by amy oliver Tripod Resources: How to build your own furniture How to find the right apartment

So you've just moved into your brand new digs. Congratulations — that's the first hurdle. But now that you're in, what do you do? You look around at what has turned out to be, without the previous tenant's stuff, a featureless white cube with stains on the carpet. You have a futon on the floor, a milk crate for a nightstand, cinder block bookshelves, and a cast-off rattan sofa from your parents' basement. How did this happen? This place seemed so classy before! Before you stop payment on your first-month's rent, however, let me tell you there are many ways to remedy the situation. While I can't help you too much with those carpet stains (try Heloise's Hints), I can give you some tips on how to furnish your place with chic furniture on a budget. NEXT Amy Oliver, a curatorial associate at the Williams College Museum of Art in Williamstown, MA, recently furnished a three-bedroom house with tasteful antiques for less than $1000. © 1997 Tripod, Inc. All Rights Reserved.