By Samantha Pynn, National Post
Designers have loads of product info in their heads. We can rattle off obscure details: dimensions, product codes and colour availability.
Example: "Yes, the Parsons bench from Ballard Designs is 19½" deep, $189, and will fit perfectly in your entry hall," is something I've said to more than one person. With that in mind, here are my Top 10 basics for first-time condo owners. But first a word about how I picked this list. I've kept to furniture that's inexpensive but not cheap. Good design doesn't have to be pricey. None of these pieces are temporary fixes, they're basics with a high-end look at a low price. Plus, they're versatile and can be moved from home to home. Pepper in secondhand finds, some objets d'art, and a couple of luxe pieces amongst these 10 basics and you'll have one fab condo.
1. Stockholm 3½ Sofa, $1,549, Ikea. Dimensions: 93¼" x 36 fi" x 28" h This transitional sofa is a stylist favourite. The fabric reads like light natural linen, but it's a cotton-poly-rayon-linen blend. Warning, the Stockholm is not a small-scale sofa. However, it comes in two pieces so you can get it up virtually any condo stairwell, and through tight spots and doorways. If your room is at least 9x8 1/2-feet, it will fit. Ideally, place it in front of a window, but it works equally well against a wall with one or two Louis IV chairs, or a mid-20th century chair. The Stockholm sofa comfortably seats three people, remove the back cushions and it makes a single guest bed. You can style it to look sleekly modern or completely girly girl.
2. Malm dresser, $99, Ikea. Dimensions: 31.5" x 18.25" x 30.75" This clean and minimal dresser has deep drawers (ideal for extra pillows and for-your-eyes-only messes) that glide open. Available in several finishes including white, black, baby pink and a good-looking white-stained oak, this chest can be used in multiple ways: Three butted together to form a console alone, topped with a piece of salvaged marble and used as an entry table and, of course used for its original purpose, as a bedroom chest of drawers. The pink one looks especially sweet in a girl's room.
3. Zak table lamp, $249.95, Crate + Barrel. Dimensions:18 x 29.5" h. An excellent sofa table lamp and also the right height for reading in bed -this is definitely not a dust-collecting accent lamp. (Just an aside, you shouldn't be able to see over the top of your lampshade when sitting on your sofa.) The clear glass base bounces light around the room and allows you to appreciate art, wallpaper or whatever you put behind or in front of it. This versatile lamp looks at home on a dining room server, on a bedside table, a desk, or even on a kitchen counter.
4. Jules accent table set, $249 (small), $349 (large), $549 (set of two) Crate + Barrel. Dimensions: 16.25" dia. x 22.5" h (large) 21.25" dia. x 27" h (small) These antiqued gold patina tables with inset mirror boast my favourite combination: glamour and usefulness. With welded joinery, they're hand-forged and look like they come with a hefty price tag. But they're $449 per pair. You can also buy them separately $199 for the small and $299 for the large. They will add a feminine touch to a manly club chair. As there are two, the smaller one can tuck partially under the larger so that when you're entertaining in a small space, guests have a spot to rest their drinks.
5. Tripod floor lamp, $189, Structube. Dimensions: 62" high My design mentor, David Overholt, introduced me to the tripod lamp. He loves it for its architectural spirit. There are many on the market, including wood bases with nautical detailing to ones with sleek black bases and modern shades. Of course, they range in price, too. The three-legged open base will keep your small space looking airy. If cool chrome isn't your thing, this one could easily be glammed up with a little gold leaf or paint.
6. Parsons dining table $399 (rectangular), $299 (square), West Elm. Dimensions: 60" x 36" x 30" h or for smaller spaces 32" x 32" x 30" h Available in white (square only), walnut and java. Dressed up or down, this is a little workhorse of a table. Top the larger table with a lamp and slide a couple of filing cabinets beneath, and you have a large desk. Or set it up for a buffet or even an intimate dinner for six. This basic modernist table will work with almost any modern, rustic or ladylike dining chair.
7. Jute leather rug, $191 (5' x 8'), $311 (8' x 10'), Pottery Barn The thing I love about jute and sisal is that it's the ideal foundation for the most casual, glamorous or modern furniture. Layer patterned rug or hide on top to add depth. This handwoven reclaimed leather, jute and cotton combination is soft underfoot, so it will work in any room, including a bedroom.
8. Vintage bar stool, US$289, Restoration Hardware. Dimensions: 14" dia. x 25" h to 29" h The distressed solid-steel base and tobacco-stained wood seat of these reproduction draftsman's stools are easy to adjust. What I love most about these bar stools is that they appeal to the downtown industrial hipster and the country girl at the same time.
9. Era chair, $158, Design Within Reach. Dimensions: 33" h x 16.25" x 20.5" x 18.5" seat height This iconic bentwood chair was deigned by Michael Thonet in 1859. The back of the chair and rear legs are made from a single piece of curved wood, giving it graceful and simple lines. Light weight and strong (as proven by the millions used in cafes and restaurants around the globe), the Era chair straddles the modern and traditional world of design. It's equally at home with a rustic harvest or Saarinen Tulip table. Lovely as a desk chair or petite seat in an entryway, this sculptural chair will bring an artistic and elegant feeling to any condo that feels like a big white box.
10. Visio glass coffee table, $399, Structube When you're dealing with a 75-square-foot living room, a big brown faux-leather ottoman is going to read as bulky and make your space look cramped. Don't get me wrong, upholstered ottomans work well so long as they're small in scale and not in high contrast to the sofa. The classic waterfall design of this glass table doesn't take up visual space. Its lightness will let any design scheme shine, be it mod or trad.
- Samantha Pynn is host of Pure Design on HGTV, weekdays at 10:30 a.m.
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