How to Furnish a New Home in Central Florida

Congratulations on your new home! Standing in a fresh, empty space here in Central Florida is a feeling that's just brimming with possibility. But let's be honest, it can also feel a little overwhelming. As your local furniture experts in Longwood since 1980, we believe the secret to furnishing your new place without the stress is having a smart, practical plan. It really boils down to figuring out your personal style, setting a realistic budget, and tackling the project room by room, starting with those foundational pieces that make a house feel like a home right away.

Navigating Your New Central Florida Home

Moving into a new house is one of life’s most exciting chapters, but staring at those empty rooms? It can feel like a massive challenge. You might be asking yourself, "Where do I even begin?" As a family-owned business serving the greater Orlando area for over 40 years, we've helped countless neighbors turn an empty house into a warm, inviting home. The trick isn't to buy everything at once. It's to start with a clear strategy that puts comfort, function, and long-term value first.

This initial planning phase is without a doubt the most crucial part of the entire process. It's where you lay the groundwork for a space that truly fits your family’s lifestyle. So, before you rush to fill every corner, take a breath. Let's think about how you really want your home to feel and function.

Define Your Personal Style

Before you even think about shopping, it helps to get a handle on your design preferences. You don't need to be a professional designer for this part. Just start gathering inspiration. Create a board on Pinterest, save photos that catch your eye on Instagram, or even clip pages from magazines. Give it a week or two, and you’ll likely see a pattern emerge.

Are you drawn to:

• Cozy & Traditional: Think warm woods, plush fabrics, and classic silhouettes like those you'll find in Stickley’s incredible American-made collections.
• Bright & Coastal: This is all about light colors, natural textures, and that airy feeling that's just perfect for our Florida lifestyle.
• Clean & Modern: If you love sleek lines, neutral palettes, and minimalist pieces like a signature Stressless recliner, this is you.

Pinpointing this general direction will be your North Star, guiding your choices and ensuring your home feels cohesive, not chaotic.

Create a Budget That Prioritizes Value

Furnishing a home is a real investment, and a smart budget is your best friend. A common guideline is to set aside 10-15% of your home's value for furniture and decor. The real key, though, is to be strategic about where that money goes. Instead of spreading your budget thinly across every single room, focus on the high-impact, high-use items first.

Your sofa, mattress, and dining table are the true workhorses of your home. Investing in quality, American-made furniture for these pieces ensures they will stand up to daily life for years to come, which actually saves you money in the long run.

Our Low Price Promise is our commitment to you that you're always getting the best value on quality pieces, so you can make those important investments with confidence.

Set a Realistic Timeline

Resist the temptation to furnish your entire home in one marathon weekend. A truly thoughtful, beautiful home is curated over time. Breaking the process into manageable phases prevents that dreaded budget strain and decision fatigue.

A practical timeline could look something like this:

• First Month: Nail down the absolute essentials. A comfortable mattress for the master bedroom and a durable sofa for the living room will make your home livable from day one.
• First Three Months: Start building out your primary living spaces. Add a dining set for family meals and essential bedroom furniture like dressers and nightstands.
• First Year and Beyond: Now it's time to layer in the details. This is the fun part—adding accent chairs, setting up your home office, and finding the perfect rugs, lamps, and decor.

This phased approach lets you actually live in your space, understand its natural flow, and make more intentional choices for the pieces that will complete your vision. By starting with a solid plan, you can truly enjoy the journey of creating a Central Florida home you'll love for years.

Mastering Your Space with Smart Measurements

Before you fall head over heels for a beautiful sofa or a stunning dining set, let's talk about your most powerful tool: the humble tape measure. Getting intimately familiar with your home's dimensions is the single most important first step. It's the difference between a seamless delivery day and the frustrating discovery that your dream furniture won't fit through the door—a surprisingly common challenge in Central Florida homes with their unique layouts.

Taking accurate measurements ensures every piece you select not only fits but actually enhances the harmony and flow of your space. At Slone Brothers, our Design Team always starts here. A precise floor plan is the blueprint for a home that feels open, functional, and perfectly suited to your daily life. It’s a simple action that prevents expensive mistakes down the road.

This initial planning—marrying your style with a realistic budget and timeline—is the foundation for a successful project.

Think of your personal style, financial plan, and schedule as interconnected gears. When they work together, your whole furnishing journey runs smoothly.

Mapping Out Your Rooms for Success

First things first, sketch a rough outline of each room you plan to furnish. Don't worry about making it a perfect architectural drawing; a simple diagram is all you need to create a functional map for your key dimensions.

Grab your tape measure and get these numbers down for each room:

• Overall Room Dimensions: The total length and width.
• Wall Sections: Each individual wall segment, especially noting the spaces between windows and doors.
• Ceiling Height: This is critical for tall pieces like bookcases, armoires, or entertainment centers.
• Architectural Features: Jot down the location and size of fireplaces, built-in shelving, alcoves, or any unusual angles.

This basic map is your secret weapon for visualizing how different pieces will truly live in the space.

Don't Forget the Delivery Path

Here’s a step many people forget until it's too late: planning the delivery route. Your beautiful, American-made furniture needs a clear path from our truck to its final spot in your home. This is where many homeowners, especially in communities from Lake Mary to Orlando, run into unexpected snags.

A piece of furniture is only perfect if it can actually get into your home. Always measure every doorway, hallway, and stairwell on the delivery path.

Be sure to measure the width and height of all entryways. For staircases, you'll need the width, the clearance at any landings, and the ceiling height at the tightest points. For a detailed walkthrough, check out our complete guide on how to measure for furniture delivery. Having these numbers ready prevents any last-minute surprises and ensures a smooth, stress-free delivery day.

To make it even easier, we've put together a quick-reference table. Use this to capture all the essential measurements you'll need before you visit our Longwood showroom.

Essential Home Measurement Checklist

Jotting down these numbers might feel like homework, but trust us, it’s the key to confident and successful furniture shopping.

Planning for Flow and Functionality

Once you have your measurements, you can start thinking about traffic flow. Your layout should allow for easy movement without anyone feeling cramped. A good rule of thumb is to leave at least 30-36 inches for major walkways.

Next, consider how you’ll actually use the room. For a living room, this means creating comfortable conversation areas. You’ll want about 14-18 inches between a sofa and a coffee table—close enough to set down a drink but with enough space for legroom. In the dining room, make sure there's at least 36 inches between the edge of your table and the wall so guests can easily pull out their chairs.

Finally, pay attention to natural light. Placing a desk near a window can make a home office feel brighter, but you’ll want to avoid positioning a TV where the intense Central Florida sun will create a nasty glare. Thinking through these practical details now will make your home more comfortable and functional for years to come.

Building Your Home Room by Room

The thought of furnishing an entire home from scratch can feel pretty overwhelming. Let's be honest, it's a huge project. The best way we've found to tackle it, and to actually enjoy the process, is to treat it like a marathon, not a sprint.

Focus your budget and your energy on one room at a time. This approach lets you make thoughtful choices you'll love for years to come, without all the pressure. We always tell our Central Florida neighbors to start where life happens most. By getting the rooms you'll use every single day set up first, you build a comfortable foundation that makes a new house feel like home right away.

Start with Your Living Room

More often than not, the living room is the true heart of the home. It’s the hub for relaxing after a long day, entertaining friends, and just making memories with your family. It absolutely deserves to be your first focus.

The undisputed champion of any living room is the sofa. It’s the anchor piece that sets the tone for the room's entire layout, style, and comfort level. Here in sunny Orlando, we can't recommend a high-quality performance fabric enough. These modern materials are specifically engineered to resist fading from our intense sun and humidity and are a breeze to clean—a lifesaver for any busy household.

Once you have your sofa picked out, you can build around it with these other essential pieces:

• Coffee Table: The functional centerpiece for drinks, books, and décor.
• Supportive Seating: A cozy armchair or a Stressless recliner adds so much versatility.
• Media Console: A stylish and practical spot for your entertainment system.

With these key items in place, you’ve got a functional, inviting living area. Accent tables, rugs, and lamps can always be added later to bring your vision to life.

Create Your Bedroom Sanctuary

Right after the living room, your master bedroom should be next on the list. Getting a great night's sleep is non-negotiable, and creating a truly restful sanctuary is one of the best gifts you can give yourself when settling into a new home.

The single most critical investment here is, without a doubt, your mattress. This is not the place to compromise. A high-quality mattress provides the support you need for restorative sleep, which directly impacts your health and energy. It's the true foundation of the room.

Your bedroom is your personal retreat from the world. Start by investing in the core elements that promote rest and relaxation, and the rest of the room's design will naturally fall into place around that feeling of comfort.

With your mattress sorted, you can build out the rest of the space. A sturdy bed frame, a pair of nightstands for your essentials, and a dresser for storage are the logical next steps. We know that for many smaller Orlando homes or apartments, finding pieces that fit just right can be a challenge. We’ve actually put together some advice on choosing the best furniture for small spaces to help you make the most of every square inch.

Establish Your Dining Area

Whether you have a formal dining room or just a cozy breakfast nook, this is the space where you’ll share meals and conversations. A functional dining area is essential for both daily routines and those special occasions.

The dining table and chairs are the main event here. When making your choice, think honestly about your lifestyle. Do you host big family holidays, or is it usually just you and a few others for dinner? A versatile, solid wood table is an excellent choice for Florida. High-quality American-made or Amish-crafted pieces are built to withstand our humidity without warping. Brands like Canadel even offer incredible custom options to fit your exact needs and style.

And for the heart of the home, the kitchen, you might want to explore some modern kitchen island design ideas. A well-designed island can serve as a stunning centerpiece while adding valuable prep space and extra seating.

By furnishing these three core areas—the living room, bedroom, and dining space—you’ll have a completely functional home that you can live in comfortably while you dream up plans for the rest.

Investing in Furniture That Is Built to Last

When you're faced with furnishing a brand new home, it’s all too easy to reach for the quick, inexpensive fixes just to fill the space. But here's something we've learned after decades in this business: true value is found in pieces that are built to withstand the rigors of everyday life. Investing in quality craftsmanship isn't just about buying a new table; it's about making a long-term addition to your home that pays you back in durability and timeless style.

This philosophy is at the very heart of what we do at Slone Brothers Furniture. We genuinely believe your furniture should be an heirloom, not a disposable item you'll have to replace in a few years. It's why we’ve focused on bringing exceptional American-made and Amish-crafted furniture to our Central Florida neighbors since 1980.

What Quality Craftsmanship Looks Like

So, what really separates a well-made piece from something that will start to wobble and wear out in just a few years? The difference is always in the details—the materials, the construction techniques, and the final finish. Knowing what to look for will empower you to make much smarter buying decisions.

Here are the key markers of high-quality furniture that will truly last:

• Solid Wood Construction: Always look for pieces made from solid hardwoods like oak, cherry, maple, and walnut. Unlike particleboard or MDF, solid wood can be refinished and repaired, giving it an incredible lifespan. It’s also much better suited to handle Orlando's humidity without warping.
• Expert Joinery: The way a piece is held together is critical. Time-tested techniques like dovetail and mortise-and-tenon joints create incredibly strong, durable bonds that don't rely on flimsy staples or weak glue. This is a true hallmark of Amish craftsmanship.
• A High-Quality Finish: A multi-step finishing process does more than just make the wood look good; it protects it from moisture and daily wear. A proper finish should feel smooth to the touch and enhance the natural beauty of the wood grain, not hide it under a plasticky coating.

The Amish and American-Made Difference

When you choose furniture that is American-made, you’re not just buying a table or a chair; you’re supporting a long-standing tradition of excellence. Amish builders, in particular, are renowned for their meticulous attention to detail and unwavering commitment to woodworking techniques passed down through generations.

At Slone Brothers, we've seen firsthand how these pieces stand the test of time. An Amish-crafted dining set isn't just for this year's family dinners; it's for your children's and grandchildren's dinners, too.

These pieces are built with a level of intention and integrity you just don't find anymore. The result is furniture that is as sturdy as it is beautiful, ensuring your investment endures and becomes a cherished part of your family’s story.

Making It Your Own with Custom Orders

Investing in quality doesn't mean you have to compromise on your personal style. In fact, it often means you get even more control over the final product. Our Custom-Order Program is designed to give you that ultimate flexibility, bridging the gap between exceptional craftsmanship and your unique vision for your home.

This program allows you to:

• Select Your Wood and Finish: Pick from a huge range of hardwoods and stains to perfectly match your home’s aesthetic.
• Choose Your Fabric: Personalize your sofa or chairs with durable, high-performance fabrics perfectly suited for the Florida lifestyle.
• Specify Your Dimensions: Need a dining table that's a little longer or a bookcase that's a bit taller? We can help create a piece that fits your space perfectly.

This level of personalization ensures that the high-quality furniture you invest in is not just built to last, but is also a perfect reflection of you. Of course, beyond the initial purchase, thoughtful maintenance ensures your pieces stand the test of time, which includes knowing how to clean acrylic furniture if you incorporate modern elements.

The global furniture market has seen incredible growth, valued at USD 1,018.2 billion in 2024, which shows a worldwide appreciation for creating comfortable, lasting living spaces. This trend just highlights how important it is to choose your pieces wisely to ensure you get both style and longevity.

Your Local Partner In Home Furnishing

Creating a home you absolutely love is a personal journey, but you don’t have to go it alone.

These days, online shopping has become a huge part of the furniture world—with U.S. e-commerce revenue expected to hit $125 billion in 2024. But as we know here in Central Florida, nothing can truly replace the confidence you get from seeing and feeling the quality of a piece for yourself. The internet gives you endless options, but it can’t offer the personal guidance that turns a potentially stressful process into an exciting one.

As a local, family-owned business in Longwood since 1980, we’ve built our reputation on being more than just a showroom. We’re your partners in this. We are here to help you navigate every step, from the first spark of inspiration to the moment our delivery team sets up your beautiful new furniture in your home.

Guidance From Our In-House Design Team

One of the biggest hurdles in furnishing a new home is turning the vision in your head into a cohesive, functional reality. It’s easy to feel stuck. That’s where our professional In-House Design Team comes in. A complimentary consultation with one of our experts can be a total game-changer, helping you sidestep common—and often costly—design mistakes before they happen.

Our designers are here to help you with:

• Space Planning: We’ll help you map out a floor plan that maximizes flow and makes the most of your room’s unique dimensions.
• Style Cohesion: We can help you blend different pieces to create a unified look that truly reflects your personal taste.
• Color & Fabric Selection: We’ll guide you toward materials and colors that not only look fantastic but are also a perfect fit for the Orlando lifestyle.

Think of our designers as your friendly, expert resource, there to provide as much (or as little) guidance as you need. To get a better idea of what to expect, check out our guide on the benefits of choosing furniture stores with design services.

Endless Possibilities With Custom Orders

Have you ever found a sofa that’s almost perfect, if only it came in a different color? Or a dining table you adore, but it’s just a few inches too long for your space? Our Custom-Order Program is the answer, offering you the ultimate flexibility to create furniture that is uniquely yours.

Instead of settling for what’s available, our custom program empowers you to become the designer. You get the quality of American-made craftsmanship combined with your personal touch.

You can select the exact wood, finish, fabric, and even the dimensions for many of our pieces. This means you never have to compromise on your vision. It’s the perfect way to get heirloom-quality furniture that fits your home and your style flawlessly.

Find Incredible Value In Our Clearance Outlet

We firmly believe that exceptional quality should be accessible. That’s why our large Clearance Outlet, located right here in our Longwood showroom, is a bit of a local secret for savvy shoppers. Here, you’ll discover high-quality pieces from top brands at significant savings, every single day.

Unlike typical outlets, ours is filled with floor models, discontinued items, and special buys that all meet our high standards for craftsmanship. It’s the ideal place to find a unique accent chair or a beautiful dining set at an amazing value, all backed by our Low Price Promise. From our dedicated delivery team ensuring your new pieces arrive safely to our flexible financing options, we’re here to make furnishing your new Central Florida home a seamless and rewarding experience.

Common Questions We Hear About Furnishing a New Home

When you walk into our Longwood showroom, we hear a lot of the same questions from neighbors who are staring at beautiful, empty rooms. We get it. Knowing where to even begin the process of furnishing a brand new home can feel like putting together a massive puzzle without the picture on the box.

To help you out, we’ve put together some of the most common questions our Design Team answers every single day, along with some straightforward advice we share with our fellow Central Florida homeowners.

What Is the First Thing I Should Buy?

Always, always start with the furniture that has the biggest impact on your daily comfort and routine. That means a high-quality mattress for the master bedroom and a comfortable, durable sofa for your main living area. These are the two best initial investments you can possibly make.

We call these "anchor pieces." Why? Because they make your home feel livable from the very first night and give you a solid foundation to build the rest of the room around. Get the function and comfort right first, and the rest will follow.

How Do I Choose a Style for My Entire Home?

Here's a little secret: you don't have to. Don't feel pressured to pick one rigid style and stick to it forever. The most beautiful, authentic homes often evolve over time. Start by simply gathering inspiration—whether you’re pinning away on Pinterest or just walking through our showroom—and pay attention to what you’re consistently drawn to.

Instead of a label, focus on the feeling you want to create. Is it "cozy and traditional" or "bright and modern"? Start with a general vibe and a core color palette. Your personal style will naturally become clearer and more refined as you select individual pieces that you truly love.

Your home should be a reflection of you, not a page out of a catalog. Let your style develop organically by choosing pieces that speak to you, one at a time. This approach creates a space that feels authentic and curated over time.

Should I Furnish My Home All at Once?

While it’s tempting to get everything done in one fell swoop, furnishing your new home over time is almost always the smarter approach. For one, this strategy is much kinder to your budget. It also gives you the invaluable opportunity to understand how you actually live in each space before you commit to every little piece.

Start with the essentials for your primary rooms—the living room, master bedroom, and dining area. Then, as you settle in, you can layer in accent pieces, rugs, and decor with more confidence and real intention.

It's interesting to see how home needs are changing, too. Globally, the home office furniture market is growing at a 4.02% CAGR as more people work from home. This trend just proves how our lifestyles can shift, reinforcing the benefit of furnishing over time. You can read more about these global furniture market trends if you're curious.

Feeling inspired? Stop by our showroom in Longwood, FL, and chat with our Design Team for a complimentary consultation.
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