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Moved in less than a month ago and have no furniture sans a bed and a dining room table (its a small pub style table so it can be re-appropriated as a side table if need be)
Im at a loss at where to start. I'm just out of college with my first job, and while I have a few bucks, I'd like it to of course keep it cheap. I'm not really planning on investing on life-long furniture here. Max budget for everything should be 1000$, but that is on the extreme! end and would like to spend much less. Here are the floor plans/room generator
I already inputted the dining room, bedroom, and living room dimensions.
please don't save over other drafts, you can work from ones already made but save as a different name!!!!
Alternatively, would hiring an interior design student from a nearby college (after reviewing their portfolio of course) be a good idea? and how much should I pay him/her?
Have you checked out the rental places? It may make more sense to rent furniture for now and buy quality pieces one by one as you get the money saved up.
Are you a guy? If so, with a $1000. you can only afford a flat screen TV and a recliner. So that's what I would get, and then save up for a decent sofa.
They have some nice things in Ikea that should work for you. When I moved to FL years ago I had my daughters bedroom set, a TV and a little kitchen table with 2 chairs. The first day I went and purchased a bed. Someone gave us those flip chairs that we would sit in to watch TV.
In my bedroom I had most clothes hung up but others in a few different crates. My first priority was a living room sofa. I purchased that and then end tables, etc. My next thing was to get a dining room set. I went and looked many times but didn't see any thing that I liked so figured I needed to save more money. One day I went in a furniture store and there was a set that I loved and I had enough. I later say the same set in Macy's for $1200 more so got a really good deal. I then purchased bedroom furniture as I already had my bed and bought one of those round tables for a lamp and my clock.
Prioritize what you need first. Look in furniture stores in their back rooms as they have some good deals on things that are one or two left. Some may have a scratch on, etc. When you go out looking enough you will see that a sale really isn't a sale as they price the stuff higher so they can give it to you lower. Take your time and you will find what you need.
If you aren't against used things check on craigslist and even freecycle gives away furniture at times.
How fun for you! I'd save my money and watch Craigslist for super deals. You can pick up HIGH QUALITY and classic pieces for next to nothing.
Stick with classic shapes - even upholstered pieces with natural slipcovers. I'd hesitate to buy a whole matching room of furniture, preferring mix and match pieces that can be moved from one room to another - even from living room to bedroom or foyer, etc.
Might not be your style, but see how these chairs could be used in a living room, or moved to a bedroom or guest room, foyer, etc... Other than your bed each piece should have the potential for multi-purpose...
Zip around "House Beautiful" & HGTV's websites - there are an online features you can figure out "YOUR" style and get ideas. See what each room that you like has in common, then seek out similar pieces by shape, size, color.
How fun for you! I'd save my money and watch Craigslist for super deals. You can pick up HIGH QUALITY and classic pieces for next to nothing.
Stick with classic shapes - even upholstered pieces with natural slipcovers. I'd hesitate to buy a whole matching room of furniture, preferring mix and match pieces that can be moved from one room to another - even from living room to bedroom or foyer, etc.
Might not be your style, but see how these chairs could be used in a living room, or moved to a bedroom or guest room, foyer, etc... Other than your bed each piece should have the potential for multi-purpose...
Zip around "House Beautiful" & HGTV's websites - there are an online features you can figure out "YOUR" style and get ideas. See what each room that you like has in common, then seek out similar pieces by shape, size, color.
I'd check Marshalls and Home Goods sporadically- they tend to have some decent buys. When I was in that spot I also hit my parents/neighbors attics & garages. No matter how fugly table & cabinets tend to look okay with a couple of coats of paint. This won't be lifetime furniture but works fine for a first palce and simply blending in. I used a dark brown.
If you can come up with a couple of arm charis cheap or free you can do that in place of a sofa. To be honest the last thing you want is a truly cheap sofa or a used one of questionable origin. Cheap hard funriture is okay but with anything with fabric/batting/cushions can hold too many odors/bugs/surprises to take too much of a risk. I learned this when one of my roomates scored a 'great' recliner from the roadside.
For sourcing cheap furniture and accent pieces/artwork, you may want to check out some of the local chain furniture stores. Three of the major ones in my area have a clearance section in the back that is just a giant room filled with overstock, scratch and dent and old display pieces. The stock is constantly in flux, the key is finding out when the trucks come with all the stuff and hit the store that day. I've seen entire dining room sets that retailed for thousands sold for $150 because the table top was scratched (put a table cloth on it, or get it fixed), old display sofas that retailed for $1,500 for $50 (just get it cleaned or put a slip cover on it) and more accent tables, lamps, vases and artwork than you can shake a stick at. One place had huge framed canvas accent artwork on sale for $12 a piece.
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