You’re going to move out and need to gather goods to furnish your new place. Where to start? What are your needs? If you have priced new items, it might be time to check your local antique shops. You may be pleasantly surprised at the quality and beauty in the manufacture of products that have already withstood the test of time.

I speak to antique and collectible dealers wherever we go to buy or sell, and often ask how they got into collecting. Some talk of having family passing on the interest or being in the business. Some form an early interest in sports or other collectibles. Many have a common response: the need to furnish the first place of their own. Need and limited funds – that’s the recipe for starting your obsession for antiques and collectibles. Our own story: wifey’s hand-me-down bed and four kitchen chairs from her grandmother, next an oak kitchen table that wifey found at a garage sale to go with the chairs. Our bedroom ensemble was completed at one of those antique shops way out in the country that every time you pass by, it seems to be closed. After all these years we’re still together with those first antiques.

I asked Donn, the new Manager, of The Fox Lake Country Antiques Mall, located in the heart of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, for some help in picking out good value items to furnish a small apartment or dorm. It’s been open for two years and has quickly become one of our favorites. It is the type of mall that can lure you to drive 40 minutes even on a very cold, snowy weekend, because wifey ‘has needs’ for stuff, you know. I explained to the friendly staff at the Mall, that my mission was to find useful objects for a small studio apartment that would have the potential to keep their value and hopefully increase over time.

I wanted to start with the basics: computer desk; waste basket; CD storage; and TV stand. Wifey suggested other items might be more useful. What does she know about needs vs. wants? The first item we spotted, almost from the front door, was this wonderful formica topped chrome dinette set, from the 1950s, so retro in that beautiful green coloring. Or you may prefer this very nice wooden set with four chairs and two leaves in the newly opened consignment center. This one was priced under $80!

And if you are ‘into’ the retro (50s or 60s era), there were lots of lamps to choose from and we found price points from the teens on up. And ceiling lamps priced from the mid-20’s.

A handy tall cabinet that takes up little room with such a small footprint, or this metal kitchen cabinet sitting next to the vintage waste basket that I had suggested was a basic need.

This combo includes a small chest for the bedroom, a 1920s magazine rack and small dressing table stool, great for extra guest’s seating.

Another group we liked included an East Lake platform rocker, an old sleigh, as a coffee table. At $125, that rocker almost wound up in our guest room.

And lastly, I get to call the steamer trunk a “must have” for any small apartment. It serves as a great seasonal storage box, perhaps for blankets, linens, winter-wear or such. It also works as a stand for a TV, sound system or aquarium.

In my next post, you’ll find many useful pieces to include on your needs list as we continue our visit to the Fox Lake Country Antique Mall, Fowler and Wisconsin Avenues, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, phone 262-560-0890.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008 at 4:10 am and is filed under collecting fyi, decorating, flea market finds. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.