Illustration by Christiana Sandoval
As my move-in day approached and during the first months, and even first year, of fresh homeownership, I received frequent messages from my grandma. An image of a drop-leaf table or a set of lamps followed by a message to the effect of “Mrs. So-and-so is downsizing. Anything here you need? Love, GMA” or “Bringing these to the church yard sale unless you want them. Love, GMA.” Always “Love, GMA.”
And I love GMA right back. Not just for being my own personal picker, of course. I’ll admit: I’m lucky. As the oldest of her grandchildren, of all the grandchildren on both sides of my family, for that matter, I had first dibs.
Between these hand-me-downs and the furniture I had already acquired for previous apartments, furnishing my house with the basics wasn’t too difficult. But really optimizing the pieces and styling the house to meet my lofty magazine-ogling expectations? That’s tricky.
For starters, I quickly realized I had collected a surplus of tables and table-height furnishings; two drop-leafs, two glass-topped wicker side tables, an extra nightstand that wouldn’t fit in my tiny bedroom … oh, and a gorgeous vintage sewing-machine table hand-me-down I couldn’t pass up. It sounded like a children’s poem: too many tables and nowhere to sit. And so the hunt continued.
To me, there’s no magical “fully furnished” moment. It’s about learning how I live in my home, and continually adding and subtracting pieces to evolve with my life.
Here are a few lessons I learned as I continue to furnish my starter home.
Be patient. I spent months searching for the right bookcases (which I desperately needed to break up the sightline of all my tables). First, I decided that built-ins or Ikea-hacked fake built-ins would work best around my fireplace. Or perhaps around the front window. I pinned boards full of inspiration, Photoshopped mockups and calculated costs. I kept an eagle eye out for alternatives. And the wait was worth it. Which leads me to my next tip.
Craigslist is your friend. Like, best friend for life. I checked Craigslist religiously, and one day, voila! I found a matching pair of ladder bookcases to frame the fireplace, in a much more economical way than I’d planned. Craigslist also delivered a like-new stainless-steel stove hood for a fraction of the price, a vintage wooden bench for my sunroom, a ceiling fan for the bedroom, a smattering of stools that serve as plant stands and side tables throughout the house, and, of course, the thrilling sensation of a victorious hunt.
Seek good bones; decorate at will. Don’t be the terrible “House Hunters” spouse who can’t see beyond a paint job. Say yes to hand-me-downs and Craigslist finds that are functional, well-made and scaled to your space. Then paint, decoupage, stain and cover those puppies to fit your tastes.
Splurge on the soft stuff. Anything wooden or metal can be sanitized, painted, stripped or stained, right? For me, the items to buy new are mattresses, couches and upholstered chairs. OK, except for that one free French loveseat I picked up on the side of the road. That was cute enough to risk any germs.
Resist the urge to match. Slowly collecting affordable pieces does not lend itself to buying bedroom or dining room sets. Lucky for us, matching sets are out (a fact I still dispute with my mother).
Look for versatile pieces. It’s amazing how quickly your interactions with your home shift. When my boyfriend moved in, a chunky piece from my stool collection became his nightstand. My drop-leaf tables play musical chairs throughout the house: entryway, office, kitchen, even outside. Look for pieces like these that will evolve with you.
