Subscribe

Enter your email address:

Designer Monthly Preview

The woman who helped usher the interior design industry into full flower in the United States was prolific in putting out ideas that will help freshen up today's interior design business. Look at our latest Designer Monthly, Interior Design: Look Forward by Looking Back to Dorothy Draper.

Did you ever have a problem designing small spaces?  Take a look at how top interior designers solved this common problem in our latest Designer Monthly, How to Design Small Spaces at the Kips Bay Decorator Show House.

 

 

 

Tuesday
Apr012008

finding it on the cheap

Alexia Rossetti wrote a post recently about a fabulous bench she found. It was love at first sight---except for that little thing called the pricetag---so now she's on the hunt for a similar beauty but one that will allow her to still pay the rent and therefore still have the hallway that needs the bench so she doesn't go the way of an O Henry story.

I'm sure she knows how to find great decor at lower prices, but if anyone has a suggestion on this particular bench, well, let us know. And I do mean "us" because I want one, too!

Reader Comments (6)

Well, I just looked on Target's website and found a couple cute benches. Maybe this is more low-brow than you meant--and they don't have the wild pattern of Alexia's bench--but they would work for a decorator on a budget. There's the Island Collection Bench for $119 and the circle design bench for $135. TheCircle Design is funkier, but the Island Collection has two drawers--gotta love the extra storage!

Then there's always IKEA for decent design and great prices. I'm not crazy about their benches--but at $60 their Norden bench is cheap enough that you could throw a coat of paint or some wallpaper on it to make it a little funkier.

Hope this helps...

April 1, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterPaula Smitherson

I always enjoy scouring my local Craigslist. I've found a few great pieces there, like an antique file cabinet for $35 that I've repurposed as a vanity. My current obsession is here:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/fur/627745094.html

It's not cheap, but definitely a bargain. If it didn't clash with my living room I might have to raid my vacation fund to buy it.

April 2, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterWendy Sawyer

Ohh, that's a fantastic find! If only I had more space in my living room... And lived in New York City...

Right now I'm looking for a chandelier that won't overwhelm my dining room. Preferably antique. It's always been my dream to get a fancy chandelier after buying my first house. On the other hand, I have 8-foot ceilings and I don't want something that's going to overwhelm the room.

Thanks for the Craigs List tip, Wendy. Maybe I'll look for chandeliers there and see what I can find...

April 2, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterPaula

I find a lot of really good antique or just a little older pieces at garage sales or moving sales. I purchased an old desk and chair for 25.00 that I distressed with a little paint and some sand paper and I purchased some new handles for the drawers it turned out beautiful. I have purchased several pieces in the past. I have also stopped and picked up some pieces that someone was throwing out to the garbage it is amazing what paint and some creativity will do. Good luck

April 5, 2008 | Unregistered Commentertoni

Good point--my sister is an expert at taking "junk" and turning it into beautiful furniture. I need to take a lesson from you guys and start experimenting!

April 10, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterPaula

I always turn to craigslist these days. Its amazing how much we rely on the web. I decided I would try building a shed by myself after doing a little research and buying some plans. Something I would never try before I got online!

October 14, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterbuilding a shed

PostPost a New Comment

Enter your information below to add a new comment.
Author Email (optional):
Author URL (optional):
Post:
 
All HTML will be escaped. Hyperlinks will be created for URLs automatically.