HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-06-19, Page 48Starting out in a home of your own.
Plan furniture needs with a sharp eye on quality
when a young couple is
married, ,they often receive
enough silver, china, crystal,
linens, bowls and the like to
open a gift shop.
Some .of ,these gifts are
treasured •— 'the couple sel-
dom is able to afford such
luxuries otherwise, But some
only clutter cabinets and col-
lect dust.
What 'the couple usuaii}
isn't lucky enough to receive
is furniture and turnitur
41+0 t4 --fou glat. ttrt::_ ..:
soul-searching begins The
•
wife begins to make a list.
The husband ,starts to add,
and subtract figures, r
They have 'a living room,
: dining foom, kitchen, bath
and two • small bedrooms.
What w it i "they need?
•
For r !lust average • coupled
st::rti.ng out in their first
home, hely is a standard fur.
,inure list.
l''or the living room.
• Soto.
• ,Ani chair or wing chair.
' ria
• End taleile with lamp (two
tt possible
•
• Accessoriessuch as cof-
fee table, wall hangings, dra-
peries.
For the dining area:
• Dining table with exten-
sion leaves if possible and at
leastfour chairs. Host and.
hostess chairs might beadd-
ed later.
• Rug.
• Optional are side serving
table and hutch or breakfront
_for s.to.r..ing and displaying_
dishes,
• Accessories such as dra.
Aeries,, tablecloth or place
mats, wall hangings...
For the kitchen:
• For couples starting out
and for couples who plan on
acquiring a dining set, a
small table and two .chairs
are the only requirements.
• Accessories include cur-
tains. only small appliances
'hat are al»olutely necessary.•
For the main bedrooni:
• Bed ,t ` high quality if at
alI po5s t Ie. Chest,of drawers.
Keep Furnishings
basic- And Simile
Most young marrieds live
first in a home that is only a
temporary dwelling.. r
With the arrival of children
and • increased financial
. serunty,' they s not move on
to' a larger apari,..ent or a
• house of their own •i;
Since this is the case,.
budgeting. 'tor new,iyweds is
•
quite 'a different, thing than
for others. 'Because of the
first hoiti,c''s tr•arisit'orS' nature,•
it • usually -i' wise t>) budget
more heavily which
may he moved -easily and fit
well in any decor_ For the
,rest, do it as inexpensively as
you 'Zan and mak6 it as gay,
and .&; .much fun as possible.
Mistakes w,iI1 ,he made, but
remember it is a try -out
,,period tor 'a more
thought out home •of , the
•f•utute.
In most cas.eS the.iiudget
of newlyvids is. Ii.r ited,
hence .splurgexon color. Paints
and wood ,s'taips ca'n rover a.
multitude of sins. Stain your
• flocars 'dirk ind use
inexpensive are .� -Tugs on
therti. They can g.o'with)!ou
to your next abode. Paint
your walls a color you like
and'• ase wallpaper borders to
,achieve architectural detail
and d.imehsion. To get -a
texture effect, which is
• always good,` use', burlap,
•
ticking OT wallpaper on your
walls or'vinyl if' the walls are
`in poor condition; it holds
them together:. Remember
the scenic wallpapers in
dining, areas and foyers give
. depth and perspective.
Buy 'basic • pieces of
furniture first and keep them
simple.. A convertible sleeping
;p•iece in the Iivingroom can
later he used in a guest roam
or den. A drop-leaf dining
table can he placed against a'
wall when not in use. Small
scaled cort'temporary' chairs
can be an asset to any ,room.
They are both comfortable
'and adaptable.
Don't overcrowd a room.
Buy" your major pieces and do
the rest with ,,h and=m e -downs
or inexpensive garden
furniture or director's chairs •
in attractive colors. Use
plants to fill in empty spaces
if you have a green thumb.
You. don't really need one
these days with vinyl foliage
indiscernible from the real
thing;
• Invest• your' money on
good accessories you can take
with you and, use wherever
• you are, such as " decent.
lam,ps,; inexpensive paintings'
and good mirrors. •
• Buy . interesting' furniture,
'a good •antique or .a painted
niece which can become , a
• lgcal,point, in any room.
°
• Accessories such as cur-
tains, throw pillows, scatter
rugs.
• Optional items might in-
-. elude woman- Vanity, • side
table for lamp.
For the second bedroom
' which can be used primarily
as a den:
• TV set, chair, hide -away
or studio bed for use by over-
night guests. -
• Accessories such as rug,
ualr°hangings, h fps:
• Optional items --• chest of
drawers, wardrobe closet,
' desk.
•
go roun
— Lewis Carroll.
jAlice's Adventures in Wonderland)'.
a
Since theinajo ity of new-
lyweds move into apartments
with available appliances,
they need not . spend large
sums for stoves or refrigera-
tors.
•Some furniture . dealers
advise young couples to buy
good quality furniture in an
open stock group that can be
augmented as finances per-
mit. A high quality living
room set can be used for
years, then moved to the den
or family room. Also recom-
riiended is purchase of high
quality bedding which will
Last many .years.
Arranging credit to make a
substantial furniture pur-
chase' may be necessary.
Credit organizations today
offer few obstacles to young
marrieds who buy furniture
items that are deemed neces-
sary. • Arranging credit for
non-essential luxury. items
might' be more difficult, how-
ever.
Careful study of advertise-
ments can point a 'couple at
the =right stores. Occasional
"'bargains- might ."tom, faundd'in
,..,•used furniture shops, but cau-
tious shopping is advised.*
Second hand items can some- °
times cost 'as . • much as new
ones.
With used furniture, the
couple could put their crea-
tive energies to good use. An
old kitchentable and chairs
• could be spruced up in the
color of their choice. The pro-
ject can be done with a Sim-
ple antiquing kit available at
home decorating shops.
Other money -saving tips:
If the apartment is not e
peted, use scatter. rugs. 1f
floors are attractive, area
rugs are most effective. The
lush wall-to-wall carpeting
can come later when you es-
-- tablish a permanent home.
ti
Some stores sell rug samples
and others may sell bits and
pieces that can serve as area
or scatter rugs, often at half
the cot. One trick is to `col-
lect a .number of sample
squares, and connect them
into a patchwork rug for an
Early American den, for
example:
Trunks are always useful
and decorative: They serve
for storage and make -func-
tional coffee tables.. Check
used' furniture shops and an-
tique -gtores—for a—# nl •you
can refinish. A good trunk
with a pillow on top may even
serve as a seat for two.
Some'stores sell unfinished .
furniture —• chairs, tables, .
desks, chests, cabinets -and—
the like. You can finish theins
in the color or stain of your.
choice at home, and you can't
beat the prices.
I� the. wife can' sew, the
young couple will save on
draperies,. curtains and may-
be `even slipcovers. If she
finds some ready-made dra-
peries she particularly likes,
a good • trick is to shorten
them into curtains and use
the remaining material to
cover throw pillow to achieve
decor unity.
Let us assist yoti with your
plans for that all important
wedding day.
• Select your wedding 'invi'tations, announcements
. and accessories with complete confidence as to
quality and correctness of .form.
WE ALSO HAVE PERSONALIZED WEDDINC NAPKINS, MATCHES
AND CAKE BOXES
obtricij
SIGN
4/
524
L— TAR
8331
0
•
a