Empty Spaces

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

Dear Alisha,

My family just purchased a home and living on a really tight budget. We don't have furniture (or decor) to fill up our new space.
Should we save up and buy what we really want (still don't exactly know what that is), although it may take years? Or should we be thrifty and buy something that is functional?
I don't want to fill my place up with junk, but living in empty rooms is not exactly "homey".

Sincerely,
Empty spaces

Dear Empty Spaces,
Congratulations on your new home. If it is any consolation, I think almost everyone is on a tight budget and feels overwhelmed by the amount of 'stuff' they need after they buy their first home. It takes so much to fully decorate a house. Sure we can dream about having all the money we would like to fully furnish our homes the way we'd like. But you know what? In that rare instance, the owners still feel overwhelmed and don't know where to start. Most of us have to start somewhere using affordable pieces and what we already own. This is a difficult subject for me to shortly sum up, I'll do my best but I may be a little ramble-y. There is no magic formula, but here are a few guidelines to start you off:

I don't follow the philosophy of saving for years before having a wad of cash to finally decorate a room how you'd like, using all new pieces. I don't know very many people who have attractive homes who have done it this way. I know plenty of people with empty rooms who plan on finally decorating it 'when their ship comes in', but it never seems to happen. I'm more of buy a piece here and there when you can afford to, keeping a vision in mind, decorator. And I shop cheap.

There is a fine line between buying junk you don't really like and finding affordable furniture that works for you now. But it's a line worth toeing.
Don't ever buy anything you that you really don't like, that you think it ugly. Not even a trash can. Even if it's on a really good sale. You should like everything that goes into your home.

Do shop Craigslist, used furniture and thrift stores. Antique/junk stores are a favorite. You can find good quality pieces at a fraction of the cost as new, not as well made pieces. Some things are easier to find than others. Dining room tables are readily available on craigslist and all they take are a good wiping down to be ready to be used. Upholstered furniture on the other hand is really hard to find. It generally is worn out and needs a good cleaning by the time people put it up for sale. Of course there are exceptions. Many wood pieces might just need a good polish or touch-up with furniture stain and they will look beautiful again. That's the advantage of well made, older furniture verses the cheaply constructed chipboard of today.

There is a "make it work" aspect to affordable decorating. For example, I found the perfect dining room set. I loved it and it was well made from solid wood in what I considered to be a timeless style. The chairs were around $450 a piece, the table $1700, and the buffet was over $2,000. The cost of that dining set was more than my budget for my dining and living room. So I shopped around and found a Drexel dining room set on craiglist. I loved the backs of the chairs. And the cost was $200. Okay, $220 with delivery. Still, less than the cost of one chair!

Dining set pictured here, with an experimental summer drape.

It wasn't love from the second I placed it in the room. I had envisioned a dark dining room set and had to adjust a few things to make the light wood look like it fit in. I later picked up the well made buffet, also for $200. It took cleaning and furniture polish and there is still a noticeable scratch on the top, but you know what? I HAVE CHILDREN. But I can relax and use my furniture because it didn't break the bank and I don't have to worry about destroying a perfect item. With the money I "saved" ( I don't know that I would have spent it), I was able to finish furnishing the dining room and the living room. Well, almost finish. I still have a small list of items to complete.

Proof the dining table is used without hesitation.

* At the bottom of this post I included several dining room family pictures that show a few of the many good times that would not have taken place had I waited and saved up for my dream table.
It might help you feel less overwhelmed if you focus on one room at a time. I usually start with the room we will use the most or that will be the most visible. That said, when you are out shopping for a side table, you will most likely stumble across the perfect headboard that if you don't buy you will later regret. Stay flexible.

Spend money on things you love but don't over spend. What I mean is if you LOVE a $3,000 sofa, you might want to look around to find a similar $1,400 sofa so you can also afford a chair and some drapes too.

Access what you already own or what a relative is willing to donate. It might not seem like it now, but you don't want a matchy-matchy room where it looks like you walked into a medium priced furniture store and bought the display. Real homes, homes with money, look like they have been lovingly created piece by special piece. Using what you already own not only saves money, but it's sure to mix it up a bit. Something you might have vetoed could look lovely with a fresh coat of paint. Relatives, especially of the senior variety, are often willing to pass down well made pieces if they know you will use and appreciate them.

Measure. Measure. Measure. If you only have room for am 86"sofa, a 96"sofa will not work. It doesn't matter the price, if a piece of furniture is much too big, don't buy it. (Find a friend who needs it.)

Looking around, reading magazines, studying attractive rooms, and figuring out what styles you like is free. Or nearly. Use your tight budget times to develop your tastes and form a game plan.

It won't happen in a single week, but if you keep plugging away, piece by piece, your rooms will start to take shape and you will have a home you love to be in.