Funiture For Less

Design Post | Less is more in this living room

M<strong>y son recently moved out and I gave him my living room furniture. The dimensions of the room are 21 feet by 11 feet. I do not use the living room much and like the idea of keeping the amount of furniture to a minimum. </strong></p><p><strong>I have a few antique chairs in the room that I inherited and would like to keep, as well as a sofa table, shelving unit and area rug. </strong></p><p><strong>What pieces of furniture should I add? Color recommendations for the additional furniture would be helpful. How do I arrange new pieces with the existing ones? </strong></p><p><strong>| Kay Johnston, Roeland Park</strong></p><p>Your room has good bones, but it could be dressed better.</p><p>The first thing you need to do is clear the room of all accessories, art, furniture and curtains. </p><p>The fireplace is your focal point. You might consider replacing the tile with natural stone. We like using marble with interesting veining, and if the budget allows, we prefer having the hearth, horizontal top piece and two vertical supports cut from a slab. It looks more custom than using marble squares.</p><p>This is a long room, so think in terms of two seating groups. We think you need to purchase a simple, stylish sofa in a neutral tone for the right side of the room, and two matching chairs in an accent color to place slightly angled toward each other opposite the sofa. Your sofa accent pillows can pick up the color of the chairs. </p><p>Since you want to keep your rug, coordinate your new pieces with the rug&#x2019;s colors. Do the chairs and pillows in red and the sofa in a charcoal or taupe. If you ever want to go more modern, find a hip geometric rug and play off its colors.</p><p>Then find an interesting coffee table: a round or square shape. One with a shiny surface would reflect the fire on crisp winter nights.</p><p>You can make the wall around the fireplace look warmer and more interesting by painting it a darker neutral. You can either leave the fireplace molding off-white, or paint it in a darker tone to up the drama. </p><p>Update the drapery on both windows by installing French-pleated panels on a rod just below the crown molding, running all the way to the floor, perhaps in red or a neutral from your rug. This type of window treatment also will help to balance the built-in shelving to the right of the fireplace. </p><p>Consider darkening the floors when you&#x2019;re ready to refinish.</p><p>Because you mentioned wanting to utilize your antique chairs, we suggest placing them around a simple round pedestal table, creating your second seating area, a fun place for casual meals or games. </p><p>Your console table can go on one of the walls adjacent to the table, and your shelving unit can go on the wall opposite the fireplace. There were lots of small accessories in your room. Study our photo for ideas on how to balance size and shape, and use fewer pieces. </p><p>Your mirror over the fireplace is a good idea, but a boxy one repeats the shape of the window, fireplace and shelving unit. Better to go bold and use the largest round mirror that can fit above the mantel.

Furniture Finds: Getting The Look For Less | Your Used Furniture

Whether it’s an apartment, condo or house, buying your first home can be exciting as well as expensive. After depleting your savings account purchasing your home, you might start to feel the pinch when it comes to furnishing it.

Here are some tips to get the look of luxury without the price tag:

• Be Resourceful. How do you find quality furniture without paying a high price? If you’re willing to put in some time, buying unfinished or used furniture to refinish can save you a lot of money and leave you with the same look for less.

• Sniff Out Bargains. Hunt for fix-me-up furniture in attics, garage sales and flea markets. Some of the best pieces could be hiding in a friend’s or relative’s attic. Keep in mind that finding the perfect piece may not be love at first sight. Look beyond the surface to see if there is potential for refurbishing.

• Transform Timeless Furniture. Before you take home any piece of furniture, check for structural flaws such as cracks, loose joints, lifted veneer, warped surfaces or uneven legs. If the integrity of the piece is still good, refinishing it can change the appearance from old and worn to beautiful and timeless.

• Give Furniture a Facelift. Before you can banish the old finish, you need to find out what you’re removing. Give it the cotton ball test. Dampen a cotton ball with acetone nail polish remover, then choose an inconspicuous test spot and dab it with the cotton. If it sticks or the finish softens, you have a varnish, lacquer or shellac finish. Formby’s recommends using their Furniture Refinisher, which will gently dissolve this type of finish. If nothing happens when you dab the cotton ball, then the finish is most likely paint or polyurethane. Try Formby’s Paint & Poly Remover to lift and remove the old finish. After a light buffing with Paint & Poly Remover Wash, you’re ready to add a beautiful new finish.

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