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Take off your skirt.

8 Jan

Alright so, I tried out that rocking chair that  I re-did last week  and in comparison with the rest of the furniture it looked tiny. So I started to look online for an accent chair.  Anything I liked was going to run me around 300 dollars and I couldn’t find anything that I was really in love with. So I happened to stop by a thrift store that I hadn’t shopped at in a while and I came across this chair:

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I was pretty excited because it looked a lot like many of the chairs that I had been looking at online. Clean lines, tufted back, and  mid centruy-esque. It was very study had no major signs of wear and had no spots of or stains (that dark spot is a wet spot from some melting snow outside when I unloaded it) I spoke to the clerk and was able to get it for a song- $14.95. I threw it in the car and brought it home. There was only problem- the skirt had to go. Twenty minutes later, we have a winner!

I love it when things are cheaper and easier then you ever thought.

PS. There is a matching one left. – Won’t reveal my source here but if anybody is interested I’d be happy to share the location in private.

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This is what obsessive looks like

20 Mar

Alright I think I might have gotten a little carried away here. First, I was going to get the navy chairs to surround my dinning room table. Then I found out that when I found the one I have on the side of the road, I should have run right to 7-11 to play the lotto because that was a minor miracle. If I want to buy three more vintage ones they are going to run me around 100 bucks each, plus shipping. If I want three new ones that’ll be about 400 each. Feelin a little defeated, I did a little Overstock.com hunting and came up with this option  

These guys (Steel Silvertone Side Chair) are 136.99 for a pair. Which means that for four (even though we really want six) It would cost 273.98. That stings a little bit and so they were ruled out along with the idea of the Navy Chair.

Cut to Scene Two: The School House Chair. It began with the arm chair that I found at the thrift store a few weeks back. I thought I could find three more to match it minus the arms. I was incorrect. A couple weeks of trolling Craigslist and scavenging at estate sales and we’ve assembled quite a team. If you take a look at the first picture I’ll give you the rundown. From the left:  Office Chair, East Avenue estate sale on half price day 10.00, the next came off Craigslist from a downsizing family in Webster 15.00,followed by the Canal Street Thrift store find at 5.99, the next chair was gleaned from an estate sale in Gates, also on half price day for 7.50, the last chair is a friend of the second chair, they were a package deal in Webster for another 15.00. The total of all five chairs being 53.49. That’s a Billy Fuccillo style HUGE cost savings… especially when you consider the fact that you have to remove the rolly chair from the line up because he really has nothing to do with the dinning room table, that drops the total to 43.49 or about 10 bucks a chair. Win.

Now let’s chat about the new dilemma. I like things to match. I mean I really like things to match. I know that I could look really trendy and hip if I painted them all black and made them a family but I’m just really kind of on the fence about it. A lot of it has to do with my deep-seated matching issues, but some of it has to do with the fourth chair from the left. Maybe its just that he hasn’t been painted yet but he is a little taller and boxier than the rest of the chairs. I think it’s a little red headed stepchildish. Meanwhile on the big O, no, not Oprah, Overstock.com we found these:

These chairs (the Slat Black Rubberwood Dinning Chairs) are 147.99 for all four. But what the hell is Rubberwood? Well according to my very esteemed Google research it is an environmentally friendly wood source. They grow it in Southeast Asia for latex, then when the tree stops producing they use the wood for furniture and engineered lumber. So they all match,  they are black like I wanted and they are a pretty good deal. Hence the dilemma.

Right now I’m leaning toward the Rubberwood Chairs, actullay I take that back..maybe I just need to look for something else to replace the stepchild? I’m really not sure.

What do you think?

Fresh Picks

5 Mar

Saturdays are big days for IBB. Woke up and headed to two estate sales. One in Pittsford and the other in Chili. Both sales were on their second day and that means 1/2 off, perfect. From there it was back into the city to hit up the thrift stores. Here’s the break down: 

First sale:
Toolbox: 6.00
In/Out Box: 2.00
Flashlight: 2.00
Bookends: 2.00
Artwork Light: 1.00

Second sale:
Stock Pot: .50
Vintage Tin: .50

Thrift Stores:
Set of 8 Aluminum Pans: 10.00
(four square cake pans, 2 loaf pans, 2 cookie sheets)
Silver Platter: 2.99
Chair: 5.99 (see below)

As for the chair its in pretty good shape. I think I’ll wipe it down and then give it a coat of Feed n’ Wax, hopefully after that we’ll be ready for primetime.

On the way home I decided to drive up Lake Avenue. Heading up the street I noticed a the a large dumpster was parked in the street where some guys were unloading the old Bullwinkle Tavern. That’s when I saw this come out the door and then thrown in the dumpster.

Quickly, I pulled in to the Aldi parking lot and rearranged the day’s picks, swung around and pulled up near the dumpster. I walked up and decided I was going to act like I was going to do this guy huge favor. “excuse me!”, “excuse me!”. The guy turns to me and looks at me with blank stare. I reply “Can I save you some room in your dumpster?” – blank stare- “how about I take care of that dresser for you?”-blank stare-” Can I have that dresser?”- he nods. Immediately three other giant men back away from the dumpster and I wade into the debris to rescue it Baywatch style. Moments later I emerge from the rubble victorious, no thanks to any of the four giant men who stood and watched me do so.

So here’s the plan: It’s really not in the best of shape, but it was free, so… whatever. I’m going to need to repair some of the drawer slides and then I’ll sand it down and paint it black. After that I’ll replace the hardware with little crystal knobs, and line the drawers with wallpaper. Then if in a year or so I give it away that’s fine. Once I have my own garage it will be a fun project. All this stuff for 33.00! Win.

One lonely chair in search of five friends.

21 Feb

See this chair?

Good Form Metal Side Chair

I have one that I found on the curb last winter over in the South Wedge and I would like more. I would really like six, but I’d be happy with four. So here’s the deal. I know that they are kicking around in people’s basements, sheds, attics and most often in their offices. I won’t ask any questions about how you got them, or where they came from. Just know that I will take very good care of them. But seriously… If you have any leads that would be fantastic.

Update 2/22:

I’ve come to find out that these are called Navy Chairs. They are still made by a company called Eamco. You can pick one up for around 400.00. Yikes! I got mine for free. Granted mine was made by a company called Goodform… but it’s still worth about 150 bucks according to eBay. Why are they called Navy Chairs? Well here’s the scoop. Back in WWII the US Navy needed chairs that were sturdy, cheap and that wouldn’t rust in the salty air. Hence the Navy Chair. Its made of one continuous piece of aluminum with no seams and no welds to break. Being aluminum it won’t rust either. Let’s just say 150 bucks a chair doesn’t fit into the budget at IBB. If you find one for me I’ll give you a pat on the back.