apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Context is everything - it is probably not a good idea to buy furniture before you choose your space. That said, if I were you I would look into buying

One iconic piece of furniture you absolutely love, that is also easy to move (I would go for a chair).

One piece of art.

One beatiful lamp.

What Gregory said.

Good evening Rachel,

As an Interior Designer I am faced with that very question on a daily basis. There are many answers to this fine question and all of them might be right. The important thing is to find something that is tailored to your needs and wants. If the picture of the space above indeed is your new home then congratulations, you've done well; open space, hardwood floors, plenty of windows for light and a true blank canvas. The possibilities are endless.

What I tell my clients is to simply think about style. Look to your clothing, stores you enjoy shopping in and all of those loose magazine pages you have under your pillow. These things usually expose a pattern. For example: If you wear bright colors and shop at street savvy fashion boutiques then perhaps retro-modern is your thing. Another good hint can be found in those torn magazine pages. I've had clients lay them all out on their floor and then match styles to one another like a match card game when you were a child. If two pictures contain a softer eclectic feel with antiques and bargain finds, similar to Pottery Barn, then put those sheets in the same pile and so on and so forth. After you've done that, look through each pile and see which stack speaks to you the most.

Next start a file system. This is important to both finding key pieces and creating the home you have always wanted. It will also help set a budget for individual pieces and the overall decor of your space. To show you what I mean I'll use myself as an example. I love modern like B&B Italia with a good, grass roots, antique infusion. I also like a very monochromatic feel so that a few items with a burst of color becomes the panache of the room. Those items can be simple and inexpensive vases, flowers and/or throw-pillows or it might be a rich velvet wingback or an Eames rocker. For a good example of this check out Kelly Hoppen's new book, "Home". That woman really knows her stuff.

My last bit of advice is to look to books from Pottery Barn. I tell my clients to look at the layouts of the rooms and the layering of objects and textures. It doesn't have to be your style but the editing is very well done. And believe me, editing of objects you have bought or collected can really make or break a room. This is one of the largest problems most people have. You can buy the best of the best but if you don't know how to edit it down or display them in each room then it doesn't really matter what you have.

Good luck Rachel, I know you'll make a fine home.

F. Botazofa

I don't have any great tips that those above have offered, but I completely understand what you mean... I'm right there in it. Best of luck (to both of us)!

Emily

great advice here. if you want to get rid of things that you don't need or which don't express who you are, nobody else is going to tell you what those particular objects are. likewise, nobody can tell you what those "essential" things to obtain are unless they know you really well. this is not a big deal; in the grand scheme of things it's not even important. best to collect catalog clippings and web photos before you make any major purchases.

While I agree with Gregory, I don't think that everyone can refurnish their lives every time they move... at some point, you have to commit to things, to who you are, to things that are meaningful to you, and to your lifestyle.

For example, when I was 9 years old, two sets of family friends got Ligne Roset's Togo series for their living rooms. I fell in love with it! I vowed that it would be my first sofa in my first home, and so it was! I was a graduate student, and together with my-then boyfriend could only scrape together enough for a 3 seater and pouf, but we loved it. Nineteen years later, we are on our second set of Togo -- this time in alcantara and with all the missing pieces which we couldn't afford the last time. We still love it, as do our children, who cuddle and jump on it just as I had first envisioned when I was 9.

So if you find you DO fall in love with something, don't be afraid of making a commitment.

And don't limit yourself to new things -- the most interesting things can be found in flea markets and junk stores. Spend a lot of times with magazines such as Living Etc., and the French edition of Elle Decoration, Marie Claire Maison, the Scandinavian design magazines to develop your eye.

Check out Home is Where the Heart is by Ilse Crawford, and these books too:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vintage-French-Interiors-Inspiration-Antique/dp/2080300547/ref=pd_sim_b_20

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flea-Market-Style-Emily-Chalmers/dp/184172937X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227785220&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultimate-House-Book-Twenty-First-Century/dp/1840914688/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227785242&sr=1-4

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Old-New-Katherine-Sorrell/dp/1845975464/ref=pd_sim_b_4

In addition to developing a home style, "settled" adults also need:

* a real frying pan with plenty of useful life--throw away the one with the peeling teflon
* matching plates, bowls, and silverware for 4
* thick towels in your favorite color, not the threadbare stuff from college
* whatever glassware is appropriate for whatever you drink. No more serving red wine in plastic cups!

As your home style matures, these can be regulated to other areas of the home (except for the frying pan, obviously.) Plates, glasses, and silverware can be used for overflow or picnic utensils if you decide to upgrade to a nicer set (or china, cut glass, etc.) The towels can go into a guest bathroom.

1. A comfortable bed. (Since this can be a lifetime quest, maybe I am saying "your FIRST comfortable bed"! At least the mattress, not necessarily the bed frame itself...)

2. Things that you LOVE. Not "like", not "kinda love" but really LOVE. For me it was original art from artists in a coop I was part of, and other decorative pieces. When I moved cross country, I could manage the big paintings, but none of the old furniture. As you start to accumulate relatively portable (but not tiny, mind) objects that make your heart sing, you will probably discover trends and your style will begin to emerge. (It's amazing how a nice painting on the wall makes temporary plastic chairs seem almost like real furniture!)

3. Treasures. This is the category for things that might be permanent furnishings that you maybe don't actually need in your current situation but are just TOO perfect to pass up. Probably because they are outstanding bargains AND something you love! I might include investment pieces that you can later sell to subsidize things you like more. Like the two mid-century upholstered barrel chairs I once got at Goodwill for $20 each... I like them, we use them, but as I get a little tired of them I know I could sell them for more than the piddly amount I paid and use the proceeds for something fresh. (I wouldln't put ordinary "make-do" second-hand things in this category -- those can wait until you have your own place and have needs to fill...)

I agree with enmnm ....I would go for the things you use everyday... really good quality towels, flatware, glassware etc. Big pieces can wait until you are in your own space.

Don't start hoarding or buying things just because you have space to fill.

I would first start by looking at the things you have and figure out what should go and then get rid of it. What have you grown tired off? What's kinda broken or too worn for your tastes? Some people might say that you should wait until you find a replacement, I'm kind of impatient, so I think you should get rid of those things as soon as you can let go of them. For me, it's hard to see clearly sometimes if there are things I've outgrown clouding my vision. But if they don't bother you in the same way, then it is certainly more practical to keep them until you replace them.

Once you've sorted through your stuff, I would make a list of the things you think you need. Include what's obviously missing (a bed, a table, chairs, a sofa, dishes, etc.), then prioritize it, and be prepared to add or subtract things as you get new stuff. Look at magazines, at your friends' and families' places, on the internet, on TV, outside, wherever - you can find ideas and inspiration everywhere - this helps to calibrate your list a little and also you should start thinking about what you tend to like in terms of styles, colors, and design. Ultimately, it's your space so you should fill it with things that will make it a home for you. If you are uncertain about your tastes then ask your friends/family/anyone for advice. Be prepared, though, to get just as many different opinions. It's okay to make mistakes (wrong colors, textures, design), just fix them when you realize they were mistakes. Also, maybe they weren't mistakes maybe you've just changed your mind about it. It will happen.

Finally, start by buying one thing at a time. Get the best piece you can afford and that you really like, that you can see keeping for some years and work your way through your list. They don't have to be expensive; shop around. It's good to think about how it will look against your other pieces so that there is some coordination at the end but I think you'll be surprized at how your style starts to come together and gets reflected across pieces anyway.

I think it is a fun process and I hope you take your time with it because if you rush into it, you may not like how it all turns out and then you'll have to replace everything. It's much better to take your time with it and to enjoy it, too. You'll get to know yourself better in the process.