Mixing high-, low-end furniture

Dressing a room can be a lot like dressing yourself.

You invest in the pieces you want to last many years and shop for steals on accessories that change with trends.

Victoria Dreste, a St. Louis-based interior designer, recently worked with a client to pull together high- and low-end pieces to decorate a living room.

"We wanted to create an updated, comfortable modern look, and we didn't have an outrageous budget," Dreste said. To stay within her client's budget, she shopped for a few vintage pieces and had them re-covered in fabric to complete the look.

The color palette dictated choices in furnishings.

"We wanted strong color, without overwhelming the room," she said. They started with a light ivory color on the walls and chose a natural tone for window coverings. She started adding color from the floor up.

"I used a modern pattern and bold colors on the rug and repeated those colors in other elements," Dreste said.

The basic anchor pieces, the sofa and rug, were the big ticket items. They chose higher quality in the pieces they wanted to last.

"They were completely customizable, which is also why they cost more," Dreste explained.

Buying strong vintage pieces means looking for good structure,

form and condition. The right items allow you to mix less expensive pieces without looking cheap.

Even when buying mass-produced accessories, keep an eye out for quality. The Target leather bowl Dreste purchased, for example, looks a lot more expensive than it really is. The Pier 1 pillows add a lot of punch and are easily changed.

Featured pieces

--Kravet tan sofa with contrast welt (custom, available through designer), $2,092.

--Palachek olive lamp (available through designer), $325.

--Horizon natural Roman shades (available through designer), $350 each.

--Floor lamp, Design Within Reach, $695.

--Throw pillows, Pier 1, $15 for solid color, $22 for patterned.

--Teal vintage chair, The Future Antiques, St. Louis, $430, including cost of reupholstery.

--Coffee table/bench, The Future Antiques, $100.

--Davis and Davis area rug (custom, available through designer), $2,200.

--Leather bowl, Target (from previous seasons), $20.