Best family-friendly furniture

By Kate Fratar

The quest for new furniture comes with its own laundry list of criteria. To get that long-lasting value that will meet both family and budget needs over time, you need to consider several variables including style, look, comfort and durability. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to come away feeling like Goldilocks, finding something that fits just right.

Shopping for furniture online offers the benefit of quickly browsing different designs and seeing your favorite pieces in different colors. This process allows you to skip out on having to travel between showrooms or compare shades of beige with swatches. There are also great deals to be found.

Build your living space – virtually

Rooms to Go is a great place to start when decorating a room from scratch. Its greatest discounts are on full sets, which provide the basic furnishing for an entire room at a single price. The site’s search function makes it easy to mix and match collections according to style, fabric, color, and decor. This process will help you narrow down and instantly view the selections that best display your tastes.

If you’re looking to update, accent, or redefine a room, City Furniture and Furniture.com showcase the type of statement pieces that add new character. City Furniture, with updates to its sale section, is a good place to score savings on individual items, while Furniture.com is better for catching discounts off entire purchases.

Just for kids

From the nursery to the playroom and everything in between, the furniture and room accessories from Land of Nod are all designed – and sized – just for kids. While the prices aren’t always as miniature as the pint-sized chairs, discount-savvy parents can still find deals on the company’s website. The sale section offers good variety and includes items – some more than 50 percent off the original price – from across the store’s different departments. A flat-rate furniture delivery is an extra bonus for online orders.

Finishing touches

It’s the little things that create a sense of home. Traditional brick-and-mortar shops, from specialists like Crate and Barrel to department stores like JC Penny, extend in-store savings to special online coupons. Their selection of merchandise makes it easier to compare the utility functions and prices of different brands.