E-Mail This Article to a Friend Home improvements New place? Need stuff to fill it? No problem — there are options to fit every budget. BY LIZA WEISSTUCH
	Where to find it: • Aunt Sadie’s General Store, 18 Union Park, Boston, (617) 357-7117. • Basics, 1967 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 547-5011. • Bombay Company, Middlesex Turnpike, Brighton, (781) 273-1855; www.bombaycompany.com. • Bowl & Board, 1063 Mass Ave, Cambridge (617) 661-0350; 1354 Beacon Street, Brookline, (617) 566-4726. • China Fair, 2100 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 864-3050; 70 Needham Street, Newton, (617) 332-1250. • City Schemes, 1050 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 497-0707. • Crate & Barrel, various locations; www.crateandbarrel.com. • Economy Hardware, 219 Mass Ave, Boston, (617) 536-4280; 438 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 864-3300; 144 Harvard Avenue, Allston, (617) 789-5552. • Filene’s Basement, 426 Washington Street, Boston, (617) 348-7934. • Fresh Eggs, 58 Clarendon Street, Boston, (617) 247-8150. • Italian Design, 81 Boylston Street, Brookline, (617) 731-4222; 19 Spring Street, Watertown, (617) 926-2344. • Kitchen Arts, 161 Newbury Street, Boston, (617) 266-8701. • LabHome, 63 Wareham Street, Boston, (617) 482-7772; www.shoplabhome.com. • Lekker Unique Home Furnishings, 1317 Washington Street, Boston, (617) 542-6464; www.lekkerhome.com. • Pier 1 Imports, various locations; www.pier1.com. • Posh, 557 Tremont Street, Boston, (617) 437-1970. • Relax the Back, 1008 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 547-2225; 1385 Beacon Street, Brookline, (617) 277-7767; www.relaxtheback.com. • Restoration Hardware, 711 Boylston Street, Boston, (617) 578-0088; 300 Boylston Street, Newton, (617) 641-6770; www.restorationhardware.com. • Tags Ace Hardware, Porter Square Shopping Center, Cambridge, (617) 868-7711. • Urban Outfitters, 11 JFK Street, Cambridge, (617) 864-0070; 361 Newbury Street, Boston, (617) 236-0088; www.urbn.com. • Williams-Sonoma, 100 Huntington Ave, Boston, (617) 262-3080; 300 Boylston Street, Newton, (617) 969-7090; www.williams-sonoma.com. • Zoe, 279 Newbury Street, Boston, (617) 375-9135.

When it comes to making decisions, deciding on a place to live ranks high on the mental-energy-expenditure meter. So now that you’ve made your choice and made the move, it’s time to relax. Well, almost. Chances are that a scan of your new place — the stacks of boxes, the mounds of lumpy bags — stirs you to do little more than assume the fetal position in your new corner and wait for the peeling paint to fall down around you.

Come now, pick yourself up, wipe those dust bunnies away, and consider this: what you have in front of you — once you look beyond the stack of shelves supporting a jigsaw configuration of chairs supporting your grandma’s prized lamp — is a blank sheet as full of potential as a white canvas was to Picasso, a hunk of clay was to Rodin, and a raw slab of swordfish is to Wolfgang Puck. You get the point. Unpacking doesn’t need to be a chore. It’s an open invitation to express yourself, even reinvent yourself. Do you want to go slick, streamlined, and modern? Retro-hip in shagadelic fashion? Rustic country? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to explore the Zen minimalist path. Here’s your chance to chuck that box of mystery contents (rule of thumb: if you can’t remember what’s in it, it’s probably not worth keeping) and start from scratch.

We took a tour through the city to browse the bounty of home furnishings, kitchen must-haves, and den decorations. First things first, though: you’ve got to prep and treat the canvas. Hit the nearest supermarket or drugstore — consider it an exploration of your new neighborhood — and stock up on cleaners, solvents, soaps, and polishes. Grab a bucket at the hardware store and choose your weapon. These days it seems mops come in more varieties than the messes they’re used on, and Tags and Economy Hardware each stocks a full gallery of cleaning artillery and ammo. Bed Bath & Beyond offers the clever Tough Terry ($19.99). Its picker-upper is a washable terrycloth towel that fastens onto the mop head. Or avoid the bucket method altogether and pick up a Swiffer Mop ($16.99), along with a package of moist disposable cleanser cloths ($6.29), available at various locations across town. All are useful for maneuvering around the heaps of stuff.

Now that the place smells more citrusy than a tangerine grove in December, let the home improvements begin.

Since it’s PROBABLY the space that’s absorbing most of your wishful thinking, we’ll start with the living room. Some argue that it’s best to get major items like furniture first because that’s what sets the mood of a room; others add that since the big stuff can fetch higher prices than anything else on your list, it’s logical to get it at the outset so you know what funds remain for accessories.

Few of us can deny fantasizing about hiring a private masseuse, especially after schlepping all that bulk, but it’s not easy to justify a flight to Sweden in the name of melting tension. If finances allow, treat yourself to the necessary therapy in nonhuman form at Relax the Back, where you’ll find seats engineered for sumptuous sensation, like the Interactive Health HTT-10 Robotic Massage chair ($1799) with 3-D rolling-in adjustable speeds, or the less electric, equally spine-responsive, more design-savvy Alpha Recliner ($1295–$1595, depending on wood or metal base). For a low-tech version of high-end comfort, Boston Interiors seats you in dignified pieces like a Carlton leather armchair ($889.95) and the predictable matching ottoman ($399.95).

Next, we hunted down a wild Victoria-style chair ($919) at City Schemes. With its slickly angled chrome frame and bowed seat upholstered in zebra-stripe polyester, it adds jazzy jungle swing to your natural habitat. Zoe, the boutique that dubs itself the crossroads "where art and life collide," encourages you swank up your digs with a lush, deep-seat Roxbury armchair ($1495), upholstered with your choice of patterns and fabrics.

But your entire bank account doesn’t have to be sacrificed in pursuit of style. Pier 1 has furniture at prices reasonable enough to warrant buying a whole set. Go all-out cabana outdoorsy, for instance, with a wicker armchair ($100), loveseat ($200), and ottoman ($80). They’re lightweight, so the cash you save on delivery can go toward funkier cushions. If your style is more of the mix-’n’-match variety, you can always start with the reliable creature comfort of any city dweller: Pier 1’s papasan chair ($140; $99 on sale) and matching footstools ($55; $44 on sale). Urban Outfitters has a more streamlined style with a steel frame ($120). If those fetch too high a price, Planet folding chairs ($34.99) from Bed Bath & Beyond provide the same solar-dish-like seating concept, but with a flatter cover over the steel frame. Settle into its cozy clutches and envision how to arrange your foldable butterfly chair from Urban Outfitters ($29 frame, $24 cloth cover) or Economy Hardware ($29.99, $20) and sturdy-framed, puffy-cushioned chair ($100 frame, $140–$225 cushion) from Economy or rocker ($130 frame, $145–$325 cushion) from Bowl & Board. Or you can forget frames altogether and take the minimalist route with throw cushions. Scatter a few of Urban’s shaggy ones ($40), and you’ll soon be hankering to hunker down and rent Peter Sellers’s swinging ’60s flicks. And keep your video habit under control with corduroy stacking squares ($14.99) from Bed Bath & Beyond.

But you need something to plunk on all these seats besides your tired tush. Even the drabbest couch can become a luxurious lounging piece when it’s gussied up in finery. Leather is key for a wild touch of class (plus it matches that zebra chair!), and pillows of that species ($49.99), as well as of washable suede ($49.99), reside at Bed Bath & Beyond. If your quest is color, Fresh Eggs has pure linen Dwell pillows ($42). Marked by bold hues of swirling retro-geometric designs, they look like a prop pulled from a Doris Day film. For a more reserved, buttoned-down feel, choose from among the fleet of sailboat-adorned or old-school-plaid-patterned Nautica pillows ($34.99–$39.99) at BB&B. That store also has endless shelves of cushions of sundry sizes and designs in chenille, corduroy, and cotton twill ($9.99–$14.99), as does Pier 1, which offers a bit of Western flash with fringed pillows ($18–$28). For bargain hunters and gatherers, a rummage through the bounty at Filene’s Basement turns up treats that give a living room exotic allure, like Dupioni silk pillows bejeweled with beads, sequins, and tassels ($14.99).

Now that you’re ready to recline, it helps to have a table nearby. Bombay Company’s posh pieces of gleaming mahogany ($150–$300) are embellished with details like scrolled feet and hand-applied gold leaves, guaranteed to raise any room to polished dignity. If you’re looking for upscale with more inventive flare, Italian Design has tables with slick European twists. One Rizza table ($999), for instance, has a wenghe-wood frame, aluminum legs, and a clear-glass top containing submerged caddies covered with a removable glass plate, which makes them a bit like exposed drawers that curb knickknack clutter. City Schemes also sells cleverly multi-functional end pieces, like one with a round glass top supported by a slickly angled post that doubles as a magazine rack ($389; $279 on sale). Or maybe you’re out for a table with more refined artistic integrity. Among Lekker’s many Dutch-touched designs are Bradlee Kirkpatrick’s Ocho tables ($395–$995). Their mahogany legs are connected by intricate joinery (read: no nails involved) and support tops of poured concrete.

But there are plenty of flat tops that don’t require a hefty portion of your rent. Basic Furniture will put you out only $139.95 for a solid-maple coffee table, so you might be able to toss in a matching end piece ($89.95), or take the three-piece set ($299.95). If you want something that doesn’t get in the way when you roll out your yoga mat, there are fold-out trays ($7.99–$19.99) at Bed Bath & Beyond, or Economy’s fabric-covered cubes ($89.95) that can also stand in as a footrest or stool.

Finally, roll out the red carpet — or whatever pattern and material best suits the seats. If you have the resources and the time to wait while it’s ordered, you might consider a custom-colored New Zealand wool rug from Italian Design ($2299). For similarly distinctive designs, Fresh Eggs has rugs from the studio of Angela Adams ($450–$1200). Hand tufted and cut in loop pile, the swirling, psychedelic patterns would’ve fit in at Andy Warhol’s loft parties.

Or you can get your color fix with a stroke of shag. Word on the street is that it’s the chicest old-school essential. Add whisky-a-go-go flash with an area rug from LabHome ($300). Its shag carpets are two-toned, so a single strand of wool contains one color wrapped around another. If you’re fretting over how much you dropped for that furniture, you can still feel like you live large with a smaller looped chenille throw from Urban Outfitters ($40).

Your den is finally looking like a space where you can comfortably kick back with a celebratory drink, so you mosey into the kitchen and — oh yeah, the kitchen. If you managed to recruit a skillful crew to help with the move, then your glasses and dishes are likely still intact and functional. But if it’s time for a replacement and you want to sip in style, an array of trendy tumblers can always be snatched up at Crate & Barrel. If you enjoy pouring a long, tall one, you’ll like a slender Collins cup ($1.95) or your basic high-society highball glass ($10.95). They also have classy wine glasses ($5.95–$11.95) that pair well with your vino of choice. If you entertain regularly, you need not travel to Budapest to impress guests with objects from overseas. Avoid the hassle of customs and take a quick dip at Posh. The South End emporium of vintage items turns up hand-painted Bohemian crystal wine glasses ($15 and $20).

But even the most expert sniffers and swillers know that any basic wine glass does the trick. Urban Outfitters has boxed sets of six glasses ($12) — wine, pint, or pilsner. At Filene’s Basement, you can find Luigi Bormioli boxed sets of four crystal wine or (dare we suggest it) martini glasses ($14.99), as well as quartets of Milano highball tumblers ($7.99). Even Pier 1 seems to have jumped on the martini bandwagon and, for that matter, taken a lead position in the good-deal department. For two to five dollars a pop, you can ensure that you’re adequately equipped to make your digs swing while you sip.

Lest we forget to address the mixer ’n’ matcher, there’s China Fair, where cups come in a considerable assortment of shapes, styles, and contours. Stock up on wine glasses of distinctive depths ($1.20–$4.49), glass tumblers with heavy pentagon bases ($1.49), and blue-tinted glasses ($1.99). Considering the good deal you’re getting, you can justify filling any of them with your favorite top-shelf elixir.

Speaking of shelves, don’t forget to fill the ones in your freshly contact-papered cabinets with morning provisions. If you favor designs of the Northern European strain, your best bet is to drop in at Lekker. Owners Curt and Natalie Carpenter stock their airy shop with Dutch- and Asian-inflected items — the kind of elegant eccentricity that is at once practical and pretty. They’re the sole American purveyors of Kahla tableware under the maker’s name. The German company’s various designs are defined by clean, smooth lines and subtle angles. Each of the collections is made of genuine porcelain — not the earthenware common to dishes — and involves some European quirk. In the Update collection ($40.37–$61.62/five-piece set, or $4–$55/piece), for instance, the saucers fit snugly over the tops of the cups as lids.

But some among us can’t even contemplate what to do with a pack of sugar — let alone an architecturally involved demitasse. Economy has basic mugs ($2.49) and jumbo sizes ($3.99), as does Bowl and Board ($3.50–$7). Those going for a kitschy retro kitchen can flash back with Urban Outfitters’ cereal mugs ($14) imprinted with your favorite Kellogg’s icons.

The thought of cooking a meal to complement that cabernet is probably as appealing to you at this point as wading through the rush-hour crowd on a creaky Green Line trolley car, but eventually the Iron Chef whim will hit you like a frying pan. When it does, strike back with a pot of your own. If you really want to put Masaharu Morimoto to the test, weigh in with a heavyweight Norwegian Hackman pan ($185–$250) from Fresh Eggs. Each is constructed of two layers of stainless steel with aluminum in between, which makes for quick, even heating. For a more aesthetic angle, the Mauviel copper collection ($195/3.5-quart; $165/two-quart) from Williams-Sonoma puts stunning showpieces on the stove. (They’re even more attractive when something aromatic emanates from within.) For other cookware you’ll prefer to store on the counter rather than in the cabinet, Kitchen Arts has Le Creuset’s enameled cast-iron cookware ($49.95–$273.75). It also has various All-Clad pots and pans ($60–$235), a classy kitchen staple for non-stick frying, sautéing, and simmering.

But a confident chef knows that his mystery ingredient won’t lose its potency if it’s added to a stew simmering in a less expensive pot. Bowl & Board has expert-chef-caliber Leyse Professional aluminum saucepans ($29.99–$39.99) without bistro prices. If you’re more interested in simply starting a cookware collection, Economy has pre-packaged Revere collections in seven-piece sets ($59.99–$79.99 ongoing sale). Or perhaps you just need something to throw spaghetti into once in a while. China Fair has your basic Sitram stainless-steel saucepan ($29.99/2.4-quart).

Then there’s the question of how to serve your culinary creations. Bed Bath & Beyond has 20-piece sets of super-strong fine china from reputable makers like Mikasa ($99.99). For a bit more rustic style, there are 16-piece sets of Dansk’s heavyweight stoneware ($99.99). But china just as fine, from English manufacturers like Lenox, can be found at Filene’s Basement ($12.99–$16.99/piece). Crate & Barrel is dependable for dishes that indicate you’re a discerning diner when it comes to taste in plates. The Samoa collection, for one, is all chic Asian elegance, with its low bowls and slick black exterior ($68/5-piece set; $7–$16.95/piece). For bolder Asian accents at audaciously affordable prices, Super 88 has plates, bowls, and teacups in ceramic (99 cents–$5.69) and plastic (95 cents–$3.15), decorated with anything from whimsical rose petals to traditional kaleidoscopic-pinwheel patterns. You’ll be left with extra cash that can go toward take-out as you continue to search for your wok amid the boxes.

With all the lifting and trundling you’ve been doing, a shower could probably do you some good. It’s curtain time for the bathroom, and if you want to pull it with a fashionable swish, you’ll need Umbra plated-brass cuff curtain rings ($19.99) or Sitlax rings rounded off with silver ball bearings ($19.99) from Bed Bath & Beyond. But basic Lucite rings serve the same purpose and can be snatched up at Tags ($2.49) or Urban Outfitters ($3). Besides, what matters more to many is what the rings hold up. Do up the bath with elegance by hanging a thick-weave cotton shower curtain embroidered with bumble bees ($79), or a Portuguese-made cotton cloth adorned with a diamond weave ($69), both from Restoration Hardware. And you’re guaranteed to find towels ($14–$49) and bath rugs ($49) in matching soft earth tones.

But if you’re already at Bed Bath & Beyond with your snazzy hooks in hand, why not plunge into its gallery of shower curtains? Among the dozens of varieties made from plastic, linen, and sheer polyester blends, you’ll find Nicole Miller’s translucent polyester curtain with embroidered lotus blossoms ($49.99), offering an ethereal Victorian feel. Or go bold with Veratex’s scintillating silky vinyl variety rimmed with a band of faux fur ($49.99). If budget dictates that you keep the loungy flash confined to the den, the prices at Tags ($12.99–$32.99) or Urban Outfitters ($24–$36) won’t wash out your wallet. They both offer a cornucopia of funky designs splashed on plastic — from hip hula babes to subway maps to schools of goldfish, each of which makes shower time good clean fun.

After you peel back the curtain, you’ll want to sink your toes into something fluffy and absorbent. Luxury is guaranteed with a Branded bath rug ($49) from Restoration Hardware. Its cotton-and-linen blend amounts to a texture not unlike velvet. But Economy Hardware’s mats of shag ($19.99) or terrycloth ($9.99) do the same absorption trick. After your feet are taken care of, what about the rest of you? Choosing towel sets is more complicated than it seems. After all, there are colors and patterns and weaves and cotton blends to consider and coordinate. For plush sumptuousness, bundle yourself in a super-soft Descamps Egyptian weave from Aunt Sadie’s ($15–$61). For a quick body mop-up at prices that won’t dry out your bank account, Filene’s Basement has towels of solids and stripes in varying degrees of softness ($3.99–$14.99).

Congratulations — you’re nearly there. Take that nap you deserve and rest assured that you’ll wake up knowing you’ve got something nice to come home to.

Liza Weisstuch can be reached at lizashayne@yahoo.com