Furniture Finds

Who doesn't love a bargain? Furnish your house with top-line designer pieces - but without paying full price

By Cindy Hsu Han

My mother taught me a lot of things: to make my bed each morning, to respect others, and to shop with a mean eye for a bargain.

Actually, coming from an Asian cultural background where bargaining is a way of life, my mom is a master haggler. She smiles sweetly while slashing prices ruthlessly.

I never got her knack for negotiation, so instead I am always on the lookout for prices that are already marked down. In fact, when I went looking for new furniture recently, I made my way around town in search of that magical combination: good stuff at great prices.

My bargain-radar first homed in on the clearance centers, which come in many forms. For example, Linder and Associates has an entire clearance annex housed in a church across the street from the main showroom. The space used to be the store's warehouse, but was refurbished earlier this year to accommodate a large selection of discounted furniture.

"We offer the same manufacturers in the annex as we do in the showroom," says Linder's president, William A. Wycoff, "but the piece might be one-of-a-kind or discontinued, or items we've purchased at estate sales."

Discounts range from about 40 to 70 percent off the regular price. You might find a Stickley dresser one day, a John Widdicomb cabinet another.

You'll find the same idea, albeit a very different style, at Perlora's clearance annex, a rather cramped space just next door to the main store. The annex is the place for extra stock, seasonal items, or pieces that didn't sell for whatever reason.

If you're looking for a contemporary sofa or deep discounts on quality linens, the Perlora annex is a good bet, with prices slashed at least 40 percent.

When it comes to Scandinavian furniture, the only game in town is Houseworks. The store tucks its discounted items into the "attic," a warehouse space holding a good selection of pieces - some with slight defects, others discontinued - featuring the clean lines and beautiful teak found throughout the store.

Real steals can be found at Ikea's "as-is" room near the checkout area. The wide appeal of the Swedish furnishings store is that you can buy a distinctive style for very little money. If you search carefully in the as-is section, you're likely to find something with no discernible flaws at a huge markdown. I look here first for kids' furniture, storage units and fun accessories.

Arthur Moser has an entire warehouse of furniture in need of a home, from suede chairs to armoires, marked down as much as 50 percent.

"There are a lot of finds," says vice president Evelyn J. Wedner. "Some pieces have dents and bruises, some pieces have just stayed around too long." Many people think you have to wait for the store's annual warehouse sale in the late fall, but the warehouse is actually open six days a week - just ring the doorbell.

On a larger scale, Kaufmann's opened its furniture gallery and clearance center at Century III Mall earlier this year. It's a more civilized setting (and easier parking) than the old warehouse by the stadium, and you don't have to wait all year for the big sale. The new store houses the usual department store offerings, but also has 60,000 square feet of clearance sofas, dining sets, rugs, mattresses, etc.

Also meeting the desire of customers for a year-round place to find discontinued or one-of-a-kind pieces is the new Designer Furniture Outlet. The brainchild of Today's Home CEO Jeff Lenchner, the store offers the Today's Home lines (Drexel Heritage, Henredon, Baker, et al.) but at reduced prices.

In years past, Today's Home set up one-day warehouse sales for such lines as Henredon, at which a nice leather chair could be had for less than half the regular price. Lenchner saw the popularity and success of these sales, and decided to play matchmaker: create an outlet for the various manufacturers to place furniture that might not stay in a showroom, while also creating a store that offers a full selection on a day-to-day basis. "This makes quality furniture affordable," says Lenchner. What you see is what you get, and the key is to check back often as new selections come in. DFO also carries artwork, Oriental rugs, silk plants, lamps and accessories.

It also helps to know when your favorite furnishings store holds its big sales. Weisshouse, for example, holds two blowout floor-sample sales - in January and June - which bring the prices of some of the chic European lines (B&B Italia, Ligne Roget) within reach.

And take a piece of advice from my mom (not supported by Dad, by the way): Don't think of it as spending money. Just think how much you saved.

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Details:

Linder & Associates, McKees Rocks, 771-6566

Perlora, South Side, 431-5118

Houseworks, Ross Twp., 931-3850

Ikea, Robinson Township, 747-0747

Arthur Moser & Associates, East Liberty, 441-1976

Kaufmann's Furniture Gallery and Clearance Center, West Mifflin, 655-1300

Designer Furniture Outlet, The Pointe, North Fayette, 747-0599.

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Illustration by Terry Shutko