Choosing Investment Pieces for your Home

June 2, 2016

Text by Lynda Simonton

Wondering what are the best investment pieces for your home? We asked some of New England’s leading interior designers to weigh in with their choices for selecting furniture and accessories that have true staying power.

Charlotte Barnes, Charlotte Barnes Interior Design and Decoration
Drawing inspiration from another era, this six- foot mirror is bespoke of an original in my childhood home. It looks as classically modern today as it did in 1960. The mirror brings a European charm and while the size is large, it fits easily over any console table or sofa and adds dimension, depth, light and chicness to any space.

Ellis Mirror from the Charlotte Barnes Collection

Kristen Rivoli, Kristen Rivoli Interior Design
The one item I’d recommend as an investment piece after you’ve had the “college dorm, starter furniture” is a good sofa. Everyone needs a place to sit and this is the one thing you’ll always have.

In particular, I recommend the classic Tuxedo sofa, best from Dunbar by Edward Wormley, and with all the online vintage sites, there are plenty out there to find. There are also many companies that make new Tuxedo sofas, the criteria is that the back and arms are at the same height, you can have button tufted, no button tufted, three cushions, single cushion, railheads or not.

The Tuxedo sofa has classic lines and will always look current for years and years. If you get a good quality sofa, you won’t have to buy a new sofa because the “style” never goes out of fashion, it can be easily reupholstered to update the look. You can dress it up with toss pillows, and simply change them if you want to freshen up your room.

The style of the Tuxedo sofa is so clean that it can be put in a traditional or modern setting depending on the fabric and cushion details.

Dunbar Tuxedo Sofa via 1st Dibs.

Kathie Chrisicos, Chrisicos Interiors
I consider a round dining table to be a signature purchase suitable as one of the first major investments in good furnishings for your home. Why? Because the dining table is literally and figuratively the center of attention in a room.

A round table can work in dining spaces in a condo, or a home in the suburbs. A 48 to 60 inch diameter can have a new and charmed life in your home as a center foyer table, a craft table, or a game table. A clean-lined classic style can work with a variety of design styles so it can stay with you as your taste evolves.

Halsey Dining Table available through Chrisicos Interiors

Stephanie Rapp, Stephanie Rapp Interiors
“When investing in good furniture, an important piece to anchor a room with is the sofa. You can’t go wrong in selecting one with tailored, classic lines that will stand the test of time. The benchmarks of a quality piece are evident in the construction of the frame and the cushions, as well as design elements that may be subtle, yet set it apart from the ordinary.

One such piece is the Vanguard MacGregor Sofa with its clean lines, subtle curve enhancing the track arm, and inset panels on the sides and back. It is the details such as these that can give a modern or traditional room a sense of timelessness.”