Questions To Ask When Visiting A Furniture Showroom

August 13, 2019

Sponsored by: Thos. Moser

Before diving in full-time with my design business, I worked in furniture retail and as I was gaining more knowledge about the retail world, I noticed that there were a lot of decisions and steps to getting furniture from a showroom and/or workroom to your home. There are also a lot of things to think about when purchasing a piece of furniture so I’d thought I would break down the process and answer some questions that often arise.

Here are a few questions you should ask:

1. How is this piece of furniture made? 
  • When investing in a timeless furniture piece, you want to know that you are investing in something that is made thoughtfully and with materials that will last and function well.
  • One thing I love about Thos. Moser is they take sourcing very seriously and only source the best quality lumber, fabrics, finishes and leathers. They have made relationships with partners that align with their brand so they can speak to the quality and sustainability.
  • It’s not only interesting to learn more about the construction of a furniture piece, but with Thos. Moser, it also typically leads to a good story. Danielle, the showroom manager at the Boston location, was excited to tell me about how each furniture piece is signed by the craftsman who completed it. She also talked about how she is able to learn how to build one of the furniture pieces herself. 
2.  What’s the lead time?
  • Although we are living in a time of “need this done yesterday” and “2-day free shipping”, most furniture comes with a lead time. Depending on the furniture showroom, it can be anywhere from 6-12 weeks and trust me when I say, the wait is 1000% worth it. Especially if you’re purchasing a piece from Thos. Moser where you know there is one person or a team using their craftsmanship to create a piece that is perfectly made for YOU. How special is that?
3. What is the furniture delivery process?

It’s important to understand when the furniture delivery will take place and what sort of service is being provided. There are typically two ways of delivery; white-glove service, and drop of service. If there is white-glove service, the team will bring the piece in and set it up in the location of your home that’s preferred and take away trash/materials the furniture came in. Or if it’s a drop off delivery at your doorstep and you have to unbox. 

When your furniture arrives at your home, our delivery team will unwrap, remove any packing materials and position the furniture in your room of choice. If any assembly is required, such as with beds, our crew will complete it. 

– Thos. Moser’s Website
4. Is there a warranty or guarantee? 

You should always ask about any guarantee the company you’re shopping with carries for their furniture. The difference between shopping at a large retailer and a brand like Thos. Moser is that they stand behind their products and when you purchase from them, you enter into a lifetime of service and friendship. They truly care about each product and want you to be forever happy with your piece. Read more about their lifetime guarantee here: https://www.thosmoser.com/customer-service/lifetime-guarantee/

5. Ask about Sustainability:


A lot of consumers (myself included) have become more interested in shopping with companies/brands that are committed to sustainability. Everything from how a company is run to the actual materials used to create the product, it’s nice to know your money is going to a company that is mindful of their environmental impact and are dedicated to sustainability.

Since North American hardwoods are naturally renewable, Thos. Moser has carefully harvested their wood in areas where new growth is faster than it’s being harvested.

“We are very selective about the material choices we make, and together with our partners, are ever mindful of the land, the soil and the future beyond our own.”

– Thos. Moser Website

This also goes back to investing in high-quality furniture. When you buy engineered or a cheaper veneer furniture piece, it’s not meant to last, and will likely end up in the trash (hopefully donated though). 

How Thos. Moser is different?

When you step into a Thos. Moser showroom, you’re not stepping into a trendy furniture store with new products every quarter and promos every other day. You are walking into a showroom displaying an array of thoughtfully handcrafted pieces of furniture and an incredible team of people who care deeply about the furniture and home decor they make. This is the kind of furniture you can pass along to your kids and they will be pleased to have them as these are timeless heirloom pieces. Everything is made with intention, with love, and with a commitment to quality. I love that on the bottom of each piece, you will find the signature of the craftsman who put their heart and soul into it. Every piece is a work of art.

When you are working with a company like Thos. Moser, you are able to come to them with ideas for custom pieces. In my opinion, there’s no better way to make a home feel like you than with custom furniture.

I love this quote found on Thos. Moser’s website: 

“It is through the simplicity of form and attention to detail and proportion that we achieve a well-designed piece. A piece from which nothing can be taken and to which nothing can be added.”

– Thos. Moser Website

I also wanted to share a few of my favorite pieces I saw in their showroom:

Shop the pieces: one // two // three // four // five

This post was written in partnership with Thos. Moser, a brand we truly love (if you couldn’t tell). Thank you for supporting brands who support the Oh, I Design Blog!

Photography: Regan of Coastline Creatives

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