The Most Expensive Piece of Furniture I Own
I was talking to Susan Brinson (if you’re not following House of Brinson, you should!)Â and we began chatting about our renovation and design philosophy. We both renovate in real time, save our money for home projects, and invest in materials, furniture, and decor that make us happy- and will hopefully withstand the test of time. We laughed at what we’re willing to pay for and what we’d rather thrift or DIY. Sometimes we save and sometimes we splurge. That’s kind of my design, decorating, and renovating mindset though… mixing high & low. One thing I love about Susan- like me, she’s comfortable talking about budgets, dollar amounts, and is always open to discussing cost with me. I feel like this industry could use more of those real conversations. Today, I thought I’d share the most expensive piece of furniture I own with you. Why not? Interested to see what it is (I’m sure you can guess)? Click through! It probably comes as no surprise as I’ve talked about this before on the blog…
I’ve made my fair share of spendy home purchases over the years… custom upholstery, lighting, custom drapery, a fancy custom dog bed with french fabric (haha! Emmett was not happy about that one), artwork, and plenty of permanent fixtures that were splurge-worthy. Do I regret any of those purchases? Not really- well, maybe the dog bed because Finn ended up ruining it… you live, you learn. Anyway- the most expensive piece of furniture Emmett and I own is our custom leather bed. You can read all about it in this post (plus shop similar options), but long story short- IÂ was working at a design firm and custom designed our leather bed. It was the first piece of quality furniture we purchased and it has lived in every one of our homes with us. Our style has evolved over the years, but the (almost 10 year old) bed has held up beautifully, aged with grace (we’ve got a nice patina going), and has blended nicely with the aesthetic of each home we lived in. It’s a special piece of furniture to us! The total cost was around $8k, but I was able to use my designer discount and snag it for a bit less (~$5k).
If you’re trying to justify spending serious money on a piece of furniture for your home, these are the questions I always consider prior to purchasing…
- Does it make you happy?
- Does it have sentimental value (or will it eventually)?
- Is it a high-quality (or heirloom) piece?
- Will I love this for years to come?
- Is it unique, vintage, one-of-a-kind, or custom?
Our bed is pretty much all of those things: high quality, custom, we’ve loved it for years, and it makes us happy. It is also sentimental because I consider it a “gift” from my Dad. After he passed away, I inherited a small amount and we were able to purchase this bed right after getting married. It felt like a huge purchase at the time, but a special one that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. I think he would’ve liked that we did something for ourselves. It’s just a bonus that it makes us think of him.
Even if I answer yes to only one of the aforementioned questions, that is enough reason for me. I think it’s all about what you feel comfortable investing in. At the end of the day, this is YOUR home and YOU get to decide what you bring into it, how much money you spend, and how you curate your space.
Will there ever be a more expensive piece of furniture I’ll invest in someday? I’d probably guess yes, eventually… but I have no idea what that will be or where it fits into our house. I’d love a new sofa in our basement someday! I also envision some beautiful furniture in my home office someday. I’m not sure if those pieces will have a higher price tag than our bed, but I’m sure something will come along (that I just can’t pass up) someday.
I think my point of this post was to share the following thoughts…
- Mixing high and low is an awesome way to achieve a curated interior that fits your aesthetic, while feeling meaningful.
- Sometimes the best things in your home are worth saving for.
- Talking about budgets, timelines, and design decisions help set realistic expectations.
- Do what makes you happy and spend your money on things that bring you joy- whatever that might be (home related or not).
What is the most expensive piece of furniture you own? Are you interested in hearing about the most inexpensive pieces found throughout my house? Most of those are thrifted, but there are some things I’ve purchased and still really love. I’m also linking some similar beds for you below! I’m asked about the source for ours ALL the time.