Decorating your first apartment: African Style

Page 1 of 2 Moving beyond milk crates, boxes and dorm posters can be a daunting decorating task for the novice. But several African-American designers and interior decorators have advice for new apartment dwellers who are design-challenged. First-time decorators should not pull out the credit card and attempt to fill an entire apartment in one day, says interior designer Denys Davis, who is co-author with fellow designer Shame Algotsson of The Spirit of African Design. "It will look empty for a while," Davis says, but Algotsson adds, "When you walk into an apartment or a house, it shouldn't just be a visual impact, but also a tactile impact--sitting down on a velvet sofa, the impact of the linen or the throw rugs. Most people can't afford to buy all those things all at once. It takes time to develop a great space." The first major purchase, designers say, should be a good bed. Buy the best basics you can afford--which will take the bulk of your money--and then branch out and fill in with accessories. The second is a good sofa, and then a table. Consider the function first. You need some place to sleep, sit and eat. When Ronald Mims moved back to Detroit, the computer consultant took Davis' advice to heart. The first piece of furniture he purchased was a bed. "I spend 30 percent of my life there," he says. Mims left a lot of his furniture back in New York and had to start over once he moved to Detroit. "I had a lot of hand-me-downs that I didn't want to bring here," he says. The type of bed you buy depends on whether you are moving away from home or staying in your hometown, Davis says. "If you're moving away from home and will be having people coming to visit, you need a sofa bed." After getting the bed, add a comfortable armchair and a sturdy kitchen table. "It should be something you can live with for the first three to five years," Algotsson says. She advises new apartment dwellers to do a little research first. "Ask yourself: How am I going to use this space? Will it be strictly for sleeping and entertaining, or is this someplace I want to display pieces I collect? The function is very important and whether comfort or style is a factor," she says. She also recommends pieces that are multifunctional. "You should buy things like a big table that can also act as a desk," she says. "It can be a dining room/home office/entertainment center. If you're limited in budget, you're probably limited in space, so think of sofas, tables and things you can fold up and put away or convert and make into something else." Budget is a big factor in any decorating plan, designers add. Where will you shop for your apartment? Since most people decorating their first apartment have limited means, how can you get the most style for your money? "Second-hand pieces can be even better than brand-new furniture if you look carefully," Algotsson says. But don't take that as the green light for just plain cheap. "Just because something is less expensive doesn't mean it has to fall apart in a year," she says. "You can shop at second-hand shops, go to auctions, flea markets. You can find such treasures there--pieces you could never afford to buy new." Budgeting is nothing new to the newly married. A bigger challenge for couples is combining personal styles to create a living space that reflects their personal tastes. Avery and Anita Theresa Goodrich are a recently married couple combining their decorating styles in a new apartment. "I have a more traditional style, while he's more modern or artdeco," she laughs. "We're blending styles, and I'm starting to sway from the traditional style. We want pieces that are very transitional, that will carry us from this apartment to our first home." Goodrich, a Chicago attorney, and his wife, who works for a title insurance company, both love art, specifically African, Oriental and Mexican artwork. "We want choice pieces, and it's an investment," says Goodrich. "So you have to shop around to find what you want. It takes time," he adds. Cheryle Williams Dent and Kim Bressant-Kibwe agree that you have to be prepared to invest a great deal of time and "sweat equity" to make a beautiful home. They are co-owners of African Home, Inc., a New York-based design firm focusing on decorating with an African flair. Prev - Next >> < Prev   Next >