Humidity affects wide-board solid wood furniture to some degree that can manifest as stuck drawers, or tight-fitting door panels. Cabinetmakers working in that stock design for movement, but in beachfront locales where a/c is not used to control humidity, expansion can exceed what is normally planned for. Not a problem with chairs (they are not wide-stock), but you can run into the aforementioned tight-fitting drawers. I see it mostly in homes right at the oceanfront, where climate control is rarely used.

Fabrics or leather are not sensitive to heat/humidity.

As for what brand to buy, that all depends on your particular discretionary income comfort level. Certainly you can never go wrong in buying better pieces.

Duane Collie

Thanks for the information. Now it's back to Furn. 101 for continued study before starting my search. Jean

hhireno I also had to furnish a second home that is used year round even though it's in Maine on a lake surrounded by mountains. We chose to go to auctions and give the place some serious character rather than duplicate our home look. It was so cost effective and so much fun. One little choice I made which turned out to be a very good one is I bought Dutailier glider rockers (six of them) to put in the main room so that each person can have their own chair plus I had a sofa. The chairs are always in use lol. I put them in a circular fashion around the room and facing the fieldstone fireplace. I avoided leather as it gets sticky in the summer and chilly in the winter. Outside of mattresses and box springs all my wood furniture came from auctions and ebay. I kept the bedrooms simple as I didn't want to be working as hard there as at home. We redid the kitchen and put all drawer cabinets in a shaker type look, very light. We find drawers much easier for storage. I'm sure you'll make all the right decisions. Ours came out to look very very cozy and a place where people love to visit. Good luck!

We furnished a second home some years ago and bought mid-grade furniture and after our experience, highly recommend the same. After you see your kids come in from the lake or pool and sit on the sofa wet, you will be happy you didn't buy H&M or EJ Victor, lol. At the same time, you want furniture which is inviting and will hold up well for fifteen years. For upholstery, you may want to consider Taylor King or Massoud. Cased goods are a little tougher because so much is being made in Asia these days and quality has suffered. It also depends on the style you like but perhaps look at Hickory White, Cresent and Nichols & Stone. If you like painted furniture, consider Habersham Plantation.

I also have a second home in SC. I would suggest doing what I did...go to a consignment shop. There is at least one in HHI that has high end things at wonderful prices. I go in often because the stock changes so often.

I, too, would go the consignment/estate sale route...especially shops in the area of the vacation home. If it's 50 plus year old case goods, most all the bad weather warping, etc. has already been done. You can always paint it if you like that look. I do! If you're in a large metro area there are wonderful finds in upholstered sofas and chairs at many thrift stores. Have them cleaned throughly and redone with cotton slipcovers in a canvas or other sturdy, washable material. Think prints...they do not show dirt like solids. Todays outdoor rugs are really pretty and very practical. A large outdoor table with extension, ala Pottery barn's Chesapeake,would make a great kitchen or patio table. Rockers or a glider for the porch are a must. Whatever you do, have fun with it and do go a bit of a different route than you have already have. Grab a bunch of old Coastal Homes mags at the library and spend some time perusing them, or decor books on this subject at book stores. You'll find a look you like. It CAN most definitely be done with charm and taste, and reasonably!

We have had a rental home for the last eleven years which is used about 48 weeks a year. I call it house of TJ Max. I furnished it completely from consignment and thrift stores. Painted every piece of wood furniture with BIN a white pigmented shellac. Bought everything I couldn't get at thrifts at TJ or Marshalls. Have lots of sofa space and an indoor and outdoor living room with all slipcovered furniture.Slipcovers are the best out of 100 % cottom matlesse' it has give and all spots are easy to remove and you can throw it in washer and dryer and never needs ironing.I like covers I can add a little bleach to as in my climate fading is a problem with patterns and dark colors.
Spotting with grease lighting and washing with a little clorox is fantastic.
Good Luck, AJ