We’re playing rug roulette over here at our house

Yesterday, a friend and I hit up a few yard sales in the suburbs and I was lucky enough to score a gorgeous 9×14 Persian rug from a doctor and his wife that are down-sizing from their suburban mansion to a Center City condo.  It was one of those classic moments at a yard sale, when you look at the price tag and think “Are they serious?!”  I wondered that because the price tag read $100, and that is seriously CHEAP for a real wool Persian rug!  (Meanwhile, I still bargained them to $90 for it.  I know…I feel a little bad, but I’m a firm believer in always bargaining in these situations even when the price is ridiculous.  Take this as a lesson for the next time you’re at a flea market, yard sale or thrift store.)

At any rate, I bought it for our master bedroom because I wanted something in the burgandy-red color family to warm it up.  (Our current rug is a solid pale grey.  No fuss.  No excitement.)  However, it didn’t work out because it turned out to be too large.  Gah!! (I really should remember to ALWAYS keep a tape measure in my purse.)  So, the fact that the rug didn’t fit in our master bedroom started a domino effect of rug switcheroo throughout the house.  We put the new rug in the guest room, the old guest room rug in the living room, and the living room rug in the dining room.

Here’s how it all ended up:

This is the new rug that we got.  It’s going all the way to the wall here because we ended up having to push it as far away from the door as possible so that it would open without having to shave the bottom of the door down.  I just couldn’t bear to start another project this evening, so forgive my laziness.

The living room looks SO much better with this rug in it that I can barely stand it.  I love this rug so much that it only felt right to have it downstairs where I could enjoy it all the time.  Wheeeee!

And now the dining room has the old living room rug.  (This last photo is terrible.  I was rushing there at the end…So sorry!!)  At any rate, getting three new looks for the price of [less-than] one was so much FUN!!  As Layla at The Lettered Cottage says, “Always shop your house first!” In this case, it didn’t exactly come first, but it did come.  And that’s what counts!

Iron (Antique) Bed Love, Part 2

Well, I guess by the title you know which choice we made for our master bedroom!  Although we liked the quality of Charles Rogers’ beds, we didn’t really like any of their king size styles.  (Definitely have to give them props for making quality beds with iron & real brass versus aluminum and painted brass finish like the competition though!)  So that just left one last option — hunting for an antique bed frame that we could convert to a king size…and someone to do it.  After a lot of digging I discovered that there aren’t that many people who are willing to take on the trouble to convert an antique bed.  Who knew?!  My search only turned up just a couple of people across the nation!  The perfect choice for us was Hobnail Antique Beds in Pawling, NY.

Look at all those gorgeous antique beds!  I had a wonderful afternoon with the owner, Jerry.  In the two hours I was there chatting with him and choosing the perfect bed for us, I was extremely impressed with the quality of the finished product and thrilled to meet someone who took so much pride in his craftsmanship.  Jerry strips, cuts, welds, and paints the beds himself.  I got to look at some of the beds he was currently working on and as well as a few he’d just finished and his craftsmanship was beautiful.  You couldn’t even tell these beds hadn’t always been a queen/king size.  Also, he made some beds for a few famous folk, including Cyndi Lauper and Kevin Bacon.

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the bed that we chose.  It’s actually two twin beds that are going to be put together to become a king! ( Sorry about the terrible quality of the photos.  I forgot my normal camera and was using the iphone.)

Here’s a closer up version of what the bed looks like.  There is a brass bar on the headboard and footboard.  One of the big reasons we liked it, was the simple style of the castings…and how close together the bars are — which is good for making sure your pillows don’t fall back behind the headboard!  (Some people like to read in bed, y’know!)

Jerry was kind enough to pose with my new beds…and in about a month they’ll be done!  I can’t wait!!!!

So if you’re looking for a quality iron bed that’s converted to your modern-day queen or king size, I can’t recommend Hobnail Antique Beds enough.  (Oh, and his prices are competitive with new beds…what more info do you need?!)

Trip to the junk store + dining room pics

Yesterday while being out enjoying Fall, we happened along a little junk store that had a treasure trove of goodness.   We got 8 paint-by-numbers, a new 50′s side chair and two mounted plush animal heads (not shown).   Since we hung the artwork up in the dining room, I thought it would be worth showing pics of the dining room since I’ve not posted anything on it before.  (Oh, and did I mention that we got everything for the low price of $55 total!  Man, I love shopping at thrift stores!)

The new art above the dining room buffet is the “Four Seasons” paint by number series.

The new art is horses, landscape, and collie.  Plus our new chair!!  Love it!  (It’s got a cotton-webbed seat that matches the walls!)  Also, this is the finished corner cabinet that we got at a salvage store and installed into the corner.  (See the original post and pictures about it HERE.)

Update: Apartment Therapy re-posted my dining room pics!  Several people asked what color I used on the walls.  It’s Williamsburg brand paint.  The darker green is CW505 and the lighter green is CW508.  Also, some other people asked about the dining room set.  It was manufactured by Bramin of Denmark in 1965 and designed by H.W. Klein (and yes…it was also purchased at a thrift store too).

Playing catch up

I haven’t had a lot of time to post anything lately, so this post is going to play catch up to get you up to speed on where we are at the moment with all things house-related.  Here goes in short order:

I never showed pictures of the final framed versions of the vintage Cuban posters I bought before Christmas.  So here’s what they ended up looking like on my wall.

I bought Ikea frames, but had professional mats cut at the local frame shop.  It saved alot of money and I love how they look going up my stairs!  The one BAD thing you’ll notice is my un-finished paint removal on the stairs.  It’s been a super slow painful process.  Trying to get paint off the curved bannister is trying my patience.  I was considering trying to remove the bannister itself and just get it sent out to get dipped, but I think that would end up damaging it…so in a few weeks I’m going to have to hit the paint removal tools again.  This time, I probably WON’T be using Peel Away.   If any of you have tips [specifically] on removing paint on curvy surfaces, I’d love to hear it!!

On a separate note, N and I upgraded some household tools, finally!  While we were in NYC last week, we went to Home Depot for something completely un-related, but ended up getting a new power drill & saw combo kit.   This 18V set was on sale for only $89!   The  guy working in the tools department was both really knowledgeable and extremely helpful and he recommended it highly…so let’s hope we’re happy with it once we actually get to using it.

Also while away last week, a friend gave me 2 rolls of Graham & Brown wallpaper!  I’ve decided to use it in the back of my dining room wall cabinet.  (Photo via Graham & Brown website.)  Don’t you just love it!!!?!?!

Then on the fun side of things, we went flea marketing today at our favorite haunt!  Cedars Flear Market in Skippack, Pa.  It’s small and local, but I always manage to walk away with a few good things.  Here’s today’s bounty.

For only $30 we got four vintage 50′s refrigerator dishes, a sweet little yellow creamer, and an awesome stitched deer in a carved wooden frame.  I was thinking about Shauna’s post on thrifting when I was buying these items, and proud of myself that all my items went together in color scheme.  Lots of fun bright colors!   (And as a side note, I’ve been looking for refrigerator dishes like these for ages, so I’m thrilled that I finally got a set!!)

Lastly, I’m on the hunt for a rug for the yet-to-be-finished guest room.  We drove all over the place today looking for rugs for both me and N’s mom, but neither of us could find anything.  We’re both picky and cheap.  Haha.   So after a day with no reallllly great deals, I decided to hit up Craigslist and ebay.  So far I’ve found some really great stuff.   I sometimes forget just how great Craigslist is.

Okay guys…that’s it.  I’ll try to be better about posting and not wait so long until next time.  Until then, don’t forget that it’s spring time and you need to start planning for those monthly flea markets!

Local Philly[ish] thrift/vintage store roundup, Part 1

As much as I want to hold on to all of my secret thrifting resources, I suppose I shouldn’t be stingy.  Especially considering so many people have been emailing me to ask about my sources recently.  Well, here are a few of my favorite local(ish) places to get awesome vintage finds:

1. ReStore, 3016 E. Thompson St.  They have lots of great old hardware, bath fixtures, lighting, architectural salvage and miscellaneous other things as they come in.  That’s where I got my dining room cabinet.
2. It’s New to You, 59th & Lancaster Ave.  I’ve purchased so many countless items here that I feel like I keep them in business myself.  (Including my dining room set.  Ssssh!)  Note: They are currently in the middle of moving to this new location, so give them a few weeks to get situated.  I went by there today and they were only 1/3 of the way moved in, and it looked like they were pretty picked over due to trying to liquidate for the move.
3. Bargain Thrift, 5245 Germantown Ave.  Great for clothes, accessories…and there’s a place right next door (name unknown?) that has furniture.  Definitely worth checking out.   Just this week I fell in love with two drool-worthy upholstered chairs for only $125 for the pair.  Of course, there’s lots of junk too so beware. 
4. Orphelin Vintage, 720 S 5th St.  Vintage, antiques, & local art.  And it’s easy to walk to if you live in the city!
5. Emlen Antiques, 7107 Emlen St.  It’s right down the street from the new Tiffin location in Mt Airy.  On a weekend, you’ll always see old furniture sitting out front.  His store is small…there’s no sign… but his selection is good… as well as his prices.
6. Vintage Modern, 906 2nd St, Philadelphia.  It’s not a thrift store.  Okay okay…It’s a retail shop, but they sell mostly 60′s & 70′s furniture and the prices aren’t outrageous, so I felt obliged to include them here… because their selection is always great.  I’ve never gone in there without finding at least one piece that I had to seriously consider pulling out the checkbook for.
7. Barn Attic, 324 Harleysville Pike, Harleysville PA.  It’s a thrift store…in a Barn!  This place is jam packed with furniture, clothes, accessories, jewelry, and knick-knacks galore.  But beware the owner has very specific rules you must follow while there.  It can be worth it though if you’re in the area!
8. Care & Share Shoppes, 783 Route 113, Souderton, PA‎.   There are three separate parts to Care & Share.  Clothes, Home Accessories, Furniture.  In my opinion their home accessories section is the best though.  Of course, like any thrift store, it can be hit or miss.  Oh, and they don’t bargain on the price.
9. Impact Thrift, 3 locations in suburban Philly.  I’m most familiar with their store in East Norriton.  They have a little of everything.
10. Cedars Flea Market, Cedars PA.  It’s the 3rd Saturday of [almost] every month.  I love it.  I never go without buying at least 4 things.  Not good for furniture though…mainly focused on smalls & decorative.
11. Adamstown, Pa.  There’s a ton of places.  Too many to name.  Just hit google maps and go.  Seriously.  I can’t believe you haven’t been there yet!  GO!
12. Circle Thrift, 2007 Frankford Ave, Fishtown.  Great selection of clothes downstairs.  They also have a wide variety of home goods upstairs.  I’ve found quite a bit of good serving pieces there in the past.
13. Provenance Architectural Salvage, 1610 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia.  Amazing place.  Great prices.  Great for old doors, chandeliers, some furniture, antique hardware, and landscaping material.
    

Alright…save this list before I feel compelled to delete it out of selfishness. 

NOTE: I updated the list to include Circle Thrift in Fishtown.  How could I forget them?  But also, since as Mark points out…many places on here aren’t technically thrift stores I’d call the list vintage/thrift.  In my experience it’s hard to find GOOD used furniture at cheap and/or reasonable prices…and this is what this list is trying to put out there.   Haha.  Thanks for calling me out though Mark!

Antiques are Green

This is why I love thrift store shopping.  Two weeks ago, I got a dining set just like this as well as a matching credenza at my favorite second hand furniture store.  Stats: Manufactured by Bramin of Denmark in 1965.  Designed by H.W. Klein.  Made of solid teak with rosewood insets.  More pics of my actual pieces within my dining room to follow at a later date.

Meanwhile, I posted this because while out flea marketing this weekend I stopped at a woman’s booth, and she’d handwritten a sign that read “Antiques are Green.”  It made me laugh b/c she’s right.  Anyways…if you’re looking for furniture or accessories don’t overlook the yard sale, estate auction, craigslist, flea market and thrift store.  You might just find something fabulous at a bargain price.  I know i couldn’t be happier with my gorgeous dining set!!

Okay, I’m obsessed with thrift store shopping

This past week I went to my favorite thrift store and discovered they had some really cute vintage china for a total bargain.  (In fact, it was practically a steal.)  I couldn’t help but get it because…well….it was so cute! But also because after some internet digging I discovered that it’s from a really great English china manufacturer (Mintons) and the pattern was discontinued in 1851. Sweet!! Anyways…we went to back to pick it up today and here’s our loot!

Thankfully N likes it as well. (Even though it’s kind of girlie.) This femmie style isn’t my normal 1950′s vintage, but for some reason I just fell in love with that bright turquoise rim. I guess now I’m going to forever be on the lookout for more when I hit up the thrift stores. Haha.