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To Provide Security:
We all need material things to create a sense of familiarity at the place where we live. A simple grouping of furniture well lighted can be used for entertainment, the entire family enjoys it. It can be useful in creating a sense of “family life as usual”. An extension dining table that has been the accustomed center of family celebrations is another piece of furniture that will help to establish a sense of continuity in family life.
Comfort:
The most important consideration while selecting a piece of furniture is comfort. The livability of a home depends largely on its comfortable furniture items and furnishings. The ready-made furniture available in the market is according to certain standard measurement. Thus a standard easy chair has a seat depth of 22 to 24 inches and is 17 inches high in front and a little lower at the back. An occasional chair is 19 inches deep and 18 inches high. Arm rests are above 7 inches above the seat. Seat backs are 17 to 19 inches high.
However, furniture that does not conform to standard measurements is also procurable and can be made-to-order. While procuring such items, one should always keep in mind certain features of comfort. For example-a chair should be deep enough to reach the back of the knees of the seated person. The chair back should have a comfortable slant and height, and should support the shoulder blades well, or even the head, if that is desired. The children’s furniture should suit their measurements. Some furniture is made with the adjustable legs that can be lengthened as the child grows. This type of flexibility makes the furniture usable in the long run.
Expressiveness:
The theme of the room limits the choice of furniture. For example, a cottage style expresses informality, comfort and simplicity and calls for furniture of the same characteristics. The kind of wood, the shape of the article, the style and the colour, all are the elements that help to create the mood or expressiveness desired.
Style:
Sometimes furniture is bought because it represents certain styles. The three possible choices of style can generally be grouped under as period/cottage or modern/abstract. If the choice is period or cottage, specific period or types must be selected, like some furniture items representing Moghual period or British style. The style of construction of the house should also be kept in mind while selecting the furniture style.
Beauty:
Every individual is born with some kind of taste for beauty. Any item placed in a house should possess some aesthetic value. While selecting one furniture piece between two similar items, it is the beauty of the piece which influences the final choice. One general rule to follow as guide in the selection of furniture is the simple and plain things, are the better choice in the long run. Simplicity should be the thumb rule in the selection of beautiful furniture items. Simple furniture items not only appear to be beautiful, but are also, functional, easy to maintain and eligible to fit into any corner.
Utility:
All furniture pieces are bought with the main intention of having some use. Therefore, unless an article is useful, it should not be given a space in the home, regardless of its beauty or sentimental association. This aspect becomes more important in the Indian urban households where space is a limiting factor and flats are made with the bare minimum area because of the cost factor. Therefore, the furniture requirements of every room should be carefully studied and planned. Before making the final purchase, their utility should be calculated and analyzed in terms of the space available and function of the rooms. Sometimes double purposes make furniture more valuable.
Balance and scale:
It is always unwise to buy furniture and accessories simply because they are in fashion, without paying attention to their size, proportions and relationship to each and to the space in the room allotted to them. The actual dimensions of a piece of furniture are basic in determining its scale and proportions, but the way it is designed can sometimes have subtle effects. A long, open back, cane-seat settee, for instance, can occupy a great deal of space and still give an impression of lightness-out of scale with a heavy, squats armchair occupying less space.
Construction:
A well built furniture is always an asset because it gives a long and satisfactory service. A good furniture will give many years of service and satisfaction and for that reason, should be bought deliberately. Every piece of furniture should be studied from the point of view of its construction. A complete examination of a furniture and acquiring information about it is a must for every consumer and decorator. The purchaser should look at the back, bottom and inside of each piece as well as at the front.
Firmness and rigidity:
A well built furniture can be tested by judging its firmness and rigidity as it is being used i.e. sitting in a chair or sofa, lying flat on a bed and so no. firmness and rigidity under pressure are very important features of a good construction. Firmness depends largely on how the different parts are joined. The legs and frame should be fastened together with glue and also with the dowels, screws, steel clips and corner metal plates. These joints should not break or make noise when the furniture is put to use.
Increased cultural interests:
As community cultural activities awaken your interests in music, art, the theaters, great-book clubs or church study groups, the furniture in your home will reflect these interests. You will need furniture that will help you store and display the materials you acquire such as books, records, music, musical instruments, crafts and good pictures.
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