Lust, penury.
Published by Sid June 24th, 2008 in isht i can't afford, apartment life, beauty, art. Tags: No Tags.My little box is almost completely furnished. In order of importance, I lack only a kitchen island or baker’s rack for additional preparation space, a bed frame, and some sort of housing for adult refreshments.
I’ve been considering alternatives to a store-bought headboard or frame for the bed: salvaged mantel, folding screen, extravagantly framed giclee print. I don’t necessarily want to go the DIY/indie furnishing route, but I don’t love the options available in current retail trends, which seem limited to sleigh beds, wrought iron (although, this one is nifty), and “mid century modern” platforms. I want some drama in my bed space, damnit. I came across a website for a Massachusetts based woodworker who produces custom pieces like this.
His rates begin (a small coffee table, for instance) at just over two weeks’ post-tax-and-investment pay.
Honestly, my current apartment does not deserve anything so exquisite. Nonetheless, I want all of those pieces so badly that my teeth ache. I wonder if he’d accept a long, long, long-term payment plan. Or trade goods for, say, eight years of home-cooked meals.
It’s hard furnishing a place from scratch, especially on a budget. took me a year, and a lot of searching. It paid of in the end, especially if you catch that bargin here and there.
Love the art deco pieces!!
Applejess–so true. I’m expecting I’ll not be finished for months yet. I’ve got all the basic pieces, but not much in the way of unified design! I was thinking of taking my lovely vintage waltnut-finish dining chairs, light oak table, and and walnut stained window seats and just Kryloning everything a high-gloss black…but it looks like spray paint is now banned in the city of Chicago or something, so I’ll have to reassess!
I like the budget shopping part of it, though!