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The key to merging dissimilar furniture styles is using bridge pieces, like this pair of polycarbonate Kartell lamps that refer to traditional shapes in modern materials.

Kirsten's picnic-style dining-room table is a one-of-a-kind antique; the striped chairs on either side of her hutch are from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. And instead of standard dining-room chairs, Kirsten paired this table with the same storage benches used in her breakfast nook—they take up less space and seat more people than individual chairs.

Another good way to stretch your decorating budget is to select urns or vases that look great with or without flowers. Then you won't need to put them away when they're empty.