Gone are the days when you had to buy what furniture your local furniture store had in supply. Today you can order exactly the kind of furniture you want. Largely, buying furniture is a matter of personal taste, limited though by practical considerations like size of the room and the general climateof the area you stay in.

Low lustre woods like pine and cane and light finishes suggest a casual atmosphere. Highly polished dark woods like mahogany, teak and walnut and dark finishes suggest a formal atmoshere. Before you buy furniture, measure the dimensions of the space where you intend to place it. Then measure the piece to see that it fits. Regarding the quality: *Check if the wood is of the good quality you want. *See that the finish is even throughout and the wood grains match across the pieces. See that the piece stands squarely on the floor. *The joints should be firm and tight (fitted with screws in case of cupboards, etc.). Uneven joints and glue indicate sloppy workmanship. *Check if movable parts like drawers fit well. The wood inside, beneath and behind the drawers should be sanded to a smooth finish. *Hardware like hinges, latches and handles should be tightly and securely fixed. In upholstered furniture, the cloth used should be thick and closely woven, the patrterns should match all around and seams should be straight without loose fastening. *Sit on the chair or sofa to see that it is comfortable.