Is It Worth the Price? A Designer’s Guide to Shopping Smarter at World Market

Hey Roomies,

Today we're going shopping.

But before anyone grabs a cart and starts throwing pillows, lamps, chairs, and a suspiciously large decorative vase into it, we're doing things a little differently.

We're heading to World Market here in Las Vegas, and instead of simply walking around saying, “Oh, that's cute,” I'm putting some of the pieces that catch my eye to the test.

Because roomies...

Cute is not enough.

Something can look absolutely fabulous under perfect showroom lighting and still be completely wrong for your home, your lifestyle, or your wallet.

So today, we're rating furniture and home décor based on five things I want you to think about whenever you're shopping:

Quality. Design. Function. Versatility. Price.

And yes, I have opinions.

You knew that before we even walked through the door.

Come shopping with me in today's video:

Watch Rooms By Roma: World Market Las Vegas Furniture Shopping

Beautiful Doesn't Automatically Mean Good Design

One of the easiest mistakes to make when shopping for furniture is falling in love with how something looks before asking whether it actually makes sense.

I've done it.

You've probably done it.

We see something across the showroom and immediately start planning its future in our house.

“Ohhhh... I know exactly where that's going.”

Slow down, roomie.

Walk over there first.

Touch it.

Sit on it.

Open the drawer.

Look underneath it.

Check the material.

Look at the construction.

Then look at that price tag again.

Because we're not dating furniture based solely on a profile picture.

We need to meet her in person.

And during this World Market shopping trip, there were definitely pieces that surprised me—in both directions.

Some were better than I expected.

Others?

Let's just say they photographed very well online.

My Five-Star Shopping Test

Whenever I'm looking at furniture or accessories, I don't want to evaluate something based on appearance alone.

I want to know what I'm actually getting.

So I like thinking about five basic categories: quality, design, function, versatility, and price.

First, is it well made?

Second, does the design feel thoughtful and appropriate for the space?

Third, does it actually perform the job you're buying it to do?

Fourth, could you use it somewhere else if your needs change?

And finally, is the quality you're receiving worth the money they're asking you to spend?

Because something being expensive doesn't automatically make it good.

And something being affordable doesn't automatically make it cheap.

There's a difference.

Curved Furniture Is Still Having Its Moment

One of the things that immediately caught my attention was the curved seating.

Curved sofas and chairs can add such beautiful softness to a room, especially when a space already has lots of straight architectural lines.

They create movement.

They can make conversation areas feel more intimate.

And visually, they can be gorgeous.

But—and you knew there was a but—shape cannot replace comfort and function.

Sit on the sofa.

Is the seat deep enough?

Is the back supportive?

Does the fabric make sense for your household?

Will the curved shape actually work in your room, or are you trying to force a trend into a floor plan that doesn't want it?

A sofa is a major purchase.

It should do more than look fabulous from across the room.

Your family has to live on it.

Leather: Look Beyond the Color

Leather seating can instantly add warmth, texture, and sophistication to a room.

I love the way leather can work with wood, metal, woven materials, linen, wool, and softer fabrics.

But not all leather—or leather-look furniture—is created equally.

Look at the material.

Feel it.

Look at the seams.

Pay attention to the construction.

Think about how it's going to age.

And think about your household.

Do you have children?

Pets?

Do you entertain?

Is this a chair someone will use every day or a piece sitting in a corner looking handsome?

Those questions matter.

A good furniture purchase should understand your life.

Rugs Have More Power Than We Give Them Credit For

Let's talk about rugs.

A rug can completely transform a room.

It can define a conversation area, introduce pattern, soften acoustics, bring in color, add warmth, and connect furniture that otherwise feels disconnected.

But please...

Buy the right size.

A beautiful rug that's too small can make an entire room feel awkward.

I would rather see you wait and purchase the appropriate size than buy something simply because it's on sale.

Also think about material and maintenance.

A rug in a quiet guest bedroom has a very different job from a rug underneath the dining table where somebody is eventually going to drop spaghetti.

We design for real life, remember?

Dining Tables Need to Survive Dinner

Dining tables are another category where looks can get us into trouble.

That beautiful finish may look wonderful under showroom lights.

But what's going to happen when somebody puts a glass on it?

How easily does it scratch?

Can you clean it?

Is the table sturdy?

Can your chairs comfortably fit around it?

Do the legs interfere with seating?

Does the size make sense for your room?

And can people actually sit around it without everyone performing synchronized choreography just to get in and out?

Your dining table isn't simply a piece of furniture.

It's where people gather.

Meals happen there.

Conversations happen there.

Birthdays happen there.

Sometimes arguments happen there.

And hopefully everybody comes back for dessert.

Choose something that supports those moments.

Storage Can Be Beautiful Too

I love furniture that earns its place.

A beautiful cabinet that also hides the things I don't want to look at?

Now we're speaking my language.

Storage pieces can be some of the hardest-working furniture in a home because they give us beauty and function.

But open the doors.

Check the drawers.

Look at the hardware.

Ask yourself what you're actually going to store inside.

Don't buy storage without knowing what needs storing.

Otherwise you've simply purchased a beautiful empty box and created another place to eventually fill with things you forgot you owned.

Lighting Is Jewelry for the Room

Lighting can change everything.

You can have beautiful furniture, gorgeous artwork, and fabulous accessories, but poor lighting can flatten the entire room.

I always look at lighting as both functional and decorative.

Does the lamp provide the light you need?

Is the scale right?

Does the shade work?

What does the fixture look like when it's turned off?

Does it add something sculptural to the room?

Lighting is one of those areas where you can bring in personality without redesigning everything around it.

Think of it like jewelry.

The outfit might already be great.

Sometimes it just needs the right earrings.

Don't Forget About Outdoor Furniture

Your outdoor spaces deserve the same level of thought as your interiors.

Outdoor furniture has an even tougher job because now we're dealing with sun, moisture, heat, dirt, and weather.

A beautiful outdoor chair that looks tired after one season isn't much of an investment.

Look at the materials.

Think about your climate.

Consider storage.

Ask whether cushions are easy to clean or replace.

And once again, sit in it.

Apparently this blog could also be titled:

Roma Tells Everyone to Sit on the Furniture Before Buying It.

But I'm serious.

Versatility Can Save You Money

This is one of my favorite things to consider before buying something.

Could this piece work somewhere else?

A small cabinet might begin in your dining room and eventually move into an entryway.

A console could later work behind a sofa.

An accent chair might move from your bedroom to the living room.

A side table could become a nightstand.

A beautiful bench could work at the foot of a bed, in an entry, or under a window.

Versatile furniture gives you options.

And life changes.

We move.

We rearrange.

Our families grow.

Our needs evolve.

Buying pieces that can evolve with you can prevent you from having to start over every time something changes.

Price and Value Are Not the Same Thing

This may be one of the most important lessons from this entire shopping trip.

Price is what something costs. Value is what you're getting for that money.

A $300 piece that needs replacing in a year may ultimately be more expensive than a $700 piece you love and use for a decade.

But the opposite can also be true.

Sometimes the expensive option isn't substantially better.

You're allowed to question the price tag.

Look at the material.

Look at the construction.

Think about how often you'll use it.

Consider how long you expect it to last.

Then decide whether the price makes sense for you.

Interior design isn't about proving how much you can spend.

It's about knowing where your money matters.

Please Don't Buy the Entire Showroom

Here's where Roma needs to lovingly interfere.

You do not need the sofa, coffee table, rug, lamp, pillows, console, artwork, vase, and decorative bowl exactly as they're displayed together.

The showroom has done its job.

It inspired you.

Now take that inspiration home and make it yours.

Maybe you buy the sofa from World Market.

Maybe the rug comes from somewhere else.

Maybe your coffee table is vintage.

Maybe the lamp was your mother's.

Maybe the artwork came home from a trip.

Maybe you found the vase at a thrift store for twelve dollars and still tell everyone about it because you're extremely proud of yourself.

That's personality.

When everything comes from the same collection, sometimes a room starts looking like a catalog.

When things are collected over time, the room starts looking like you.

You Don't Have to Love What I Love

And this is important.

I'm giving you my opinion as a designer.

I'm showing you what I notice.

I'm telling you what I would question.

I'm giving you tools to help you shop more intentionally.

But I am not coming to your house and confiscating the chair you love because Roma only gave it three stars.

If you absolutely love something?

That matters.

Your home should reflect your personality, your lifestyle, your memories, and your taste.

Design advice should help you make better decisions.

It shouldn't make you afraid to make your own.

The Best Question Isn't “Do I Like It?”

The next time you're shopping, I want you to go one step beyond:

“Do I like this?”

Ask yourself:

Will I still like it when I get home?

Does it work with what I already own?

Is it the right scale?

Is it comfortable?

Is it functional?

Is it well made?

Could I use it somewhere else someday?

And is it worth the price?

If the answers are yes, you may have found something worth bringing home.

If you're already trying to convince yourself before you've even reached the register...

Put it back.

There will be another chair.

I promise.

A Beautiful Home Doesn't Need to Be an Expensive Home

I've said this in different ways throughout our journey together, but it deserves repeating:

Great design isn't determined by your budget.

You can mix investment furniture with affordable accessories.

You can combine something new with something you've owned for twenty years.

You can shop World Market, HomeGoods, Target, vintage stores, antique shops, estate sales, local artists, high-end showrooms, and your own closet.

What matters is the eye connecting those pieces.

That's what makes interior design interesting.

Luxury isn't having the most expensive room.

Luxury is having a room that works beautifully for the way you live.

Final Thoughts From Roma

Roomies, shopping for your home should be fun.

Walk through the showroom.

Touch things.

Sit on things.

Open the drawers.

Look underneath.

Take pictures.

Get inspired.

Laugh at the things you absolutely cannot imagine putting in your house.

And occasionally fall completely in love with something you weren't even looking for.

But before that credit card comes out, take a moment.

Look past the pretty.

Think about quality, design, function, versatility, and price.

Your home doesn't need more stuff.

It needs the right things.

Pieces that work.

Pieces that last.

Pieces that can change with you.

Pieces that make you smile when you walk into the room.

And sometimes the best design decision you'll make all day is looking at something beautiful, appreciating it...

and leaving it right there in the showroom.

That counts too.

Watch today's full video and come shopping with me at World Market in Las Vegas as we put furniture, rugs, lighting, storage, and outdoor pieces through the Roma five-star test:

Watch Rooms By Roma: World Market Las Vegas Furniture Shopping

For more interior design inspiration, furniture shopping tips, home styling advice, luxury design ideas, and personalized interior design services, visit Rooms By Roma.

And now it's your turn.

Which World Market piece deserved five stars—and which one would you smile at, slowly back away from, and leave right there in the showroom?

No judgment.

Okay...

Maybe a little judgment.

As always...

I look forward to creating with you.