Furniture shopping in Albany can be an exciting endeavor with so many great options to choose from. Whether you’re furnishing an entire home or just looking to update a few key pieces, Albany furniture stores have stylish, high-quality furnishings to suit every taste and budget. This article will explore the array of Albany furniture shopping options, popular Albany furniture trends, tips for choosing the right Albany furniture pieces and how to properly care for your Albany furniture investments.
Overview of Top Albany Furniture Stores
The Albany area is home to a diverse range of furniture stores catering to all styles and price points. Here is a brief overview of some of the top Albany furniture stores to consider when shopping for new pieces:
Raymour & Flanigan
With it’s wide selection of living room, bedroom, dining room and home office furniture, Raymour & Flanigan is one of the largest furniture chains in Albany. The store carries exclusive brand names along with popular lines like Ashley Furniture. Raymour & Flanigan is known for contemporary styling and budget-friendly prices.
Pcolor
Specializing in handcrafted Amish furniture made from solid wood, pcolor Amish Furniture in Albany offers heirloom-quality pieces built to last. Choose from a variety of wood types and finishes to customize your pcolor Amish furniture. The store also sells Amish-crafted kitchen cabinets.
Van Damme and Son
Family-owned since 1930, Van Damme and Son Furniture features a 75,000 square foot showroom stocked with quality living room, dining room and bedroom sets. Styles range from traditional to modern. Custom ordering is available.
Scout & Nimble
With it’s Bohemian-inspired furniture and home goods, Scout & Nimble puts an urban, modern spin on Albany furniture shopping. Offering both new and vintage pieces along with reclaimed wood furniture, the expansive warehouse store allows you to hand pick each unique find.
Popular Albany Furniture Trends
Like most furniture markets around the country, several strong trends shape the offerings at Albany furniture stores. Here are some of the most popular Albany furniture trends right now:
Upholstered Headboards
Tufted, padded headboards in neutral hues or eye-catching patterns grace the beds in many Albany furniture showrooms right now. The soft, upholstered headboard provides a comfortable place to lounge against for reading or watching TV in bed.
Reclaimed Wood Accents
From dining tables to shelving to headboards, rustic reclaimed wood adds natural warmth and texture to all room styles. Albany furniture artisans are crafting conversation-worthy pieces from reclaimed wood sourced from old barns and buildings.
Power Reclining Sofas
The modern power reclining sofa combines the classic coziness of a recliner with sleek contemporary style. Albany furniture stores are stocking reclining sofas and sectionals outfitted with handy power buttons and USB ports for ultimate comfort and connectivity.
Expandable Dining Tables
To save on space, many Albany diners prefer expandable dining tables that can contract to seat two or expand to welcome a crowd. Retailers offer great Albany furniture selections of stylish expandable tables perfect for apartment living or houses with open floor plans.
Mixed Metals
Instead of uniform metal finishes, the mixed metals trend in Albany embraces combining different hues and sheens in kitchen, bath and bedroom furniture pieces. Mix oil rubbed bronze with matte black hardware for a luxe custom look.
Tips for Choosing the Right Albany Furniture
The array of options at Albany furniture retailers can seem overwhelming if you don’t go in with a game plan. Use these tips to strategically narrow down your choices:
Set a Realistic Furniture Budget
Furnish an entire Albany home on a budget that won’t break the bank. Set price expectations early and calculate what you can realistically afford to spend on each room. Plan to invest more in pieces you use daily, like sofas and beds. Get creative sourcing occasional tables and accents.
Have a Style Goal in Mind
Before falling in love with a statement piece, decide what overall style you want to achieve. Is your Albany furniture vibe modern, traditional, farmhouse? Knowing the look you want makes mixing and matching easier.
Consider Your Lifestyle
How you plan to use your Albany furniture should guide your purchases. Busy families should choose durable fabrics that can handle wear and tear. Empty nesters can select more delicate furnishings. Often lighter wooden dining sets suit small city spaces better than heavy formal pieces.
Measure Thoroughly Before Shopping
One of the biggest Albany furniture shopping mistakes is falling for pieces that seem perfect until you get them home. Before setting foot in a store, carefully measure existing furniture, doorways, staircases and room dimensions. Furniture shopping is no fun when items don’t fit at delivery.
Inspect Furniture Carefully
Don’t discover damaged furniture back home. Give Albany furniture pieces a thorough going over before purchasing. Check for scratches, dents, uneven surfaces, exposed staples, loose cushions. Sit on sofas and chairs to check comfort.
Albany Furniture Care Tips
Investing in quality furniture is a long term commitment. Properly caring for your Albany furniture ensures it ages gracefully to become tomorrow’s heirlooms. Keep these Albany furniture care tips in mind:
Protect Fabrics
Scotchgard fabric protector applied every year or two prevents stains from permeating upholstery fibers. Blot spills immediately to avoid saturation.
Keep Sun Exposure Moderate
Fading is irreparable. Minimize damage from sun exposure by closing curtains and blinds when not using Albany furniture. Turn cushions every few months so all sides get equal light.
Control Moisture
Water causes wood to swell and crack over time. Place Albany furniture away from damp exterior walls. Invest in built in dehumidifiers for basements. Quickly dry spills and lift wet cups.
Clean Surfaces Properly
Dust wooden Albany furniture frequently with a soft lint-free cloth. Wipe spills immediately. Clean surface dirt with the manufacturer’s approved leather or fabric cleanser.
Avoid Harsh Chemicals
Cleaning products with acids and toxic fumes degrade Albany furniture finishes. Mild dish soap mixed with warm water works for most stain removal. Test cleansers on hidden spots first.
Handle With Care During Moves
Take your time dismantling and transporting Albany furniture to prevent scratches and structural damage. Pad corners. Don’t over tighten hardware.
Coupons and Discounts
- Sign up for email newsletters from Albany furniture stores. They will send special discount codes, announce sales events and offer exclusive promos to email subscribers.
- Check Sunday newspaper inserts and magazines for Albany furniture coupons. While less common, some bigger chains like Raymour & Flanigan run newspaper coupons.
- Ask about seasonal sales events. Many Albany furniture showrooms run annual Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day and Black Friday sales with storewide savings. Time purchases right and save up to 25% off or more.
- Look for student and military discounts. Both active and retired military can unlock special discounts of 10% or more at some Albany furniture outlets. Students also qualify for break on big purchases.
- Inquire about floor model specials. Stores often discount display models deeply to make room for new items. If you don’t mind a few scratches, the savings run up to 50%.
- Bundle rooms for built-in savings. Albany furniture outlets entice you to furnish an entire home by offering increasing percentage discounts the more pieces you purchase. The deeper the purchase, the deeper the deal.
- Hold out for tiered sales holidays. For their best promotions, Albany furniture retailers use tiered sales offering increasing levels of savings by thresholds spent. Spend more to save up to 30%, 40% or even 50% at peak holidays.
Warranties and Guarantees
Manufacturer Warranties
- Most major furniture brands like Ashley Furniture and Lane Furniture provide multi-year warranties from 1-5 years against material and manufacturing defects. Always check warranty specifics per brand and item.
Retailer Warranties
- In addition to factory coverage, many Albany furniture showrooms offer their own store warranties for added peace of mind. This extends your defect protection timeframe. For an item with a 1 year manufacturer warranty, the retailer may offer an additional year or two of coverage.
Fabric Protection
- Upholstery fabric protection including leather is often warranted against wear, cracking and fading up to 5 years or longer at times. Albany retailers stand behind the durability of the fabrics they sell.
Wood Frame Lifetime Guarantees
- For solid wood furniture expected to last decades, Albany companies may offer a limited lifetime guarantee on the frames. This coverage ensures joints, construction and stability of frames like dressers and dining tables for the usable lifespan.
Satisfaction Guarantees
- Most Albany furniture outlets allow short term returns or exchanges if you change your mind or find pieces unacceptable upon home delivery and inspection. Timeframes range from 48 hours up to a week or more.
Shipping and Return Policy
Shipping Policies
- Curbside Delivery: Standard Albany furniture delivery includes bringing items to the curb closest to your home. Fees average $100. Extra labor for inside home delivery and setup will cost more.
- White Glove Service: High-end Albany furniture outlets offer full-service delivery with bring-in, unboxing, setup and debris removal for a higher $200+ fee on average.
- Rural Surcharges: Delivery to remote addresses farther than 25 miles from an Albany furniture warehouse can add $50+ to standard shipping rates.
- Delayed Delivery: Custom upholstery and special order pieces may take 8-12 weeks for production. Albany stores only charge shipping fees once items are ready for delivery.
Return Policies
- 48-Hour Hassle-Free Returns: Many Albany retailers allow up to 48 hours from time of delivery to return pieces with no restocking fees.
- 60 to 100-Day Comfort Guarantees: If a mattress or upholstery piece feels uncomfortable in your home, Albany providers may allow longer term returns or exchanges.
- Manufacturing Defect Acceptance: Albany furniture outlets should replace or refund items found with manufacture construction or finishing flaws for years after purchase.
- Unused Condition: To qualify for refunds, Albany furniture must be returned protected in original packaging without any wear, stains, damage or soiling. Documentation of issues is required.
FAQs
Start with flexible multifunctional pieces like a convertible sleeper sofa and storage ottomans to save space. Add a small kitchen dining set. Build upon basics with new pieces over time.
Yes, Albany furniture prices are typically more reasonable than NYC, even after factoring in delivery charges for online purchased pieces. Brick and mortar Albany furniture outlets tend to run frequent sales too.
Yes, Albany furniture artisans create custom pieces from locally sourced reclaimed woods. And retailers offer sustainable collections made from organic and recycled materials with no toxic finishes.
Major retailers generally don’t negotiate pricing but some local independent Albany furniture purveyors may come down a bit on bigger investments. It never hurts to politely ask. Bundled room packages typically offer built in discounts too.
