Homegoods is Reopening Soon!
Here’s what to buy:
First of all, if you aren’t saying no 9 times out of 10, you are most likely making design mistakes at Homegoods. Yes, there are fabulous things available at Homegoods but there is a lot more crap than cool.
My best Homegoods find ever was a Suzanne Kasler chair (with a slipcover included) that was manufactured by Hickory Chair. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I turned over the tag and saw that it was made by a North Carolina company that I am very familiar with. I bought it for $300 and immediately called a furniture salesman to find out what the retail price was. A freakin’ $4,500! Well, that doesn’t happen very often. Funny thing… going back to a previous post about buying things you don’t need, it ended up in my storage unit because I didn’t have a spot for it. I just knew what a great deal it was. I finally sold it at my garage sale. I just might have made enough money to pay for storing it! Lesson learned.
The things I consistently find at Homegoods that are a great value are: sheets, towels, dishes, lamps, down throw pillows and home accessories.
By home accessories I mean vases, bowls, kitchenware, mirrors and table linens. It is generally not a good place to find wall art, rugs or quality furniture (except in the rare case of my Hickory Chair chair). Home Goods is a great place to find small items like benches, poufs and ottomans. These don’t get sat on often and can be fun rather than functional.
The great thing about purchasing items at Homegoods is that you can return them if they don’t work. Whenever possible, it’s better to see accessories in your space before making a decision.
Tip: buy more than you think you need. Grab every vase, bowl, candlestick, lamp and tchotchke that you like. Then, take them home and “play” with them. Move them from spot to spot until the placement feels right to you.
I rarely, if ever, plan the finishing touches to a project beforehand. I do it at the very end. After checking several of my favorite stores, including a trip through Homegoods, and gathering all the possible options, I place the final details in a room. After I am done, I take back what is leftover. Don’t forget to save those receipts! And remember, in most cases you have 30 days. More than enough time to consider your choices and get it right.