The best decorating advice I ever heard was this: "If you really like a piece, it will go with everything else you really like". And this is how you develop your own unique style as opposed to buying a room of furniture all-put-together for you in advance. I know that is how a lot of people do it, and I'm not being judgmental (trying ... so ... hard!). I would just like you to consider a different way. When you move into a new place, or begin to redecorate a space for yourself, think about this. Let it evolve, be patient with it. It needs to grow almost organically. Spending time in the space enables you to see how you will be using it. When you are in another place - perhaps a friend's home that you admire - take note and see what it is that you love about it.
And don't be afraid of change!! There's nothing like a coat of paint to make a room feel completely different - which is a project that most people can do themselves if they would only give it a try. Be gone off-white walls!! Or as my friend Duke likes to call it: "blech beige". He totally changed the feel of his place with a little liquid blue, a touch of Armagnac. You'll be surprised how a new color can make you feel about yours.
Now a note about buying used/old furniture. Skip the press board and laminate, PLEASE! Unless you are thinking very short term, this is no option. Solid wood, veneer is ok - and always look at the corners of the drawers for those dove-tail or other high quality joints. Anything put together with just glue or staples is going to fall apart on you and end up on someone's curb alert in no time. And NEVER judge a piece of furniture by the knobs!! This dresser is actually missing a couple of knobs (the ones you can't see in the picture) but the replacement options are so simple that even the most spastic wanna-be handyman can do it. You could probably give the job to your 6-year old and it would come out just fine. This piece also has some minor delamination - the veneer is coming loose on one of the drawer fronts and the front edge of the top is missing. But hey - I think it adds a little character. If that's not your bag you can surely find plenty of used furniture that doesn't have these issues - you just may pay a little more. Also very important: make sure the drawers slide nicely in and out. If they don't it may be fixable if you're up for a little repair job, but you wouldn't want to use a dresser every day that had sticky drawers. Nobody likes sticky drawers.
I haven't yet spent any length of time at Grandview. But I know it will gradually fill up with things that I love, and this dresser is going to be one of them. There's no hurry, I just got lucky on this one!
Oh - and tomorrow is a big day. I'm taking Jake to do the inspections on the house, and meeting with the lady from the City Redevelopment Department. I'll let you know how it goes... I'll be taking pictures!!
Balance forward: $481
$15 Dresser
$3 Heated super-soft plaid throw
$2 (2) really nice pillow cases
Remainder: $461
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