Today – How the Internet is Revolutionising the Way We Furnish Our Homes

Gone are the days of herding your brood into the car, driving across town and attempting to keep control of everybody as you browse the shelves. From booking taxis to ordering pizza, smartphone technology has revolutionised the way we do things – and furnishing our home is no exception.

Too much choice, too little time

Retailers today are hyper-aware of consumers’ busy lives and are reacting by updating their websites to ensure smartphone compatibility. Let’s say you’re looking to update your living room with some statement pendant lighting. Keen to ensure consumers can browse on the go, retailers like lights.co.uk are introducing a range of features to help narrow down the search.

 

 

How the Internet is Revolutionising the Way We Furnish Our Homes

By offering a range of categories and filters, retailers are making consumers’ searches as quick and painless as possible. Within a pendant lighting category, for example, you’ll find a selection of other subcategories, from wooden and crystal to kids’ and designer.

Then, within each subcategory, you’ll find filters to help with the finer details. In this instance, alongside the obvious colour, room and all-important price, it’s also possible to make decisions such as whether the fixture is height-adjustable. Do you want a light that hangs near the ceiling, resulting in a large illuminated space? Or would you prefer a low-hanging option which directs lights onto the kitchen table – perfect for family dinners and aggressive games of Monopoly? The choice is yours.

 

Hardware

But filters go beyond the cosmetic, even giving us the option to choose the hardware of the product itself. Say you love the look of a wall-mounted fire, but you are becoming environmentally conscious just as many consumers are these days. Alongside traditional gas and electric options, you may now find a dedicated LED category.

 

 

Feeling uninspired?

Apps and social media can help you along. For those of us lacking the interior design gene, Pinterest is an amazing source of inspiration. Now available in a handy app form, users the ability to create ”boards” to which they can ”pin” their favourite images and compile a virtual mood board, covering anything from crafts to kitchens.

Social media, meanwhile, can be a great place to ask friends for ideas and even buy pre-loved items. Local Facebook groups, for example, are great places to pick up a bargain or even a freebie – and who knows, if both parties have fabulous taste, maybe an exchange is in order!

Whether design, the environment or price are at the forefront of your mind when making a purchase, today it’s possible to furnish your home exactly as you’d like it without sacrificing a single preference value. With millions of products at your fingertips, you’re free to revamp your home from wherever you are – be that from the school gates, waiting for the kettle boil or barricaded behind a bathroom door for a blissful few moments of peace.