Thrift Store Finds ...

I'm on a hunt. For a new living room.

Yesterday, I started my search at Revival Home Furnishings here in Kansas City. It's a great store that mixes consignment pieces with new ones. The best of both worlds. :) Great stuff, but nothing that I just couldn't live without. I then went on down the road to a Salvation Army Store. Again, nothing I had to have. So then I went a little further on down the road to Pottery Barn. Plenty I didn't want to live without, but $1000+ for some of the pieces I was looking at. One should never go there directly after going to the Salvation Army Thrift Store. But I do love to look. :)

After doing my chores today [putting away Christmas decorations], I treated myself to a couple more hours of thrift stores, continuing my search for Living Room furnishings.

Here are my iPhone photos from my little outing today [oddly enough, nothing really for the living room] ...

Libby has a desk in her room almost identical to this one. I got it when we lived in Jacksonville. I paid $5 for hers, but the varnish has worn off in places & it has "Jennifer" carved on the desk part [which I've kept just because it's funny. Adds character.]. :) This one [above] was only $9.98 & is in near perfect shape! I texted a couple people & put this on Facebook because somebody that had seen Libby's was wanting to find one just like hers. I just can't remember who it was. But if you're wanting it ... it's at the Red Racks on Wornall! [*Just realized it's ideal for a left-handed person! Ha! I had to go check Libby's since it never even occurred to me, but hers is indeed right-handed.]

The next shop I went to doesn't look like this throughout the store ... but this was what one of the rooms looked like. Supposedly, it's just sort of a "storage" room. Pretty ... impressive ... little pile.   I think I've done dumpster diving that felt cleaner than this did. But there were some cool little finds, including those 2 armed wooden library chairs [one has a TV in the seat, the other is under the Forta box]. I bought a chair just like these at a flea market last year. LOVE these. NO idea how much they were. But I am certain they weren't much.

I loved this lamp! There was no lightbulb & no outlet for me to test it out [& I didn't ask].  I also don't really have a place to put it if I were to get it. But it was only $11. I adore it. With a new modern shade? This thing would be stunning.

I wanted to buy this. It was $40 ... but needed a lot of work. I would have just attempted to clean it, restain the top & touch up as needed [not paint]. I definitely would keep the knob on the drawer, but the 2 pulls below would have to be replaced [the one on the right was broken].

The piece flips open on both sides & has wooden supports that pull out, doubling the length of the surface. I'm not exactly sure what reason there would be to open it all up like that? Bar? But I would keep it all closed up. I took measurements & will sit on this one. It's by "Thomasville", but looks old.

I was leaving the store & noticed a store window from a room I never even saw. I fawned over the table & chairs ... and knew I'd regret it if I never went in to at least check the price. $300 for the table & 6 chairs [5 side & 1 arm]. Seats would obviously need to be reupholstered [simple] ... but MAN. Is this ever gorgeous. And so well built.               I want it.

I do not really need a new table or chairs. I just painted a buffet & repainted my table & chairs. 2 months ago. But SERIOUSLY.           I kind of want it.                       I do.   If someone were to buy it, fix it up for me & find a new owner for my table & chairs, I wouldn't be mad.

In the end, I walked away with just these things: 4 amber drinking glasses for the kids [$0.99 each] & this green oval bowl for $3.98.

This summer my mom was admiring the flower pot next to my kitchen sink. I bought it because a.) it was mustard gold and matched my kitchen; b.) I needed a cuter pot than the plastic one that came with my aloe plant; and c.) because it was only $0.99. She flipped it over to show me it was a "McCoy" pottery piece & made in the USA, which [according to her] both should have been my clue that it was worth more than $0.99. I had gotten it at a thrift store, of course, and thought I paid too much at the time. So going by the 'vintage American pottery rule', I decided to get this green oval bowl today. Mainly because I like it & hope to use it as a serving dish. It's a Haeger Pottery piece which I later learned is a company that has been making pottery in the USA for 140+ years. No biggie. You learn something new everyday. Today that 'thing' was Haeger Pottery. Now I know. 

For the price of one piece of furniture at Pottery Barn, I could have purchased all this loot today. Crazy. Especially when you realize that most of the things you see in that store? Are reproductions. Made to look like these vintage pieces & originals that you find in thrift stores. Also, in most cases when you buy from a thrift store the money is going to a charity. In the case of my purchases today [4 glasses & the oval bowl], the money goes to Disabled American Veterans. Win-win. Don't be scared. Go on in. Yes, even the rooms that look like a scene from "Hoarders". There are diamonds to be found in the rough, I promise. [*Update: After sleeping on it ... I went back to get the bird lamp. Love it. So happy.]