If you’re moving into a new house or looking to redecorate your existing one, costs are likely the first problem on your mind. Let’s take a look at how much it costs to furnish a house based on room type. I’ll also show you how different aspects can lower or raise the end price, hopefully teaching you how to save money.
How Much Does It Cost to Furnish a House?
Furnishing houses cost between $3,500 and $95,000, but most people spend around $16,000 on furniture for their entire house. Naturally, these costs depend on the size of the house, type of furniture, material in question, durability, and where you purchase the products. In that spirit, let’s look at the house’s main rooms and how to furnish each.
You might want to check: How to Divide a Living Room into a Bedroom
How Much Does It Cost to Furnish a Living Room?
The standard furniture arrangement for a living room includes a sofa, a rug, a few chairs with cushioned seats, and a coffee table. After the structure of the room has been established, the design of the space can be completed by adding lighting and decorations such as throw blankets, throw pillows, and artwork.
There is a correlation between square footage of the space and the total cost. It would be impossible for a family of four to have a small sofa with only two seats in a living room of 500 square feet.
You better get a sofa with more seating capacity to fit the space. Materials also make a difference. A polyester upholstery sofa will always be cheaper than a natural leather sofa.
Window treatments may need to be manufactured to order if your windows are of an unusual shape, such as arched or tall. There is a possibility that non-standard room shapes will need the purchase of customized furniture, the price of which averages out to about $2,575.
When you shop for large furniture items, you will frequently be required to pay a delivery fee to the retailer or rent a vehicle to transport those goods to your home. It is not usually possible to carry furniture home the same day it is purchased.
Because you frequently have to place orders for things like sofas, renting a van to transport all of your purchases at once might not be the most practical option.
Some of the most common items for a living room include:
- Sofa
- Floor lamp
- Bookshelf
- TV stand
- Coffee table
- Side chair
It can cost between $1,500 and $31,000 to fully furnish a living room, so here is the average cost for most of the key pieces people buy.
| Product Type | Average Cost |
| Sofa | $2,700 |
| Floor lamp | $350 |
| Bookshelf | $3,025 |
| TV stand | $3,075 |
| Coffee table | $900 |
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How Much Does It Cost to Furnish a Bedroom?
Your overall budget will be significantly impacted by the quality of the furniture you decide to purchase. You may have high-quality pieces of furniture that won’t blow your budget if you find a happy medium between the more affordable pine and the more luxurious mahogany.
Include delivery expenses in your overall budget to avoid any unpleasant surprises down the road. They can range anywhere from $50 to $500 based on:
- where you live.
- the store where you bought the furniture from.
- the number of products being shipped.
- the kind of items being shipped.
- how quickly you want them delivered.
When discussing bedroom furnishing costs, the mattress will make the biggest difference. A 10-inch foam mattress will be considerably cheaper than a foam and latex hybrid bed with a 14-inch profile and cooling technology.
Some of the most common items for a bedroom include:
- Mattress
- Bed frame
- Wardrobe/dresser
- Full-body mirror
- Two nightstands
- Table lamps
It can cost between $1,000 and $15,000 to fully furnish a living room, depending on whether this is a master bedroom or a guest bedroom. For a master bedroom, here are the main average costs.
|
Product Type |
Average Cost |
| Queen or King bed frame | $1,575 |
| Mattress | $1,750 |
| Dresser | $1,425 |
| Nightstand x 2 | $1,100 |
| Large mirror | $400 |
How Much Does It Cost to Furnish a Dining Room?
Although the price of flat-pack furniture may be lower than that of already-assembled pieces, putting it together may take more time and present some challenges. This is especially true if you need to furnish a whole house.
Businesses and retail establishments will put together your furniture for you if you don’t want the effort. Putting together furniture can range anywhere from $40 to $450, but the typical cost is $110 or $55 per hour.
It depends on some things, including the location of your home, the store from which you made your purchase, and the quantity of furniture that needs to be assembled. In most cases, you should be able to employ a local handyperson for work of this nature.
Some of the most common items for a dining room include:
- Dining Table
- Six chairs
- Sideboard
- Area Rug
- Art
It can cost between $1,000 and $16,000 to fully furnish a living room. The price depends on the size and seating chosen if you want art pieces throughout the dining room and whether or not you choose any fancy window treatments.
| Product Type | Average Cost |
| Dining table | $1,550 |
| Chairs x 6 | $2,210 |
| Area Rug | $1,550 |
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How Much Does It Cost to Furnish a Home Office?
Rather than shopping at various stores for your home goods, you might save money by getting most of what you need from a single vendor. Possibly, purchasing in large quantities will get you a discount, or perhaps free delivery, from some of the smaller businesses.
Keeping an eye on your spending limit may become more difficult if you make purchases from a wide variety of stores, and you may have to pay more for delivery if you do so.
For your home office, the desk and your chair of choice will impact the price most. Buying a small chair and a simple desk is cheaper than going for a desk with adjustable height and a leather executive office chair.
A good home office also needs books and file storage space, so you have to invest in cabinets and bookcases. You also need proper lighting and maybe some potted plants. Expect to pay as much as $15,000 to fully furnish your home office.
Some of the most common items for a home office include:
- Desk
- Office chair
- Bookshelf
- Filing cabinets
| Product Type | Average Cost |
| Desk | $2,000 |
| Chair | $400 |
| Custom-made cabinets | $3,000 |
| Lighting | $500 |
The Verdict
If you’re working on a minimal budget, there are many different methods by which you can lower the expense of furnishing your house. Look through the online classifieds, visit thrift stores, and attend yard sales to find used furniture of great quality that are being sold at steep discounts. You can save anywhere from 25 to 50 percent on the price of the products you buy if you wait for seasonal specials.
You also don’t have to furnish the entire house all at once if you don’t want to. If you typically eat supper while watching TV on the couch, you shouldn’t rush out and buy a dining room set.
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