What I'd Buy on Craigslist this Week

It's almost the end of the year.  Hard to believe.  And there seems to be a lot of people who have things they want to get rid of, because Craigslist has been smokin' hot this week!

I'll get right to it.

1. This settee.  $60

I know I've included settees before on the blog, and explained why, so I won't do that again, but I included this piece for a different reason (besides the fact that I just plain like it - excellent lines and very pretty wood carvings on the back.)
If you look carefully at the post, you might notice that the seller spelled settee wrong.  I'm not trying to harp on anyone's grammar or spelling, because that's not why I'm here, but I point it out to you to because it may hurt the seller's chances of finding a buyer. If someone is indeed searching for a settee, they very well may not find this listing. That may mean you have an advantage as a buyer.  And likewise, if you're selling, use spell check! (This goes for eBay, too.)

2. This vanity… is awesome. It is so so so pretty. And $50!!

You'd need to reconstruct the seat, but it would be equally as lovely in a grown woman's room as it would in a little girl's.  I love how petite looking it is and just classic with beautiful hardware and those vintage casters.
And here's a little secret -  I did actually buy it on Craigslist this week this for someone special! (I'll share more later on that)

My Dad and I are going to refinish it for my sister for her birthday in March! I'm already looking at finish options.
White with a dark stained top?

Or red? I'm getting ready to buy a quart of Annie Sloan Emperor's Silk which would be gorgeous…and my sister is the "red" girl so she would love this.

Lots of fun. My parents and I sort of raced over to the seller's house because he said he had someone else coming to look at it. No way was I letting this one get away. Can't wait to get started on it.

3. This is something I haven't seen before. It looks like an old table that would have been in a hospital, perhaps?

I'm assuming it also lays flat. That opens up possibilities for this piece. What about making it the bedside table in your guest room?  This woman found one and put it to work as an end table in the living room.

So cool! Or you could give your child who is studying an instrument a place to put his or her sheet music. It's just a great conversation piece. They're asking $100.

4. Here's a piece that has an issue.

It's an awesome old dresser but it's missing a drawer. What to do?
For $75 here's what you do. Buy it. And then you get creative.
Like this piece from Sweet Pickins

Or this piece

Or this piece from Shabby Story.

5. When I saw this piece, pinned to someone's board, I fell in love.

Of course, it's Pottery Barn Teen and a gazillion dollars. *eye roll*  Nonetheless, this is sort of a dream project for me. I would love to put this in my daughter's room, which is the smallest bedroom in our house, where floor space is at a premium.
So when I saw these on Craigslist, you can imagine…the wheels started turning.

For $100 you could do so much with these!! They would work equally as well for either a boy or a girl.
And they are solid wood. Amazing. You just don't run across stuff like this every day. I just don't know if I can take on a project of this size right now……hmm….

That's it for 2013!
Thank you for sharing part of your lives with me here, even if it is just a little bit.
I feel blessed and lucky to do what I love.

May health and happiness be yours in the New Year.

XO,
Anne
PS - As always, if you buy from Craigslist be careful and take a friend with you. I can't vouch for these sellers or their items.  If you end up buying any of these, please let me know!

What I'd Buy on Craigslist this Week

Hi friends and Merry Christmas!

What an awesome time of year. I've taken several weeks off from doing this post, but I missed it, so here we go!

1. Beautiful King size caned bed

You cannot go wrong with a classic like this. Ballard Designs has a gorgeous option that will run you $1000.
So the seller's asking price of about $200 seems like a good deal to me!

2. The gift of a dollhouse is timeless and what little girl wouldn't love a house like this one?

It does say it needs some work, but isn't that what January is for? A good project to pass the time… For $80, I just love this.

3. I've shown you chairs like these before, but as I have also mentioned in the past, finding things in pairs can be especially difficult if you are buying secondhand.  And things in pairs can be especially helpful when it comes to decorating and staging your living spaces.  Symmetry is your friend.
So GRAB these for $35 and run.

And you are already imagining them with new upholstery, aren't you?
This Etsy seller did a fantastic job.

Never gets old, does it? :-)

4. I love a simple wooden bench like this, called a deacon's bench, I believe.

It is beautiful in its spare design... so unfussy.  Great in a foyer or bedroom or hallway if you have room.

What about using this at your kitchen table for a change? Just a thought.
For the life of me I cannot find a good photo of a room where someone has done this, but I think it would be really great looking.

5. What fun is this table?

We put our crack team of investigators here on the case to find out what this is, and in case you didn't already guess, it is a sewing machine table.  According to this woman, who also found one, 

it dates back to the 1890's.  Very cool. And so striking with the cast iron bottom.

No sewing machine included in the one for sale now, and as you can see the pedal at the bottom is missing, as is the original cabinet on top, but the stand alone I think is worth the $65 the seller is asking.

I found old ads for these machines… here

How cool is that? 

Even if you are not a sewing type person, this would make a fabulous addition to your home.  Instant history.

Try this:

And I cannot read one word of this, but I don't need to.  This is gorgeous in any language.

So there you have it. 

As always, if you choose to buy from these sellers or anyone on Craigslist, please be smart, be safe, take a friend with you, and as the song says, "don't outsmart your common sense."

To anyone whose eyes are on this page, I just want to say thank you for taking a few minutes to spend with me here. This is more fun for me than you'll ever know!

And Merry Christmas.

May all the blessings of the season be yours.

XO,

Anne

 

What I'd Buy on Craigslist this Week!

Hi friends,

I don't know about you but life is moving at break-neck speed around here. Life is full. And it is good. I played some driveway basketball today with my kids and their friends, and we had such a good time. It was one of the last warm days for what will probably be a while. And if I'm being honest, I'm not a huge outdoors/sports person. But…the kids each had a friend over and we all ended up around the basketball hoop. I can't quite put my finger on what exactly was so special about it - it was just one of those moments where time seems to pause and I stood back, and heard all four kids whooping it up, laughing, and playing nicely together, two boys and two girls, third grade and kindergarten, and it struck me that they are growing up so fast but that moment was ours. I was grateful for good, kind friends for my kids, for a nice day outside, that they were safe and happy right there with me.

Maybe the magic was that I was content. That's an elusive little thing, isn't it?

So I hope you find a moment like that somewhere in your week. (It's hard, because I don't yet know how to conjure them up. I try to be good at recognizing them before they pass, though, so maybe that's a start.)

(This pic is from earlier this week when my bestie and her little boy came to visit. Salve for my soul. Love you, J.)
And that's a lot of rambling in what is supposed to be a furniture post.
Thanks for indulging me.

Here's what caught my eye this week - hope you find it useful or helpful in some way!

1. Outdoor furniture. If you have the room to store it, now can be a great time to get some pieces for next spring. I know, everyone has Thanksgiving and Christmas on the brain. But that means you can score some deals. This wicker set is lovely and only $40.

Leave it white, or give it some punch.  Either way, your porch will thank you next summer!

Via

2. I just love this charming little desk and hutch for $30. I was actually looking for someone who had mentioned their daughter needed a desk. I hope they got this one!

The desktop lifts up, and I bet a little girl would love to keep some treasures in there.
I adore the paint job on this similar piece done by Fab Rehab Creations.

3. Midcentury Modern, Danish Radio/Record Player cabinet.

This looks like the outside is in fantastic shape. I'm torn over whether I'd paint it or not. The radio inside still works, but the record player does not.

If someone was handy enough to fix the record player, I would totally leave the inside alone and just bring this into a room as a conversation piece, element of surprise, and a great way to introduce some clean lines into a space.  Love it! And…wait for it… it's $25.

4. Excuse me, I have to go take a call at my telephone bench.  I love these.

Totally makes me yearn for the days when telephones had actual cords and you had to go to the phone to answer it and have a conversation. Not convinced? OK, you don't have to yearn for yesteryear to see how adorable this could look in your foyer. Asking price is $35.

Via

5. I know I already wrote last week about the dining room furniture bonanza on CL right now, but I thought this set was worth mentioning. 

I just love its classic lines and elegant oval shaped table. 

Gorgeous! And there's a matching china cabinet. They're asking $300 for the set. That's a lot of furniture for $300.

There you have it.

Now go forth, and get some great stuff! 

As always, I do not know these sellers, and I have not seen these pieces in person. If you buy from Craigslist, use common sense, take someone with you when you pick items up, and just generally be smart and safe. 

Have a great week!

Anne

Happy November! Here's What to Buy On Craigslist This Week

Hi friends!

I have been a busy bee, painting a huge three piece entertainment center with bookshelves, gathering supplies to make a custom hall bench cushion, and I'm about to put nailhead trim on a cool chest of drawers for a client.  Fun times!

Let's get to the good stuff out there just waiting for a new lease on life.

1. It is the season of family gatherings coming up…kitchens smelling like turkey and trimmings…Black Friday…and you may not have known this, but it is also the season of lets-get-a-new-dining-room-set-quick-before-everyone-comes-over!

Behold exhibit A.

Exhibit B.

Exhibit C.

And I could go on. Be forewarned…there are approximately 2.6 million dining room sets listed right now so if you decide to look through them in search of the perfect one, pack a sandwich.
And the three I listed here are UNDER $100 for the set - chairs included. It's almost laughable. Why anyone would buy a brand new dining table and chairs (unless you really can't find a size or style you like) is just beyond me.

2. This gorgeous cane chair. listed for $75  Drool…

I kind of don't even mind the upholstery, although you'd have to check it out in person. A coat of paint on all that gorgeous wood and cane and BAM you have this:

And there's a surprise on the back.

This woman did a similar surprise shot of color on the back, too.

LOVE it.

3. This settee is so charming and classic. I love a settee. For some reason it sounds so much more exotic than a loveseat.

They're only asking $40! And there's even better news if you go and read the listing because the seller has TWO matching pieces.

A pair of settees facing each other makes for a fantastic living room if you ask me (granted these are much fancier than the one for sale, but you get the idea.)

I love that they have a smaller footprint than a couch.  Lots of options.

4. Someone PLEASE buy this vanity and ask me to paint it. Because wow, is it ever a stunner.

Can you imagine this in a little girl's room? To die for!! You can't walk into Pottery Barn Kids and find this, my friends. In my humble opinion, things like this take a room from good to truly unique and memorable. PS - Look at that headboard in the mirror….  :-)

5. This Queen sleigh bed for $60.

I love it in a gray as seen here

or in bright pink for a girls room.

That's it for the week.
Let me know if you score any great finds. And as always, if you shop Craigslist be careful and smart!!

XO,
Anne