Forget the Futon, It’s Time for Grown-Up Furniture

Ok, I’ll admit that we still have a futon in our basement. But that’s not our greatest source of furniture shame. I remember vividly the hot afternoon we set out to get a new desk for my husband. I was a graduate student at the time and money was short, so we headed to a local discount furniture dealer. What a bargain—we chose the floor model of the particle board desk/hutch/computer tray combo—all we had to do to add to the savings was get it home ourselves. We borrowed a truck from a friend and got it halfway up the stairs to the front of the house when we heard the horrible cracking sound. The whole thing collapsed into a pile of press board at our feet—we couldn’t even put it back together, because some of the pieces had split in shards.

Our terrible story could have had a very different ending if we’d be able to attend Dr. Philip Zimmerman’s upcoming talk! Planning the program with Dr. Zimmerman, he shared his strategy for furnishing his own house, in which he and his wife have free reign to purchase finds at antique shops and other great sources if they cost less than the same thing would cost at a big box store. And the exciting part was that he said it almost always does cost less. He’s thrilled to share his techniques and tips so that nobody has to relive our particle board desk disaster. I hope you can join us, and I know I’ll be asking about how to replace that futon! Thank you to our Focus on Furniture Series Sponsors: Nathan Liverant and Son Antiques, LLC and Connecticut Humanities. Here are all the details:

Thursday, October 17, 5:30-7:00 pm, From Marketplace to Living Room: Tips for Beginners and Experienced Collectors on Building a Collection to Live with and Love (and Actually Sit On)

$20 CHS members, $25 non-members, Refreshments provided

For more information, please call (860) 236-5621 x289 or email jennifer_steadman@chs.org.

Jennifer Steadman is the Adult Programs Manager  at the Connecticut Historical Society