Put careful thought into furniture purchases

Do you put a lot of thought into the kind of automobile you plan to buy? Sure you do. Your lifestyle often dictates the type of car you want. Whether you purchase a fancy foreign car, a snappy sports car or a family-type SUV will depend on how you perceive your life or, in some cases, how you would like others to perceive it.

Buying furniture for your home should involve at least as much thought and analysis as buying a car. First of all, buying furniture is a big expense. Also, you will probably own your furniture longer than the car.

Here is a list that might help you in determining what you want out of the furniture you buy.

* Are there small children in the house who require nonpointed pieces and touchable fabrics?

* When entertaining guests, do you prefer a) sit-down dinners, b) buffet-type dinners, or c) free-for-all, anything-goes informal bashes? This translates into a) formal furnishings with large dining facilities, b) an informal yet classy setting with plenty of conversational seating areas, and c) very casual with lots of sitting room everywhere, including the floor.

* How will you set up the room? Plan ahead to make sure the three-piece sectional will fit. Always measure before you buy because what looks like the right size in the showroom might actually overpower your room.

Some fabrics tend to visually diminish the size of the furniture. If you give your designer the size of the room, she or he will be able to draw the furniture into the scaled plan so you can see if it works. Besides fitting, you need to allow for traffic flow through the room.

* Decide in advance how much you want to spend. You can be a little flexible when you actually make your purchases, but having a ballpark figure will keep you on the right track.

You will find a wide range of pieces and quality, and there is a definite correlation between the two. Please keep that in mind. "You get what you pay for" is also true in furniture. Higher price gives you higher quality of materials and workmanship, and often a better variety of styling.

When you go shopping, be prepared with a list of measurements, your floor plan and samples of colors that are already established, like carpet or wall colors. Take a measuring tape with you so you can measure the furniture in the showroom. All good showrooms will have a measuring tape or yardstick for you to use, but you might as well have one handy just in case.

A few more tips:

* Know what you need. Don't buy something that catches your eye but really doesn't fit in with the rest of the décor.

* Have a master plan with priorities at the top of the list. If you can't afford it all now, buy important pieces first.

* Go shopping on a day when you are not rushed.

* Eat before you shop so you are not distracted by hunger pangs.

* Wear comfortable clothes. Even the most expensive places will wait on you if you are in shorts and sneakers.

* And, finally, have fun. Furnishing your home should be an enjoyable experience.

Rosemary Sadez Friedmann, an interior designer in Naples, Fla., is author of "Mystery of Color."