Sparrow
30-01-07, 09:37 PM
Chic On The Cheap
If you can't afford new home furnishings, why not try buying second hand?
So, you've bought your flat, paid the agents and solicitors and now ... there's nothing left in the coffers to furnish your new pad.
The obvious choice for first time buyers is cheap and cheerful Ikea, but who wants a soulless flat that looks exactly like everyone elses?
For those who prefer classic, solidly built pieces rather than flimsy flat-packs, buying second-hand is the way to go.
The usual sources of second-hand furniture are junk shops and classified ads in the local newspaper, or websites such as Ebay and the Gumtree.
But a growing number of charities such as the Salvation Army and Oxfam now have dedicated furniture shops where they sell items donated to them, ranging from bed frames to grandfather clocks.
The British Heart Foundation is one of them. Recently, Times Online reporter Samantha Lyster told how she picked up a fantastic reproduction double wardrobe from the 1030s, costing just £50.
She also found a 1930 tallboy, a 1960s sideboard and a 1950s display case.
"One of my best bargains is a moss-greenn wing chair that in Heals would have cost at least £500, but I bought it for £35," she wrote.
Even regular local charity shop will sell traditional and retro pieces. Granted, you may have to trawl through moth-bitten old overcoats to find them, but with prices starting at £5, your efforts are likely to be rewarded.
A dust or a good wash with a good fabric cleaner is often all that's needed to give second-hand the appearance of brand new.
Don't completely abandon the high street. TX Maxx is great for knocked-down designer bed linen, lampshades and picture frames and shops will often sell furniture that has been on show at a discount - though you will probably have to ask.
"In all, I bought 16 items of furniture for £1,300," says Samantha.
"All it takes to furnish a flat on a tight budget is a bit of imagination, a bit of cheek and bit of extra effort.
"It may take longer, but it is much more fun that pushing an awkward trolley around a soulless barn, then later attempting to locate the missing screws."
Source: Times Online
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If you can't afford new home furnishings, why not try buying second hand?
So, you've bought your flat, paid the agents and solicitors and now ... there's nothing left in the coffers to furnish your new pad.
The obvious choice for first time buyers is cheap and cheerful Ikea, but who wants a soulless flat that looks exactly like everyone elses?
For those who prefer classic, solidly built pieces rather than flimsy flat-packs, buying second-hand is the way to go.
The usual sources of second-hand furniture are junk shops and classified ads in the local newspaper, or websites such as Ebay and the Gumtree.
But a growing number of charities such as the Salvation Army and Oxfam now have dedicated furniture shops where they sell items donated to them, ranging from bed frames to grandfather clocks.
The British Heart Foundation is one of them. Recently, Times Online reporter Samantha Lyster told how she picked up a fantastic reproduction double wardrobe from the 1030s, costing just £50.
She also found a 1930 tallboy, a 1960s sideboard and a 1950s display case.
"One of my best bargains is a moss-greenn wing chair that in Heals would have cost at least £500, but I bought it for £35," she wrote.
Even regular local charity shop will sell traditional and retro pieces. Granted, you may have to trawl through moth-bitten old overcoats to find them, but with prices starting at £5, your efforts are likely to be rewarded.
A dust or a good wash with a good fabric cleaner is often all that's needed to give second-hand the appearance of brand new.
Don't completely abandon the high street. TX Maxx is great for knocked-down designer bed linen, lampshades and picture frames and shops will often sell furniture that has been on show at a discount - though you will probably have to ask.
"In all, I bought 16 items of furniture for £1,300," says Samantha.
"All it takes to furnish a flat on a tight budget is a bit of imagination, a bit of cheek and bit of extra effort.
"It may take longer, but it is much more fun that pushing an awkward trolley around a soulless barn, then later attempting to locate the missing screws."
Source: Times Online
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