I recently moved to a condo near the oceanfront in Virginia Beach and had a blast with my mom and some girlfriends placing all of my furniture and decorative sculptures and vases around the house in just the right place. Although I feel like I have a ton of knick-knacks that go around the house, it is inevitable when you move to a new place that you need "small" items to bring a room together.
My fail-safe tactic is to purchase high-end quality furniture that will stay with me for many years. I also have a few pieces my grandparents had when they were first married in 1938 that have been refinished and I updated with more modern hardware. I love how you can mix modern and traditional and it really helps bring a personalized look and style to a room. That being said, I try to not buy pieces that are going to be either out of date or start to fall apart for at least 7-10 years. Case in point, I have a sectional that I bought when I got my first job out of college and I was not in a "cash position" to buy it outright so I exercised the option of no money down and no interest for 12-months. I bought it at a furniture store we had been customers at for years and was owned by one of my grandparent's oldest friends. This couch has been through it all....a flood, a fire, and multiple moves. It is still comfortable and has held up well....a little Febreeze goes a long way! This is where I am grateful I do not skimp on the things that are most expensive to replace, especially in a slow economy!
As for home goods, I am on the complete opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to purchases everything related to home decor and it usually causes a lot of anxiety as I am always interested in a "bargain". In the event that you do move, or re-arrange the flow of your home, or if you have the urge to redecorate, these are the easiest items to replace for very little money and you can literally change the entire look of a room. With my staple furniture pieces in mind, I usually go to Pier 1 for any items for home decor...as someone that has moved 3 times in the last 5 years, I am a frequent customer. Usually at Pier 1, you can be sure you are getting pretty decent quality for reasonable prices. Once I moved into my new condo, I knew I needed an entry hall cabinet that would look nice and I could use for years to come. My decision making on an entry hall cabinet was really around the amount I was willing to spend, since moving ALWAYS ends up costing more than you thought, as well as what the expected longevity of such item would be....hence I bee-lined to Pier 1. I decided on the Patrina Cabinet (see above) and then placed a mirror I had above it with a decorative urn my mother gave me a couple of years ago to tie the whole thing together. Mission accomplished! I knew immediately the Patrina Cabinet fell solidly in the middle of the "quality-needed" scale which is EXACTLY where I needed it to be. I typically think quality vs cost prior to purchasing any piece of furniture and with this particular piece, I ended up with the Patrina Cabinet as it may not always fit or match my future entry halls I may have, but I could almost certainly find a place for it somewhere and it would still be relatively stylish (God help me if the next move is any time soon...).
Additionally, I needed to lighten up my trusty old couch since it once was in an area with light walls and more than necessary natural light. I still wasn't willing to part with my comfy couch that had been with me for so long as well as didn't really want to take on that kind of expense right after my move. I once again returned to Pier 1 and decided on some lighter yet colorful pillows. Not to mention an oil painting depicting an art deco type beach scene that is large enough to fill the large wall space above the couch. I also relieved the store of some fantastic dragonfly guest towels for my 1/2 bath, shells for filler in some re-purposed hurricane candle-holders on the mantle and beach-themed guest soaps and candles. I always get compliments on the home decor I purchase from Pier 1 and they always seem to go along way since I am able to continue to find a place for items I feel the need to replace for a different look. All in all, I was able to create a new look in my living area with great pieces that cost under $300 and that went well with everything I already had. I figure that is just a fraction of what I will spend on the next sectional but I still have a fresh new look for the time being....The best part about Pier 1 is that I am a Pier 1 Rewards customer. You can sign up for free and for every $1 spent you earn 4 points. Once you reach 2000 points, you receive a $20 gift card to use at the store toward future purchases. Between my purchase of my entry hall cabinet and my home decor items, I received several $20 gift certificates, especially since customers were able to take advantage of the double-points weekend (check www.Pier1.com for any upcoming double or triple points days). This way, I can continue updating rooms in my house for even less than the great prices you get everyday in the store. The only small drawback is they do not offer is online shopping and they do not ship if you go to a store and they do not have what you went in to purchase. However, if you are very polite to the Manager, sometimes they may cut you a break or at least have it shipped store-to-store for you to pick up later. The customer service is always good and they want to reward repeat business. See below for a link to the Pier 1 Rewards program....
http://www.pier1.com/TopMenu/CreditCard/tabid/121/Default.aspx
Would love to hear of any other good finds at Pier 1....Please comment!!!!
Happy hunting!
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