Modern Furniture

When the my sister Chris was newly married, her rich and highly starched mother-in-law presented her with an heirloom: a magnificent suite of ebony furniture.

Chris, in search of simplicity, promptly painted it white. Her relatives were appalled, but Chris, not yet a decorator, knew she was on to something. The lesson? If you can’t afford a stunning four-poster antique bed, buy a battered flea-market specimen with good lines. Sand, prime, and paint white. It will reign in your bedroom like a bride.

Tip: For visual continuity, do this to a second piece of furniture too, suck as a tall bureau or wooden chair.