In home design, trends come and go, and certain things pass out of style. But furniture is expensive, and few of us can afford to redecorate every time a new design magazine hits the newsstand.
There’s also the challenge of finding furniture pieces that will transition with you as you move from one apartment to the next.
It’s definitely possible to decorate your apartment in style today with an eye toward the future. They key is to choose classic, well-made pieces that are adaptable and never go out of style.
An étagère, like this metal and glass version, is a great choice. It’s solid and has classic lines. It can be used as a room divider, in the living room, in the bedroom and anywhere you need stylish storage.
Later, if gold goes out of fashion, it can easily be painted another color. The glass shelves could be covered, too, with fabric, wood panels or even wallpaper.
It’s difficult to buy upholstered furniture that will stand the test of time.
But a Chesterfield sofa is a great choice.
The orange upholstery is a bold look, and it may not work in every home or in five years’ time. But if you buy a good sofa, you can have it reupholstered again and again.
An apartment-scaled sofa is another piece of furniture with longevity. On a smaller scale than a traditional sofa, it can fit most anywhere – in a living room, bedroom, lounge space or home office.
And it’s easy to change the look with new upholstery or pillows.
I love a round bistro table for its versatility and its ability to fit in smaller spaces.
Right now, a round table might be perfect for your kitchen. But later, you might decide to use it in a foyer or as a worktable in your office or as a game table in a media room.
Choose a table made of solid, quality wood with clean, classic lines and you’ll find ways to use it in your home for years. If the finish gets worn or you tire of it, you can also paint, stain or lacquer it to bring it up to date.
I love bar carts.
They’re great for their intended purpose, of course. But you can also use them as storage and display for so many different things. Books, kitchen gadgets, dishes, toiletries in the bathroom; you could even use one as a nightstand.
The fact that most bar carts are on wheels adds to their versatility.
Nesting tables are always a smart furniture buy, especially for small spaces.
Nest them together beside a sofa for everyday living, then unnest them when you have guests, and everyone has a place to set their drink.
Of course, there’s no rule that says you have to keep nesting tables together in the same room. Break up a set and use them throughout your apartment, wherever you need a place to set things.
Even if you don’t have a dining room, consider investing in a buffet or console table.
They can move all around your apartment.
Put one beside the front door as a drop zone for keys, the mail and everyday essentials.
Sidle one close to your kitchen table to store silverware, napkins and serving pieces.
Put one behind the sofa to hold lamps, photos and other decorative accessories.
Have an empty hallway or narrow space that needs “something”? A buffet or console table is a great choice.
At the risk of sounding dated, I’m going to go out on a limb with this last recommendation.
I think wooden bookcases and armoires – gasp! – are wise furniture buys that can be reused in many different home settings.
Bookcases are a no-brainer; you can always find a place for one. And you don’t have to use them only for books.
But armoires? Who decorates with armoires anymore?
Back before flat-screen TVs were the norm, lots of people had TV armoires in their living rooms to hide away their electronics. I bought an unfinished armoire about 20 years ago for my apartment, and my parents helped me stain it one Thanksgiving weekend.
When I moved to my next apartment, I took it with me and used it in my living room. Then, when I got married and moved in with my husband, we put the armoire in our loft. When we moved into a house a few years later, the armoire came with us.
At the risk of sounding dated, I’m going to go out on a limb with this last recommendation.
I think wooden bookcases and armoires – gasp! – are wise furniture buys that can be reused in many different home settings.
Bookcases are a no-brainer; you can always find a place for one. And you don’t have to use them only for books.
But armoires? Who decorates with armoires anymore?
Back before flat-screen TVs were the norm, lots of people had TV armoires in their living rooms to hide away their electronics. I bought an unfinished armoire about 20 years ago for my apartment, and my parents helped me stain it one Thanksgiving weekend.
When I moved to my next apartment, I took it with me and used it in my living room. Then, when I got married and moved in with my husband, we put the armoire in our loft. When we moved into a house a few years later, the armoire came with us.
I took the doors off of it and painted them for use in my living room. (The hinges had broken and one of the doors had cracked, hence my creative repurposing.)
Meanwhile, I gave the armoire a new coat of paint (the second time I’ve painted it) and moved it into my office to hold the printer and supplies.
I’m really glad I bought the armoire all those years ago. I’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of it.
Of course, the most clever repurpose of an old armoire I’ve seen is one that a local shop owner did for her home.
She turned it into a birdcage!
For more great ideas on furnishing your apartment on a budget, check out this article from ForRent.com that has tips on how to get the most for your money when shopping for furniture.