Buying NEW furniture? 6 Signs a Furniture Piece is CHEAP and Won't LAST (even if its expensive!)

[@mistydevillier2197]

We have an antique mahogany bed with slats and it's outlasted many others. You could always just put a sheet of plywood over the slats to make it firmer.

[@soriyazz]

I know we always thank you and appreciate you for always helping us out but you truly don't know how much you help us out. Thank you KB

[@willt.9654]

The goal of a slatted bed base is to allow the mattress to ventilate without the use of a box spring.

[@mstsp9546]

You are right and I am so glad you brought it up! Some places sell things as wood when it is pressed wood, fiberboard, or particle board. Then there is no wood stuff. Particle board and the other manufactured wood can look good, but, it will not last as it is basically compressed sawdust. Some actual wood veneers can be nicely done and some of the particle board furniture can look great, but I absolutely agree, you should know, before you buy, and sometimes, you have to go an extra step to find out. I agree with the comment on comments too, lol we should be tattling on these guys!

[@jeannineterese1037]

Great video KB! I just bought a couch on amazon & boy was it hard to find one with good reviews.

[@thatssorainy9097]

Ran into KB at cvs tonight and I'm still fingirling 🤣😅

[@KivaBrent]

It was so nice meeting you!!! 💕

[@lucky2516]

Just wanna say that particle board is way heavier than real wood most furniture is made of (unless we're talking about some crazy expensive red wood maybe) so weight alone is not a good enough indicator.

[@SyedaHussain]

Me watching this while gluing together my $200 wayfair dresser 😂

[@izishillboldon6036]

I love, love, love this video. It is on point and valuable. This is why I want you to decorate the house I will be purchasing at the beginning of next year (2023).

[@XandriaPolish]

I almost skipped this vid bc we just bought our new couches but I did several of your tips so I’m feeling good. 😊

[@patriciaa4451]

I have a huge bed with an ornate headboard that I love but it squeaks every time I move. I'm hoping to get it fixed or replace it but keep the headboard. I learned not to buy furniture in a hurry the hard way but I didn't want to sleep on the floor in my new apartment at the time. Lesson learned.

[@teresse2742]

Disagreed on the slats point. You want your matress to have access to air from both sided so it can stay as healty for you as possible. The wooden piece you recommended is pretty bad for that matter. The things about slats you say are true, but I’d rather have slats and slightly soggy mattress than moldy and non-soggy one. Also, it only soggs on my side under my big fat butt, my husbands side is pristine still. What bugs me about luroy slats specifically is the squeaking which we fixed by putting painters tape at the edges. But ofc you can buy more expensive framed slats or non-framed slats with plastic covers at the end to prevent this. :-)

[@gabzi27]

Was about to come and say this but decided to look at the previous comments first, glad someone else already said this. It's so important, it's why you shouldn't just have a mattress on the floor.

[@andrea6053]

You can also go to a local hardware store and buy sturdier, broader slats to help improve support and air flow.

[@youbetcha108]

I’m wondering if you can just put command strips under the moveable slats so they stay in place? I think that would solve that problem. Box springs double the price of a mattress and why make things more expensive in these times. My experience with mdf and veneers is that the piece is actually heavier. I do not like composites bc any water damage ruins it. Wood can be sanded down to remove damage. But mdf has its advantages in dry areas as it can reduce the price of a piece. Like the inside of a kitchen cabinet can be mdf and outside solid wood. But you should use liners to protect the inside. It just depends on how much you can spend. I always look for dovetails with drawers. Sometimes the back is not as heavy bc it makes the furniture a little lighter so you can move it around at home. You don’t need the back to be heavy wood. IMO sofa backs must be as nice as the front but not bureaus.

[@francinef9884]

I bought a nightstand 15 years ago that I thought was good quality. I was totally wrong! Just looked underneath and it’s raw wood. I’ll know for the next time I shop for any furniture items . Thanks for this video.

[@suzanneribas3746]

I was a furniture maker for 25 years and was edged out of the market by the Chinese influx of junk furniture. The proof is in the years of use you get out of a piece but as one guy said why would I want a piece of furniture that lasts 20+ years if my marriage is going to last six and my wife is going to get it with the house in the divorce settlement?

[@KivaBrent]

Fair point!

[@bnb0510]

Honestly I feel like the furniture prices keep going up and up and the quality is not there. My Arhaus table waa thousands of dollars and it’s not even solid wood. Same with a coffee table I’m waiting on. I’m the dumb a$$ buying them bc I can’t find anything else that I want.

[@SarahJones-un9xh]

Thank you! Needed this! 😊👍

[@KivaBrent]

So glad this was helpful to you, Sarah!! Buying any furniture soon?

[@SarahJones-un9xh]

@@KivaBrent - I’m looking for a chair and stand for my tv.

[@luciezabakova7266]

Your matrace should be ventilatilate. Solid base is not able to ventilate.

[@flooshoomoo7104]

I have wood drop file drawers that aren’t dovetailed and hold a ton. Reinforced bottom and butter-smooth, full extension hardware are my green flags now

[@brianbattle4432]

I usually buy my furniture online since there are no good stores near me. So far I have had good luck but sometimes I hesitate.

[@marthatassi293]

Furniture that is wobbly might be warped, so it could split. This is true for case pieces and couches and bed frames.

[@crystalstewart168]

I love your videos and this was very informative. My son has the ikea bed slats in his new bed. We love the actual bed (it mounts to wall with cubbies and bedside tables that attach to headboard and has tons of storage underneath) but we are worried about him breaking the slats. Any ideas on how to remedy this? We’ve talked about adding or replacing bed slats with thicker ones.

[@thatgirlnetty3940]

Wow! Thank you for all this info. You really need to get what you pay for.

[@ot4512]

I have a slatted bed base. And honestly it's the worst! I'm going to have to get a new bed. Sometimes the bed will just caves during the middle of the night. It gets worse over time. Please avoid

[@laraoneal7284]

Ty for these FYIs.

[@millieruiz4195]

Thanks 😊

[@lisaburmood5540]

What are some good stores to buy good furniture at?

[@oanapaska1728]

How will the mattress breathe with a plank of wood under the entire mattress?

[@KivaBrent]

They often have small holes to allow breathing!

[@oanapaska1728]

@@KivaBrent I don't know, for me is like putting a comedogenic oil in your cream and thinking that your skin breathes. I have a metal one and even with heavy use no one complains 😁

[@havefaith1274]

❤️

[@sterlgirlceline]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💛

[@RagingCanuck]

“Solid wood” furniture can also be veneered. It was common for cabinet makers to fabricate pieces out of common or native woods, then veneer a more expensive and exotic wood over it. This is still the case. It doesn’t mean the piece is cheap, or being misrepresented as “solid wood”. In fact, more expensive case goods that boast exotic wood finishes are made this way. You are really referring to furniture advertised as “solid wood” that is actually particle board or even plywood with a wood veneer application.

[@mikam8801]

I have the IKEA Espevar bed base with slats, and it is the best base ever! Solid as a rock with no ugly box spring or squeaks. You don’t hit your shins on the normal framed platform bed corners, and you don’t have to deal with stuffing covers down the dust trap sides. I paired it with a big padded headboard from Crate and Barrel, and it’s perfect. I just shoved that heavy, solid base and mattress against the headboard, and it doesn’t budge. Also, it’s easier to move because it’s two pieces. You can replace the box cover if needed, and choose your leg height and style. I highly recommend.

[@cheershiii965]

Absolutely love your tips!!! Especially the wood thing is SO important, don't pay for real wood when you're not getting real wood! The solid bed base is a nightmare when it comes to moisture inside the matress though. There's no air circulating around to release the sweat that accumulates in a matress during a night of sleep. I really prefer sleeping on a matress with no mold in it haha, I have the cheapest wooden slats from ikea and absolutely love them🙊🙊

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

Do you live somewhere where AC isn't commonplace? Here in America, almost everyone has an AC, or can get a portable one, so moldy mattresses aren't something that's a massive concern that I've heard of, except for maybe sketchy motels, lol.

[@JRenee141]

Just get a mattress protector. 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@JamieM470]

@@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley I live in the southern US. Subtropical climate. It's only "sub" because we do get an actual winter, but summers are very hot and extremely humid. Even our "winter" is a very wet cold. (Goes right through your bones. I don't recommend it.) Here, a mold-free home requires constant vigilance and constant cleaning. And we have an excellent air conditioner. Every time the doors open, moisture comes in. Showers = moisture, even with running the bathroom vent. Boiling anything in the kitchen = moisture. Also the windows sweat when it's cold outside. A lot. Constantly toweling off puddles of water on the sills. According to experts, that's a sign of a very good & airtight window. Makes me wish for cheap & leaky windows because if you skip one day of toweling, mold starts forming. Doing everything you can to prevent mold is just common sense around here. We even have two air purifiers that run 24/7. I just ordered a new hybrid mattress, mattress protector, & slat bed frame that's about a foot off the floor for easy cleaning under the bed and plenty of airflow, and I can't wait to get it!

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

@@JamieM470 Your weather is exactly the description of when I lived in Louisiana, humid sub-tropical, lol. I didn't spend my adulthood there, though (rather, my family left shortly after I graduated high school), but I don't remember it being that bad indoors with the humidity. Maybe we lived too far north? Well, more like central LA, not far from Nachitoches (may have butchered that, lol!). We lived around there and Leesville (and Alexandria...we bounced around a lot and lived in the state for about a decade). I DO remember the breathing struggles when going outside due to the humidity! But my memory struggles to remember any humidity issues indoors. Maybe during the winter with the condensation on the windows, that certainly created water on the windowsills.

[@rachaelnugent]

Going to have to disagree on the slatted beds, i would never have anything else! (but i'm also aware they're not too common in the US, so maybe they are lower quality there than the general European beds.)

[@bnb0510]

They actually are common in the USA.

[@mikam8801]

I agree. See my other comment about the IKEA Espevar slated bed base. It’s the best ever, and I hope they never discontinue it. I’ve purchased it twice now over the years with different moves.

[@annecarter5181]

Love the slats! No need for a clumsy box spring. Bed is much lighter & easier to move.

[@cecehopkins4663]

Very good points, especially the dovetail joints. Question: will you do a guide to choosing countertop materials? I love your new kitchen countertops and backsplash. I had beautiful Brazilian quartzite installed and everyone asks if it's marble. I did much research before purchasing, but I was looking for a designer with pointers on choosing the right surface and could not find one. You seem to know all the pros and cons of certain materials. Your advice is always appreciated!

[@TonyaR213]

Yes, because I am going to be renovating my kitchen in the future. My ? Is quartz or granite countertops??

[@bricksloth6920]

You are going to go online and look at the REVIEWS. Customer reviews are the buyer's best friend. They will tell you if the product is a skeezy knockoff and falls apart under normal use.

[@KivaBrent]

This is SO true! It’s beyond frustrating though that a lot of “luxury” stores don’t have public reviews.

[@AMarie333]

Idk why I watched this, almost everything I own is IKEA or Walmart particle board furniture. New, solid wood is SO expensive and we live on the second floor so thrifting means carrying it up our steep, winding stairs ourselves.

[@carlagierke3193]

Never buy a sofa where the cushions are not upholstered on both sides.

[@lizloukiss]

I always love your channel and tips but I especially love your humor. I’m cracking up over here at haunted mansions and staying married! Thanks for giving me a much needed seratonin boost today! 😂

[@ros8986]

actually I think mdf board is heavier than wood.

[@iamllux]

Red flag: "Do not sit on furniture" signs in the store.

[@berlinorama]

Almost every bed in Germany has wooden slats, but usually they are built into a frame that you place inside the bed frame itself. A good quality is often adjustable and has different zones to support different parts of your body. Recently, upholstered boxspring beds have become more popular.

[@KivaBrent]

When they’re built in, there isn’t an issue! The sliding ones really cause issues.

[@sophiesto6122]

Same. I think americans dont know the superior awesomeness of slates. There are a few available on amz, but no euroopean person would ever thrive on $%&*&%$ box spring.

[@rachelnan6875]

@@sophiesto6122 Nothing awesome about them.

[@caller145]

@@KivaBrent I had one of those with the sliding ones, and it would regulary fall trough the frame if more than one person was laying on it. I ended up sleeping on the floor with my boyfriend

[@josephinebournes8212]

@@sophiesto6122 Having lived in 4 different European countries and traveled all over the continent, I absolutely hated European beds and furniture. I hated slats and all the low profile furniture.

[@zanesutherland406]

Another thing related to the grain. Look for tree rings closer together. That means it’s older wood and therefore denser and more durable. My grandma bought a new metal storage piece and it had a stained wood top on it. The wood was the fast growing type and so the rings were very spaced out. When she put it into the back of her truck the wood top chipped a big chunk off! She liked the piece and it was a gift for someone, but she had to bring it to a furniture guy to fix the wood!

[@KivaBrent]

I love this tip, Zane! Thanks for sharing!

[@jitzel100]

Very informative. Following along with a previous comment, Idon't have an issue with you moving your hands. Keep the videos coming.

[@KivaBrent]

Thanks!

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

I have a bedframe from Walmart because it's all I could afford at the time (I was literally sleeping on the floor before getting it). I like its style and the slats slide into plastic holders that then snap into holes on the side of the bed, so they don't move around. But the slats form a curve, like a ribcage, and I'm not certain how that's meant to be beneficial, lol. I don't think its the cause of my back pain though, I think it's the fact that I have a cheap hybrid mattress that's not sturdy enough for my weight, so I sink in and end up in uncomfortable positions. I really did not want a heavy spring mattress, so I got a 14 inch hybrid, but it's not been great. Better than being on the floor again, but I'm going to try to find a flat bedframe and see if that helps and if not, I'll also get a new mattress.

[@stephanielardner9150]

Thank you for the good tips. I didn't even notice you waving your hands, it's part of your way of speaking. Really like your videos.

[@apesq.34]

Kiva, your great advice is wanted and needed…love, love your videos! Can’t believe you’re not at a million subscribers now

[@IggyLazarevic]

I had a bed that had a solid wood plank mattress support and there was some mold issue :/ I think mattresses need air circulation.

[@KivaBrent]

Most have holes as openings evenly spread throughout the plank, which allow for air circulation. They are more infrequent than the slat holes!

[@esse1900]

And you don’t discover it until you’re tracking down a funky smell. Disgusting. Slats or a box spring only.

[@karenkennedy93]

You are my First GO TO for styling my home. 😍

[@KivaBrent]

I’m gonna cry 🥹. That makes me so happy, Karen!! Thanks for trusting me 💕.

[@FennwayMassey]

Same Karen, same! ❤

[@RIXRADvidz]

snapped some bed slats in a rental in St P . there are weight limits on slat beds too

[@KivaBrent]

There are!!!! Slats are just unreliable.

[@FennwayMassey]

Very good points, been shopping for furniture for years so I learned quite a bit but it’s always a good reminder! Hope you’re ok you sound congested! 🤧 As always 👋🏻♥️

[@KivaBrent]

I’m glad you knew most of these things! Thanks for watching! Also, I appreciate that. I’m always sick these days 🥲, unfortunately.

[@pattikillelea-almonte6670]

Great video. Good information presented in a very entertaining manner. Thanks!

[@ros8986]

WD40 - do not use on sewing machines - do not use 3 in 1 oil - use tri-flow (per the professional sewing machine repair people I know)

[@ginalombardi2507]

Great information

[@KivaBrent]

Thanks, Gina!!! I want to make sure you save your money!

[@deehoward2351]

I 100% plus agree with you about the bed slats bed. I had one and I had to throw it away.

[@KivaBrent]

They are super frustrating!

[@MichelMawon4982]

Wonderful

[@KivaBrent]

Thanks so much for watching!!

[@TheUmbralFox]

Being misled about what bonded leather is vs true leather is something I wish I had understood and avoided

[@maunarose]

“Sniff it, lift it, bop it!” 😂😂😂 Kiva, you are hilarious

[@francinef9884]

Such good advice. Thank you, Kiva.

[@ScorpioWomanMoon]

Thank you for this video 😍

[@KivaBrent]

Of course!!!

[@jazzblackvalcin3097]

I know she didn’t just say sniff it.😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@Lewisa369]

Those slats are pure evil!

[@9ZERO6]

The mark up on furniture is very high. And a showroom of commissioned sales hawks is stressful. Almost as bad as buying car imo. I cringe at our upcoming trips to shop for furniture.

[@ls.2128]

I am going furniture shopping today!! Great to see before I go!

[@KivaBrent]

What’re you shopping for?!

[@caller145]

I had this ikea bed that would regulary just fall through the frame if I wanted to sleep there with my boyfriend. To be fair it was ment for only one person...

[@vanessabrown6969]

Why didn't you tag and wood bed I been looking for one

[@thandosdance1504]

Thank u so much, very educational.

[@KivaBrent]

Of course!!!

[@danixoxo8637]

That slatted bed 🚩

[@JRenee141]

The amount of particle board furniture with cardboard backing that I have....would offend you 😭

[@diamondcentury21]

Your lighting and colours in this video is perfection 😍

[@Nacra]

Don't agree with the bed base point! Mattress is supposed to have some air flow underneath, so a solid bed base doesn't sound that good to me. You don't want to get a moldy mattress or any unpleasant smells. Never had any issues with wooden slats and usually you can remove one broken piece and get it replaced (in case the slats aren't fixed to the frame). Metal frame sounds like a cool alternative though, if you don't need the spring-back effect some slats provide (there are more bent ones too) love your point of view anyways and really enjoyed the video!

[@pamb2868]

I have a wood cedar chest I use as a coffee table. The back is not finished. But the cedar chest is wood and the piece on the back is wood. I looked at the drawer to a wicker nightstand my husband bought at an estate sale. It’s just butted together. And the one drawer doesn’t close right. But we got two huge wicker nightstands for less that twenty dollars. And it’s going in the guest bedroom. So I don’t care. I know the furniture in our bedroom is wood. We have had it for over thirty years. We bought it to go with our waterbed. That’s how old it is. I bought my daughters furniture too. We have one of the chest of drawers. Because it matches our furniture. It’s in our office / junk room. It holds my out of season clothes. And we used to have the big mirror with the gold design and shelves on the side. I told my husband that wasn’t going with us when we moved. I would love to refinish or paint the furniture. But it’s so heavy to move and all the drawers are full. So it will probably just be brown until I die. I could have gotten and antique dresser, when my mom went into a nursing home. But I didn’t have room for it. So my niece got it. She has two kids and probably needed it. I got what I thought was an antique table. It fell apart in just a few months of being here. So it got thrown out. Maybe it was the other table. She had two in her living room. I have no idea who got the other one. I think one of my sisters was supposed to get the one my husband took. He’s good for that. My sister’s called him Fred Sanford. From the show Sanford and Sons. My husband will take anything. He also took a glass cracker jar, that belonged to a great aunt. It’s was supposed to go to the same sister. But I have it. I didn’t know he took it until we got home. And he said oh well. My sister wasn’t there when we were trying to clean out the house.

[@kimberlygonzales2508]

My sister gave her old bed with slats to my son. It squeaks so bad. We have a tiny cat. She can’t weigh 10 lbs. It squeaks when she jumps on it. I keep hoping he will replace it soon. He probably will when he moves out and leave it for us to deal with it.

[@chrisb.4323]

Really love your videos but need to tell you that, once your around 60 years old, your brain can’t process fast talking as it did when younger. And, for me, you speak very quickly which makes it a challenge and, at times, quite difficult for me to keep up. I know a lot of younger people don’t realize this, but just realize that an older computer processor is always slower. LOL!

[@francessmith5073]

I slept on a slat bed in an AirBnB and it fell apart in the middle of the night. I refuse to buy one for my house. I grew up in a house with antique furniture and one of the beds had ropes holding up the matress.

[@amyboyd3535]

This may fall under material. Also look at hardware. Is it assembled with quality screws? nails? upholstery nails? Some furniture will be finished with upholstery nails in the back. Those nails tend not to hold up over time, sometimes even falling out over time. Does the piece use plastic dowels or metal ones?

[@leahg1424]

This came right on time -- I am shopping for a bedroom dresser and I want something "grown up".I'm even looking at secondhand options.

[@CathyS_Bx]

Great info! And if you're buying online, and unsure of the quality of construction, call and ask questions before putting that piece in your cart.

[@geoffsmiley8252]

Great video, let's stop buying fast furniture!

[@erikabraga100]

HATEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE the bed slats

[@pamarnold634]

I love your channel BUT, pleezzzzzz STOP WAVING YOUR HANDS AROUND, ITS ANNOYING.......

[@KivaBrent]

I’m sorry you feel that way, Pam! Have a wonderful day!

[@toyaJM]

Why would you come on someone’s page and tell them how to behave? You can find other channels smh

[@emdere]

I actually like the hand waving. Allows us to see your banging manicure! *chefs kiss*

[@stephanielardner9150]

@@emdere As I said in my comment, it is part of the way she speaks.

[@zenabumblebee9738]

Dont mess with Kiva. Waving her hands is just Kiva being Kiva and we wouldn't want her any other way❤