When looking at individual pieces of furniture it can be difficult to envision how it would work in your space. Furniture stores set up room vignettes to help customers picture what that sofa, chair or whatever will look like in their home. Unfortunately, this isn’t possible when shopping on Craigslist where we are lucky if we even get a decent photo. So today I am going to try something different than my regular post. Instead I have put together a living room from recent finds to show you how to put together a beautiful room that has personality and doesn’t cost a fortune. Then I will explain my process.

Top Row:

Large red vinyl ottoman. $60
White leather sofa. $450
Wood magazine rack. $35

2nd Row:

Mid-century 6 drawer dresser. $80
Danish woven rope lounge chair. $100
Lane end tables. $145

3rd Row:

70s reflective wall art. $40
Noguchi table lamp. $55
Textured ceramic lamp. $25
McCoy pottery. $25

Total cost: $1,065 which is less than the price of a good quality new sofa. The price can be less if you’re willing to bargain.

The process: After finding the sofa I decided to go with a eclectic modern look with a complementary color scheme of red & green. Most of the furnishings are neutral which helps the red & green pieces avoid looking like Christmas. The sofa, end tables, storage unit, magazine rack, chair, Noguchi lamp and artwork all have angular square lines which tie them together. The round ottoman, ceramic lamp and pottery provide relief and contrast. I chose the dresser for the living room because it mimics a side board if you leave off the mirror and provides storage. These pieces would be a good start for a smaller sized living room.

This would also be a nice arrangement to use when staging a house or condo when selling. While the idea of dropping a grand on a place you are no longer living in may seem extreme, it has been shown that homes with furnishings in them sell faster than empty ones. It’s the same idea as a furniture store using vignettes to help potential buyers envision their furniture in the space.

Common sense note: Design Ninja’s makes no guarantee of any kind on these items. Shop local & avoid scams. Happy scavenging and good luck!