Inspiration: A Philosophy Concerning Stuff

"Have nothing in your homes that you do not know to be useful and believe to be beautiful."
- William Morris

This is a quote I think of often as I work to make my house a home. Having graduated from college and entered married life with little more than a few boxes of memories, a bunch of threadbare fabrics and some cheaply framed pictures, I find myself collecting the pieces of my home slowly but surely.

For the bones of our home, the basic pieces of furniture we plan to use for a very long time, my husband and I try to choose well-made items that are also a good value.

Right before we got married, we selected a beautiful, sturdy bedroom set, one that we will probably use for the rest of our lives. We were living in separate cities at the time. He visited the local furniture store to make the purchase, while I went to the store's website and identified a few favorites from which to choose. We are happy with the purchase, and look forward to using this set for many years to come. (If I could do it again, though, I would have tried to find a suitable set on Craigslist or in the local classifieds, both of which often feature bedroom sets for less than half of the original cost--even those that are only a year or two old!)

Since then, we have added to our home:

• a floor model butterfly-leaf dining table (which can seat up to eight when its center leaf is in place)
• a gently used couch and loveseat set from Craigslist 
• a full-size guest bed and a coffee table from a used furniture store 
• two desks, a coffee table and a chair from Ikea 
• a twin bed and a roll-top desk from my husband's childhood home 
• bedside tables from a local discount store
• decorator tables from Walmart

I tend to analyze (my husband would say overanalyze) purchases for our home because I like to buy for the long haul. Because I am practical above all, I try to make purchases that:

• will last as long as I do (although we still have a few flimsy holdovers from our college and apartment days) 
• are not too "of the moment" (ie. lacking versatility) 
• will be functional and safe even as our family grows
• are a good value (not just a low price or a high-quality piece)
• are a pleasure to use (ergonomically and aesthetically appealing)

What factors are most important to you as you choose items for your home?