How to Transition Your Furniture to a New Home: Moving Designer Furniture

Moving into a new home is exciting, but it can also be challenging, especially if you’ve invested in design and carefully curated your current space. Every piece was chosen with intention. So naturally, you may be wondering: should you bring your existing designer furniture to your new home, and if so, which pieces?

A few key considerations can help guide those decisions, ensuring your new space feels just as stylish and functional as your last.

Do You Want to Keep the Same Design Style?

Moving is a great time to rethink your interior design style. If your current style is traditional but you're aiming for an urban, quiet luxury look in your new space, not all furniture may make the transition seamlessly. Pieces that once fit perfectly might not align with the new style that you are envisioning. This isn’t to say you can’t bring any of your existing furniture into a new design style. We can work around specific pieces and incorporate them in the design even if they carry a different style. However, the scale and proportion of these furniture is an important consideration. For example, in our Project Tineke, we incorporated a bed that had been a long-time favourite of our client - originally from his first home in Toronto. The bed, with its rich wood finish and mid-century modern character, carried a distinct style that differed from the new urban, quiet luxury aesthetic our client was aiming for. Rather than replacing it, we balanced the look by introducing modern, minimalist elements such as a contemporary side table and a floor lamp. We also selected cooler-toned textiles for the curtains and bedspread. These cooler tones helped to visually balance the warmth of the wood, creating a more harmonious integration of the bed into a new urban modern interior style. So, with thoughtful design and proper styling, you can still bring existing furniture that has a different style into your new home; just be mindful of the scale and proportion of these pieces.

Size and Layout Compatibility - Space Planning

Even if your existing furniture matches the aesthetic you want for your new home, it still needs to fit - a large statement piece may not suit a home with a smaller doorway for example. Measurements of each space in your new home and the dimensions of your existing pieces need to be thoroughly evaluated. The goal is not simply to make sure the pieces fit physically, but to create a space that feels visually balanced - not too crowded that there’s no room to breathe or not too sparse that that it feels empty and cold. A lot of clients reach out to us early in their transition for a consultation - for example, during an inspection visit before the final closing of their new property - to plan their new home. This is very important and recommended, as it helps decide which pieces they bring to their new home and which to say goodbye to when design decisions can be made in advance.

Great Chance to Declutter - What’s Your Life Style?

Moving also presents a natural opportunity to reassess what you truly want to bring into your new space. Since everything needs to be packed and transported anyway, it’s the perfect moment to declutter and make intentional choices about what stays and what goes. Items with emotional or investment value - like a custom-built bookshelf or a vintage Eames chair - can be difficult to part with, and for good reason. But beyond these, it’s worth evaluating your belongings through a more practical lens. Think also about how your tastes and lifestyle may have evolved. We all grow and change - what you loved in your twenties might not reflect who you are in your thirties. That bold artwork, or once-favourite rug may no longer feel like “you.” Use this transition as a chance to evaluate if an item still serves a purpose, if you still enjoy it, or if it’s simply been around out of habit. By letting go of what no longer fits your current life, you make room - both physically and mentally - for a home that truly supports who you are now. At the end of the day, your home should reflect how you want to live and serve that lifestyle in a way that feels authentic and effortless.

Now, you might think the blog stops here, but to ensure you’re fully covered, we also want to share practical tips for the moving process itself. While design and lifestyle play a big role in deciding what to bring into your new home, the practical side of moving is just as important. Once you’ve decided what to bring, the next step is getting those pieces there safely. Here are some quick tips for moving your furniture and beloved items.

Be Careful of Uncommon Sizes, Shapes, and Delicate Materials

Designer furniture often features distinctive shapes, unconventional sizes, and refined finishes that make it both beautiful and challenging to move. Sculptural silhouettes or oversized pieces can be difficult to maneuver through tight doorways or stairwells, and materials like marble, lacquer, velvet, or brass are highly vulnerable to damage in transit. Before moving day, measure not only your furniture but also access points in both your current and new homes - entryways, elevators, stairwells - to anticipate any obstacles. Take extra care when disassembling larger items, and protect delicate finishes with soft, breathable packing materials such as moving blankets, cotton sheets, or packing paper. Avoid wrapping items in plastic, which can trap moisture and cause surface damage. For especially fragile or valuable pieces, custom crating may be worth the investment. The goal is to protect the integrity of each piece, not just get it from point A to B.

Insurance Tips When Moving Designer Furniture - Don’t Overlook the Details

Standard moving insurance often doesn’t fully cover the value of custom, designer, or collectible pieces. Whether you’re hiring a professional moving company or handling the move yourself, it’s essential to understand your coverage. If you’re moving on your own, check with your home insurance provider and understand what that entails - some policies include limited moving coverage, some do not. If you’re hiring movers, confirm what your movers cover and whether full-value protection is available. It’s a small effort that provides peace of mind.

Pack with a Plan - Consider a Local Professional Mover

“Designer furniture isn’t just heavy - it’s valuable, fragile, and often one of a kind. The right movers understand how to protect those details with custom packing, careful handling and services like white-glove delivery.”

- Ed Burton, CEO of Top Move

This is why, if you’re unsure about packing and moving your furniture pieces yourself, you should consider reaching out to a local professional mover. Specialized moving companies in Toronto know the techniques to properly pack and transport your items, protecting your furniture from damage. Having a clear plan and the right help makes your move easier and less stressful.