Furniture budget

What is a realistic furniture budget?

Not really a set answer. It all depends on what you have to spend and I guess the style of your place. I don't think anyone can give you a set number. Too many variables

For what? How many rooms? How much of the house needs to be done?
More info needed.

Basically, the whole house. We are starting out with 4 rooms. We will add 3 more rooms if we do well.

Basically, the whole house. We are starting out with 4 rooms. We will add 3 more rooms if we do well.

Lea Ann said:

Basically, the whole house. We are starting out with 4 rooms. We will add 3 more rooms if we do well..

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Country? City? Farmhouse? Mansion? Dripping Vic? What are YOUR tastes? That is what it should reflect - up to a point - unless your tastes and the style of house are opposites. Big budget? Shoestring? Check Salvation Army stores, Goodwill, auctions - all are places to find FINDS! If you are in or near a town, ride up and down the streets on garbage day - you will be surprised at what people throw to the curb.
Spend for GOOD mattresses - not always the highest in price - look for firm. Get the best you can afford in linens, towels, pillows, blankets.
My dining room table was pre-distressed (Se ars scratch & dent room) before my kids gave it even more distress. Tablecloth says it is a perfect table. Get the largest washer & dryer you can afford.

Lea Ann said:

Basically, the whole house. We are starting out with 4 rooms. We will add 3 more rooms if we do well..

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Starting from scratch and buying new I would say $2000/room. If you like the look, and it goes with your style, you can do a lot with yard sale and flea market items. But mattresses that hold up will cost you.
I love a thrown together look but don't have the patience to sand and paint and run around to the sales.

oh, deja vu ... i had to furnish 8 guest rooms, dining room, common areas, porch, kitchen ware, dishes, appliances, etc. and it was so hard. since you ask, i assume you don't have deep pockets. i would have loved to shop and buy room suites but could not.
spend THE MOST money on the mattresses and box springs (biggest you can accommodate). then mattress covers and pillows, bed linens and towels/shower curtains. your guests must be comfortable sleeping. all you need are bed frames and you can make headboards or find them all over the place. you need room darkening curtains.
all the rest of your furniture can be pulled together from consignment, second hand, discount, yard sales, estate sales whatever ... but avoid particle board like the plague. and i prefer to buy upholstered items from stores for obvious reasons.
as income increased, i filled out each room. but there is so much you need. from end tables and lamps to clock radios, mirrors, bureaus and luggage racks!
i saved pictures of my favorite rooms at b&b's and from magazines as inspiration. especially the rooms at places of members here -- i'd look at them and think ... can i approach anything like that?
good luck.

My best guess would be $5,000 per room. That would include linens (3 sets per room). Some rooms will cost less, some will cost more (living room, etc).

I guess the real answer is "What is YOUR furniture budget" that is what the budget will be.

As many said here-depending on what the style of B & B you have as in what you want to buy. Mattresses will be your most expensive item ( I think) because its an investment but you can good deals if you research and buy in bulk-every business will bargain with you if you have time to bargain.
About the furniture, we bought lots from flea market antique shops in the area-depending on where you live and want to have in each room. We bought a lot of our stuff through antique shops, although where we were they were not too expensive. Too many variables without much info about the Inn you want to have.
Our advise on towels and linens-keep them all one color-we prefer white.

see with mine - its been a jigger as each room is a different size, shape - alcoves or not and so on so each room has to be pulled together individually. PLus I am limited by what I can get up VERY tight staircases
We have a very good local auction sells all sorts and you can get very good bargains - we have nearly replaced everything in the place at least once now.
I would strongly recommend solid wood though definitely takes the beating from guests better! also beds are key but make sure they know you are buying 4 or possibly 7 to try and negotiate a good price.

What a fun question! Tongue in cheek - way more than you think it will be! We have a very basic, country style place and we spent about 3k per room when we started out about 2 years ago, not counting linens, maybe 4k/room counting linens, drapery, and coffee makers, etc... Silverspoon's estimate seems very reasonable. Like seashanty mentioned, as our income increased, so did our furnishings of the rooms, we've probably spent another 500-1k/room on durable furnishings since then.

Thanks guys! You have been very helpful. We are planning to go with antiques. We have several stores in reasonable driving distance.

Lea Ann said:

Thanks guys! You have been very helpful. We are planning to go with antiques. We have several stores in reasonable driving distance..

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Make sure the antiques are sturdy. Not everyone takes the same care you would. Picture a can of coke on your nice dresser or rambunctious guests horsing around on the settee. Or a bottle of red wine on a marble topped side table.

Here's a breakdown from a recent purchase:
King mattress + box spring + frame + headboard: $1500
New sheets + blanket + quilt + pillow sham + mattress pad + plastic mattress cover + pillow protectors: $300 (I have a wicked good source for sheets - $24/king set)
Pillows: $30 (I also reused 3 pillows from when the room had a different bed)
2 chairs: $400
2 nightstands: $120
1 dresser: $179
3 lamps: $100
artwork: $200
area rug: $100
luggage racks: $50
curtains + rods (2 standard size windows): $240
blinds: $70
So, total is $3289 exclusive of tax. I was off by $1000 in my guesstimate. I do not buy expensive stuff except for the mattresses. Almost everything I got was on sale or I used coupons. So, if you don't have those resources, add another $500. All of this was new. I could have spent less but worked more to go to the local flea market which has great stuff. But never the same stuff week to week so you have to go every week.
(Discounts- 20% off on the mattress - innkeeper discount; 20% off the bedding, luggage racks, area rug, curtains & rods - bb&b or my local bedding shop; artwork - 5 $10 off coupons.)