MCT- You’re eagerly saving your paychecks, having graduated, entered the real world and finally moved beyond that college apartment, complete with messy roommates. You’re getting your own apartment or condo _ but what will go in it? For the young professional on a budget, this decision requires some thought and planning. What furniture should you buy secondhand? What should you buy new? Should you stick with neutral colors, so the furniture is adaptable to the next place you live, or opt for bolder pieces? We spoke with some experts to find out what you need and how to get it. When your square footage is small, the most important thing is perhaps making sure that the furniture you get fits in it. “The bigger it is, the less likely it’ll fit in somewhere else,” says Jane Klein, owner of Jane Klein Interiors in Milwaukee and American Society for Interior Design member. Frank Fontana, host of HGTV’s decorating show “Design on a Dime,” says it can be difficult to separate emotions from what you really need. “I’ve been guilty myself of buying a sofa that I love, but that’s too big,” he says. He advises furniture-shoppers to detach their emotions from the process. “Take a copy of the floor plan and all of the measurements of your space with you,” he says. “And then, within your scale, find something you love.” What are the most important things to buy? “You need a place to sit down,” says Klein. “You probably need a table and chairs, plus someplace to store clothing and somewhere to sit and hang out.” Fontana agrees. “Finding the right sofa is important. That’s the grounding portion of your room. The living room and kitchen are your most lived-in areas.” In the Midwest, the HGTV designer said, people consider function over fashion. “It’s about functional reform. … In L.A. and New York, it’s all about style first.” Danielle Glazier, who moved to Milwaukee’s east side after graduating from college last year, says functionality drove her hunt for furniture. “I figure that when I’m older and making more money, I’ll spend more time picking out things I really love,” she says. “But for my first apartment, I was just thinking about how to save money. My first stop was my parents’ house to see what they’d give me.” John Edbauer, general manager of McNabb & Risley in Mequon and ASID member, urges customers to think about the fabric of their sofa, along with the size. “Make sure that the performance of the fabric is appropriate for what you want to do with it,” he says. In other words, if you’re planning on having people over often, you may want to skip the white couch that will get dirty easily. “A utility piece will give you better service. Design a room that’s appropriate to your lifestyle,” says Edbauer. Glazier says this was a key element in designing her place. “I didn’t want to have anything too fancy because I’m not home that much to enjoy it. I’m always out or at work,” she explains. And how much should these key pieces cost you? “If it’s just transitional, don’t spend a lot of money,” advises Fontana. “If you do get a fabulous, expensive item, plan on designing around it later. Sometimes it’s worth getting that one amazing piece.” Klein says that for a young adult, furniture-buying is an important step in independence. “Even a dresser you buy from the Salvation Army, that may end up having sentimental value.” That said, “don’t buy something just to have it,” she says. “But especially for a young person, it’s important to have your own space and make a home for yourself.” Glazier says that a kitchen table she bought secondhand from an acquaintance is one of her favorite pieces of furniture, and one she’ll likely keep when she moves. “It’s an antique, and it’s not too big, so I’ll be able to keep it as long as I want,” she says. What about purchasing secondhand items? Buying secondhand, or “gently used” furniture can be a moneysaving tool. “You can get lucky and find something of quality in resale shops,” says Klein. “If you have the time to go often, and you find out what day the new things come in.” She does add a note of caution: “Often, you get what you pay for.” If you find a great deal that needs maintenance, is it worth fixing it up? “If something costs next to nothing, it’s worth fixing up, but if it’s already a couple of hundred dollars _ unless you can’t live without it, it can be very expensive to re-furbish things,” says Klein. Edbauer adds: “Each extra step you have to do in refurbishing furniture adds to the price. There’s a lot of value in new furniture.” While shopping secondhand, first look for stability, advises Fontana. “For a chair, do a sit test. Sit on it, shake your hips around and see what happens. If it has good bones, I can build off of it.” Next, check out any fabric and the padding underneath it. “If there’s a foam pad, does it feel like it’s crumbling?” asks Fontana. “If so, that’s a big red flag because there’s potential mold.” If you’re planning on re-upholstering a piece, turn it upside down to see if the seat pad comes off. “In a lot of older chairs, the pads are built in and you can’t take them apart,” says Fontana. Remember, a well-made piece of furniture in good shape that is reasonably price can be a great deal even if you don’t like the way it is stained or painted. Just paint over it and all you have invested is your time and a can of paint. Other ways to save? Fontana suggests looking for local “scratch-and-dent” sales. Many large furniture stores hold these sales for pieces that are somehow damaged. “Usually, if you have an ounce of creativity, you can make these things work,” urges Fontana, who estimates he’s furnished half of his current apartment with such furniture. The furniture is significantly reduced because otherwise the stores would end up pitching the items. On top of that, there are occasional warehouse sales _ usually twice a year. To find out about the deals, get on the store’s mailing list or just ask when you stop by. “It’s not exclusive, but you do need to ask,” says Fontana. Another option? Hotel Resellers. Every five years or so, hotels redecorate and suddenly need to get rid of 1,000 end tables. Companies buy up the furniture and sell it at drastically reduced prices. “It’s literally for pennies on the dollar,” says Fontana. And don’t discount chain retailers. “It’s possible to do really well at stores like Crate & Barrel or Ikea,” says Klein. “Especially if you want to get everything in a weekend.” Echoes Fontana: “If you sift around, you’ll find great pieces. It’s about keeping an open mind when you’re shopping.” For Glazier and others she knows, Ikea _ the Scandinavian big box store that specializes in ready-to-assemble furniture _ was a life-saver. “I know a lot of friends who filled their entire apartments with furniture from Ikea,” she says. “It’s the cheapest option. It won’t last forever, but it works.” The closest IKEA store is in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Catalog and on-line shopping also is available. What if I don’t want to buy? You can always rent. The monthly cost depends upon the number of rooms you need to furnish, the length of time you use the items and the furniture styles you choose. This can get expensive, but the convenience may be worth it for some, especially if you anticipate living in a place for a short period of time. Places like Brook Furniture Rental can move in the furniture of your choice in as little as 48 hours _ once you’ve selected it, received credit approval, signed your lease and paid your first month’s rent. At most rental places, the longer you plan on renting, the cheaper the monthly rate. What about first-time decorating? You may not have put a whole lot of effort into the interior design of your room at your parents’ house, or at the college apartment you were only at for a year. Now that you have your first place all your own, though, you’re probably thinking of doing something that reflects your own taste. Simple things can make a big difference. Fontana says if you’re renting, ask your landlord whether you can paint the walls. “Once you can paint, your world of design is broadened,” he says. Often
you will be allowed to paint if you agree to return the walls to white when you are done. Just a bit of color here and there can change the entire feel of your place. “There’s an array of decorative techniques that can take a space above and beyond,” says Fontana, citing glazes, stencils, dry brushing as examples of things that make places pop. Every design expert recommends thinking your choices through carefully _ especially for major pieces. “Whatever I’ve gotten through the years, whether it’s been given to me or I purchased it, it tends to hang around a long time. It can be really hard to get rid of,” cautions Klein. Adds Edbauer: “Spend for quality because these pieces are probably going to last for more than just a home, or two, or three.”

IF YOU DON’T MIND USEDHere are some places to find “gently used” furniture.Cort Furniture Rental, www.cort.comCraigslist, www.craigslist.orgGoodwill stores St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores

(c) 2007, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.