. They feature round corners and are made from a solid acacia wood frame for durability. Did we also mention that we love its versatility? The butterfly panel top of the Seb extendable dining table allows you to pull it out so that it can seat up to four more people during gatherings, and put it back easily when the party’s over.