Tips to help you buy furniture

Looking for economical, yet classy furniture for a small home? Here's what you could do

Go in for simple metal, wood, or cane furniture, which is light and airy,and creates a feeling of space

Get a long boxlike seating a r r a n g e m e n t made with storage space inside and colourful mattresses and cushions on the outside

If you have old trunks, get them painted or varnished and you have a very reasonable stylish looking seating arrangement or tables - with additional storage inside

Folding tables (study tables, work tables, and dining tables) are all great space-saving devices. Moreover, just one of these can be used for varied purposes

Instead of using a sofa-cumbed, use mattresses. Two single mattresses (one on top of the other) with piles of cushions on top makes for a cosy and comfortable low seating arrangement - and it can be converted to a bed too

In order to make a good centre table you can use a big earthen matka, a brass pot (meant to keep plants), or even a cane basket (the kind used to keep vegetables and fruits) filled with colourful pebbles and marbles.You can even put a few bricks together. One of these materials should be used as a base. Use a wooden plank, glass or even metal sheet for the top.

You would also need shelves for books, toys, games, music etc. Instead of buying shelves you could actually make your own.

Make brick and wood shelves by placing bricks in between slabs of wood. You could even have small brass or earthern matkas between slabs of wood.

These shelves would look very original and have guests commenting on them