Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Virtual Craigslist Window Shopping: $300 or Less

I've taken a bit of a break from Craigslist the past few weeks.  It's a combination of stress of getting the little man in school (he already has a girlfriend, by the way - after the first day), stress of sending the boyfriend to Atlanta soon (without us - for 10 days - sucks, sucks, sucks), and the stress of having no money.  Oh yeah, and because I have several pieces that I'm supposed to have finished up and sold by now that are just hanging out around the house, but I just can't motivate myself to work on any of them.  I will though, promise.  Real soon.  Maybe.

Anyway, to give myself something to blog about besides school lunches (today's worked out much better, btw - and I learned that you can add 1/2 cup of steamed, pureed cauliflower to boxed mac & cheese without noticing it at all), I decided to check out the local Craigslist with an imaginary budget of $300 and see what I would buy.  In this fantasy I also have a place for these things once I bought them - not much on the buy/rehab/sell front these days.

$299

Love this super long (93 inches!) bench out of a railroad station.  Would look great in one of those large entry/hallways Texas McMansions all seem to have.

$55
It's hard to tell from the spectacular photo - but I'm pretty sure this is a square chinoiserie coffee table.  Great price, custom made, solid wood.  I'm obsessed with this style of coffee table.

$100/pair

The ad says they're chairs, but they look more like barstools.  Either way I'm loving them.

$50

Okay, there are a few fixer-uppers out there.  This could easily bring in a profit if you paint it.  Or even just relist it under the furniture section rather than the antique section.

$55/pair
These chairs are begging for dramatic, large scale fabric.  Maybe painted frames.

$75/pair

Small pendants to classy up your bedside area or around your bathroom mirror.  Do it with modern touches so it doesn't go all frou-frou.

$30

I love the lines on this desk chair - and they're practically giving it away.

$289

Get your Sputnik on.  I don't really know if this is that great of a price or not  - but it looks pretty.

$100/pair

They have a matched pair of these armchairs.  They'd look pretty cool in my living room.  They'd look pretty cool in another fabric down the line.  Love the arms.   Want to buy...  Must resist.

$100

I'm pretty sure someone with fabulous taste could make this chinoiserie couch a showstopper in their house.  I really like the fabric - just needs to be relocated to a modernized setting.  And lose the matching pillows.

$150
Love this apple green color - will do something similar in the future for sure.  (In San Antonio - not Austin)

$60/pair

If you haven't noticed, I love things in pairs.  Good price - paint 'em up, of course.

$150

A very interesting shape on this antique rocker.


$275
Such pretty detailing. 

$195
Too bad Kellie couldn't find these for this week's Design Star.  Poor girl - the judges say "Don't be so literal." So she tried not to be too literal and they were like "Give the clients exactly what they say they want."  And her handyman built the most dangerous looking platform bed of all time (which she designed, so blame goes both ways).  Luckily my favorites are still in it:  Kellie (nicest on air personality), Meg (most on-trend design taste) and Karl (probably the best designer).  All Mark does is put up a big art piece and fill the room with lots of wood - I have no idea how he's lasted this long.

Any items you'd like?  And what about Design Star - are you still watching?  Who are you rooting for?

3 comments:

  1. Dang, I really liked the $55 pair of chairs, but seems its sold already... Oh well! :)

    Don't have cable, but have been keeping up with design star via blogs. Seems like a craptacular season, too bad.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sorry you missed the chairs, Elisa. Just convince yourself that they smelled like cat pee - that's what I try to do when I miss a Craigslist score. That way I do't keep thinking about it months later (although there are still a few missed opportunities that I haven't gotten over - like the free Antropologie chesterfield from TWO years ago that I missed by minutes).

    I've been watching Design Star online (we also don't have cable). I think the producers have made a lot of good changes to this season (they have plenty of money, plenty of stores to shop, and aren't hindered by ridiculous "be inspired by this musical instrument" themes), but none of the cast has really stepped it up with any originality. The first episode they were all talking about "making a headboard" like it was the most complicated thing they had ever done. My idea is that they should do an entire season of just design bloggers. Sherri (Young House Love) versus Bri (You, Me and a Weiner) versus Jenny (Little Green Notebook) - that is a season worth watching.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Kai,
    Just want to say thanks for all your comments on my blog recently--I love active readers! I am LOVING that couch--the kind of piece it would be fun to build a room around--and that green jenny lind bed.

    Also love the idea of blogger design star.

    I'm your newest follwer!

    Heather

    ReplyDelete